Author: 17numa

Halo(s)

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Some people stand up straight and stare down the sun. Some people grovel on their knees kissing feet.
 
Be evolution, not its footprint.
 
It’s a freelance offer, and I’m free to fly (wings and halos).
 
His name was poem; her name was fictitious (angels fated to fall).
 
Not every answer is custom fit. Not all the questions get asked.

Praxis Magazine released Around This Fire 3 recently. A chapbook of poems written in response to Edwin Madu’s, Poetry for the Mildly Insane. The collection was compiled by the wonderful Laura M. Kaminski, and I am thankful that my poem “Sacred Soil” was included.
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The Blue Mountain Review

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Issue 5 of The Blue Mountain Review is filled to the brim with fine poetry, fiction, photography, and interviews from powerful contemporary voices. As work on issue 6 kicks into high gear, I thought it seemed a good time to share the one-year anniversary issue. Hell, I might as well just go ahead and provide links to them all, right? Right.
 
Cliff Brooks, Holly Holt, Felino A. Soriano, Chani Butler, Jennifer Avery, and all the crew of The Southern Collective Experience put their hearts and souls into these issues, just as they do in all aspects of their lives. As do I. We hope this effort shines through in our art. Thank you to everyone who has contributed words and images to BMR thus far, and thank you to everyone who has read, enjoyed, shared, or been inspired by the issues. We truly appreciate all those who have helped us spread the good word about the magazine. Anyone interested in sending a submission our way can find the guidelines here.
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 The Southern Collective Experience

 
 
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Shorter University
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NPR/WUTC Chattanooga, Tennessee
(Dante’s Old South)
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Allatoona Book Festival
 
Find us on:
 

When Work Becomes Play

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I’m thankful to CTU Publishing for nominating a poem of mine for the 2016 Pushcart Prize. “Detoxification” is an excerpt from the full-length collection they released back in August, Happy Hour Hallelujah. This author’s page has more information about the book. I’ve now received three nominations this year, and I’m feeling rather fortunate at the moment.

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All I know to do is live day by day, and to build a vision of the future that rises from the flames.
 
All I want to say is everything in the same moment, but one word at a time will have to do.
 
All I need was already given. All that I want is right now. All that remains is work. Thank God this is fun.

November 2016 Recap

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I was honored and humbled to receive two Pushcart Prize nominations during the month of November. Transcendent Zero Press nominated “Sacrificial Pawns” – an excerpt from the chapbook they released, Songs of a Dissident. Spirit Fire Review nominated “Expansive Salvation” – a poem that was published at their site in September.

Thank you to the editors associated with these 17 venues for accepting and/or publishing my work during November:

The Poeming Pigeon; Dissident Voice; Praxis Magazine; Duane’s PoeTree; Whispers; VerseWrights; Leaves of Ink; Agjencioni Floripress; International Poetry; BlazeVOX; CTU Publishing; Nacional; GloMag; World Poetry Open Mic anthology; The Blue Mountain Review; Anti-Heroin Chic; and Poetry Leaves.
 

Also in November, I had an opportunity to perform at Shorter University along with friends from The Southern Collective Experience. There are several videos from the event posted here on our YouTube page
 
The Cubs won the World Series. There is quite a bit of compacted emotion contained in that short sentence. As a man who once aspired to be a pitcher who could help win the championship for the team, I tip my hat to those who were able to finish the job. Thirty years of anticipation was well worth the wait.
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After I stopped playing baseball back in 1999, I turned my attention toward writing. I picked up a pen and practiced the craft until I was ready for the next phase. Patience. Diligence. Balance. More patience. Fast forward 15 years. The first poem I finally published was in June of 2014 at Dissident Voice. Two and a half years later, I reached the milestone of publishing my 1000th poem. It’s been an interesting journey so far. There are cycles within cycles within cycles, and, as December begins, I spin again…

Shredding Silence

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A whole lot of love mixed with a dash of hatred bakes the perfect feast.
 
Let’s get wild and dance. I’ll start the fire. You stomp the earth.
 
High on the drug of future sight. We’ll all get dizzy and dream of a destiny ignited.
 
