February 29, 2008
Week 133, May Leap Day Be With You All Year 'Round
Download and fold your very own Chris Toll mini-chap -- I'm Having Some Shape-Shifting Problems. It's free free FREE. But wait, there's more... He's thrown in an extra poem -- an outtake in fact -- ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH THIS SPECIAL OFFER.
Meanwhile, if you're in Baltimore, or close to it, this Saturday (March 1), you'd be a DAMN FOOL to miss Justin Sirois' Book Release reading at the i.e. reading series -- get the info below.
And meanwhile meanwhile, enjoy our song of the week from Liam Finn. Or more aptly, WE DARE YOU NOT TO ENJOY IT.
ALL CAPITALLY YOURS,
Rock Heals
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
February 21, 2008
Week 132 and Explication is Cheaper Still
Three short poems from someone who is Not Lisa Jarnot and music from Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea -- now 10 and one of the best albums ever recorded. No, seriously.
Consume. Digest. Mobilize.
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
January 30, 2008
Week 131 Is Just as Effective as that Echinacea You're Taking
and Baltimore lives on
Pam Martin brings us our annual report from Sundance -- her second, our third, and the best so far by far. Sara Mumolo, from fine Oakland CA, balances it out with some poetry. And since "light activity" is the best path to getting over that flu that surely has you puking bedside like everyone else in the world this week -- do enjoy an amazing new bit of get-on-your-feet music from The Black Kids.
Keep your chin up kid. You're gonna make it. And holy crap, next Tuesday is Super Tuesday already... look out for some post-results reactions from the Robots!
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
January 23, 2008
Week 130 Is Unaffected by the Strikes
and we learned about trains, too
After a weekend of great reading after reading, we come back with a healthy crop of the poetry from Dustin Williamson. Not to mention, Ask a Robot is back for the first time in forever and ready to talk election hopes; and the song of the week comes from that Burial guy.
Get down. (Get down.)
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
January 16, 2008
Week 129 Is Liberal with the Ingredients
Narrow House be a nest of busy beavers and this week we bring you our latest -- from Joey Cashiola's multi-media chapbook (is that what we should say it is?) Lips of the Cherubim to the first issue of SUCCESS! -- a Narrow House Occassional edited by Lauren Bender and weighing with 73 pages of love from writers and artists you know or should know.
So enjoy a few nips -- poetry from Joey Cashiola and Richard Kostelanetz; artwork from David-Baptiste Chirot; a collaborative piece from Megan McShea and John Eaton -- and then follow the links and download the complete goodness.
Posted by Rock Heals at 08:00 AM
December 13, 2007
Week 128 Wishes It Had Feet So It Could Sport Those Voltron Reeboks With Its Four Best Friends
But isn't just about any picture in Buffalo going to look like December
Chris Nealon is a treasure whose treasureness is magnified further still by his coast-hopping, globe-trotting, elsewhere-teaching nomadic ways. So with each Yeti-rare sighting we swarm him with "whatcha been up to"s, and whilst making sure his ear tag is secure, extract precious poetry. Savor it, for like the McRib, we don't know when we will be able to get more.
And a video from Blaqstarr to remind you that Baltimore will fuck you up and/or save hip hop. Take heed!
We'll stop overwriting now.
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
December 05, 2007
Week 127, You Say Modicum of Consistency; I Say Momentum
Hoboken brews a perfect December morning
We aren't afraid to love a whole lotta poetry from Changming Yuan. We ain't afraid to love the Manchester Orchestra. And we definitely ain't afraid capitalism. We may, however, have some trepidations with regards to Mr. T.
And don't sleep on the link below to an audio file of allies Michael Ball, Lauren Bender and Justin Sirois reading poetry and talking up a storm on WYPR (it's that thingy we mentioned last week).
'Tis the season, yo.
Posted by Rock Heals at 09:00 AM
November 28, 2007
Week 126 Is Molten and/or Molting
Look at that -- 2 new issues in 2 weeks. It's like it is 2006 all over again, only with hope of a new President of the United States peaking over a less distant horizon.
So... do enjoy an excerpt from a longer Frank Sherlock poem; a recommendation for a wonderful daily; and a hypnotic song on love (or maybe just about sexing) from the Animal Collective.
And don't miss Narrow House comrades Lauren Bender and Justin Sirois with Narrow House valued-ally Michael Ball as they stop in on "The Signal" an arts and culture radio program on Baltimore's WYPR.
Friday, November 30; at 12noon and again at 7pm
Listen here
And then check back next week and see if we can extend our streak to three.
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:07 AM
November 21, 2007
Week 125 Is from the Flames
'Tis the week for gorging oneself in these here United States of America. But we've been away so long, so we're offering a nice tasting menu to ease you back into our fantasia.
Poetry from Changming Yuan and Aaron Belz; a Bollywood video by someone who's name I would misspell if I knew it; and a great commercial for a little Baltimore event Narrow House is sponsoring with many other this Friday (Nov. 23) in Baltimore. Dig in!
A note on downloads: You may have noticed an "interruption in service" on our file downloads (songs, PDFs, etc.)... we're working on it and should have it resolved in the next couple of weeks. Thanks for bearing with.
Posted by Rock Heals at 08:00 AM
October 18, 2007
Week 124 Is Holy Shit Talking Eggs
Sacre bleu!
Sont toutes ces bonnes. We don't care if 2004 was the year of the mash-up -- good is good wherever it grows. From StSanders to DJ Lile to deer overrunning a New Jersey School.
Ceci est short, mais oui. Mais may we ask you to enjoi. Scroll down and roll out, notre petit chou-chou.
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
October 17, 2007
Germany Is Concered
To the Editors,
Are you becoming a Thursday weekly instead of Wednesday?
I can't lie, I have a anxious citizenry on pins and needles.
Holler,
President Horst Köhler
---&&&---
Dear President Köhler,
Definitely not. We are just going through some staffing issues and find ourselves continuously behind. I'm sure you understand.
We hope to have this week's issue out tomorrow and to have our internal wrinkles ironed out real soon.
Thanks for your patience in the meantime -- and our heartfelt apologies for the stress we have caused your lovely nation.
We hope you can enjoy the archives in the meantime.
Love,
The R-to-the-H
Thx Trace for the staff photos -- I thought this one was best. You can see in his eyes how sorry he is we aren't on time, again.
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:03 AM
October 10, 2007
Is Week 123
This is not my beautiful house
Back. Poetry from Gina Myers and
an intercepted memo from The Grope Group and
a few words on the new Radiohead album.
Go forth. Army strong.
Week 123 Contents
7.11.07, a poem from Gina Myers;
internal memorandum ten, intercepted from the Grope Group; and
Some words on the new Radiohead album (faux song of the week)
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
September 26, 2007
Week 122 and You and You and You
Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear
Another anisette. Anonymous brocades. Animal Collective. Amidst détente. Already entry. Announced falling. Asymptomatic ghost. After hirsute. Anyone ingenuity. Antebellum joblessness. Antiquated keystone. Andrew Lundwall. Any moon. Awesome nepotism. Anticipated oranges. Aggrivated penalties. Apt robbery. Actually standing. Ancillary tread. Amassed unwillingness. Anteroom viscosity. August xenophobe. Actuary yielding. Appropriated zig.
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
September 19, 2007
Keep Your Eyes Forward, Week 121
The week that was nearly a month in the making.
No seriously, we're sorry. We'd like to say we were taking a luxurious French-style vacation -- lounging away August under the sun, in the sand, by the sea. But that was not to be.
Back with a vengeance we have a great short story from NYC-to-Baltimore transplant Michael Kimball. He's written so much in so many fine places -- get on it via Google. And we have the story in muchos des formats -- html, pdf, and audio. It's how we start trying to make it up to you, loyal reader.
And because we want to reiterate that Baltimore will fuck you up, our Song of the Week is from you'll-know-him-soon Jason Dove. What? He's playing a Narrow House-hosted night of music and poetry and the Baltimore Book Fest on September 28? Sweet. (flyer below)
And we wrap this yawtch with a trailer for the Brothers Cashiola's debut film Pitch and Tone avec an anecdotal tidbit from Justin Sirois.
It's a lot cuz we're sorry a lot. And we're redoubling efforts to not let you down again (between now and December).
official book fest site
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
September 14, 2007
22 Days Without New Stuff...
What We Did This Summer
Posted by Rock Heals at 02:17 PM
August 23, 2007
Week 120 Was Less Dependable Than Intended
the shade = 87 degrees
This week features some great poetry of Adam Robinson -- you can tell that Scooter was still on his mind and ours heading into the week. Just as interesting as his work, is the "outdoor journal" he runs Baltimore Is Reads -- basically posting/publishing poetry in random places around town. Very cool stuff.
And the song of the week is from The Besnard Lakes. And if you don't like it, than just maybe, we don't like you.
Go forth and love one another.
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
August 15, 2007
Week 119 Rolls With the Punches
That's soccer. Mr. Beckham's MLS debut, in fact. And then there is baseball and candy below. It doesn't make any sense. It's August.
Yankee shortstop and legendary announcer Phil Rizzuto passed away earlier this week. And all the obits are sure to mention of a volume of poetry, O Holy Cow! The Selected Verse of Phil Rizzuto. To what you might think, WTF?. Tom Peyer and Hart Seely chopped up Rizzuto's oft-free associated game announcing into profound verses -- seemed like something you shouldn't miss out on, so this week we borrow and share.
And speaking of flaunting copyrights... the Song of the Week is from Velvet Underground. You may have heard of them.
Be well.
