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Poet Talk with Timo Schmitz + a Celebration!

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Poetry Meets Music featuring Bill Cushing and Chuck Corbisiero Prolific Pulse Press Podcast

Nearly 50 years ago, Chuck Corbisiero and Bill Cushing grew up across the street from each other. Now the two have gotten together to present a show consisting of Bill’s poetry and Chuck’s musical musings. The two reconnected at the end of 2015 when Bill presented a reading commemorating his publication in an anthology called Stories of Music. Now their mutual love of music has brought them together to offer a unique look at the world through the marriage of music and writing that the two have called “Notes and Letters.” Bill, an MFA graduate from Goddard College in Vermont, has lived in the Los Angeles area for 20 years and teaches English at area community colleges, has been publishing professionally since 1987 and began poetry as a serious avocation two years later. Chuck, a guitarist who plays Jazz, Blues, Brazilian and various other musical genres, earned his B.F.A. in Musical Performance and Arranging at the City University of New York – The City College during Gil Evans' tenure as Artist in Residence from 1982 to 1983, also plays stand-up bass and worked as Eddy Arnold's guitarist until 1992. He moved to the area in 1991when he began his family. Now their mutual love of music has brought them together to offer a unique look at the world through the marriage of music and writing called “Notes and Letters.” Last March, the two performed during the open mic segment of the Second Sunday Poetry Series held at the Studio Theatre in Los Angeles. Based on that, they have secured their first stand-alone show, which will be held at the Bolton Hall Museum on the afternoon of Sunday, July 24 and is being sponsored by the Village Poets of Sunland; Tujunga. Back together again—for the first time, and available “We’d actually like to put on some events before that date,” Bill said, noting that although they are working on several promotional ideas and projects, there is no hard-and-fast schedule they have to meet. “We are playing it by ear—much like we do our own presentation. We aren’t locked into any solidly rigid structure, and even the performances are ‘informal’ to a great degree, which is by design.” The two have culled together poems that touch on topics as varied as nature, the city, religion, Peru, and Puerto Rico as well as music itself. Two items on their to-do list already completed are the publication of a short chapbook of the material to be used and the opening of a Facebook page dedicated to posting information as well as prior performances. Both items are similarly named “Notes and Letters.” The book is available online through either Amazon or Lulu Publishing. — Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lisa-tomey/message
  1. Poetry Meets Music featuring Bill Cushing and Chuck Corbisiero
  2. Poet Talk with Wil Michael Wrenn About his Latest Poetry Book Release "Fog"
  3. Poet Talk with Mouna Saquaque
  4. Writer Talk with Steve Fox
  5. Poet Talk with David Romanda
poetry

Points of View

childhood colorful coloured colourful
Photo by Anthony on Pexels.com

can only shadows
speak to the darkness or can
they address the light
on the edges of shadows
are the silver-toned grayness

slivers of light tones
slivers of dark tones in sync
as shades come forth
perspective gives new meaning
perhaps a new twisted thought

possibilities
open up new ideas
giving all of us a way
to newly seek more answers
paradoxical or not

given these posings
would it be more meaningful
to study viewpoints
with a more opened up mind
giving chance to the unheard

focus is required
to examine all the facts
as it stands for now
perfectly spinning a top
requires energy less friction

poetry

For Wednesday

clear glass bowl beside yellow flower
Photo by Mareefe on Pexels.com

For Wednesday

senryu train

they call this hump day

getting over the hurdle

on way to Friday

do we want to push

moving speedily to what

take the time to stop

take a breath today

enjoy that last sip of tea

cherish just today

…..

Today, I decided to use the Wednesday Poetry Prompt provided by Robert Lee Brewer’s Poetic Asides blog.

 

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The Golden Mean – I think I got an A

man standing on rock during sunset
Photo by Mathew Thomas on Pexels.com

Taking notes in his class
was much like drawing pictures
diagramming the thoughts Father Figge expressed
was the best way of understanding
in my opinion
or so I think it was
Why do they give tests in philosophy?
Think about it
if you dare
Somehow
I managed to explain the Golden Mean
and passed his class
but
I heard that the best learning
was in the after class gatherings
at the local pub
Not one to imbibe and shy of wheels
sadly
I had to learn another way
to make the Golden Mean
uh
mean something

…..

This weeks prompt was to write a philosophical poem. Here’s the Monday Poetry Prompt

Of course, I had to look up what exactly was meant so I looked up what a philosophical poem is. Here is what I found: What is a philosophical poem?