The Ever Fashionable Barry has his Beauty Day Out

My dog Barry - who has previously graced the pages of this blog with pictures of him teething on his George W. Bush doll, among other poses, can be seen here sporting the "wet look" when he was taken to the Brookside Barkery for a shampoo and blow dry. Obviously this is a pre-dry shot.

Barry is a very hip - dog with real culture. He has been know to set on the bed and listen to me read poetry aloud. My wife will tell you he has no choice in the matter, but I can tell he enjoys the likes of Sylvia Plath, Robert Frost, Sharon Olds, and Billy Collins. He even is kind enough to listen to some of my own.

Released Into The Wild

Do you ever mail submissions and feel like you've just released doves into the air or something?

Packet with six poems off in the mail this afternoon.

Stickpoet Writing Journal

Stickpoet Writing Journal
Originally uploaded by stickpoet.

What... You don't have a Stick Poet Superhero Journal?

Why Not?


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For Animals Left Behind - Time is Running Out

Katrina has separated children from parents and many senior citizens from their children and grandchildren. Many of these people are slowly being reunited now that they have been safely relocated.

The story is much different from the animals left behind. Those persons who had to be evacuated were not allowed to bring pets with them. In many instances these pets have been shut off from the rest of the world in structures that in some cases remain flooded. Their food supply by now has surely been long ago depleted.

The Humane Society and many other volunteers have been working to rescue many family pets. Thousands have been safely rescued. Sadly, thousands remain out there and for these pets, time is their worst enemy.

The Humane Society of the United States is asking your help.


Presently the only way these workers are able to get the vast numbers of pets left behind, is if National Guardsmen take pity on the rescue workers that are pleading for the lives of the animals.

Over the weekend Human Society workers found an adult St. Bernard that was miraculously alive in spite of the fact that his weight was reduced to a measly 40 lbs from weeks of starvation. It is a miracle he was still alive and an even greater miracle that he was able to be rescued without a federal rescue plan for animals in place.

Many rescue workers are and have been ready to do the work but are not officially allowed to go and get the animals they know are out there still, barely hanging on.

Time is critical. These pets were essentially dependents that in many cases were confined to homes the families left behind. Some have found ways to free themselves from the homes but many remain trapped and their only way to survive requires human intervention. There must be better cooperation with National Guardsmen and rescue workers. I urge you to help with this matter by bringing the issue to the forefront and addressing it before it is too late.

Go to this link to the Human Society and write a short note to public officials bringing this matter to their attention.

New Reading Material

A mid day trip to the library - brought home the following new reading material:

Delusions, Etc - John Berryman

2004 Pushcart Prize XXVIII Best of the Small Presses


Missing Measures - Modern Poetry and The Revolt Against Meter - Timothy Steele

Kansas City - Outloud II - 32 Contemporary Area Poets - Edited by Dan Jaffe

A First Draft is Always a Critic

In the beginning, you were
A very private matter
Between me and the blank page.

We struggled a bit.
I would take you by the shoulder
Pulling out of a line

Then sometimes forcing you
Into another. You stubbornly
Slapped my face in rebuke

Forever telling me why
Something wasn't working
But never offering alternatives.

It is always left to me to make it work-
You are the critic- always a critic.
You never have anything nice to say.

Neighborhood Bully

The boy down the street stole my truck.
I said I didn't care but I did.

He had hedgehog green teeth.
His eyes never blinked.

All the other kids grew weary of him.
He took what he wanted from them as well.

Bobby's marbles, Sam's ball glove.
It was made of real leather too.

He took Hank's dad's hammer
And Hank caught hell for losing it.

He snatched Jan's rag doll.
The one with the patch on its elbow.

He took Helen's virginity.
That's what I heard. Some kids watched.

But when he choked old lady Horton's cat
Well that was it. We all had enough.

We have to laugh when we see him now.
You just can't help yourself.