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
August 08, 2007
The Humidity Will Make It Feel Like Week 118
We're back, but we have more to share than say... three poems from Kirstin Richardson for instance. And a song from The Kooks that'll brighten a summer day, so go buy it, throw it in the car and drive fast with the windows down.
And while you are getting out of the house (where out of the house = the DC metro area, fromAugust 8 and 26, 2007) be sure to catch "A Devil in His Own Words" -- a great staging by the Taffety Punk Theater Company (more info below).
Posted by Rock Heals at 08:00 AM
July 25, 2007
Week 117 Ponders the Metaphysics of Sundries
we'll have to do it again and again until n
Back in April a buncha folk did poem-a-day projects for that whole National Poetry Month thing -- posting them as they came to a unique blog for that purpose. A blog with a pre-determined endpoint. Like Jane's Addiction. Mel Nichols was telling us about it at a bar after a reading. Our boy Jamie Gaughran-Perez, in his age-honored tradition of "I should be writing more" self-flagellation, decided to pick it up of May and try to get the touch passed from month to month. In June it went to Adam Good. In July Ryan Walker assumed the mantel. To whom will he pass it? Only time will tell (where time = 6 days from now).
This week we grabbed a poem from each -- enjoy. And with each you'll find a link to each month-blog, too.
Enjoi, et rester accordé (à quelque chose).
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
July 18, 2007
Week 116 Puts the Vision Back in Division
He loves me. He loves me not. He loves me...
Who shall be divided among us? An incredible mist rolled in off the ocean and blanketed the town. From the dunes you couldn't see the water, but you could hear it. Around 5pm it burned off.
But for this, Rock Heals will keep it brief this week. First is a piece sent our way by the Grope Group published under a one-time license with all rights reverting to the Grope Group, Inc. following publication.
On its heels a drawing from J Hunington Chase who happens to go by "Hunt" in standard conversation. And our song of the week? "All Fires" from Swan Lake -- who've been occupying my CD player like the Allied Forces in 1945 Germany.
Beat the heat and who shouldst 'scape whipping?
Week 116 Contents
internal memorandum nine (after CH), from the Grope Group;
8.07.06 017, a drawing from J Huntington Chase; and
Song of the Week: "All Fires", from Swan Lake (the band, not the ballet)
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 PM
July 11, 2007
Week 115 and Will Baseball Save Healthcare?
take me out __________
This week celebrates the MLB All-Star with the first of the year's all-ball issues.
"Rock Heals," you may ask, "If I'm not a baseball fan, will I enjoy this week's issue?"
Why of course you will, Timmy. With great work from Aaron Lowinger, Michael Kelleher and Mike Grau, you will soon find that when one examines baseball, one examines one's very soul. You'll see the same of our Song of the Week from The Mountain Goats.
Dig in. Peanuts optional.
Week 115 Contents, all-ball
BB, from Aaron Lowinger;
Zombie Haiku (with Julio Franco), from Mike Grau;
Geometry, from Michael Kelleher;
Zombie Haiku (with Manny Ramirez), another from Mike Grau;
E7, a second from Aaron Lowinger; and
Song of the Week: The Mountain Goats
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
July 04, 2007
Week 114 On This, The Fourth Day of July
A little song and dance courtesy of Unk and Bob Fosse and Judi Cutrone? A couple poetic love notes from Geoffrey Gatza to his fellow Buffalonian? How else would one celebrate this weird mid-week speed bump of a day-off day?
Week 114 Contents
Tawrin Baker, a poem by Geoffrey Gatza;
Walk It Out, Fosse, a little video mash from Judi Cutrone; and
eight narratives out there (for Kevin Thurston), another from Geoffrey Gatza
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:07 AM
June 27, 2007
Week 113 Has a Picture of San Diego Up Front
A little bit of everything this week with contributions from Rock Heals favorites W.B. Keckler and Ryan Walker. And you said the song of the week was from Low? Get on with it all and then go melt somewhere.
AND this Friday (6/29) is the Ric Royer/John Berndt CD+Book release party. Scroll for details and/or check out the Baltimore City Paper review.
WHOOPS!
We screwed up the titles on jAsON gLoVeR'S pieces a couple weeks back... the correct titles are:
Door Ring; and
Winter Scene Fauceto
And they should'a been attributed to Jason Spacestation. We really botched all that. Go find more from him / about him / and harass him on myspizzle.
Week 113 Contents
From the Desk of Ryan Walker;
Graveside, a poem from W.B. Keckler
Song of the Week from Low;
From the Desk of Ryan Walker (2); and
a reminder flyer for the June 29 Ric Royer/John Berndt Book/CD Release Party
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:07 AM
June 20, 2007
Week 112 Is Like Keanu Reeves In My Own Private Idaho
All wrongs melt to the Earth before my pink, plush glory.
We were going to make light of our extended absence by getting our in-house robot to roleplay as Rock Heas and then grill it mercilessly. But when we turned it on it said, "i'm afraid of zombie haiku, this conversation is so interesting that i hate that." The morale of the story? Everybody hurts.
So suffice to say, we are back to get in touch with our adoring fan. And intend to do it big.
First, Joey Cashiola sent these great polaroid + poems that reminded us of why we got into this racket in the first place.
And persistent badgering of Ryan Walker for a review of the recent and great Chris Toll-Buck Downs split-book resulted in a review of the recent and we-haven't-read-it-yet-but-he-did-and-thinks-it's-hot chap from Mel Nichols.
More you say? More? The Song of the Week is from the Broken Social Scene, and if you have managed to go this long without hearing, I worry for you. For everyone else, worth a reminder.
Not to mention the fact that the Narrow House empire is about to unleash a fabulous Ric Royer-John Berndt book-CD with a release party on June 29 in Baltimore and events to follow worldwide (or at least East-and-West Coast-wide). We're sure to have more related cool in this space soon -- in the meantime scroll on, scroll on for the flyer.
There is so much great work at RH-HQ right now -- if we'd stop doing all this vacationing, and working, and traveling for work, and chilling, and playing music, and reading out-of-character spiritual texts, and listening to music, and skateboarding, and eating, and sleeping we'd be getting it all out to you. Instead, we hoard. But we're on it man, nous promettons.
Week 112 Contents
Sky Log (August 29), from Joey Cashiola;
A review of Mel Nichols' The Beginning of Beauty, from Ryan Walker
Sky Log (September 3), again from Joey Cashiola;
Song of the Week for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl (Broken Social Scene); and
Sky Log (November 11), the last from Joey Cashiola
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
May 31, 2007
Week 111 Was a Bad Boy
Please calculate ratio of nature to nurture based on available data.
Short and sweet is both short and sweet. Artwork by Jason Spacestation; a pome from Mike Grau; song of the week by The Pipettes.
But this is also one of two or three weeks of actual Spring weather you will get this year... so read up and get out. Squander this weather and you lose out on accumulation of "back when we could go outdoors without protective suits" stories for your grandchildren.
Week 111 Contents
A Door Ring, artwork from Jason Spacestation;
[4], a poem from Mike Grau;
Song of the Week: The Pipettes; and
Winter Scene Fauceto, another piece of art from Jason Spacestation
Posted by Rock Heals at 08:00 AM
May 23, 2007
Это Есть Песни Отпуск (and Not Week 111 Just Yet)
We sometimes think Rock Heals is more Tony Soprano than Tony Soprano.
We'd hoped to have one in the can to roll out today from vacation. Alas one is not in the can despite so much awesome in the wings. But fear not, this is not the 4-week French vacation we wish it was. See you in 7 days.
Posted by Rock Heals at 09:17 AM
May 16, 2007
Week 110 Finds Itself Midst Flood
Click the image for all its glory.
You wouldn't believe the stream of good stuff coming our way. Where "stream of" is really a "trickle" but is being compared favorably to the average rate of submission-receiving. Do your part in maintaining said flow: submit at rockheals dot com
And so, this week we share a quiet and beautiful video from Katherine A. Gorman. What's more she's promised more to come this summer.
Add to that one of two killer pomes we got from Brad Liening, who kicks the jams within a surprisingly straight-ahead traditional approach to poultry. Not sure if he is or has MFA'd it up, but this should remind you to give a few hours a year to those poets and that poetry that you've previously classified as, "come on, are you kidding?"
Round it out with the Song of the Week from Cloud Cult and you have yourself a party!
Week 110 Contents
Conversation (a video), from Katherine A. Gorman;
Hate to Say, poetry from Brad Liening; and
Song of the Week: Summer Jam For the Broken-hearted, Pining and/or Unrequited
Posted by Rock Heals at 06:30 AM
May 09, 2007
Week 109 Is Mute in a Fashion
This week we're featuring a selection of poems from Changming Yuan. We'd never run into him or his work before, but he's published just about everywhere it seems across a number of countries. But what we love most about his bio he sent is how it opens, "Changming Yuan authored three books before moving to Canada." Now, y'all know we've been loving on some Canada lately and will continue to do so, but that's just great. Though I guess that could be taken as a ringing endorsement?
COME TO CANADA
We Will Rid You of That Poetry Problem
Read and enjoy. Sorry, no song this week, but that'll be back in our next star-studded issue on newsstands next Wednesday.
Week 109 Contents
Three poems from Changming Yuan
Siamese Stanzas: On the Highway
Earthling Calling
Elm's Agenda in Autumn
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
May 02, 2007
Week 108 Is Available for A Short Questions and Answers Period
Yes, the ducks are back.
Justin Sirois has been writing like a madman, shaming peers far and wide. He happens to be part Narrow House's juicy core. But I say fuck off to your vanity press catcalls because what he serves up this week is just that good. And the Song of the Week is from Blonde Redhead. And we got an email from a robot... oh shit!
