Author: 17numa

Seasonal Shift with a Hint of Frution

~ 17numa ~ Leave a comment
Kool-Aid
 
Green is the color of envy,
and jealous are the eyes
that once could see
but lost all focus.
 
Better to have never experienced God
to begin with
than to have sipped
from golden chalice
then turned your back
on heaven’s gate.
 
But always be careful
when walking toward the light
through dark tunnels
that it’s not just a train
coming your way.

With the birth of Spring on a sunny day, I would only pray for a season of peace. Grace is more pure than poetry. It always gets straight to the point.
 
“Gardening” is out this week here at Dissident Voice.

Prophecies and Hand-Me-Downs

~ 17numa ~ 1 Comment
Numbers Game
 
Let’s stay awake
through all hours of the night,
here with the pillows,
and talk about heavy subjects
such as whether or not
soulmates actually exist;
 
or
 
let’s get sloppy drunk
to receive the revelation
that the sky is set to fall
in eleven hours.
 
Age is just a number,
it’s true…
until it kills you.
 
Platitudes and empty promises
are not one and the same.
I’ve consumed them both in triple doses.
One keeps me high as a kite
most of the time,
and the other always
leaves me in the lurch.
 
Prophecies and hand-me-downs
predict a righteous future.
I saw you up there screaming for your silver.
Even if you have a pile
of jewels and gold,
you’ll still be starving and cold
by the time you taste your grave.
This is the blitzkrieg we’ve all been begging for. Full-frontal assault. Lord, please have mercy on us all.
 

Dionysus Dancing

~ 17numa ~ 1 Comment
Admission to the Dance
 
I love the idea
of wandering around
spreading a gospel of peace
 
but when shit hits the fan
and the war goes hot
there’s still a lot
of Old Testament
rattling
down in my bones
My poem “Press Any Button … Go Boom” is out this week at Dissident Voice.
 
A selection of excerpts from “217 Poetic Points” can be read in this month’s issue of Visual Verse.

chaos-songs-weasel-press-front-cover

Chaos Songs, published by Weasel Press, is available here on Amazon.

On Time (and our modifications)

~ 17numa ~ 1 Comment
There are only so many hours in each day,
but we can always stretch the truth
(at least a little)
 
until it snaps;
and karma
is a (rubber) band of light.
 
We drink these vital juices
straight from the navel of ancient garden.
 
There may be worms
in a few bad apples,
but when the holy womb bursts
we sip nectar
from the fountain of youth;
 
granted rest,
despite our war
with lying clocks.
Spring forward on righteous Sunday. Rise early to praise the sun. Sending all these birds into a flurry. Waking up the blooms upon each branch.
 
I do believe in purity. I have grown so hardened. For a good cause, I hope…
songs-of-a-dissident-front
Songs of a Dissident, my chapbook released through Transcendent Zero Press, is available here on Amazon. I’d like to thank everyone who has read the collection, as well as anyone who decides to pick up a copy today. Your support is greatly appreciated.
 
Cheers to a great week ahead, my friends!

Author Scott Thomas Outlar: Detoxification

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Thank you to Raja Williams for posting this excerpt from Happy Hour Hallelujah at the CTU Publishing site. “Detoxification” was nominated for the 2016 Pushcart Prize. If you enjoy the poem, please consider picking up a copy of the book…

Raja's Insight's avatarRaja's Insight

Chaos enters the spaces of stagnation,

not to obliterate,

but to break down what is not working

so the inherent pattern of order

can emerge in a new light,

and the holy path of inward peace

can once again be seen clearly.

The choice to destroy

is not necessarily negative

but sometimes absolutely necessary

as a way to tear away

at a dilapidated structure

so a more solid foundation

can be established

upon which to build

a temple of health, happiness, and love.

Life is not always easy,

but the trials and tribulations

are inherent in the process of progression

as a way to push evolution forward,

and the challenges that naturally arise

are a Godsend of grace

presented to teach the lesson

that we are creatures of adaptation and survival.

© Scott Thomas Outlar

Happy Hour Hallelujah front cover draft

Excerpt from the book

“Happy Hour Hallelujah”

Seated (Visions of Verse)About the Author

Scott Thomas Outlar resides in…

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February Recap (deux)

~ 17numa ~ 1 Comment
I’d like to thank all the editors associated with these twenty-two venues for accepting and/or publishing my poetry, interviews, and reviews during February:
 
Peeking Cat Poetry Magazine; Dodging the Rain; Indiana Voice Journal; GloMag; Dissident Voice; FishFood Magazine; Cocktailmolly; Whispers; Horror Sleaze Trash; Webfootedness; ELSiEiSY; Piker Press; Don Beukes’ website; Visual Verse; The Electronic Pamphlet; The Blue Mountain Review; Leaves of Ink; The Poet’s Haven; The Writer’s Space; Novelmasters; Walking Is Still Honest Press; and Medusa’s Kitchen.

contact-with-crowd

(Photo credit: Mechelle Wilson Ballew)
group-photo

New videos are up now on The Southern Collective Experience YouTube channel of the poems I read at the Visions of Verse gathering in Jasper, Georgia and the Collective Sessions open mic at Good Acting Studio in Marietta, Georgia. Both events were a pleasure to be a part of. It’s a true blessing to be in the company of talented poets all performing our work with purpose and passion, and there are infinitely positive experiences on the way regarding future shows, tours, and concerts, both on this world and maybe Mars (depending upon the accessibility of life extension technologies in the rush toward zero-point graduation). I hope to continue reading alongside new friends from near and far for the rest of my days, and I expect I’ll also take some time alone to write once in a while. That seems to be the balance that keeps my smile on the level.

