The Poetry of Bernard Alain: someone else's dog, not mine

a note from the poet

Bernard believes expression should not be inhibited by form and reflect honestly, though enjoying a wide scope of appreciation for the many shapes the art provides, it is a personal mandate of his to increase readership for contemporary poetry by encouraging more organically formed and conversational text that reacts to and captures everyday events. He is the founder of two online sites, 'The Ink Blot' and 'The Cartier Street Review' where artists can submit their contemporary art and poetry for publication and feedback.

Bernard Alain has been published and/or featured in a few online journals recently such as the Orange Room Review, Madswirl, Pirene's Fountain, Mississippi Crow Magazine/RiverMuse Press, International Poet, The World Poets Society Electronic Catalog, Bywords, Bywords Quarterly Journal, Smoking Book and others with an upcoming publication in Wood Coin.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

someone else's dog, not mine

of course chihuahuas
are always hiding behind the master's leg
when they say come and get me,
the instincts of maybe a mexican fighting dog
tethered together
with the bone mass of a chicken

and today my little hairless huitzilopochtli
is yapping about infringement on a
domain that's no greater than
the step ahead
and the same step behind

and the old dogs in the park
don't know what to think
sure they've had a shrew or two
and that size not so long ago

we dance around
hubris (hubris in a much less classical sense)
careful not to step on
the little thing

the yelp could be crucifying

no less
what other walkers might think

Above is a poster selected from the upcoming 'The Notes of a Digital Ghost' collection by Don Schaeffer, the words on the poster are hard to read in this resolution so I have provided the text below:


Diane Recapitulated

So heavy 
when she lifts herself 
from the electric 
legs into a flesh and blood chair. 

"This damn corpus," came 
into my mind from hers. But then 
her face opened at the corners of her broad mouth, 
like a deep Irish red-head. 

And she could dance 
memories of Diane 
next door in our Pennsylvania days, 
before we found paradise.

*Don's blog is listed on the right along with some other favorites.

who in their right mind would consider R&R in Bali

We are all actors once the curtains have been drawn, and maybe Corby has proven to be a lesser thespian as Bali continues to hog the lead role in The Sarcrificial Lamb, we'll never know if she was innocent or not, Bali justice burned away the evidence (along with any credibility) at the onset. Little Java wouldn't last a day on the street corners of real democracy, I say cast a vote for the greater good ---take her back.

for such a small island

"Ron will stop the bullet before
it reaches my heart" she said

and the hydroponic cluster
journeys from the border to the courtroom
too uncut too raw
for a judge who rolls his own
we get away with too much he infers
spitting on sidewalks
jay walking
other heinous crimes

so fresh lamb turns on
a spit
while Bali and the dolphins play

"it is no longer a
matter of truth" Ron proclaims

you wonder why we get so high

The scoop on Yamrus these days

John Yamrus was my first real influence for contemporary poetry. I remember asking myself who was this guy who brought the American public into his livingroom and talked about his dog and wife. I've come to respect John's mastery of conversational mechannics and no doubt believe he is one of a only a few that have successfully layed a corner stone for the conversation poem. I frequent a few online haunts where he drops in occasionally, he's still pounding the pavement, beating the floorboards of school halls and universities with his microscopic views of day-to-day living. John continues to be a fixture in American poetry having been published many times and associated with other greats such as Bukowski. His latest book New and Selected Poems has been published by Lummox Press, check it out at lummoxpress.com

The dramatist's art Milner says...

Every now and then I take my edgy packets of IU to familiar haunts on the net, practice parlor etiquette with the guys and gals who donned their steeds as far back as the 60's,"the dramatist's art" Milner says and the most devoted of thoughts sail out the window on a paper airplane. Not to fret though, the dramatization of poetry continues to win the vote, evolving with more conversational and psychographic text, extorting three-dimensional views from reflex. As a contemporary shape, the conversation poem seems to be gaining the most readership, offering more accessible content with more gut-level reaction to day-to-day circumstances. Somewhere between the journalistic and the artistic, this colorful median is developing an engaging tenor, slowly dispensing with the arcane, allowing readers to participate on their own terms.

on Don Schaeffer

I remember stumbling on Don Schaeffer's poetry a little over a year ago, after reading about hundred poems from his stash it became apparent there was more behind the voice. The simple construction and vocabulary often leading to a wealth of three dimensional views comprised of psychographic text and references to unexpected shapes. Along with being prolific among poets Don shares another interesting dimension with his poster art, earthy distortions that merge easily with the warm human element in his poetry. Don, much like Yamrus and others has layed a corner stone in contemporary poetry being another exemplar for the three dimensional view. He has a book right now called The Body Event and availabe at Barnes and Noble, a worthy read and I recommend it as a great entry point into his collection. Notes of a Digital Ghost is slated for release by PA early this year, the book launch is in Winnipeg May 13 and to be available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble after May 16, keep an eye out for it, I will keep the details posted on this site.

My Recent Poetry

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

someone else's dog, not mine

Shopping Mall Playland

Diane Recapitulated

visitor map

BOOK RELEASE

to follow blog directly

Ira Lightman Collaboration

the acclaimed erbacce-prize for poetry

Links To Other Poetry Related Sites

Other Bloggers I like

Bill due that makes your bones shake