I'm Writing A Book For Carlos Santana

On Yesterday's Franklin Planner Page:

My New Goal:

Write the book for Carlos Santana.

I'm Writing A Book For Carlos Santana

Not just any book: The Book. Don't ask me if, how, when or why. I don't know. It's today's dream. A epiphany I had while gazing down on 24th Street Discolandia while applying for any writer job at all.

"I'm writing The Book for Carlos Santana."

I'm just putting it out there, on the net and in the cosmos, into words which our ancestors knew were the bridge to reality, the rope holding up the ceiling of the world.

There. Don't I sound like Carlos Santana?

Maybe I'll just channel him. No. It wouldn't be the same. And "ghost" is not the right word. Midwife the Spirit. That's it.

Carlitos, you listening? Let me write it for you.


* Pssssst, spread it around. Habla la palabra!

Where In The World Is Lorna? Acentos: Hostos College (Bronx), free wkshp! Noon TODAY! 11th St. Bar (E. Vill) 7pm Monday, NYC.

Workshop - Lorna Dee Cervantes
When:
Sunday, May 17, 2009 12:00
Where:
Bronx

The Acentos Writers Workshop was established with the purpose of nurturing the newer voices in the poetry community. With writers from across several genres donating their time, the workshop encourages newer writers to hone their craft, establish and create community, and perform their work in front of growing audiences. The workshop accepts writers of all backgrounds and skill level to foster growth and maximize their full potential and grow as writers.

The workshops are free. RSVP is required. Email fish at louderarts dot com.
Venue

Venue:
Hostos Community College
Street:
450 Grand Concourse
ZIP:
10451
City:
Bronx
State:
NY
Country:
Country: us

Description

Hostos Community College - Building C, Room 456

By subway:
Take the 2, 4, 5 IRT trains to 149th Street (Eugenio María de
Hostos Boulevard) and the Grand Concourse.

By bus:
Take the Bx1 or cross-town Bx19 to 149th Street (Eugenio María
de Hostos Boulevard) and the Grand Concourse.

By car:
From Manhattan, take the FDR Drive north to the Willis Avenue Bridge
to the Major Deegan Expressway (87N). Proceed north to Exit 3. Take
the right fork in the exit ramp to the Grand Concourse and proceed
north to East 149th Street (Eugenio María de Hostos Boulevard).

From Queens, take the Triborough Bridge to the Major Deegan
Expressway. Continue north to Exit 3. Take the right fork in the exit
ramp to the Grand Concourse and proceed north to East 149th Street
(Eugenio María de Hostos Boulevard).

From Westchester, take the Major Deegan Expressway south (87S) to Exit
3. Turn left at the light. Turn left again at Grand Concourse and
proceed north to East 149th Street (Eugenio María de Hostos Boulevard).

From New Jersey, take the George Washington Bridge to the Major Deegan
Expressway south to Exit 3. Turn left at the light. Turn left again at
Grand Concourse and proceed north to East 149th Street (Eugenio María
de Hostos Boulevard).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday May 18 Lorna Dee Cervantes is the featured poet with Alison Stine and Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon. The reading starts around 7 PM at the 11th Street Bar (510 East 11th Street, between Avenues A & B, http://www.11thstbar.com/). Here is more information about how to get here: http://www.readab.com/directions.html.

"17 REASONS why?"

17 REASONS why?



Because the wind smells like jasmine
through the pools of dog shit
when people can't afford to feed;

Because you live another day though your dreams
are punctuated with the sounds of rusty shopping
cart wheels and destiny smells like frijoles con ajo;

Because freedom's just the change in your pocket
and the poor are rich but nobody feels this,
but a smile is the passport, buenas, the plane;

Because heaven lives on Harrison and school
children skip through the rituals on Valencia
and my mom is not afraid to walk alone under moonlight;

Because you are living in interesting times
in interesting ways as an interesting force and even
the pigeons acknowledge this, and are interested;

Because Destiny doesn't stop here anymore,
she took off with Mañana who then eloped
into Yesterday and Whatever, La Reina, reins;

Because the corner store will stock anything you want
and the produce is cheaper and better and comes from
a local garden where all the bugs have an understanding;

Because ColorChrome is still stored in someone's garage
and on the door of La Misión una Visión is overheard
while the people paint The Constitution into Acts of Art;

Because art isn't a fantasy on 24th Street
and the boleros and beat box intertwine and harmonize
despite themselves and teknopop parrots dance La Guacamaya;

Because busses chug a grime on the windows
which screens out the decay into a magical hope
for a sweet breath, sweet life, sweet remembrance;

Because charros murmur of horses en la madrugada
and a mother's hands grind into la masa
and many tongues huddle inside the mouth of the Mission;

Because food is the universal language
and everyone knows the cost, curanderos
on the corners sell lilies and cure cuando quiera;

Because even though the blanched walk through
the lives that seem strewn here, they come away
with the seeds in their cuffs, they eat their words;

Because La Palabra is the only currency
and the Super Mercado of the empty aisle or alley
is where a treasury is founded on what others leave behind;

Because you leave behind, like a husk of dung
beetle coming anew, all those webs and pupae
puddlings, and everyone's an extinct butterfly, rediscovered;

Because you uncover the unknown self
you knew all along at your neighborhood dive
where every breath is one and the hips, El Mundo;

Because every head's a mundo, every eye, a
telescope, everyone sees what's coming down:
the change is going to come because it's already here.



Lorna Dee Cervantes
5/4/09

--------------------------
Please join Mission17 Gallery & BARGE at a special reading held in conjunction with the exhibit "17 Reasons Why," an ongoing residency exploring the cultural politics of the Mission district, hosted by David Buuck & BARGE. Come for prose, poetry, & conversation-- hope to see you there!

Michelle Tea (*Valencia*)
Alejandro Murguía (*This War Called Love*)
Lorna Dee Cervantes (*Drive*)

Saturday May 9, 4-6 pm
Mission17 Gallery
2111 Mission Street @ 17th, 4th Floor

mission17.org
buuckbarge.wordpress.com

--------------------------

BARGE - The Bay Area Research Group in Enviro-aesthetics - was started by David Buuck in 2003. BARGE has organized several (de)tours around the Bay Area, investigating regional sites & spaces that are underrepresented & overlooked in more conventional touristic, commercial, & socio-political notions of place & public space. See davidbuuck.com/barge for more information.

"People's Park Reunion"

People's Park Reunion



Welcome home.
Some of us never came back.
We caught a star (a missed mantra),
a one-way ticket
to delirium. This is what
all falls out
when you shake it,
what jingles away
when you empty the rainbow.
Come here, Jingle Jangle
Man. Let the good times roll.
And all the ones who did
their part, they're walking
around with a shopping cart
and it all comes marching home.



Lorna Dee Cervantes
4/17/09