POETS PLACE
MARCH EDITION 2023
March is here already. The skies are blue and the mountains are packed with gorgeous snow. I can see the San Gabriel Mountains from my window. It implies a magnificence that I/we in LA haven’t seen before. Is this the new climate for LA? Rain, snow, freezing temps? Can we adjust to the brilliance of cool, fresh air in LA? Some may say bah! Can’t deal “I came to LA for the sunshine and heat”. Many of us are here for those same reasons. I myself, well I just go with the flow. I’m a native. And I have witnessed many different climate experiences. Along with the rogue twister that roared down my block in the San Fernando valley eons ago!!!! I am someone who enjoys the changes in the weather. It’s exciting. If I have the right clothes, then I’m good. Clothes matter in changing climates. My wardrobe always consists of items that not only reflect my personality, but the weather changes. We can still look cute and chic in cold weather. What someone wears tells a story. How someone moves in their clothes reveals their comfort in the space we see them in. Are they stiff, nervous, pulling on their buttons and pant legs? Fluid, dancing around showing off their wears? Standing tall chest out a smile on their face? Or slouching looking down at the floor or their phone? How much of their body is revealed, or hidden amongst layers of clothes tells us a lot about a person’s personality. Are they dressed flamboyantly? Saying loudly here I am world! Shy and introverted? Wearing dark and drab clothes with arms held close around their chest? Which says don’t get too close, or I’ll… Sexy or ashamed? Of course we cannot touch someones breasts because they are wearing a low cut top revealing almost everything they have there. But our minds say different. It says…. (your thoughts here bleep bleep bleep). Damn that impulse control! In times past society would say that wearing revealing clothes is asking for trouble. For example, if someone was sexually accosted in a public place- say a young female in a short skirt by a man- the court would say based on what she was wearing that “she was asking for it”. In fact, that did happen to me. I was about 14 years old. I had cut school (what a shock!) and was walking down the street in the San Fernando valley, dressed in a short skirt and heels, and a man followed me, grabbed me from behind and carried me into an alleyway. If the cops had come, they probably would've blamed me for one, cutting school, and 2 for wearing revealing clothes. Well it’s a different time now and I am happy to say that here in LA we can look and dress how we feel without recrimination. Finally! Oh and by the way, I fought off that asshole dude! I’m a badass as you all know!
Thank you all for continuing to support POETS PLACE and the LAARTNEWS for your monthly submissions!!! Stay warm and dress warm! Pull out that bitchen coat you’ve never worn! Yes! Go ahead and reveal yourself!!! Enjoy!!
Love, Linda :0)
Words to live by
By Linda Kaye
Clean up your act
step up your game
make love a smart choice
always have a voice
create a beautiful space, wash dishes, and your face
never assume
just bloom
say yes to your partner they’ll love you forever
cherish the moment the next one and the next one
look closely at a stranger who becomes a stranger no more
have faith in intuition it tells no lies
repeat often that you love me
that I’m beautiful in your eyes
tell the world that you are happy
cuz today’s gift of life is no surprise!
Point blank babe or refer to this
By Daniel Schack
There is really no such thing as being intellectual. there is only knowing what one is talking about or not.
The poet ,daniel schack can be seen on poetrysoup.com and his art on tumblr adanthemanworld.daniel schack is 57 and is a high school grad. With 3.5 years of college. peace.
La Bohemia Cosmica
By G.Billie Quijano
This is where the story begins
This is where I stand
This is how I see
I was born in the cosmos
Soy hija de Tonantzin, Coyolxauhqui and Ixchel
Poetry was written as I swam in their swells
I am a prodigy of the revolution
Vibrant colores de Mexico a solution
Colonization and patriarchy has a beginning and an end
It was always a question of when
My Mestizaje sangre washes over and baptizes me
The Indigenous dna was always free
There was a time in my life my heart was in fragments, my body broken
That occurrence in my life, will not be reduced to token
The sway of my skirts whisper brush strokes that only know truth
And the mirror will not be shattered
My soul will not be battered
My eyebrows furrow the likeness of lust, beauty and pain
This chapter in my life was not to feign
Los ojos de claridad ignites the rhythm of 2 heartbeats, but interrupted
And you left white pulque glistening on my inner thigh uncorrupted
I breath you in every movement across my palette
I see you in every flor
Many times our words were dipped in war.
My feet on the ground, my soul in flight
I am the red that ignites the heart
I am art
This is where the story begins...
G.Billie Quijano/Hija de East Los. Poeta, natural creative, instigator of beauty. My wish is to share my art, my words, a desire to make a connection and contribution. To maintain beauty and balance in the Universe. I continue to evolve and participate in the cultural rhythm of the barrio.