Oh yeah, and you know we love some boxing. Consider yourself reminded that Oscar de la Hoya and Floyd Mayweather may put on the best fight of the decade this Saturday, May 5.
Until then, excelsior!
Week 108 Contents
we'll stare at this until it speaks, a poem from Justin Sirois;
Song of the Week from Blonde Redhead;
not a labor movement – a thief in the Torrent, also from Justin; and
ATTN! from Support Team Robot
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:07 AM
April 25, 2007
Week 107: Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use
Je suis le canari.
When we were in Buffalo recently, we met a buncha swell Cannucks, and one of them was this Rob Read fellow. He does many things, but among them are these Daily Treated Spam poems that we get by daily (duh) by email. Thought we'd share some. There is also a collection of the first few years of the project in print: O SPAM, POAMS: Selected Daily Treated Spam 2003 - 2005 (Book Thug, 2005), find out more about it all.
And we round out glorious Week 107 with an visual work, including some from W.B. Keckler, and a remix of Metric from MSTRKRFT as our Song of the Week.
We're working on our first Rock Heals All Baseball issue, but no promises on when we'll get that wrapped. And we do have a fair use issue on its way that would have more appropriately matched this weeks title, but just not ready yet.
Week 107 Contents
4/2 Daily treated spam: Cialis soft just for you, from Rob Read;
Objects Also, an illustration from W.B. Keckler;
4/4 Daily treated spam: That’s interesting!, is another from Rob;
2 Photos: DC-Baltimore;
4/17 Daily treated spam: do myself repeater, again from Rob;
4/23 Daily treated spam: No herself throat, is the last from Rob; and
Song of the Week is one of many MSTRKRFT remixes
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
April 18, 2007
Week 106 Has Three Gears
In case you're feeling a little dark and dreary like us right now, we wanted to open with a little Bjork and Diddy nugget that found its way into our little hands.
And it's been a while since we've heard from The People’s Peaceable Assembly Line. Many worried they may be locked up somewhere. Or perhaps they were stuck in a security line with their shoes in hand. Wherever they are hiding, they had access to email long enough to get us the missive we share this week.
Song of the what? Check out a little ditty sung by Bertolt Brecht to wrap up this week's installment of your favorite don't-call-us-a-blog site o' miscellany.
And on the horizon? Your submissions and other awesome. Get on it!
Week 106 Contents
Bjork and Ditty Sitting in a Tree;
total information awareness, from The People’s Peaceable Assembly Line; and
Song of the Week: Mack the Knife, from Bertolt Brecht
Posted by Rock Heals at 06:30 AM
April 11, 2007
Week 105 Restores Earth Elementals
Time for baseball, people.
Spring is here, but damn if a couple nights of frost didn't wreak havoc on the Rock Heals Imperial Gardens. Crap that.
So while we were inside watching so many former Red Sox where uniforms that said something other than "Red Sox" on them, we decided to touchbase with our friends for a little Ask the Robots.
Let's heap onto that an old classic from Okkervil River for our song of the week; and a zombie haiku from the always fabulous Tyler Peterson.
We've got a heap of great submissions to get through, but we'd love another heaping. And some more caffeine.
xoxo,
Mom
Week 105 Contents
Ask a Robot: Iraq Revisited;
Song of the Week from Okkervil River; and
Zombie Haiku from Tyler Peterson
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:07 AM
April 04, 2007
This Is Week 104, But Jesselton is Kota Kinabalu
This is the skyline, and Kawaputra says it is free to be used.
Friday we ("the NH Empire") dragged our undersized white asses up to the Buffalo Small Press Fair -- buying, selling and trading, spreading the words and mesmerizing the Buffalo Poetry Gods with our honey-tongues. Longtime friend of the NH Empire Kevin Thurston and new ally Chris Fritton turned this mutha out. We'll be plugging the hell outta the 2008 Fair in 8 months or so.
We'll have much more from the fair in weeks to come, but the following list, while unrelated to the fair comprises money, shared herein for replenish your spiritual capital:
Evolution Markets, by Greg Fuchs
Song of the Week: "No Way Out," Love of Diagrams
Zombie Haiku (Mr. Ball's World), from Michael Ball; and
Back to Rehab for a Refresher with Amy Winehouse
Spend spend spend as if your soul has no bounds for tomorrow we'll all be rich as shit (and/or dead).
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:07 AM
March 28, 2007
Week 103 Is the Root Cause of Countless Personal Bankruptcy Filings
A crazy week ahead. The Narrow House hive is going to divide and conquer. One team will head north for the Buffalo Small Press Fair (March 30 - 31). A second will keep it real with performances and more at the 4th Annual Transmodern Festival in Baltimore (March 29 - April 1). Look out for us and our wares (especially in Buffalo) -- lot's of free stuff, no doubt. This is a takeover people!
So now's your chance to get ahead -- drink deep of this week's font voluntarily -- we will notice, and we will remember when rolling out the new world order.
We gotz Bob Mezewski's fabulous look inside a hospital near you, complete with AARRGHH! photos; a song of the week from Amy Winehouse that takes on a Betty Ford Center near you; and a Zombie Haiku from Ryan Walker that touches on that age old question in preventative medicine... does the protection outweigh protection from zombies?
I think this all adds up to some kind of health & medicine-facing theme?
Your co-pay? $0.00
Week 103 Contents
Song of the Week: Rehab, by Amy Winehouse (on video);
Emergency Room, a poem by Bob Mezewski accompanied by photos from others; and
A Zombie Haiku, from Ryan Walker.
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:07 AM
March 21, 2007
Week 102 Won't Ask You for the Time of Day
Spring is coming! Spring is coming!
Any other year, the mild winter would have been seen as a boon -- with chance after chance to trade coat for jacket. But with climate change on every mind, no warm day was without a little voice inside saying, "This is a harbinger of your doom."
But now it is actually Spring now and warm weather can be shamelessly enjoyed once again. Mix up some palomas, take your plate outside and enjoy. But first...
We've been remiss in sharing Zombie Haiku -- and since studies have shown that the coming season carries the highest incidence of zombie encounters (35% over Summer, the next highest) it seemed the perfect time to catch up and share work from Tyler Peterson, Mark Wallace and Nic Coivert.
And add to that a Song of the Week from Idiots! that's perfect for shaking your moneymaker, singing while driving with the windows down and all the other staples of Spring.
Week 102 Contents
Lament (A Zombie Haiku) from Tyler Peterson;
Content (A Zombie Haiku) from Mark Wallace;
Zombie Haiku from Nic Coivert; and
Song of the Week: Prime Meridian (from Idiots!)
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
March 14, 2007
Week 101 Is Not a Core Requirement
This photo was taken next to a green screen
With that whole 100-issue warm up thing behind us, we're ready to kick the shit outta somebody. A new look. New ideas. New stuff. We just keep on coming...
This week mixes selections from Ken Rumble's new book Key Bridge (Carolina Wren Press, 2007) with our song of the week from the Gena Rowlands Band.
Eat it up, this shit's weekly, yo!
Week 101 Contents
from Key Bridge, Ken Rumble;
Song of the Week: Love, For Want of a Lesser Word, from the Gena Rowlands Band; and then
more from Key Bridge, Ken again
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
March 07, 2007
Week 100 Exists in the Belly of a Lion in the Belly of a Golden Pig
This week is devoted to a proverbial boatload of awesome from K. Lorraine Graham. Because Lorraine can write some shit. Because Lorraine has travelled extensively. Because Lorraine speaks many languages. Because Lorraine has a new CD out. Because Lorraine can photosynthesize, read minds, fly and is just better than the rest of us.
Listen, read, listen, read, read, listen before she melts your brain.
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
February 28, 2007
Week 99 Is Carried by Its Brother and Is Less Than Heavy
Rock Heals makes a triumphant return with a fan-fuckin-tastic piece from Bob Massey -- the latest in our series of correspondence with this East Coast-to-L.A. transplant. It's longer than what you'll usually find here, but reference fan-fuckin-tastic above for explanation.
And sure if we weren't staffed with a bunch'a renobs, we would'a had this piece up last week as a timely run-up to the Oscars. In atonement, we've donated our Rock Heals paychecks to the Britney Spears Fan Club's "Give Her a Sec, Jeez, Let a Girl Collect Herself" image campaign. We're sure they'll use that check for $0.00 wisely.
And after Bob's piece, Cheryl DeWolfe's latest Zombie Haiku is a sweet sweet mint on your pillow.
Eat it up beetches. Issue 100 next week.
Week 99 Contents
Ignore The Deluxe Soundstage Behind the Curtain, from Bob Massey; and
My Zombie Parents, from Cheryl DeWolfe
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
February 21, 2007
This is Not Really Week 99
I need one of those. Gimme!
Oh Week 99 we aren't ready yet for your love. Please oh please wait one more week while we assemble our proverbial shit.
In the meantime, y'all, continue on for some nuggets that have recently crossed out path. We spent a lot of time with those crazy FLARF KIDZ!(tm) this weekend, and it may have nuttered a few bolts.
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
February 14, 2007
Week 98 Skips the Saintly Tradition, This Time
'Reagan National Airport is closed -- they ran out of chemicals for clearing the runway.'
Possible discussions include Ana Nicole Smith, the delectable free-fall of the Duke men's basketball team, Iraq, identity theft, Nature vs. Western Civilization, Oscar nominations and win predictions, et c.
When you need a break from all the discussing check out the latest we have to offer: Alessandro Porco mixing it up, Lauren Bender throwing down a gorgeous bit o' the painting, J.S. Lohr serving some Zombie Haiku, and of course a little illustrative love from Jon Lee.
