Dear Poets and Poetesses,

Here is the special Fathers Day edition, with featured poems observing the occasion.

This issue runs a little long, there is much going on. Please don't skip the announcements.

Austin Poets Guide:

All events listed are free unless otherwise noted. Some venues pass the hat, always appreciated by the featured poets.

1. Monday, June 22 - Southside Poetic Action Series, Jovita's Restaurant y Cantina at 1619 South First, from 7-9 p.m

2. Tuesday, June 23 - Ruta Maya Coffee House, 4th and Lavaca. APAL open mic, sign up at 6:30 pm, co-hosted by Sara Sutterfield Winn and Mark Maslow. FMI maslow_at_flash.net or swinn_at_mail.utexas.edu

3. Tuesday, June 16 - Electric Lounge Slam, sign up as early as 8 pm. $50 cash to winner. 305 Bowie. $2 admission. 476-FUSE

4. Wednesday, June 24 - Alternate Currents Artspace, 2209 South 1st Street. Anselm Berrigan and Roberto Tejada read _at_ 7:30 PM. Phone Hoa Nguyen at 482-8277 for additional details. (See additional information in announcements section)

5. Wednesday, June 24 - Borders at Great Hills Trail and N. Hwy 183. Borders on the Word, hosted by Barbara Carr, 7:30 pm. Ken Fontenot features, followed by round robin open mic.



6. Wednesday, June 24 - Movements Gallery at 211 E. 6th St. BYOB (Blast Your Own Breath) Tammy Gomez hosts. 9 to 10:30 pm. tejana.tongue_at_mail.utexas.edu

7. Thursday, June 25 - Ebony Sun Java House, 1209 E. 11th Street, Suite C. East Side Black & White, APAL open mic, sign up at 7:30 pm. Featured poet Ivan Miller & friends of Austin Ebony Poets. Guest host Krysten Tyner. FMI, e krysten_at_swbell.net

8. Saturday, June 27 - Windsor Village Branch Library, 5851 Berkman Drive. Past Poetry Project begins its third season! We will open with a reading of "Pablo Neruda" (in Spanish with English translations). 2 pm, admission free. FMI, contact gemartt_at_mail.utexas.edu

9. Saturday, June 27 - Quackenbush's Coffee House, 2120 Guadalupe. Saturday Night Live Poetry in the afternoon. APAL open mic, sign up at 3 pm, hosted by Diane Fleming. Featured poet is Reverend Wyrdsli. FMI, e buddydog_at_texas.net

9. Tuesday, June 30 - Ruta Maya Coffee House, 4th and Lavaca, APAL open mic sign up at 6:30 pm. Hosted by Sara Sutterfield Winn and Mark Maslow. FMI e mail swinn_at_mail.utexas.edu or maslow_at_flash.net

10. Tuesday, June 30 - Slam at Electric Lounge, 305 Bowie. Sign up as early as 8 pm. Someone WILL win $50! $2 admission. FMI call 476-FUSE.

11. Wednesday, July 1 - BYOB: Blast Your Own Breath at Movements Gallery, 211 E. 6th St. Tammy Gomez hosts, 9-10:30 pm. tejana.tongue_at_mail.utexas.edu

12. Friday, July 3 - Mojo's Daily Grind, 2714 Guadalupe. APAL open mic hosted by Marie Fleischmann. 8-10 pm.

13. Saturday, July 4 - Quackenbush's will be closed for Independence Day. Go to the lake. Watch the fireworks.

14. Tuesday, July 7 - Ruta Maya Coffee House, 4th and Lavaca. APAL open mic, hosted by Sara and Mark. Sign up by 6:30 pm.

15. Tuesday, July 7 - Electric Lounge, 305 Bowie. The magnificent, exciting weekly SLAM! $50 cash to winner. sign up as early as 8 pm. $2 admission. 476-FUSE.

16. Wednesday, July 8 - BYOB: Blast Your Own Breath at Movements Gallery, 211 E. 6th St. Tammy Gomez hosts, 9-10:30 pm. tejana.tongue_at_mail.utexas.edu

17. Saturday, July 11 - Saturday Night Live Poetry in the Afternoon at Quack's, 2120 Guadalupe. APAL open mic, hosted by Diane Fleming, sign up at 3 pm. Featured poet: RD Perin. FMI e buddydog_at_texas.net.