THE STRUGGLE
3-31-22
5:36 pm
By Mary Cheung
The struggle with leaving the past in the past. And moving on to an unknown future.
How to do that?
I know, I should just put one foot in front of the other....
And b4 you know it.....
I am ahead and past the memories,
that had its hooks in me...
Reminding of what I have lost.
Reminding me how good it was.
Reminding of how hard life was.
Yet it was the best there ever was.
Moments slipping through my fingers.
They just force their way out.
Especially when un called for.
In moments when my guard is low.
Something amazing will happen in my life!
And I'll just want to shout it out and share it with you...
only you won't be here...
Something will happen that will bring me to tears!
And bring me to my knees...
Only you won't be there to hold me up any more.
And so I continue, to struggle.
Mary Cheung- she is an innovative Artist and Costume Designer. Her works contain a strong sense of story as well as a highly sensuous style. She mostly works in paint or photography and sometimes making art that is wearable and innovative. She states “I am usually more of a Visual style Artists and have only recently been open to sharing literally art/poems, often paired with visual art of my creation, birthing a new form of spoken word art as another form of expression”.
P-22
By Ronald G. Carrillo
P-22 celebrity cougar of Los Angeles
You deserve your own star on Hollywood’s walk of fame
You were with us only ten years but your numerical name
Has brought you fans far and near
Your wild nature had to overcome
The extremes of metropolis living
Traversing city neighborhoods and treacherous freeways
Yet you sparkled for your close-up
Near the city of angels iconic Hollywood sign
The flash seen around the world
Caught in Griffith Park behind the lights of your city
You were seen roaming on the sidewalks of Silver Lake
Like a Brad Pitt of your species the paparazzi followed you
With multiple returns to Los Feliz and those Hollywood Hills
You gave your audience thrills each time you made the papers
You changed the consciousness of those people aware of you
Making the cover of the LA Times widening your audience
Mountain lion of our high regard you have elevated our being
And your species has sensitized our greed for domination
We must share the land equitably with all animals
Nature matters hear the cries
Of caged zoo animal prisoners
Orcas part of aquarium circus shows
Held captive from their true ocean homes
We traffic animals for our vanity and egos
Cows and chickens in holding pens with no room to move
An animal holocaust of the highest order
For consumer gluttony and blood
Trophy hunters paying top dollar to kill
Who are the true predators?
P-22 you have advanced our sensitivity
For valuing life in all its magnificent forms
You are the Greta Thunberg of the animal kingdom
Coda: The sanctity of all life matters
The murdering of billions of chickens
The torture and slaughter of laboratory monkeys
The electrical stunning of pigs before they are slain
The horrendous poaching of pangolins for Chinese medicine
Big game hunting for sport and trophy
All manner of shark species endangered from finning
Dolphins and whales killed in fishing nets to catch tuna
Mountain gorillas losing their forest homes and killed for bush meat
P-22 you have planted a seed and opened our eyes
So much more work needs to be done for wildlife conservation
P-22 you have moved us and put us on notice
For action and evolving our human empathy for all species
Ronald G. Carrillo is a native Lincoln Hts Angelino, living in Eagle Rock and a retired LAUSD educator and influencer. He writes of his passion and rebirth into the golden age of living. He has been writing since high school and was initially influenced from the songwriters, Keith Reid, Joni Mitchell, Laura Nyro, Neil Young.
greetings
by joshua dresser
it’s a balmy covid-19
degrees in l.a.
where masks hide
the smiles, and the smiles
never reach the eyes
the cameras roll
stop again
public readings of
halted scripts
a fashion show on the boulevard…
important shit
physically distancing
but never able to keep
people from being up your ass
no matter how socially distant
you’ve become
bring an umbrella for the tears
wear flipflops while you’re here
rent a car and sit in traffic
see the stars, become an addict
and remember our motto
fuck you, pay me
Joshua Dresser howled into this world in the year of Halloween. He went to university, wrote plays and short stories, and eventually allowed life to alter his plans indefinitely. He lives on the Autism spectrum, works as a technical writer, and enjoys logomachy.
He resides in Los Angeles.
Hidden From Chaos
February 12th
By Lisa Roman
In the stillness of our hearts,
we find love.
Hidden from the chaos
and extreme world.
It pulsates with vigor and strength -
keeps us alive
and hopeful.
Everything else -
is to pass time
until we understand
this.
Lisa Roman is a native Californian, writer, artist, filmmaker and healer. Her background consists of set decorating and art direction for film during the 80's and 90's. She began doing pop up shows for various local artists during that time. Writing consists of poetry, humorist tales, scriptwriter and script doctoring. Her stories of magic and healing contain metaphysical essence. Entering 2021 as a film producer/writer with intent of continued expansion of spirit. Hope for a more sensitive future.
