Elvia Alvarado

Our Latin America Reading Group will discuss Elvia Alvarado’s testimony, Don’t Be Afraid, Gringo on Thursday 30 May at 7 p.m. at Café Ventana.   I imagine Elvia meeting up with Che And the revolutionary…

Leaving the Comfort Zone

When we get bored and complacent Playing it safe Staying stuck in our routines of “I, me, mine” May we remember and act on that phrase Which can immediately enliven us Bring out our daring…

News from Bella in New York

Dear Poet Who Summons Other Poets, I wrote this on July 4th at 12:50 am and I think it relates to some of the questions you asked me in a recent voicemail. Come see me,…

Grow Saint Louis Vietnam

Grow Saint Louis! Monsanto gives charity 20,000 dollar grants To those local organizations who compete against each other To get the most votes Charity (and competition) has its place People will tell me Grow Vietnam?…

Gratitude Makes the World Go Around

Dear Brother in the Uprising against Shmegeggedom Thank you for the times in Café Voltaire (I feel privileged to be able to steal a weekly spot in your schedule) Thank you for being a clown sometimes…

I’m Getting Better at This

A beautiful sunny afternoon 70 degrees Dear Bella Levenshtein For months I’ve wanted to visit with you But packed schedules The oddities of time and noncoincidences of space Emails unresponded to It didn’t ever happen…

Summer Goal: Cleaning up the Basement

To pitch 200 pounds and 30 years and umpteen teetering stacks Of nostalgia, Weltschmerz, and saudades (“Les jours s’en vont je demeure“) Into the recycle bins and trash dumpsters of Saint Louis By noon, 8.22.2013…