In the coming weeks we'll be checking in with some robots re the biggering pool of candidantes presidentiale, sharing more sets of faves, and no doubt a lot of poetry and conspicuous love.
Week 98 Contents
In Which: A Short Novel of Ethical Pornography from Alessandro Porco;
A painting we really dig from Lauren Bender; and
Special Friend (A Zombie Haiku) from J.S. Lohr
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
February 08, 2007
Week 97 Is Audio and Puts You There (for kari edwards)
for kari edwards
On January 27, 2007, a number of folks got together in Baltimore to pay tribute to kari edwards (who passed away December 2, 2006) -- reading her work, reading work for her, sharing stories of remembrance. Listening to others read her work, work for her and share stories of remembrance. Talk to one another. Share food and drink. And live on but remembering.
Justin recorded the event and we share it here. Hope you'll get something from it -- as we surely did.
Thanks to Michael Ball for pulling the event together, CA Conrad for hosting the evening, all the readers (named throughout), and all those who came, listened, and paid tribute. And thanks to kari for all the writing and all the experiences, we'll carry it forward.
And headsup, the recording volume is a little low.
Week 97 Contents
(all audio)
Introduction, Michael Ball;
Emcee's Kick off, CA Conrad;
Chris Nealon reads from from iduna and others;
CA Conrad reads a remembrance from Frank Sherlock;
Jamie Gaughran-Perez reads three of kari's poems;
Miriam Stewart reads poems for kari;
"Embarassment of Riches" by Tim Peterson, read by Conrad;
Mel Nichols reads from iduna and obedience;
CA Conrad reads from Bharat jiva;
Rod Smith weaves pieces from a day in the life of p. and obedience;
Michael Ball reads from obedience; and
CA Conrad wraps with a piece from diary of lies
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:30 AM
January 31, 2007
Week 96 Examines the Migratory Patterns of Hollywood Tribes
We had a wicked time at Sundance last year. So when we heard the lovely Pam Martin would be braving the throngs of brand-new No Face parkas and weather-endangered body enhancements, we asked her to send along her notes. She did. We share.
And in a rare moment of Rock Heals Thematic Unity, we bring you a Zombie Haiku from Daniel Bradley, dealing with similar subjects.
Do enjoy. And look out next week for audio of the recent i.e. reading tribute to kari edwards hosted by CA Conrad and with readings from a buncha great folks including Chris Nealon, Miriam Stewart, Mel Nichols, Rod Smith, and Michael Ball.
Week 96 Contents
A Very Special Sundance, from Pam Martin; and
Zombie in Hollywood, from Daniel Bradley
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
January 24, 2007
Week 95 Looks to the Year Ahead
¿Cómo dices "the things you fear"?
Last night the President of the United States delivered his State of the Union address. Who -- but Rock Heals -- would you expect gather the response of the Robot-American Community?
But first, Kemeny Babineau sent us an excerpt from his recent book VDB Wordlist(BookThug 2007). The introduction to the book notes, "In 1634 Harmen Meyndertsz van den Bogaert traveled with two other Dutchmen into the Mohawk and Oneida territory of the Six Nations in upper New York State. He kept a journal and made an extensive wordlist. Iroquoian linguist Gunther Michelson added an English and modern Mohawk translation." When he's not pre-occupied with blowing your mind, Kemeny runs the small Laurel Reed Books in the so-very-fair Canada-land.
And wherever we may wander, Zombie Haiku be not far behind. Bring it David Durst. Bring it.
Week 95 Contents
from VDB Wordlist, poetry from Kemeny Babineau;
Ask a Robot:The State of Our Union; and
Zombie Haiku from David Durst
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
January 17, 2007
Week 94 Is Not Looking For Trouble
I thought I saw a pussycat
Winter is finally upon us? Stop wasting your time on introductions and get to the meat of the matter... a new Hot House 5; a poem from oft-contributing W.B. Keckler; a Zombie Haiku from the great Thomas L. Vaultonburg.
Week 94 Content
Hot House 5 for the New Year;
How It Claims Us, a poem from W.B. Keckler; and
Zombie Haiku, from Thomas L. Vaultonburg
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
January 11, 2007
Week 93 Notes, Surely There Is Something You Regret
Rock Heals: I called to ask what you thought about our new issue?
Yet to be Named Robot: not so much, but i have you been up to lately?
RH: We've been out collecting a bunch of great stuff, actually. This week we've got an audio recording of a great new poem by David Franks -- you know him?
YtbNR: that's great! what you are trying to say.
RH: Um OK, and we have the next installment of Zombie Haiku, this one from Gopal Lahiri, cool stuff huh?
YtbNR: i'm graduating from high school very smart, i think.
RH: Anyway... we'll talk again soon.
YtbNR: anyway, be well. we'll talk again soon.
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
January 10, 2007
Week 93, Where Are You?
| Of course we resolved to publish on time this year. And of course the only constant of any new year resolution is that it will be broken. Rock Heals will be available tomorrow though with a new poem from David Franks (including audio!), zombie haiku, and all the love you've come to know and respect. Any of the following contributed to the perfect mess that delayed publication: We appreciate both your patience and your continuing patronage, The Management Please be distracted by another of Jon Lee's lovely illustrations. |  |
Posted by Rock Heals at 08:25 AM
January 03, 2007
Week 92 and he was buried him into a covenant of them.
See corny symbolic photo above.
Crap, we are getting 2007 off on the wrong foot with late publishing... but only hours late so that's ok, right?
So let's get on with it and get the new new out the door. We look back to a slew of great zombie haiku -- they run deep, they run funny, but most zombie don't run at all. And we look forward in asking for some Robot New Year's Resolutions.
Get on it and look out for a lot of great stuff in the year to come.
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
December 27, 2006
Week 91 Does Not Recognize Your Timepiece
We note that Pengo is the only ice we've seen this winter.
And I believe we invite certain doom.
This is the week we recharge our batteries, reflect on the year past, and think about the last things. Voulez-vous rechargée avec nous?
Sit on down and enjoy some looking and reading and thinking whilst you sup on our boundless outpouring d'enerjoi. First a visual poem from Helen White, all the way from Belgium. FOR YOU! And then a poem from Alessandro Porco. All the way from Buffalo. ALSO FOR YOU!.
Random French fact that may not be true: French playground jokes utilize Belgians and french fries in the way 70s U.S. playground jokes utilized Polish people and money. If you find yourself stranded on a French playground, surrounded by hostile French playgrounders, dig into your bag of Polish jokes and substitute "Belgian" for "Pollack." Yes, you will be offending someone somewhere, but at least you'll survive to apologize. A good example would be the "round room / penny-in-the-corner" one.
Week 91 Contents
like music is like light print, a visual poem from Helen White; and
The Minutes (Pt. 2), by Alessandro Porco
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 PM
December 20, 2006
Week 90 Is All About the Love
Feel it, people
We understand that you are feeling sluggish and not getting much done. We know that the shortened days have you depressed and struggling. We feel your piled-on stress with family, work and obligations after obligation.
So have a little love on us. Or more exactly, read Lauren Bender's poems that show some love for a friend of hers. And pick up on said love by proximity. Like collateral damage -- but all warm and cozy instead of ouchy and bloody.
The whole set of 'em are called:
+++
(for a.g.)
- - -
Enjoi and hang in there kitten!
(And thanks again to Jon Lee for spot illustrations)
Week 90 Contents
+++
(for a.g.)
- - -
by Lauren Bender
(for a.g.)
"anchor." (for a.g.)
"ANCHOR!" (for a.g.)
"[ang-ker]" (for a.g.)
"anger" (for a.g.)
"Said 'anchor.'" (for a.g.)
"Say, Anchor?" (for a.g.)
"[ ]"
(for a.g.)
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
December 13, 2006
Week 89 Celebrates (a) Life
Saturday before last (December 2), we lost a fine person in kari edwards, who passed away on her 52nd birthday. We won't pretend to have been some close friend of kari's, but we met her earlier this year and had followed her work long before that.
Never afraid of a cliche, we want to take this time to celebrate her life. And her writing which gave more than she ever owed. Keep on keeping on, only a little better.
Week 89 Contents
kari edwards from obedience (audio); and
for kari, from Michael Ball
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
December 06, 2006
Week 88 Was Handed a Mandate to Refute Common Myths
never work
Tis the season of dressing appropriately. Heed our warning.
This week brings three pages(?)... pieces(?) from Daniel f. Brady. Something about these stuck in our craw a little, so we kept on reading and re-reading. Maybe it was the gender politics. Whatever it was it made us think. And thinking is good. And maybe you are, too.
thanks Jon Lee for the end-piece illustration
Week 88 Contents
Three Poems from Daniel f. Bradley's T=I=D=Y language
haven't changed the developing world...
integrity is a hard show when found...
just before our hot bubble walked past...
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
November 29, 2006
Week 87 Is Back, Bad, etc.
This is how we do
Late fall, indian summer and swollen bellies. Twenty-siz shopping days until Christmas. Colds and flu.
Chris Toll lobs three takes on that classic little love song we call the sonnet. We love him. He loves you.
Love, love, love.
Week 87 Contents
All Chris Toll. All Sonnets.
My Apotheosis
Strange World (I'm Too Sad); and
Lost Moon
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
November 22, 2006
We Give Thanks Not Week 87
November, Patterson Park (Baltimore)
Have a good Thanksgiving, or a great fourth week of November if you are outside the U.S. We're off to bundle up against the cold and do thankful things.
Do take a gander through the archives for 86 previous weeks of lovely.
See you soon.
