For Jazz Lovers- Cicily Janus Interviews Mulgrew Miller

Cicily Janus & I both write for the online lit magazine Eclectica www.eclectica.org. I learned recently Cicily loves Jazz. She has combined her love of Jazz with her love of writing and is writing a non-fiction book on Jazz.

Cicily wrote :

"I am attaching a link if you would like to see the review I did of Mulgrew Miller from this past weekend. He was absolutely wonderful. If you don't have any of his works, I encourage you to go to iTunes and get at least one of his albums. He is Oscar Peterson with a flair. A tour de force of Jazz Piano.

http://www.rockymountainjazz.com/photos.html

The photos included in the review were taken by the photographer I am using for my non fiction book on Jazz. Ned is a complete blessing to my project. His artistic vision and organizational skills work in great harmony with mine. I can't wait to show you all the final product."

Ned Radinsky
http://nedradinsky.vox.com/

Forms of Intercession Poems by Jayne Pupek

Dear Caleb

by

Jayne Pupek

How can I explain? You were small and indifferent.
Maybe I craved the sound of a vacant house,
no voices or footsteps,
no one seeking me out with a litany of needs
I couldn't fill. Maybe I wanted to spare us both
that moment when we'd awake, mother and child,
hating each other. I'd be lying if I said
I'd had second thoughts. I can't tell you if the notion
floated into my mind that day or if it had been there all along,
a seed wedged in the crease of my brain.
The certainty of what I was about to do, the unwavering course-
how can I break those into segments you might comprehend?
I was compelled to take the life I'd given you.
The sequences unfolded like the scene in a play,
you sitting on the floor with a fistful of crayons,
me in the next room, kneeling by the tub,
waiting for he water level to rise
before I called your name.

from Forms of Intercession
Mayapple Press
Reprinted with author's permission.


I often wonder what the moment is like before a change. I think about how trees grow. We can't watch this growth yet it happens. Our minds are not hardwired to view such small subtle increments of transformation. Cameras can capture this slow motion growth.

In terms of people I think about how fragile our lives are, how things can transform in a split second by a word or action. What is that moment like before an action occurs that can change a life for the better or the worst forever?

Something totally unthinkable is about to happen in Jayne Pupek's poem. Pupek captures this time before change. I found this a powerful poem.

I Wonder If Howard Dean takes Ambien to Get to Sleep At Night

I think Ambien is a sleeping pill. I don't use sps. When I have insomnia, I stay up and watch the hands of my clock and or lately I have been listening to Conservative Talk Radio. Talk Radio is a new world for me. I feel like I am Christina Columbus and have found not only that the world is not flat but everyone is not a Democrat. Where have I been all these years? In liberal land. My parents were liberals. Everyone I knew was a liberal. My aunt once told me if I ever voted Republican she would disown me. But since the whole Obama - Clinton DNC debacle I am learning how like religion politics can cause people to yell, lie, embellish, rant, swear, revert to temper tantrums, become illogical, pull their hair, disown their friends, have insomnia, and send every extra dime they have to the person they think can fix the country and their lives. People are fed up and want change. No more George. For others that means no more Clintons. This is all very interesting.

I could be wrong about Howard Dean and Ambien. HD may be sleeping like a baby. I don't know how much he or any members of the DNC who have endorsed Obama are affected by the blogs written by angry Democrats pledging to vote for McCain and leave the Democratic party.

I have been seeking out these blogs. I too am concerned about change. I love this group's name PUMA, Party Unity My Ass. I have a fondness for witty anger. But this is no joking matter. I do feel that the DNC' s election process is flawed, and I am concerned that people have been disenfranchised. I am also worried about who will become the president. For now I am watching the whole thing play out. I do think the DNC is in more trouble then they know. Is party unity only a dream?

http://blog.pumapac.org/blog-goals/