18. Saturday, July 11 - Barnes & Noble at Westlake, 7-9 pm, presents Austin International Poetry Festival readings from the 1997 anthology "di-verse-city" and 1998 anthology "di-verse-city too". FMI, e wigg119_at_flash.net

Featured Poetry --

The theme this week is "FATHERS"

Next week's theme: SUMMER -- it's here!

(please submit your poems as e mail text, not attached files).

1.From Ross Clark, Under the Southern Cross

THE ROOF RITUAL

Just past sixty and

retirement, my father

comes unexpectedly

with ladder and bucket,

insisting "No son, I'll do it.

You hold the ladder."

With canvas gloves he

scoops dollops of black

and tacky leafmould

from the guttering,

spilling some on my

head and shoulders

as I hold the ladder

steady under him. His

love is in the eloquence

of not saying much.

2. Many of you know Christine Gilbert as the lady behind the video camera lens, videoing poetry event for Texas Nafas! Here's a Gilbert poem, and, in the announcements section, Christine's notice of upcoming Texas Nafas! programming.

Daddy Blues

There's a lonesome place

down in my center,

an empty space

that no one can enter.

I see his face,

old and gray,

and try to find words

I could never say--

So I sit in a bar

while music plays

and people dance

in a smokey haze.

A happy waitress

brings the beer.

I don't quite know

why I'm here.

I don¹t know jack.

I¹m out of place.

Death seems to lurk

in every face.

He went to his grave

making me cry.

My daddy is gone

without a goodbye.

The waitress asks

do I want another drink.

I¹m just sitting here

trying to think.

No light in the shadows,

no flame on my table,

I don¹t know why

I feel so unable.

Older men and younger girls

talk or whatever it is they do.

Hungry eyes watch from corners

hoping for a rendezvous.

Empty beer bottles

on a small tray--

she¹s telling me now

how much to pay.

Band plays the blues.

Sax toodles a tune.

I think I¹ll go out

and howl at the moon.

Christine Gilbert

3. From David L. Alvey of Aardvark Studios, Dallas, Texas. This poem is being published in the Richardson News for their special Fathers' Day section.

Off the Beaten Path

My Dad gave me an invaluable legacy;

An appreciation for Life off the beaten path.

Traveling backroads and two-lane blacktops,

I learned the difference between mass appeal and individuality,

Rather than hurtling down the Interstate,

I found that slow and steady can be much more rewarding.

“Look out your window,” Dad would call out over his shoulder,

Pointing out the local wildlife or a breathtaking landscape:

An armadillo poking around in the bar ditch,

A majestic doe, peering out from the cover of the woods,

The difference between a buzzard and a hawk in flight,

Forever opening my eyes to God’s little surprises.

Life off the beaten path is not for everyone,

Sometimes it’s like salmon swimming upstream,

But, for better or worse, I pass this legacy on to my kids,

Though I know it can be a rough path to travel,

I hope one day they’ll look back, as I do, and say,

“Thanks, Dad... for showing me Life off the beaten path.”