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:03 AM
November 15, 2006
Week 86 Does It's Best to Not Mention 2008... D'oh
Good evening, Charm City (thx to Trace for the photog)
Been a crazy couple of weeks 'round here -- and we're sure you've been going through the same wherever you are. Unrest, change, success, failure, hope, pain, more of the same? Our best advice is to buckle in, make sure your blinkers and brakelights are working, and roll on.
Up ahead you'll find what the robots think we should do in Iraq in a new installment of Ask a Robot. And once you're past that take a look to your left for a new piece from the The People’s Peaceable Assembly Line. It'd been a long time since we'd heard from them. We were starting to worry.
Don't forget your personal items and we'll see you back here soon.
Week 86 Contents
Ask a Robot: What should we do in Iraq?; and
Letters to Norm: Karma Bomb, from The People’s Peaceable Assembly Line
Posted by Rock Heals at 08:30 AM
November 08, 2006
We Found Ourselves Surrounded by Week 85
It's just feet on pavement, yo
Did you vote? Are we glued to the projections? When you read this all the precincts where the computers didn't crash will have been settled.*
What does all this voting make us think of? Zombies! To hell with that hate them because they're popular knee-jerk. They're popular because they're relevant. And so... Marus Kyd. Point. Cheryl DeWolfe. Click. Diana Manister. Rinse. Blake Shoen. Repeat. Ric Royer. As desired. Apply illustrations from Jon Lee liberally, throughout.
*Except for areas where law requires a recount when candidates are separated by less than 1% of the vote.
Week 85 Contents
Zombie Haiku with Flowers, from Marcus Kyd;
Cats and Dogs, from Cheryl DeWolfe;
Are We Not Men, from Diana Manister;
Zombie Haiku with Blake, from Blake Shoen; and
Flesh, from Ric Royer
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
November 01, 2006
Week 84 Is All Up In Garrett Caples
circling Baltimore (thx Trace for the great photo)
This week is a Garrett Caples spectacular! Tracks from his new CD, his track by track commentary for the full album, a reprint of one of his earlier poems and musings on one of his many collaborators.
So don't let us hold you up, get right to it and enjoy.
(Full disclosure: Narrow House put out Garrett's CD, and Rock Heals is a Narrow House weekly. But we're doing all this because we think the album is killer.)
Week 84 Contents
Surrealism's Bad Rap by Garrett Caples, (info + audio);
Same Mesa Boogie Woogie, one of his poems;
The Director's Cunt: Mrs. Garrett in Surrealism's Bad Rap, his track-by-track breakdown; and
Pop on the Easel: the Art of Jeff Mellin, a piece he wrote about one of his collaborators
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
October 25, 2006
Week 83 Is For Striped Pants People
Ryan found this bitty little frog; we, in turn, stole this picture
Hey U.S. citizen readers*, that voting thing is coming up -- don't forget. But while you wait, we caught Megan McShea at the i.e. reading series in Baltimore a little while back -- and managed to snag a great one from her. We've been remiss in updating you / telling you what you should care about, so we've thrown in a Hot House 5. Some hotness coming just over the horizon in the form of many things Garret Caples (audio, poetry, stuff-stuff, oh my!) and all sorts of drawings from Jon Lee to accompany oodles of Zombie Haiku. So do come back.
* Non-U.S. citizen readers, thank you for bearing with our general belligerence.
Week 83 Contents
IV., a poem from Megan McShea; and
Hot House 5 for October Cometh, by Jamie Gaughran-Perez
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
October 18, 2006
Week 82 Keeps Its Friends Close
You never know when it will happen
Some times we fuck you up short. Julie Ann Strand hails from Milwaukee and drops in with something small and delicious. Milwaukee has treated us well lately. Joseph Young falls in line next with something smaller but no less delicious... not to mention zombie-fortified. Dress in layers. It's getting chilly.
Week 82 Contents
accessories, a poem by Julie Ann Strand; and
After Issa (a zombie haiku), from Joseph Young
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
October 11, 2006
Week 81 Has Learned to Live With the Bomb Before
Life on Harford Road under the specter of a nuclear North Korea
It appears Kim Jon-Il is ready will to proceed with his nuclear aspirations -- flying boldly in the face of the robots Rock Heals spoke with last week. While I'm sure they are prepared to comment on the developments, we felt it best to lay off them a little while and let them gather their thoughts.
And so what must our readers do to be good citizens? Shop! Watch TV! Read!
Daniel F. Bradley and Kevin Thurston drop science. And Letha Kirby is up to something. We're not sure what. And we think she's a robot. No really we do. Then we wrap with zombie haiku from Monsieur J.S. Lohr.
Remember, duct tape and plastic sheeting is the new duck and cover.
Week 81 Contents
Academic Rigour 2, a collaboration from Daniel F. Bradley and Kevin Thurston;
In the Newborn's Weight and Possible Death Oven, from Letha Kirby; and
Opportunity (A Zombie Haiku), from J.S. Lohr
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
October 04, 2006
Week 80 Warns That The Silver Lining May Be Irradiated
Every day is like sunny (in California)
Earlier this week we were discussing this killer new poem Michael Provost had sent our way. We mentioned that we just couldn't get away from all this art that dealth with the war. Was Rock Heals becoming a war-art haus? He noted, "when one stifles dissent, it comes out in art."
Often we find that being a writer is born of being generally slow on the uptake re the obvious, and then being in utter awe of said obvious when finally coming around to it. How many poems, stories, novels even, could you rewrite with the statement, "Holymotherfuckingshit I can see now that the sun is up!" without losing too much in the translation.
Meanwhile, our second installment of Ask The Robots marries this whole "war thing" with a love of the well-coiffed by polling the forced-worker set on the latest from North Korea.
We wrap with a little blues in this week's Zombie Haiku from Thomas L. Vaultonburg.
And next week we'll solve World Hunger.
Week 80 Contents
Ordinarily, subject is prepared for a rendition, a poem from Michael Provost
Ask a Robot: How Would You Respond to a North Korean Nuclear Test?; and
Got Those Zombie Blues from Thomas L. Vaultonburg
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
September 27, 2006
Week 79 Was a Good Year
Don't be disoriented. If this photo appears blurry it's because it was taken
when fewer people hated us.
Raymond Hsu counts (from Anglo-French cunter, counter, from Latin computare, from com- + putare to consider).
Ken Rumble reads (from Old English r[AE]dan; akin to Old High German rAtan to advise, Sanskrit rAdhnoti he achieves, prepares).
A simple question is posed (from Vulgar Latin *pausare, from Late Latin, to stop, rest, pause, from Latin pausa pause).
We'll make sure to get back to zombies next week. For real.
Week 79 Contents
Concordance, by Raymond Hsu;
from St. Apples (audio), Ken Rumble; and
A Word from Our Sponsors
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
September 20, 2006
Week 78 Will Take Names at a Later Date
WE LOVE FALL. A few days back Joseph Young sent us these gorgeous little poems -- and we know we had to get them in front of you damn quick. But we don't recommend reading them quick. Meanwhile, Buck Downs, one of the last people on earth to use snail mail, sent us a found poem. We took some liberties with it and then jammed it between Joseph's poems. And then we have a Zombie Haiku (from Mike Edwards), now illustratively enhanced by John Shanchuk. We think you'll dig... and more to come. All this shit kills.
Get those submissions rolling -- writing, artwork, recipes, doodles, videos, whatever... Remember, if it is good then we gotz room for it.
submit at rockheals dot com
Week 78 Contents
Bijou, a poem from Joseph Young;
Look Mom, I Found a Poem, from Buck Downs;
Music, another from Joseph; and
An Age-Old Story (Zombie Haiku), from Mike Edwards w/illustration by John Shanchuk
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
September 13, 2006
Week 77 Says POW to the People
Thx Ursula for the great cover that reminded us of a great song.
We love Fall. We love that yesterday David Wilson rode into Rock Heals HQ on the back of a majestic white mare to hand deliver his fabulous manuscript on the best of the Telluride Film Festival -- and that we share with you today. We love that Michael Provost sent us a freakin' motherload of Zombie Haiku back when -- and that we likewise share with you today. We love Fall. Praise Jesus. Amen.
Week 77 Contents
Hot House 5 from 9,000 ft (The Telluride Film Festival), from David Wilson; and
Zombies Are Stupid (no. 15 of 17), by Michael Provost
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
September 06, 2006
Week 76 Is Something of a Looker
Giant dogs? Romantic ideals? Just a little mist?
We've taken our long weekends and now it's back to labor.
But we'll do our best to ease you in to easing into Fall. Starting with the follow up / second part to Ira Joel Haber's Fuck This AIDS Shit Already doodles of last week.
And because multi-parted pieces from/by/about visual artists is the new black, we bring you the first part of Jon Lee's interview with D.C.-based painter Matt Sesow.
And that's that, all right! Zombie haiku... interviews... all kinds of good shit on the horizon.
Week 76 Contents
Goddamn This AIDS Shit Already, from Ira Joel Haber; and
Slash Circle Slash: Drinking with Matt Sesow (Part 1), an interview by Jon Lee.
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
August 30, 2006
Week 75 Makes Some Noise for the Underdogs
Were you the least of our troubles...
We start off with a portfolio of doodles (his term) from Ira Joel Haber. AIDS has been in the news a few times lately -- discussion of the one-pill regiment and unreal levels of HIV infection among African-Americans. Amazing how long it'd been since we'd heard a story that mentioned AIDS without mentioning Africa or the "developing world."
And we launch our new feature Ask The Robots -- where we pose today's pressing questions to our servants-to-be-overlords. This week, the one-year anniversary of Katrina is on our mind -- check it out and look forward to more in the future.
