Month: October 2016

Mirror

Jason Preu, , , , , 1 Comment

Dearest,

I am not the kind of man who gives himself over to wanton gushing

regarding the mystical apparatuses of love. Love you, however, I

do. When first I saw you in this blackened mirror, frightened

though I was by your wispy visage and morbid accoutrements, I felt

instantly overcome by an overwhelmingly esteemed and unrelenting

enthrallment. Nevermind my viscera entangled and twisted by such

untoward tumultuous passion; my sole desire herewith is to

patiently await your return. I show you these words tonight and

pray for any type of reciprocation. I pray you won’t leave again.

Indefinitely yours,

Forever

Mirror

Listen of the Week: Mannequin Pussy

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Romantic, by Mannequin Pussy

This is a deeply nervous album, an album that trips all over itself in saying what it needs to say before getting the fuck out. It hurtles from one idea to the next with furious force. But it never loses its focus, and that’s what makes it cathartic.

http://www.stereogum.com/1907232/album-of-the-week-mannequin-pussy-romantic/franchises/album-of-the-week/

Listen of the Week: Mannequin Pussy

Friday Lyrics Mash: Sit Still, Look Pretty, Woman

Jason Preu, , , 3 Comments

Pretending that I need a boy
There’ll be tomorrow night, but wait—
Yeah, that is where I’m gonna be because I wanna be
No, I don’t wanna sit still look pretty
Pretty woman
I don’t believe you, you’re not the truth
Who’s gonna treat me like a toy
Like diamond rings
Mr. Right could be nice for one night
Oh, oh, pretty woman
‘Cause I need you, I’ll treat you right
Oh, I don’t know what you’ve been told
I’m never gonna be that girl
Oh, I don’t know what you’ve been told
This queen don’t need a king
But no, I’m never gonna be ’cause I don’t wanna be
But no, I’m never gonna be ’cause I don’t wanna be
Pretty woman, don’t walk away, hey…

Come to me baby, be mine tonight
Pretty woman, walking down the street
Pretty woman, give your smile to me
Is she walking back to me?
But this gal right here’s gonna rule the world
No, I don’t wanna sit still look pretty
Pretty woman, I couldn’t help but see
And play dumb
I know the other girlies wanna wear expensive things
I guess I’ll go on home, it’s late
And I don’t wanna sit still
Mercy
You get off on your 9 to 5
But no, I won’t sit still, look pretty
Could wake up
Dream of picket fences and trophy wives
No, I don’t wanna sit still, look pretty
What do I see?
But then he wanna take control
And I would rather fly solo

Pretty woman, talk a while
In her life
No, I don’t wanna sit still, look pretty
Pretty woman, say you’ll stay with me
No, I don’t wanna sit still, look pretty
Dream of picket fences and trophy wives
No one could look as good as you
That you look lovely as can be
Oh, I don’t know what you’ve been told
Pretty woman, don’t make me cry
Who’s living in a Barbie world
But this gal right here’s gonna rule the world
Yeah, that is where I’m gonna be, because I wanna be
Pretty woman, stop a while
Pretty woman, don’t walk on by
Pretty woman, yeah, yeah, yeah
I’m a pretty girl
Sit still, look pretty
But I don’t wanna be the puppet that you’re playing on a string

The only thing a boy’s gonna give a girl for free’s captivity
To get love
Oh, I don’t know what you’ve been told
Yeah, that is where I’m gonna be because I wanna be
If that’s the way it must be, OK
You get off on your 9 to 5
Pretty woman
Up in a pretty world
But no, I’m never gonna be ’cause I don’t wanna be
Dream of picket fences and trophy wives
‘Cause that’s not what a lady’s for
No, I don’t wanna sit still, look pretty
Sure, I’m a pretty girl
But no, I’m never gonna be, ’cause I don’t wanna be
No, I don’t wanna sit still, look pretty
No, I don’t wanna sit still look pretty
Are you lonely just like me?
Dream of picket fences and trophy wives
But this gal right here’s gonna rule the world
And I might love me some vanilla but I’m not that sugar sweet
Up in a pretty world

Friday Lyrics Mash: Sit Still, Look Pretty, Woman

Happy Hour

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She goes down on me right on the dance floor, unashamed and unafraid (and after only a few drinks). What kind of club is this? Works her hands up to the back of my thighs and, with little resistance, slides elongated fingers underneath my skin. Her fingertips tickle my heart and I chance a look down, no longer recognize as human what’s here below my waist. We’ve transformed. We need to reach down and touch us. Our fingers gently massage a warm and welcome gelatinous matter. Our lips pucker up. Kiss ourselves goodbye. Finally, our lips too, collapse into so much mush and this, oh yes this – is what they mean by love.

Happy Hour

Prompts! Book Release Tonight – Uptown Arts Bar, KC, MO

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I’ve got one in here titled, “Little Robin Redbreast Decides to Clip Her Wings.”

https://39westpress.com/prompts

Come out if you can:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1792387774315971/

Origins of Prompts! A Spontaneous Anthology

Poetic Underground—a whiskey drinking, verbal slinging, raucous and righteous open mic poetry sequence—has been going strong at the Uptown Arts Bar in Kansas City, Missouri since 2012. The weekly event draws a rich diversity of dedicated versifiers, from cherry-popped first poem poets to tear-jerker slam giants, tight construction academic poets, and the grist of the grind small press poets: every level of poetry can be witnessed (and heard) at open mic night.

Prior to ghosting—when a Guest Host leads the festivities on the bonus, fifth Wednesday of a month—in June of 2016, poet Jeanette Powers sent out a social media call egging on the open mic poets to request a prompt from her: a short, personally crafted phrase intended to be the inspiration for NEW SHIT! to spit at open mic night. “New Shit!” is what the audience shouts when a poet takes the stage to perform new material. In fact, a lot of community shouting occurs at Poetic Underground: “Speak Poet!”, “Rewind!”, “ULIT!”, and “Listen to the Poem!”

Jeanette issued over one-hundred prompts, which led to the epic readings of volumes of New Shit! But many folks who wanted to be a part of Prompts! were unable to attend open mic night, so the idea of a Promtps! book was born. To expand the book’s reach, Jeanette disseminated prompts beyond the open mic community to artists and poets across the land.

This spontaneous anthology represents the outpouring of new work by new and established writers and artists, which was engendered, simply, by the offer of a prompt.

Prompts! Book Release Tonight – Uptown Arts Bar, KC, MO

Walking Along Someone Else’s Wrong Path

Jason Preu, , , 3 Comments

Now God don’t abide by no killin’
despite what you might hear and see

No, God don’t abide by no killin’
’cause killin’s between you and me

Now God don’t abide by no killin’
never mind what those old books say

No, God don’t abide by no killin’
’cause killin’s a here and now game

Now God don’t abide by no killin’
even though everything’s gonna die

No, God don’t abide by no killin’
’cause killin’s an act that implies

Now God don’t abide by no killin’
‘cept the songs all say that ain’t true

No, God don’t abide by no killin’
’cause killin’ just leaves work to do

Walking Along Someone Else’s Wrong Path

Listen of the Week: Leonard Cohen

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You Want it Darker, by Leonard Cohen

This is Cohen’s gift to music lovers: a realistically grim, spiritually radiant and deeply poetic worldview, generally spiked with a romantic thrum and an existential wink. Following a string of records that have each felt like a swan song, You Want It Darker may be Cohen’s most haunting LP. At 82, it might also be his last.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/review-leonard-cohen-you-want-it-darker-w446058

Listen of the Week: Leonard Cohen