Jeff Chayette photo for Frito lay
frito-lay
by Jeff Chayette
3 December 2020
the sign beckoned
I bet you can’t eat just one
she picked that spot
the ad was a dare
fun in the sun
bright lights at night
dare to pick one
dare to pick everyone
the adrenaline pair
blonde & brunette
sometimes red head sweat
they scrimped on pimps
worked a team
hey boys
take the dream
slinky kinky
jump and pump suits
mr right is out of sight
last stop on a dime
we’ll roll you
knife you
dice and slice you
sneaky creeps
wrapped in sheets
beneath the bridge
of sante fe and first
cemented fools
cast off tools
we lost our dream
made you cream
a nights work
a days pay
on a ship
to an early grave
she has my back
don’t loose track
if you blink
I’ll wink
as your soul sinks
into the slime
this was not another
broken bum
who took the bait
made the stop
conformist
contortionist
you said whips
rhyme with chips
lets take a dip
I tie the knots
teach you moves
to slide and groove
unravel and travel
like Houdini
shot by Fellini
hold your breath
until you sweat
bring you to the brink of death
escape behind the stage left drape
this magic tragic act
asphyxiation is exotic
can be fun
even erotic
she blinked
he winked
was this her shrink
her father figure disfigured
alarms and charms
he winked again tied the knot
said not too tight
not too loose
play goldilocks and grandma goose
rub a dub dub
lets jump in the tub
when the time is right
I’ll set you free
she held her breath
lied face down
he watched the clock
the second hand ran past twelve
twice then thrice and twice once more
more more more the aztec wheels began to spin
mosaic perfection
end over end
an Escher world
weave or leave
or cleave from life
end strife and bother
pass out breath water
colored lights spin
turn white so bright
convulsed
a gasp
a splash
a reverie
Jeff Chayette has lived and loved for 4 decades in Los Angeles.
A multi-faceted artist who attended Art Center College of Design In Pasadena, Jeff has worked on stage, television and films.
His design work has been peer recognized with National and local Emmys, CBS Eye on Excellence and Promax BDA awards.
His current poems are reflections on past and present life in Los Angeles through the eyes of the pandemic. Emmy winner for Best Short promo!!
Thanks for joining us! We will continue to host writers and poets of all genres.
Please submit your written work to: lindakayepoetry@icloud.com and include a short bio.
Linda Kaye writes poetry, curates poetry, produces films, produces spoken word and art events and produces a poetry column POETS PLACE for the online publication LAARTNEWS throughout the Los Angeles area.
Linda’s poetry events have included several summer poetry salons, and shows at the Align Gallery, 50/50 Gallery, Gold Haus Gallery, Ave 50 Gallery and Rock Rose Gallery in Highland Park .The Manifesto Café in Hermon, Pilates and Arts studio in Echo Park, and Native Boutique, Zweet Café in Eagle Rock, The Makery in Little Tokyo. And at the Neutra Institute Gallery and Museum in Silverlake. Her first short documentary film “BORDER POETS” was a socially and politically inspired event with poets and musicians filmed at the border wall near Tecate, Mexico on the Jacumba, Ca. side of the US. The film co-produced by MUD productions is available for viewing on her website and on youtube. https://youtu.be/5Te4-dlhxco
Her rap music video project in collaboration with Mary Cheung, “ERACE-ISM” can also be seen on youtube. https://youtu.be/NfrbveNUBgg This video was accepted into the Ontario Museum of History & Art show “We the People” Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow. February 2- April 16, 2023. So honored!!
And… February 19, 2022, she debuted her staged poetry production of “20 Years Left” at the historic Ebell Club in Highland Park! Two sold out shows with 2 standing ovations!! Check out the links to reviews and the video!
https://thehollywoodtimes.today/20-years-left-new-show-performance-poetry-music/
20 Years Left youtube live stream 2/19/22
Linda Kaye is a native Angeleno who grew up in the San Fernando Valley. She claims to be both a first-generation Valley Girl, and The Original Hipster. Educated at Antioch University and Cal State Long Beach in psychology and social work. Linda, now retired from medical social work, was working for the last seven years as a psychotherapist and licensed clinical supervisor for an out patient mental health clinic. She was a licensed medical social worker for 30+ years working on the front line of healthcare, a private consultant for Physicians Aid Association and for skilled nursing facilities throughout California and Arizona. She was also an adjunct assistant professor at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. Oh yeah.
Twitter/Instagram: lindakayepoetry
http://voyagela.com/interview/daily-inspiration-meet-linda-kaye/