Raven Wolf

On August 2 at Duff's, Raven Wolf provided musical entertainment on various saxophones and flutes, playing mostly his own compositions but also Thelonious Monk's "'Round Midnight." Click here to hear a sampling of Raven Wolf's music.

The next Chance Operations readings will be held at Duff's, 392 North Euclid, on September 27, October 25, and November 22. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.; cover charge will be $3. Musical guest on Monday, September 27, will be Dave Stone. Further details to be announced.

Lew Prince

On August 2 at Duff's, Lew Prince read a selection of poems by the late Arthur Brown. Click here to read "The Assassination of Charlie Parker."

The next Chance Operations readings will be held at Duff's, 392 North Euclid, on September 27, October 25, and November 22. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.; cover charge will be $3. Musical guest on Monday, September 27, will be Dave Stone. Further details to be announced.

"Simple System Monitor Opera in Esperanto" by James Weber

On August 2 at Duff's, James Weber read a selection of his poems. Click here to read more poems by James.

The next Chance Operations readings will be held at Duff's, 392 North Euclid, on September 27, October 25, and November 22. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.; cover charge will be $3. Musical guest on Monday, September 27, will be Dave Stone. Further details to be announced.

Simple System Monitor Opera in Esperanto
(for Anthony Renner)

When Jasper opens arms to include
Iron, he chooses to transcend chert.
When Jasper ornaments a wall, he occupies
a poor girl’s sad fortune, even
a’courted. With no moon left, Jasper
jerks a green thumb and plants
a disco ball atop a lightning rod.
This is a beacon for the kids.
When Jasper requires snuff box, snuff
box appears if requested aloud.
To vocalize needs is to return a letter.
Jasper ain’t easy to love, like
a cowboy, and busts combinations
of pants and maybe a “Love
in Vain.” Honey bees faked a death, buzzed
all night long. If Jasper got
a nickname, it’d be in discretion “Well,
Buzz Awhile.” If your Humboldt County author
exasperated and hairless and freshly farmer
tanned got hi-speed 1988 boom-box dubbed
a slid heart-lost-your-mind or and hilarious
A.K.A., a summer, stage, pen or assumed
name, assured it would be “Sting It,
Then.” Everyone rightly insists no
half-steppin’ where focused
disowners thrive. So Greek meals aside
and cast, and Grecian folk film myths crumbed
off establishment tables, no backyard boiled on
single kerosene burner singing C-130 Hercules
prop tone mini-love, that is, no straight
swooped Nike brand captured phrase, please baby.
This is a real they never get. Do,
Jasper, and the world will forget.

-- James Weber

Richard Newman

On August 2 at Duff's, River Styx editor Richard Newman read a selection of his poems.

The next Chance Operations readings will be held at Duff's, 392 North Euclid, on September 27, October 25, and November 22. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.; cover charge will be $3. Musical guest on Monday, September 27, will be Dave Stone. Further details to be announced.

Soulard Mardi Gras Round

“Jesus had a huge impact on Christianity,”
one of my composition students writes.
Two days after Soulard Mardi Gras
plastic beer cups topple down the street.
After lunch my stomach acid begins to gnaw.
Plastic beads lie on my girlfriend’s vanity.
Blue Port-a-Potties steam on every corner
two days after Soulard Mardi Gras.

One of my composition students writes,
“Leave her lie where Jesus flang her!”
Reelect Ken Ortman your Soulard Alderman.
Stomach acid gnaws. A siren grows louder.
From the tower of St. Peter’s and Paul’s
one can see, over the brewery, a cemetery—
the town’s shadow lengthening toward night.
Plastic beer cups gather in doorways.

“Leave her lie where Jesus flang her!”
The town’s shadow lengthens toward night.
A Port-a-Potty steams on the corner
of St. Peter’s and Paul’s. A siren grows louder.
Two days after Mardi Gras, on the vanity,
plastic beads slink between lotions and powders.
One of my composition students writes,
“Jesus had a huge impact on Christianity.”

-- Richard Newman

(From Domestic Fugues. Originally appeared in Tar River Poetry, Fall, 2006)

Danny Kohl

On August 2 at Duff's, Prison Performing Arts board member Danny Kohl read a selection of poems by Patricia Prewitt.

Click here to read more of Patty's poems. Click here to read an interview with Patty.

Mickie Perry

Mick was street-sharp, foul-mouthed,
Man-tall, model-pretty, stylish,
Big-hearted, and wired with raw emotion.

Loyal as a pitbull, she would draw fists for me,
Curse like a pissed-off pirate for me,
And even steal for me, if need be.

Her temper was hair-trigger, as huge as her love;
But anger was her most comfortable emotion;
A fierce self-described Captain Sav-A-Ho,
Except when it came to saving herself.

Twenty years ago that city gal made fun of my honesty,
While this cowgirl was put off by her vulgarity;
But we grew as sisters bonded by love and respect,
Even when she called me a John Boy fucking-Walton.

Mick taught me to use the f-word;
To embroider it creatively between syllables,
Adding color and texture:
     Un-fuckin-believable,
           Insta-fuckin-gator,
              Sancta-fuckin-monious.

Her fragile childish innocence had been mutilated
By the men who should have protected her.
This unhealed hurt was too painful to endure,
Even after 50 years --
Without mother’s numbing little helper.

Heroin owned Mick;
He only released his death grip
When she was safely locked up with me.
Saturday heroin killed her in Saint Louis
And discarded her body like garbage on the street.

But heroin can’t kill the spirit of Mickie;
She’s woven into my soul and
Alive with me for-fuckin-ever.

--Patricia Prewitt

Get Born Hosts Benefit for Mathieu Paul Allsup on Monday, August 23, at Duff's

•Chance Operations• will be participating in a benefit poetry reading for Mathieu Paul Allsup on Monday, August 23, at Duff's, 392 North Euclid, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $5.00.

The reading was organized by Get Born and is a collaboration with Bad Shoe, Voices From The Underground, and •Chance Operations• and will feature readings by Tony Renner, Chris Parr, Matthew Freeman, Erin Wiles, Joseph Sulier, Elly Herget, Mathieu Paul, Joe Wetteroth, Bill Foster, Julia Gordon-Bramer, and Philip Gounis,with musical intermissions by Jacob Cohen (solo hip-hop), Mat from Rum Drum Ramblers, and Bob Reuter.

Get Born writes:

As many of you may know, recently our beloved friend and poet Mathieu Paul Allsup took a 4 story plunge from the roof of a building,as such he will be out of work for at least two months so Get Born has come out of retirement for one night only in order to raise some money to keep Mathieus' bills paid while he is unable to work.

Schedule for Next Three Readings Announced

Chris Parr and Tony Renner
The next Chance Operations readings will be held at Duff's, 392 North Euclid, on September 27, October 25, and November 22. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.; cover charge is $3. Further details to be announced.

The above illustration was made by Tony Renner, utilizing an intaglio technique developed by Keith Howard, in a print-making class taught by Jeff Sippel this summer. Jeff commented:

The image looks like some surveillance television of a terrorist or hostage situation. Afghanistan? The characters seem too happy, though.

In fact, the image is based on the great photo (see below) of Chris and Tony taken by Josh Maassen as we planned the first Chance Operations reading.