Next week there should be music, madness and more. Celebrate Labor. Start school. Get ready for fall.
Week 75 Contents
Fuck This AIDS Shit Already, drawings by Ira Joel Haber; and
Ask the Robots: Does George Bush Care About Black People?
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
August 23, 2006
Week 74 Remembers the Quiet Things
the last thing you will see...
Were we in France, everyone would be on vacation. Unfortunately we're not and people seem content to be blowing shit up, crashing planes, shooting each other, and running the rat race. We are not immune to these East Coast urges.
For weeks you've seen amazing drawings from in these "pages," and now we throw down with his W.B. Kecklerwritten work. Do enjoy. Or if you are French person and not in France because you are on vacation, then enjoi.
Italy is close to France (relatively) and is home to Claudio Parentela who brings another of his wonderful paintings. We haven't decided whether the word we're looking for is disturb or unsettle.
And a subtle shift of gears takes us to this weeks Zombie Haiku from Tyler K. Peterson...
Read on and treat yourself to a 30 minutes vacation of sorts.
Week 74 Contents
Thought for Today, by W.B. Keckler;
An Untitled painting, by Claudio Parentela; and
Dismembering TKP's Zombie Haiku, from Tyler K. Peterson
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
August 16, 2006
Week 73 Rings the Edge and Looks Inward
Which one of these things is not like the others?
What separates a quality online-quasi-magazine-published-with-a-blog-tool like Rock Heals from a shoddy rag like the New York Times? Quality foreign correspondents. People who are willing to put themselves in harm's way to get the real story.
Past issues have brought you stories that channeled ancient religious cults in the Dominican Republic; roll-stopped the siliconed hills of L.A.; mined cybernetic consciousness in Japan; tripped something fantastic but not-so-much light in Italy; and now we do it again...
From our Asia bureau, Katherine Gorman reports back from South Korea where she has scaled heights of pop culinary enlightenment.
But even before that, from our holy-fucking-shit desk, CAConrad slogs the real hazard pay sending in his dispatch from PHILADELPHIA. Whaddup!
And of course, the week wouldn't be complete if we didn't visit the undead shores with a little Zombie Haiku. This week's comes from Mark Wallace... and as the title implies, there are more from him to come.
Sometimes we catch ourselves asking, Why?
These shoes ain't gonna tie themselves.
Week 73 Contents
The Night River Phoenix Died, a poem from CAConrad;
Perfect Food (Korea), a video from Katherine Gorman; and
One of a Half a Dozen Zombies, a haiku from Mark Wallace
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
August 09, 2006
Week 72, Can't You Taste It?
Know the true EVIL
Is it a weird live we're living where an issue with four separate pieces in it seems huge?
Back in July, Boog City's Renegade Press series in NYC featured our kind overlords, Narrow House -- readings, music, a meat packing district gallery. While there we met Greg Fuchs, who'd sent us these poems just one night earlier. Odd. Greg has great glasses, does great things, and is working on a secret Rock Heals project that is going to kick ass.
Meanwhile, the always gallant, always alert Jon Lee just happened to have a nifty camera phone with audio at the right time and be in the right place to catch some cool sounds on the street.
And we share another Zombie Haiku -- this one from Cheryl DeWolfe. Somehow this is a set up for a new Rock Heals contest that we'll kick off perhaps next week... if we can sort out all the details.
Where are you going to find the time to consume all this fine finery? Baby steps, Bob. Baby steps.
Week 72 Contents
Thanks to Ryan Adams, a poem by Greg Fuchs;
Why can't we have this much fun all the time?, a video by Jon Lee of a buncha street drumming;
Friday becomes a Saturday, another from Greg Fuchs; and
Zombie Haiku with Crunching, from Cheryl DeWolfe
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
August 02, 2006
Week 71 Lays Waste to Previous Records
Count to three and we will be gone.
This week Heather Rounds brings us something between short fiction and prose poetry -- we love the places in between. Eat it up.
A quick selection from Where The Clothes Hang -- remember those? This page of the coloring book seems to have been pre-colored.
And we round things out by getting to back to some Zombie Haiku... well one at least... from Blake "Fifty Points" Shoen. I missed the zombies, too. We won't be so negligent going forward.
Stay safe.
Week 71 Contents
When They Are Older They Will Pass This Place In Their Cars and It Will Seem Smaller and Boxier by Heather Rounds;
The Hang In There Kitten by John Shanchuk, Corin See and Jamie Gaughran-Perez; and
Ugh! another zombie haiku? by Blake Shoen
Posted by Rock Heals at 04:30 AM
July 27, 2006
Week 70 and Strife Proliferates, Sir
Summertime on Harford Road, Baltimore, USA.
What the hell is going on here? (If you haven't watched the news in the last few weeks, do not pass Go.)
And so, we bring you more poultry with war on it's mind with a piece from Ken Rumble. We heard him read from this series in D.C. a little while back. Great on the page and great on the ear -- if you see him, remind him that Rock Heals is asking for an audio recording of that shiznit.
And another great drawing from W.B. Keckler. He's damn-near the house illustrator I think. We love ugly fish.
There will always be more.
Week 70 Contents
from St. Apples by Ken Rumble; and
Mother Insists She Knows the Way by W.B. Keckler
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
July 26, 2006
Week 70 Will Be Here Tomorrow (Thursday)
While you wait check out this classic from the Rock Heals archives... (Week 22, August 2005)
Tickle Torture
Justin Sirois
Tickle Torture combines text and images to describe what might be happening in major cities in Iraq or elsewhere. It is about torturing civilians within the confines of international law and the Geneva conventions. It is about soft fascism. It is about soft tacos. Click on the provinces to enjoy the poem.
Posted by Rock Heals at 06:30 AM
July 19, 2006
Week 69 Is Not a Joke
Get up. Get get down. Lady 9-1-1 wears the late crown.
We're wiped and overworked and underslept and generally fucking with the rhythms of life. We'd like to tell you that this is some kind of planned experiment intended to shake up our world view and usher in some much needed alignment. Nope.
But luckily we had a smidgen of foresight on some past day, and have this wonderful piece from Jessica Smith that has been patiently waiting for the right moment. It's the second in a set she sent us a while back -- you saw the first in late June.
Apparantly some folks find it important to note Michael Basinski when seeing what Jessica is up to in this/these. Yeah the dude is totally rocking. But we've said it before that we're no slave to the new and could go on and on about that. Here's the short-short version: there's still a lotta love left over in life for a good cover. And we think if rocks.
Enjoy it all. Enjoy. Enjoy.
Week 69 Content
Sidewalk from Jessica Smith
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:06 AM
July 12, 2006
Week 68 Wishes It Came From the Swamp Rather Than Living There Day In, Day Out
Seasons don't fear the reaper
Nor do the wind the sun or the rain -- we can be like they are
Come on baby
We have a Zombie Haiku winner! Plus read about our last minute rule changes! We're so happy! W.B. Keckler sent us a pile of new and lovely drawings -- so check out the first from those, too. Short and sweet, like your mother.
And do know, though the contest is officially over there is always room for more Zombie Haiku. Send 'em our way (along with whatever greatness you want to share with the world) to
submit at rockheals dot com
Week 68 Contents
Zombie Haiku: We Have a Winner! (feature);
The Winnning Zombie Haiku from J.S. Lohr; and
Something I Told Myself About You, a drawing from W.B. Keckler
Posted by Rock Heals at 09:00 AM
July 05, 2006
Week 67 Smites Those Who Fear Relaxation
Bethany Beach 2006. Hit it and quit it! [from Justin]
It was time to head off to some vacation -- that's the excuse for this week's tardy publication. Much fun has been had and will continue. Three more World Cup games to enjoy -- hopefully all as great as yesterday's Italy-Germany match. But enough of the dives already!
It hasn't been all fun -- hours and in-depth research and back-breaking effort has gone into a Hot House 5: Vacation Survival Guide. It will keep you in-step with the latest and greatest for the season.
And we'll celebrate with our Italian friends through another great painting from Claudio Parentela, who is apparently Italian.
Before moving on to a little something-something poetic with a piece from Jason Wilkinson. Wasn't going to have any of that poetry stuff this week, but this one grabbed me by the balls -- felt it was only fair that I share.
And lest you need a little more patriotism for your 4th of July week -- take a look at 45,000 bottle rockets being launched in roughly 2 minutes. Beats the shit outta 100,000 Fireflies, and that ain't easy to do. [thanks to jinkies/tracey]
PS Judging for the Zombie Haiku is on! We're currently sifting through 70 wonderful entries and making shortlist after shortlist. There can be only one!
Until then samples, samples, samples!
Week 67 Contents
Hot House 5: Vacation Survival Guide;
(Another) Untitled Painting, from Claudio Parentela; and
Trans-Galactic, a poem from Jason Wilkinson
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 PM
June 28, 2006
Week 66: Give 'em a Cubit and They'll Take an Etzbah
Don't mess with the bull, young man. Paul Gleason (1939 - 2006)
After 40 days and 40 nights of rain, reaching you via a satellite array we jury-rigged on the Rock Heals Ark, we wonder if anybody is out there?
Just in case, seek refuge in this great piece of visual poetry from Jessica Smith or higher ground, if you can find any. Jessica tells us that these handwritten guys are a new thing for her. We have a second from her to run next week(ish).
And to follow it up, a letter we received from Galina/Galia S. Will she have survived the flood? Is this the last piece of mail we'll receive from her? From anyone?
And Zombie Haiku due by Friday, June 30. A lot of great stuff has come in over the past 7 days. Don't miss out!
Next week Rock Heals travels to the coast to survey damage and continue the search for survivors. We hope we can serve as a beacon of hope in these trying post-deluvial times.