 
Visions of Verse:
 
Collective Sessions:
Choke Hold Gag Reflex

I’d also like to thank Shirani Rajpakse for the interesting set of questions she came up with for me to tackle in this new interview that was published at The Writer’s Space just as February was winding down. I had an enjoyable evening last week pouring my energy into the answers.

February Recap (Interview Edition)

~ 17numa ~ 1 Comment

The first two months of 2017 went wonderfully well where my own work is concerned, but I’d like to take a moment now and shine some light on all the poets and artists who were kind enough to grant some of their time during January and February to let me interview them for various publications. Cheers and thank you to everyone who allowed me to toss some questions their way! I encourage anyone reading this to take a moment and check out some of the links below…

Showcase Spotlight #5 at 17Numa features Heath Brougher:
https://17numa.wordpress.com/…/showcase-spotlight-5-heath-…/

Showcase Spotlight #6 at 17Numa features Don Beukes:
https://17numa.wordpress.com/…/showcase-spotlight-6-don-be…/

A post at Novelmasters features Charity Janisse:
http://www.novelmasters.org/charity-janisse-we-walk-in-you…/

The new winter issue of The Blue Mountain Review features Fabrice Poussin:
https://issuu.com/southernmusepublishers/docs/issue_6/88

The following fine folks have appeared recently in the Walking Is Still Honest Press interview series:

Sheikha A.:
http://wishpoetrypress.net/…/22/poet-interview-59-sheikha-a/

Ryan Quinn Flanagan:
http://wishpoetrypress.net/…/poet-interview-58-ryan-quinn-…/

Ananya S Guha:
https://wishpoetrypress.net/…/poet-interview-57-ananya-s-g…/

Damian Rucci:
https://wishpoetrypress.net/…/poet-interview-56-damian-ruc…/

…

I’d also like to thank a couple of editors who gave me the opportunity to run my mouth a bit in interviews during February.

Sam Rose at Peeking Cat Poetry Magazine:
http://peekingcatpoetrymagazine.blogspot.co.uk/…/writer-int…

Shirani Rajapakse at her site, The Writer’s Space:
https://shiranirajapakse.wordpress.com/…/scott-thomas-outl…/

…

There’s no slowing down at this point! The months ahead are lined up with great poets such as Clifford Brooks III, Alan Britt, Chani Zwibel, Matt Borczon, Neil Slevin, and many more.

Coming into Form

~ 17numa ~ Leave a comment
Poetry is the game we play when the bell rings.
 
Poetry opened its eyes before the dust did; took a breath before the garden grew.
 
Poetry wandered from shore to shore, then took a big sip of the sea.
 
Poetry is a popinjay singing, in or out of tune, having a great time either way (the wind blows).
 
Poetry whispered carnal karmic vibrations into the huff-and-puff chamber of your heart; the lungs, like a train, kept steady.
 
Poetry is a tight black dress, high heels, soft jazz, five lit candles, three bottles of wine, and a full weekend still to commence come morning.
 
Poetry sighed when you nibbled on its ear.
 
Poetry has worn a golden crown bejeweled with rare, elegant gems from the belly of the earth, and has walked around with a shaven head bowing at the feet of other beggars; even in silence, it listens.
 
Poetry believes that you are most likely wrong, but can probably figure out a means of interpretation that allows you enough wiggle room to squeak by with the illusion of being right once in a while.
 
Poetry is like a drunk at the bar; there’s always time for one more round (and round the lines go).
 
Poetry laughs at the thought, then perishes it.
 
Poetry took a spray can to the stop sign; cut the brakes; ignited nitro.

My poem “Charging through the Gates of Hallelujah” appeared recently at Piker Press.

piker-press

New Interview at Peeking Cat Poetry Magazine

~ 17numa ~ Leave a comment
Split Wide, Writ Large
 
You thought poetry was about expressing emotions?
Not dead wrong; maybe half-right/wise.
Poetry is war,
and we’re on the wave
of a big one;
be blessed.
 
You thought poetry was about fiat Federal Reserve Notes?
Well, hell, I guess such currency is useful for what it’s worth.
Mostly it should be spent
on whips and other weapons
with which to chase
all the traitors
from the temple
this time around.
 
Poetry is the blood on your hands, in our veins, upon stained pages.

I’m pleased that the interview Sam Rose did with me recently for Peeking Cat Poetry Magazine has now been published at her site. Please swing by here to check it out!

peeking-cat-poetry-magazine-logo