Memorial Lighthouse, Trinidad Civic Club, Trinidad, Ca. — JCagney Bone spur of the lighthouse Excavated from the hillside By diligent shovels of weather Stands purified under the administration Of the sun; overseer to an ocean Of scales flashing white and green. An old man sits at a bench shepherding the wet painting of … Continue reading “Memorial Lighthouse — Trinidad, Ca.”

Hold the Phone – Jcagney There used to be one in every house with its own end table or altar. ours was a wire stand crammed with phone books– the first internet. if you remembered to clean it you’d wipe it down like a baby – its umbilical cord would braid itself over all the stories … Continue reading “Hold The Phone”

After Life with God – Jcagney The other side of the white light is a stage light. God’s monologue subsides as the last breath eases from my chest. Relatives gone on before now sit in audience cheering my entrance. God’s hair is a tsunami shadowing a beach, cresting over remarkable brown eyes. He’s in … Continue reading “The After Life… with God”

Cathedral Keeping monks hours, I arise at midnight to a false dawn where the sun pauses at the horizon and creeps sideways like a crab. Our crew chief materializes at the door salmon roe dripping from his palms. Midair, he draws the sign of the dollar. Then, I am Lazarus summoned and … Continue reading “Alaska Stories: Cathedral”

Who was it said Poems are never finished, they’re just abandoned? I begin writing a poem after I assume some understanding about or appreciation over what I’ve just seen, experienced or remembered. Sometimes the poem comes out in one chunk and I let it rest for a while, then go back and tidy it up: Remove, add, clarify. Sometimes … Continue reading “What About Bob?”

Last Christmas I visited Mumbai, India. After the walk I mentioned, I came back to my room and typed a slightly different version of this letter on my cell phone to my best friend back in the states. A few weeks ago, I planned to read part of this on stage at my last reading, but its too long and … Continue reading “A Message From Mumbai”

Mid Morning, every workday for more than a month, I’ve ventured a few blocks over to St Mary’s Cathedral to pray. Initially, I began going there in the name of my friend, poet Joanna Spencer. I began going because her son told me she was desperately ill– having a broken hip and staying in a nursing home … Continue reading “Into The Difficult or A Man’s Silence”

How does one write something where all the characters understand the point being communicated, but no one speaks? This must’ve been my introduction to zen. Don’t let me re-write the poem as introduction, but maybe I could clarify something. I spent two months on a fishing processor in Alaska around the mid 90’s. Its a shit job. There’s … Continue reading “Getting Your Point Across”

Full of optimism and hope, I submitted some poems to a literary magazine. Long before deadline! Hot damn, I accomplished something! Hot damn, these are good poems!! Then I get an email from the editor from the mag saying: I just wanted to send you a quick note because, after logging in all of … Continue reading “The Secret: I Can’t Write Right Handed”

When I can’t write, I become like a badger and start digging around. Maybe there’s something in the past I can revisit/improve since I can’t think of anything new. To me, that counts as exercise. Literary calisthenics. Years ago, I worked on a fishing processor in Alaska. Instead of taking photographs, I wrote a lot. … Continue reading “Alaska Stories — Land Shark (formerly Crazy)”

I didn’t realize until recently there is a very active wrestling community in Oakland and it is Hoodslam… and Hoodslam is Dope. I was introduced to it around the July 4th holiday and my best friend and me wanted to come see a full Hoodslam show. He was busy Friday which left me solo-bolo. I … Continue reading “Advancing A Piece”

Jimmy (not pictured) sent me this email: Party After Art&Soul Saturday. At my spot, 8pm. Potluck is cool. Incidentally, where you been??? I’m sorry, that’s inerect language. I shoulda said ” where you been …at! Ah knows mah Anglish purty damn good. I called him during a break at work. The last time I spoke to and saw … Continue reading “Ghost Ride The Party”

1. Throw Things Away St Mary’s Cathedral is a four block walk from my office in San Francisco, just at the entrance of Chinatown. I found my way there the morning I got a facebook message from my friend telling me his mother, subsequently my friend and mentor who brought me into the world of … Continue reading “Four Ways Of Letting Go”