Week 66 Contents
poetry is like music, a visual poem from Jessica Smith; and
A Letter from Galina, from Galia [sic] S.
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
June 21, 2006
Week 65 Is Aware of Your Presence
"They're dead. They're all messed up."
Bob Massey checks in with us -- and just in time to overlap with the Zombie Haiku contest. How better to complement the undead than with a little L.A. -- whose weather is as much an abomination as those adorable little brain-eaters.
So we also have another brief sampling of Zombie Haiku to show off yet more of this thought-provoking pursuit.
And sandwiched between a great piece from Italian artist Claudio Parentela (found through our "Oh Lovely World We Will Conquer and Subjugate Your Peoples" work program). His bio is as long as my arm -- but suffice to say his work gets around. We have two more pieces from him to come in the near future, at which point we may share more details about this shadowy figure.
Week 65 Contents
So Very Los Angeles, from Bob Massey;
Untitled Painting, from Claudio Parentela; and
A Third Sampling of Zombie Haiku from a variety of writers
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
June 14, 2006
Week 64 Takes a Dive in the Box
Somewhere, someone is dreaming about winning the World Cup.
How is the world, you ask? Here's a quick run down:
- Stephen Hawkings Says Space Colonies Are Needed
- Bogus Hurricane Aid May Top $1.4B
- Daryl Hannah Arrested at L.A. Urban Farm
- Some Ohio Families Refuse to Claim Bodies
Unfortunately, writing about the goings-on in Iraq won't get old until the goings-on cease to be going on. I'm sure Tom Orange agrees, and this week we bring you a piece of his on the subject from a while back. We wish it were no longer relevant, but ... yeah.
Hopefully another drawing from W.B. Keckler will lend to the dementia.
And in local news, Baltimore's fine fine i.e. reading series is moving to a new home -- read all about it.
Week 64 Contents
The War is Unwinnable, an excerpt from a longer piece by Tom Orange;
Pet Sleeping; a drawing from W.B. Keckler; and
An announcement for the June 17, 2006 i.e. series reading
Posted by Rock Heals at 05:00 AM
June 07, 2006
Week 63 Is No Slave to the New (Next Week, TBD)
There was an accident. We shared a banana at the coffee shop nearby.
Breakfast at Tiffany's got it done in about 100 pages. Economy I tell you! And so we look to Truman, Holly and all their friends to be on watch while we wring love from a mere 290 words, 2 illustrations and 1 photograph.
Another selection from Where the Clothes Hang -- a coloring book. Our last one of those for a while, we hope you've enjoyed all you've seen of it so far.
But wait there's more another. A second wave of Zomibe Haiku, which you'll no doubt ejnoy.
Some great submissions have been streaming in -- keep them coming (both zombie haiku and "other stuff"). Expect more excitement just past the horizon.
Week 63 Contents
Mixed Precipitation, from the coloring book Where the Clothes Hang, by John Shanchuk, Corin See and Jamie Gaughran-Perez; and
Zombie Haiku Contest Update: Second Wave with another helping of entries.
Posted by Rock Heals at 02:00 AM
May 31, 2006
Week 62 Puts Your Needs First
You were always on my mind. You were always on my mind.
Watching baseball highlights. Reading the paper. More TV. Lost Finale. Shower. The Materials bring the rock. Zombie Haiku. Submit. Submit. 715. Gun shots in Rayburn? Orange Juice. Taking pictures. Put on some shorts. Prose from Ted Pelton. Hot, hot is all I heard. More Iraqi civilians killed. A Congressional show down. Edit. Edit. Edit. Get paycheck. Drawing from W.B. Keckler. Advertisement for an SUV inspired by sports car design. Catching up on email. So many people. So much love. So much humidity. Enjoy.
Week 62 Contents
Zombie Haiku Contest Update: First Wave with a sampling of what we've received so far;
Herman Melville from Ted Pelton; and
Vote! from W.B. Keckler
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
May 24, 2006
Week 61 Is In the Thick Of Things
There's always room for hard-hitting investigation.
Narrow House Recordings just rolled out a new 'chapdisc' from Buck Downs. It's smokin' hot, so we have a couple tracks from that for you.
Plus they threw us an extra copy to give to "someone deserving," so we decided it was time for another content (so soon? you ask). So check out the (utter lack of) rules and deadline for our Zombie Haiku Contest. Little, yellow, undead.
And our third pitch is a change up and yet no less strange. We leave off with a poem from W.B. Keckler. We don't know this guy from the wall, but he sent us a heap of goodness that we'll be dribbling out over the next few weeks.
Week 61 Contents
Two from Pontiac Fire, by Buck Downs;
Write Zombie Haiku and Win! a Rock Heals contest; and
NOTE: SOMETHING TO TELL THE ANALYST, from W.B. Keckler
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
May 17, 2006
Week 60 Is for Marvelous
(anything else would be un)civilized
Marvelous Marvin Hagler turns 52 this coming Tuesday (May 23, 2006) and we, at Rock Heals, take a moment to honor a man who gave so much and received so little in return.
So this week brings contributions from the two dudes who would be our official boxing correspondents if we had the budget to send them to fights on a regular basis -- Ric Royer and Kevin Thurston. Both have helped us carve out a space to enjoy the sweet science in this cruel cruel world. Let the work they share today helps you do the same.
And Marvelous, our hats are off to you -- we hope you are enjoying your retirement knowing the world has pulled its head out of its ass to realize you are one of the greatest to ever set foot in the ring. Happy birthday.
Week 60 Contents
This is my sock, and this is my body..., from Ric Royer;
Brother Frederick, 1988..., also from Ric;
a mix-up between 'marvelous' and 'fabulous', from Kevin Thurston;
As in to lessen the force or effect of..., one last one from Ric
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
May 10, 2006
Week 59 and the Sundance Kid
We will avoid boring you with talk of baseball for as long as possible.
Donald Illich is yet another Maryland find who sent us this fine fine work. Find more of his work around the web with a little searching, or in numerous print pubs.
And then we wrap things up with a selection from Where the Clothes Hang -- a coloring book intended to teach children about gay people. Remember those Social Studies lessons on cultures and countries? Like that. Kinda.
Read. Enjoy. Go outside and play.
PS: Before going out to play, share your work with Rock Heals. We're always looking for the new and the good.
Recently, our crack team of search optimizers nabbed a great MSN ranking on "prose about ninjas." Any submissions that can help push us to further heights in that category would be most welcome.
Week 59 Contents
Enemy Fireworks, poetry by Donald Illich; and
When Reason Needs Sitting, from the coloring book Where the Clothes Hang, by John Shanchuk, Corin See and Jamie Gaughran-Perez
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
May 03, 2006
Week 58 Will Fuck You Up Good
No soy una pepita!
Spring! Again! Bob Massey steps up to cleanse your palate with the latest word from L.A. As usual, Hollywood is keeping him on his toes -- and as usual, he does his best to return the favor.
Then we dish up with this month's Hot House 5. What happened to last month's? Did we promise one every month or something? Maybe April was just light on the awesome beyond the writing we shared? I mean, they didn't give a Pulitzer for Drama for the whole damn year.
We're gonna go enjoy four days of good weather before D.C. reverts to its swampy, swampy self.
Week 58 Contents
Things I've Learned in Hollywood, from Bob Massey; and
Hot House 5 for May, from JGP
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
April 26, 2006
Week 57 Is the Source for Poker Players
I always say, tell it like it is.
We've gone all belly up to this poetry month crap, I guess, cuz here we are closing it out with sonnets. Sonnets. Motherfucking sonnets. On a plane. Three for you from Mike Grau. I'm sure we'll be bringing you more from this sequence he calls Trade.
And no we didn't forget our Fan the Flames Challenge -- we were on a break. Break-time over, check out the winner. Check out the prize. Hold on to the "wish I'd done it" till next March.
Week 57 Contents
Sonnets from Mike Grau's Trade
xxxii
xxiii
viii
and Fan the Flames: We Have a Winner
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
April 19, 2006
Week 56 Salutes Those About to Rock
Why deny them what they want? Be not such a hostile motherfucker. (Psalm 37)
Our childish streak wanted to make it through April without anything that was overtly poetry. But the other day a variety of things read and discussed reminded us how much we wanted to share K. Silem Mohammad's amazing stuff with you.
You started hearing KSM's name a lot more with the publication of HOVERCRAFT quite a while back (2000?), from Kenning Press (who have wound down over the years, but can still be found.)
These days, you'll find KSM name-dropped and bandied in discussions of the likewise bandied and oft-disputed flarf. If we're going to have poetry during the 30-day period in which you are to pay more attention to poetry, then we might as well mention the lefty movement of the moment. Whatever you think of that gang," thank it for a great response to anything nearly-incomprehensible, that shit is straight-up flarftastic, yo.
We're pushing our buddy-ole-pal Adam Good to write a piece on flarf, cuz he has some interesting things to say. Help us pressure him. FLESH PILE!
Week 56 Contents
All poetry from K. Silem Mohammad, all day:
The Greatest and Most Important of Dinosaur Movies;
Dirty; and
Land of Oh Boy
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
April 12, 2006
Week 55 Doesn't Believe in Regressive Taxation
Bread, bagels, crackers, popcorn, corn flakes.
We love you. Let's get to it.
Jon Lee's audio collage "The Assignment" makes us happy. It "comes from" a short movie he's working on with another Rock Heals contributor, Kate Gorman. It will make you happy. We'll continue to bother them for a rough cut of that.
And on the side take a little (new) folk traditional that came our way through a MySpace bulletin. Apparantly the revolution will occur on MySpace, despite the lack of network coverage. We live in crazy times y'all.
