Thursday, July 24, 2014

Hiroshima/Nagasaki Remembrance reading August 6

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 PANDEMONIUM PRESS 
READING SERIES
  
    1st WEDNESDAYS at

http://www.spicemonkeyrestaurant.com/

    1628 WEBSTER ST, OAKLAND, CA
(Webster at 17th; just 2 1/2 blocks from the 19th St. BART station) 

    AUGUST 6:  HIROSHIMA/NAGASAKI REMEMBRANCE

 7 - 9 pm
   
featured poets:

  Sharon Coleman
Rafael Jesús González
Kirk Lumpkin
Joyce E. Young


Gerardo Omar Marín on flute

Curator: Leila Rae
 
  An open mic precedes and follows feature readers.
Sign up now for open mic: pandemoniumpress@gmail.com

Admission Free

Come early or stay late for food/drink at Spice Monkey


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Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Stay amazed


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---------------Guirnalda

-----------------------------------para Susan Felix



¿Pudiera interesarte en escribir
un poema para mí? me preguntaste
uno de tus mil admiradores
mis palabras una flor más
en larga guirnalda para adornar
tu repisa o más probablemente
lucir en tus tantos bailes
asegurando que sigamos
tu mandato de signatura
bendición que siempre
estemos asombrados.




-------------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2014








---------------Garland

---------------------------------for Susan Felix



Can I interest you in writing
a poem to me? you asked me
one of your myriad admirers
my words a flower more
in a long garland to adorn
your mantel or more likely
wear in your many dances
ensuring that we follow
your signature injunction
blessing to always
stay amazed.




-------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2014




(Stay Amazed, Berkeley 2014; 
Felix-Smartt, Lisa, Ed., Poetry Flash Flyers Press;
author’s copyrights)
 
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Monday, July 21, 2014

Leo

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--------------León

El león, ojos de carnalina,
colmillos, garras de sardónice,
lleva en el pecho corazón de rubí
que guarda el fuego fijo del valor.
-----Anhela devorar al sol
-----y mudarlo en oro
que surgiera por sus venas
como río caliente de luz.
 



----------------© Rafael Jesús González 2014




-------------------Leo

 

 The lion, carnelian eyes,
fangs, claws of sardonyx,
carries in his breast a ruby heart
that holds the steadfast fires of courage.
------It desires to devour the sun
------and turn it into gold
that would run in his veins
like a hot river of light.




----------------© Rafael Jesús González 2014
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Monday, July 14, 2014

Stay Amazed reading Wednesday, July 23

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Stay Amazed Book Launch 
Poetry Reading & Klezmer Party

featuring poets 

Chana Block, Rafael Jesús González, 
Susan Griffin, Joyce Jenkins, 
Raymond Nat Turner & more

Wednesday, July 23, 2014 

7:30 P.M.

Jewish Community Center East Bay

1414 Walnut St. 

Berkeley, California


$5 at the door


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Saturday, July 12, 2014

full moon: Bats in the Belfry


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---=---Murciélagos en el campanario


Murciélagos son los menores de las bestias
que puedan habitar el campanario.
A veces el toque de la luna llena
en las sogas basta
para agitar los badajos
y poner las campanas a clamar
difundiendo pánico entre los residentes
compuestos de nuestras fobias y sustos.
Los murciélagos vuelan y los otros bichos
se arrastran, saltan, huyen.
Culpa a la luna que no pueda
no tocar todo bajo su luz
inclusive los lasos que nos atan.






------------------------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2014












------------Bats in the Belfry


Bats are the least of the beasts
that may inhabit the belfry.
Sometimes the touch of the full moon
on the ropes is enough
to stir the clappers
& set the bells to clanging
spreading panic among the denizens
made of our phobias & frights.
The bats flit & the other beasts
crawl, skitter, scamper about.
Blame the moon who cannot help
touching all in her light
including the ropes that bind us.






--------------------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2014







Friday, July 4, 2014

U. S. Independence Day, July 4

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--------Oh, Say Can You See?

The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate
the growth of private power to a point where it becomes
stronger than their democratic State itself.
That, in essence is Fascism -  ownership of government
by an individual, by a group, or by any controlling private power.

---------------------------------President Franklin D. Roosevelt


Oh, say, can you see
that these truths be sacred & undeniable,
that we hold them to be self-evident,
proclaimed by the rocket's red glare
& the fire-crackers in your ears,
the smell of barbecue
& hamburgers on the grill,
the beer foam on your lips?

We are told so
as the Constitution is made confetti
& we praise the Lord
for the money in our pocket
& support the troops, our youth,
because they kill bravely, die bravely
terrorizing the terrorists,
& torture the infidels who are jealous
of our liberties.
-------------------Oh, say, can you see?





-------------------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2014











-------------¿Oh, say can you see?

La libertad de una democracia no es salva si el pueblo tolera
el crecimiento del poder privado hasta al punto en que se hace
más fuerte que su estado democrático mismo.
Eso en esencia es el Fascismo -posesión del gobierno
por un individuo, por un grupo, o por un partido privado dominante.

            Presidente Franklin D. Roosevelt


¿Oh, say, can you see
que esas verdades son consagradas e innegables,
que las tememos por evidentes de por si,
proclamadas por el deslumbre rojizo del cohete
y los petardos en tus oídos,
por el olor del asado,
y las hamburguesas en la parrilla,
la espuma de la cerveza en tus labios?

Se nos dice tal
a la vez que la Constitución se hace confeti
y alabamos al Señor
por el dinero en la bolsa
y apoyamos las tropas, nuestros jóvenes,
porque ellos matan, mueren valientemente,
aterrorizando a los terroristas,
y torturan a los infieles que envidian
nuestras libertades.
-----------------------¿Oh, say, can you see?





------------------------------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2014





 


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