Ken Brown to Read on Monday, October 25, at Duff's in the CWE

The next Chance Operations reading will be held on Monday, October 25, at Duff's, 392 North Euclid, in the Central West End.

Featured readers will be Ken Brown, Kelli Allen, and Colleen McKee. An open-mic will follow the featured readers. Learn, Artist! will provide musical interludes. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.; cover charge $3.

Here's Ken's bio courtesy of Flood Stage: An Anthology of St. Louis Poets:

Born in Missouri- left town at nineteen...Returned twenty-one years later after Minnesota, Maine, and Mississippi in a tent,

Montana, Morocco- where he lived with a prostitute afflicted with polio. Normandy, Madrid, Grecian Islands- despondent- to upstate New York across the country in a Honda- through

Mexico- Vegas- Santa Monica for four years doing laundry for a living then dog-sitting at the Ding Dong... Wound up in

Australia-Perth- the out-bush for nine months- Hell’s Angels blew up land- went broke- made ten thousand dollars on Karma Kards- fell in love for the thirteenth time- engaged-

Kicked out of Australia- published in 45 periodicals- wound up back where he started.

You’re a Whore Now

Cars criss crossing caustically -–
you’re never gonna be my friend.
As a matter of fact I hope you croak:
It’s all based on the Zen of when...
And why were you so silent
after showing me resilience?
Your greed, your need for getting
what you think you’re worth
is less than ken.
Your promises, like vomit,
were like rockets in my pocket.
I offered you a future: You said yes…
But where was virtue?
You’re a vulture.
Where was culture?
I’m a statue, yes,
but you’re a whore now.

-- Ken Brown

Reprinted from Flood Stage courtesy of Walrus Publishing.

And here's another poem that Ken just sent Chance Operations. Ken says, "Hope you like it. Took me years to write.":

It Goes Like This

Ditzy Betsy --
stoned and spacy:
Never let's me
make her crazy.

Then there's Kristen --
never kissed her
though she's frisky:
We drank whiskey.

Fuckin' Jackie --
way too wacky...
L.A. glitzy-
born in Dixie...

Last there's Lizzy:
Never boring,
always busy --
way too risky.

-- Ken Brown