Up and Work It's Spring

"Up and at 'em!"

Thought was atom

for centuries, now

learn it's military,

not small matter

every day charge

to rise and work

pick the weeds.

National Poem-a-Day Challenge
Can I do it?


Caroline Gerardo copyright April 2, 2018

Code Word is Bunny

First day of Spring 

before a kiss goodbye

remember darlings

code word is bunny

wear  shoes that run

sephora pepper spray

a whistle on a chain

sheath pocket knife 

camera on the porch

cell phone charged

practice hide drills

watch strangers act 

a civil defense duty

to record crime live

be so ready to fight

do cover your head

map escape access

do not be impaired

know all neighbors

work plan to escape

carry all medication

phone as flashlight 

objects as weapons

plan other escape

the meeting place

yes we are ready
wear brave smile

survive 

child

kiss 

kiss

copyright Caroline Gerardo March 20 2018

#marchforourlives

Joe Fay Lyric Essay

Painted Totem Birdhouse with cat and three birds

Black Headed Grosbeak a songbird

fish crow whose nasal calls ring from salt marshes

Young Gray Jay, hearty bird in cold

Excerpt from Lyric essay to be published:

Joe Fay’s angler fly-rod flexes luring a trout, imitating the flight of an insect. Joe Fay’s paintings at LA Artcore perch for a moment, ready to take flight into a dream-scape. An answer to a bird call, “fee bee o, ”  from the Alder Flycatcher’s mate arrives in a kaleidoscope of tropical music heard by Paul Gauguin in another time.  The paintings sing in zig-zag patterns that pick at childhood memories of marble painting, hot summers skipping rocks in creeks, and rick rack birdhouses gone wild.

Fay pulls you upon a journey. Back to waka poems, or Ebru of the 10th Century were inscribed upon drifting sandpaper. Reminds of the Turkish marbling you tried to imitate, not knowing ancient Persians also used colorful clouded papers, only to find your hands muddied by the combination of red and green. Fay doesn’t use earthly umber or brown, he revels in joyful hues of merlot, magenta, lapis, and cerulean.

Don’t think the palette is primary colors. Fay doesn’t wax heavy-handed. His brush is a slender stream that wicks and tears wet paint into streams of thickets of acrylic. With pointed wings, Fay draws birds of Montana, friends he knows well. Aerial feeders open their beaks to the sky. A Black Crowned Night Heron watches from a neon branch for its prey. Ravens circle a landscape as if enchanted by a spell.  The thick soup of foam and paint glisten as jewels sprayed clean by morning mist. Paint appears to continue bleeding like a stream of marshmallow. I refer to the sap of the Althaea officinalis which was reserved for gods and royalty of the ancient Egyptians, nor corn starch.

Fay’s show includes drawings on paper with his signature zip tie language, works on canvas, fans, and birdhouse sculpture reliefs with beaks that scare off predators. Nature flows upon the canvas.

Los Angeles welcomes back Joe Fay from his migration from Montana. The show is up until March 28th.

Video below shows the viscosity in the paint, plus clips from his thoughts live at the exhibition.

UNION CENTER FOR THE ARTS

 LA ARTCORE UNION CENTER FOR THE ARTS

120 Judge John Aiso Street Los Angeles, CA, 90012

copyright  © all rights reserved images, video and lyric essay
 Caroline Gerardo 

Dance At Every Chance Poem

Dixie Dance

At 5 A. M. jump from bed chores need care.

Break all  ice on top  ~     of the water bowls.

Dogs are first, because I can't stand their stare.

Bourguignon stew in congealed hunks of meat.

Next feed cats, go let out the chickens, beware.

Blue jays wait on a rail for spilled cracked corn.

We make it until    ~    next harvest with prayer.

Just enough fodder   ~    left from summer sun.

Rubber knee boots for the barn hike I wear

Wrap a wool scarf   ~   I see Dixie is gone.

She pecks at my outfits as a fashion flair.

Call her for treats as other chooks scramble.

Heavy heart's a weight tears bubble rain.

Pups remind ~ responsibility waits.  

Failure as a mother causes me pain

Damn coyotes stole innocent away.

A parent should not out-live their pet

Scorpions in firewood, crabs in the pond

Teach the babies to tuck, run and not fret

Return to the cabin to find feathers.

A surprise daughter feeding Dixie bugs

There on the grass we do a joyful dance

Celebrate life chances for loving hugs

Share all you can before they disappear.

Remind to give Dixie slices of pear

Caroline Gerardo copyright © 

poem and video February 21, 2018 all rights reserved

For Kazemi a Stump Ghazal

 A Call to Say you Leave for Paris in an Hour

I will go to Paris?

With last few trees

I want to learn more

I want to thank you

You are to delete me?

How will I know Rome?

Po river bronze or gold

I want to learn more

I want to thank you

You are Mars of Todi.

Am I a mere potter?

Main love is complete

I want to learn more

I want to thank you

Leopard of iron oxide.

Why wave goodbye?

Valentines Day tears

I want to learn more

I want to thank you

For I am only C. G.

Poem and image Copyright February 14, 2018 Caroline Gerardo