There are some dangerous fools in this world. Break them with the will to conquer. Paper tigers and screaming hyenas. Ripped to shreds and silenced.
 
Spit in the face of a righteous wind. There are angels here protecting us through war. Every little thing will wash out clean in the flood.
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My poem “Ordo ab Chao” can be read here at International Times.

Star Crusher

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Choke Hold Gag Reflex
 
Up on the steep roof
blowing leaves from the gutter
I come to realize
an appreciation
of just how precious
and precarious
every single step in life is
One slip
might mess you up
 
Walking along beside the street
watching cars pass in the cold of night
I get a craving
for some fresh air
not just stale smoke
tailpipe smog fest
One breath
might seize the lungs
 
Staring straight at the TV screen
going numb in every neuron
I found a trance
with the program
turn my head off
and get sucked in
to the shallow waves
One hour
might drain all soul
 
Sitting down for a warm meal
dinner table with the heat on
I know it’s true
that the energy used
to keep me safe from cold
comes at the sad expense
of stealing Earth’s black gold
One drill
might shift the plates
 
Catching flak in my own mind
for creature comforts of the modern life
It’ll drive you mad trying to save the world
it’s all illusion, Lord, just lay me down
 
Sleeping soundly between satin sheets
snug and cozy carefree nonchalance
I paid my dues throughout the day
won’t wear a millstone through the night
 
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This poem is an excerpt from my chapbook, Songs of a Dissident. It was released in 2015 by Transcendent Zero Press, and copies are available here.
If you dig my style, cool. If you don’t, oh well. No worries. Move along. I’m here to play games that conquer the stars. I’m here to have fun and make merry.
 
We don’t have to pretend any longer. This life truly is beautiful. Take a big bite. Take a deep breath. Explode.

Make Atlantis Great Again

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The fruits of the fascists and communists have born naught but cultural suicide and authoritarian debauchery. Intolerance, destitution, class elitism, and cancerous ideology.
 
This is not the stuff of a great species. Humanity as a whole is too good to be allowed to fall into the snares of collectivism. Humans are the greatest thing going. Yeah, I’m a bigot for the species; I admit I think we’re destined for the stars. Apologies to any weaker beings that offends here on earth, or elsewhere.
 
When I try to cool down, I just get hot under the collar. There is nothing safe about the spaces of evolution. There is only a trigger that sends consciousness careening toward higher light.
 
New Slogan, New Brand, New Name:
Make Atlantis Great Again.
 
Renaissance is the final solution. Let’s be as gods and dance our way into the future. Let’s be as men and give thanks to the Holy Spirit of Creation.
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This interview appeared at Ink In Thirds back in September. I’m getting into the flow of posting here again this month after a having taken a brief hiatus. I was otherwise occupied with life. In general. These things happen sometimes. I only want to have some fun. Foot meet pedal meet metal meet floor…

If, When, Now

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If there are poems that need to be written, I will hunt them down, I will raise them up, I will balance out their verses until the time when silence captures my rhythm completely.
 
If there are other actions that need to be taken, I will shut my damn mouth, I will open the floodgates, I will swim or sink or sail or drown.
 
If and when. Or now.
“Getting to Yes at All Costs” is a poem I wrote back in early 2015; it was published (and can be read here) by Sentinel Literary Quarterly this past summer.
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Jump Point

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Thank You
Hallelujah
Praise the Lord
Amen
Selah
Love
Karma
 
In life, it is good to love your family, your friends, your tribe, your community, and your species. In order to love humanity, one must first learn to love their self. That’s the bottom line, and it’s worth more than any material wealth on earth. You’re welcome.
Social Media Observations:
 
Some people are cool. They post interesting comments. They have integrity.
 
Some people are fools. They have lost their damn minds, and they spew nothing but nonsense. Immoral Propagandist, be thy name.
 
It is good to observe your enemies, to learn from them, to grow, to evolve, to adapt. When they are defeated, it is good to drink from a chalice of their tears, and to weep with joy upon their bones.

It’s not that I have nothing left to lose, but that what I have to gain is too large of a risk not to take. Lord, please humble my ego, and grant me courage to jump.