© 1998 Aardvark Studios, P.O. Box 542913, Dallas, TX 75354

4. And from by Larry Jaffe in Los Angeles, a different take on the occasion of fatherhood. .

birthday blues

for fathers day 21 June 1998

it was time again

you knew it

could feel it

in the pit of

your spiritual tummy

another birth

was just around

the corner

your momentary

freedom gone

ashes to ashes

dust to dust

birth to death

death to birth

how many times

have you done this

born and die

die and born

a never ending

sensation packed

merry-go-round

ain't no billboards

as you ride down

this divine highway

separating birth

from death

yes you will be born again

certainly in the

physical sense

and in the spiritual

sense if you just

let yourself remember

and here you are yet again

using the birth canal

like a real time game of

chutes and ladders

and if you think the

mama pains in labor

it ain't no less work

for the baby

squeezing through

places so tight

a body was never meant to

see let alone travel through

you have done this

so many times before

knowing your wombs

inside and out

know where

those curves are

know when

to break or

put your pedal

to this velvet metal

we all be returning

to the womb before long

don't think this is

what old fraud freud had in mind

and don't know why anyone

would want to go back there

these are not five star living

arrangements and the

accommodations are rather cramped

and the view to be honest sucks

although you don't have to

call out for room service

for this be womb service

a baby has to find his

jokes somewhere

but this return is not

so pleasant at first glance

and it for sure is a mighty tight

fit but you're a professional

done this so many times before

its tough being an immortal spirit

with a mortal body

wearing out on you

every 75 to 100 years

and you need to trade it in for a

new one despite lifetime warranties

and regularly scheduled maintenance

here you are naked to

the world wearing your

birthday suit wishing it

was slicked up racing gear

driving in this birth race to infinity

rounding those turns and

you having to remember

when to push and when

to slither and slide

it's baby escape III (gazillion or so)

real time not the movie

runs faster than the

speed of life

then the moment comes

the stage is set it's your move

your turn

your number is up

when you have that

winning attitude

out you pop

like a champagne cork

celebrating birth

celebrating life

even though those pesky

doctor types think they

have the situation under control

they are the ones that should

be spanked upside their medical degrees

what a way to come back

welcome home slap and all

but truth be told

the baby is in charge

timing my moves like

mj dribbling down home court

passing no dunking into

those waiting hands

it's no wonder babies cry

it ain't an easy ride

but once you're out

you're out like

sweet sunshine

and oh so fresh air

never felt so good

after doing womb time

and now you are sitting in a

new mother's arms

and wondering if she

will be a good mama

feeling her warmth

in the outside world

looking for those

smiles of appreciation

the game of life started

all over again

and now you are sitting in a

new father's arms

looking up at him

and wondering what

kind of dad he will be

and if he will play

catch with you

or take you fishing

teach you the latest

rules to this game

and those are the

birthday blues

filled with wonder

and tears

and arms of warmth

after the womb affair

it would be nice

to never go back

but that is the game

of life till we climb

the last rung of

this ladder to freedom

© 1998 lgjaffe

Books/Chapbooks

From David Alvey of Aardvark Studios:

<Aard Labor: Motherhood from a Father's Perspective> by David L. Alvey 32-pg chapbook tracking pregnancy from the <Positive> test result thru labor and delivery.

<Kids Talk> features winning poems by kids 5-to-18 from Aardvark Studios/Parent Talk 1st annual Kids Poetry Contest

Available for $5 ea, plus $1 shipping/handling from:

Aardvark Studios, PO Box 542913, Dallas, TX 75354-2913

From Hoa Nguyen:

Copies of Mike and Dale’s Younger Poets, a quarterly journal of poetry, will be available at Alternate Currents Artspace, 2209 South 1st Street on Wednesday, June 24, 7:30 PM. Mandorla, with its gorgeous glossy covers, will be on sale for a mere three dollars. Phone Hoa Nguyen at 482-8277 or e- nguyenhoa_at_hotmail.com

Announcements:

1. APAL free poetry workshop every Sunday, 2 pm. at Quackenbush's Coffee House, 2120 Guadalupe. Bring 10 copies of a poem. FMI, e krysten_at_swbell.net

2. Calling for volunteers, needed for Slam Nationals in August. APAL is assisting Mike Henry and Phil West (Slam Master) and here is what is needed:

1. Distribute packets to businesses and possible sponsors. Solicit donations, sponsorships from these people. The packets will be ready in a few days. The packets contain information about the slam and information about sponsoring or donating money. Also, businesses that might donate items, services to silent auctions will be needed - so anyone who knows of a business willing to do this

should speak up.

2. Volunteer during slam week. There will be lots of volunteer opportunities. Sonya Feher is the volunteer coordinator. 326-9692 or sfeher_at_mail.utexas.edu

3. House out-of-town slam poets. Mark Maslow and Rev. Wyrdsli have already offered housing. Contact Phil West for this, pony_at_mail.utexas.edu.

3. Anselm Berrigan and Roberto Tejada are reading in Austin at Alternate Current Artspace, Wednesday, June 24, 7:30 PM, 2209 South 1st Street

Anselm Berrigan, visiting Austin from New York City, is a widely

published poet of notable regard. He is the author of On The Premises

(Gas Editions) and They Beat Me Over the Head with a Sack (Edge Books).

He currently teaches at Brooklyn College.

Roberto Tejada, a recent transplant from Mexico City, is a poet,

translator and art critic. He edits the English-Spanish bilingual

journal Mandorla—an annual of advanced poetry and poetics from the

Americas. Tejada’s poems, translations and critical writings have

appeared in Aperture, Grand Street, and Sulfur. He is the assistant

curator at the Wittliff Gallery of Southwestern & Mexican Photography,

Southwest Texas State University.

If you miss this reading, you will hate yourself later for it! It is seriously worth dropping plans and driving miles for-- no kidding.

You can phone the organizer Hoa Nguyen at 482-8277 for additional details.

4. From: brettfraser_at_hotmail.com (Brett Fraser)

To: stazja_at_aol.com

Hey Stazja,

I've got some great news, Mellie Price and Monsterbit Media has agreed

to take Austin Poetry Pages on as their own. This means a web media

company will be able to use its local influence to build and develop the

site and provide a domain name along with some recognition. This should

happen at the end of the week. Spread the word

5. Texas Nafas, the poetry show, will air two programs from Poesia y Sur during the period June 21 to August 21. Sue Littleton, Miriam Balboa de Echeverria, Thom the World Poet, team up to present the works of Maria Elena Walsh, an Argentine folk and children's poet, in the first show, and the second show features the Mexican poet Octavio Paz, who died this spring. Both shows were taped at Mexic-Arte Museum. Texas Nafas is brought to you by Farid Mohammadi, Christine Gilbert, and Laura Baker, and is aired Sunday nights at 9 p.m. on Austin Cable Channel 10.

Christine has also just completed editing a special one-hour show of readings at the Waterloo Ice House on Friday, April 3, during Austin International Poetry Festival, with performance poet Clebo Rainey from Dallas as host along with Ken Hunt (Madison). This program includes appearances by Albert Huffstickler (Austin), Karyna McGlynn (Austin), Graffiti (Austin), Carolyn Strickland (Houston), Venie Holmgren (Australia).

There will also be another special one-hour show of footage from the Saturday, April 4, performances at Waterloo Ice House. it has hosts Tim Gibbard (Bristol) and Larry Jaffe (L.A.) with: Ross Clark (Australia), Donn Deedon (So. Cal), Howard Frost (England), Megaha (Austin), Mim Scharlack (San Antonio), Sara Sutterfield Winn (Austin)

These two shows will be aired on Austin Access TV, Cable Channel 10, at odd hours, whenever they work them into the scheduling, so watch for them.

Also in the works will be a show we'll call "Our English Connection," featuring the British poets reading at various venues during the festival, along with some interesting informal discussion among these poets about their craft. We'll let you know about this show when it's ready.

Thanks. Christine

6. Hugz, and big Congrats! to Diane Fleming, APAL's newest star, for her slam win last Tuesday! Check her out at Quack's on Saturday afternoons!

7. "Starsaga TWO: poetry for the common man"

poetry, art, photography submissions go to aug 1st..asking for a $2 reading

fee to help offset postal costs. publication is dec 1st.. free copy to

those published, discount on extras purchased.. sold out 160 copies last

year in 32 days.

please send submissions email to Circe_at_starsaga.com or typed.

all credit cards accepted

name:

card:

number: exp date:

address:

phone:

or to

Starsaga

p.o.box 542

Montrose CA 91020

That's all folks! Anyone wanting off the mailing list, e mail me. And anyone wanting to add a friend to the list, send their e address.

Have an iced tea/lemonade week.

Much love,

Stazja

Subj: Re: Austin Poets at Large #33

Date: 98-07-01 22:01:46 EDT

From: DANCINGPOET_at_prodigy.net (Garland L Thompson Jr.)

To: Stazja_at_aol.com

Hello!

Please add Garland Lee Thompson SR.

E-mail Address(es):

playrite_at_dorsai.org

Business Information:

Title: Artistic Director

Company: Frank Silvera Writers' Workshop

Address:

New York New York

USA

Phone: 2122818832

Web Page: http://www.harlemlive.org/harlemlive/playwrights/whois.html

Thank You!

Garland Thompson Jr.