It's spring. Reproduce.
We love you. Let's get to it.
Week 55 Contents
The Assignment (kumbaya version), an audio fragment from John Lee; and
OMG I LOST MY VIRGINITY, a folk traditional
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
April 05, 2006
Week 54 Is Late for Sound Check. Shit!
This week we honor the race of skeletons that once roamed the Earth
Smithsonian sells off film archive rights to Smithsonian... Delay announces he's heading off to the Virginia sunset... Massachusetts set to enact universal healthcare... We've been in Iraq over three years now... Katie Couric looks like she'll be leaving NBC... Johnny Damon is swinging a bat with a Yankee jersey on his back...
Le baromètre ne fonctionne plus. Acceptez nos excuses.
This weekend brings the 3rd Annual Transmodern Age Festival to Baltimore. Which is basically a buncha whack individuals droppin' mad (performance art) science on yo' ass. Check it out -- some Rock Heals faithfuls will be throwing down. Including this young man...
Ric Royer brings the love to us once again with a few scores -- one for dances, another for theater. Go see him this weekend and realize that the madness starts with words like these.
And we leave you with a reminder of that "war thing" -- a recording of a song Tom Raworth played when he came through town a few weeks back. (Actually we give you a link to where you can go hear it.)
Dig it. And you know there'll be equally dope shit in evidence next week -- we'll see you again in 7.
Week 54 Contents
Dances ,from Ric Royer;
Adventures of A Ten Minute Play, also from Ric; and
War on Terror, a song from Tom Raworth
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
March 29, 2006
Week 53 Wonders Where the Time Has Gone
Some astronauts get lonely, up there in space.
As far as week counts go, Rock Heals Year 2 begins today. Our resolution: to publish 52 weeks in 52 weeks this year. The state of the union is what it is, which will be something the consistency of tapioca come summer.
We wanted to come out of the Year 2 gates fast, furious, and funny so this week we bring you a second flipbook animation from Ryan Nelson. I would give you one of these every week if I had a never-ending supply. They make me smile.
And we follow that up with a Rupert Wondolowski two-fer. The first includes a recording of Rupert reading the poem -- the guy has a great reading voice.
The we wrap with another contest update. Suffice, all participants, including us have shown little talent for prognostication.
What's in store for the coming year? Who the hell knows -- but join us for the ride. And send us your shit ( submmissions at rockheals dot com ).
Week 53 Contents
Happy Frolicking Time (for Alec Bourgeois), an animation from Ryan Nelson and friends
The Origin of Paranoia As a Heated Mole Suit, recording and text of a poem by Rupert Wondolowski;
Snapshots at Ten, a second poem from Rupert (text, no recording on this one); and
A standings update -- Final Four edition for the "Fan The Flames Challenge"
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
March 22, 2006
Week 52 Is Not Known for an Accurate Jab
![rockheals52[1].jpg](http://www.rockheals.com/archives/images/rockheals52[1].jpg)
Your friends are addicted to electricity.
"This is a country that is walking away from international accords. They're not heading toward the international accords."
That from President Bush on March 21, 2006 -- not referring to the country that decided not to sign on to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, or the Kyoto Protocols. And no, he isn't referring to the country that abandoned the long-standing Anti-Ballistic Missile Defense Treaty or interpreted it's way around the Geneva Convention when it came to torture. He's talking about some other country. God bless him.
But you didn't come here for the soap box. You came here for the good-good good that makes you shake your rump and exclaim, there are snakes on this motherfucking plane!
First up -- a short-short animated film from the great Ryan Nelson and friends. And go get his new record (Soccer Team) from Dischord when it's out. Maybe we should review that soon -- here's the short version: hot.
Serve that up with a side of Justin Sirois -- a selection from a longer piece recently unleashed on the masses. Check out the first bit here and then follow on to the rest.
Last a quick update on the "Fan the Flames" standings.
Next week we cross into Rock Heals Year 2, which will look surprisingly like Year 1. More animations. More goodness. Just more. Hope you've enjoyed weeks 1 - 52, and keep the submissions a-flowing.
Week 52 Contents
The Car (for Ian), an animation from Ryan Nelson and friends
From sleep,number, a poem from Justin Sirois; and a
Standings Update for the "Fan the Flames Challenge"
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
March 15, 2006
Week 51 Warns, Beware the Five-Twelve!
There's always room in our hearts for confection.
There's beauty in the brackets. Millions pour thought, anguish, and thrown-to-the-wind faith at a simple abstraction of natural selection's unknown course. A contemporary critical mass of analysis comtemplates the futures of a small population of 18 - 22 yr-olds lives that hang in the balance. Will Adam Morrison draw a $4MM/year contract in June or a measely $3MM? This will be decided in a matter of weeks. We're talking about the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, if you hadn't caught on.
So this week we bring you the Rock Heals "Fan the Flames" Challenge -- wherein you can make your own tourney picks and win something. No skill required!
And while your here, enjoy the latest Hot House 5 with toys, ATMs, and bees, Oh my!
In the coming weeks we'll be a little tournament-obsessed, but promise to publish all kinds of non-basketball goodness.
[Ed note: We love the tourney and we love Adam "The Next Bird" Morrison. When I was in highschool he would have been a "freak" (official term for his type) wearing a jean jacket with a DOKKEN patch on the back and catching a smoke behind the gym. When UVA ceased to over-perform, meaning Jason Cain wouldn't grace the country with a nationally-televiced 'stache par excellance, it was good to know another would represent.]
Week 51 Contents
The "Fan the Flames" Tournament Challenge, a contest from Rock Heals; and
Hot House 5 for March
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
March 08, 2006
Week 50 Gives Up Sucking for Lent
Contents of photograph do not necessarily reflect the views of Rock Heals or its staff.
(Thanks TGP for the photo)
You might ask, who is that man with the mask?
You might ask, what makes a good story?
You might ask, when was your last period?
You might ask where they're from if they don't seem to be local.
You might ask, why mathetmatics? Why now?
You might ask, how is it possible to choose victims more indiscriminately than bombing cities?
You might ask in an interview. The interview has a two-fold purpose.
Brian Conner is a photographer that lives in St. Louis. Our operatives found him. And now we share him with you.
Short is to sweet is to different.
Week 50 Contents:
Photos with text from Brian Conner.
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
February 28, 2006
Rock Heals Will Not Be Seen This Week
 | Please pardon our mess while we get things in working order for Week 50, which will commence on March 8. You have 7 days of limbo-laden no-space, spend it well.
And do enjoy this photo that captures our metaphysical situation. Yeah, we had a shiner, but it's on the mend. A snack and a smile cross our candy-stained lips as we consider the future: so many souls to crush, we never need sleep. We never need sleep. |
Posted by Rock Heals at 11:16 PM
February 22, 2006
Week 49: Come back New Orleans. Come back!
Photo from the Barkus Parade (keep reading for more on that)
This week's Rock Heals is an extended love letter to New Orleans.
Team GP headed down there more or less on a lark to lend our modicum of moral support.
And the message back to you: Get on down to New Orleans and spend some money. Feel righteous for every dollar you spend on great food, art for your home, funny tshirts, whatever your bent is. EVERYBODY WINS!
I could go on and on about how your spending choices aRE the last vestige of democratic enfranchisement in our great country... but now is not the time.
Unless you are quick, you'll miss Mardi Gras, but Jazzfest is around the corner (April), and just about any other time is just as good.
Six months after Katrina, most of us around the country see a tangle of congressional testimony and abstract budgeting. And, yeah, you may be tired of hearing about it -- but New Orleans is still there, still in need, and still a national treasure. Maybe you've heard of jazz? This idea that black people could be free citizens? Cocktails? They all started in NOLA.
And Rock Heals has never been about the timeliness of our "journalism." So let her rip...
Week 49 Contents:
Hot House 5: Lovin' Up Some New Orleans
1. Bury 'em Above Ground
2. Herbsaint & Apertifs
3. Spoiled by Tom Varisco
4. Krewe of Barkus Parade
5. Ironwork
Thanks to Tracey for most of the photos (except for the shitty parade ones and the Laveau one I stole...).
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
February 15, 2006
Week 48 Comforts Your Chocolate-Inspired Hangover
Come and sit a while (thx TGP for the photo)
If you send us good stuff, we will publish it. Case in point: Kenji Siratori. This week we bring you a piece of his cyber-inflected work that has our sci-fi flow all tangled up with our post-language-whatever-whatever. So dig on it. He found us through Spencer Selby's most excellent List of Experimental Poetry/Art Magazines. When you are done emailing us your fine fine work, head over there to find other great places to be.
Also eat up a rare double-vanity press moment as we share a love poem from Jamie Gaughran-Perez to his wife! Ouch. I hope its title helps to tip off that this wasn't such a bad idea.
Last up -- check out the flyer for the Taffety Punk Theatre Company's new Vaudeville night on February 27 (in Washington DC) -- be sure not to miss that.
We will We will disorient you.
Week 48 Contents
nonexistence from Kenji Siratori
(You're a) Billion Dollar Algorithm (between my) Legs from Jamie Gaughran-Perez; and
Damaged Goods: The New Vaudeville from the Taffety Punk Theatre Company in DC on February 27
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
February 08, 2006
Week 47 Searches for the Basic Facts
Now 100% more stable.
Over the weekend we caught a performance by Ric Royer in Baltimore. Nobody can call us technically savvy. It was our intention to share a video of a second performance of his from the weekend (it was something of the Weekend of Ric in Baltimore), but we screwed that up. Nobody can call us technically savvy.
In the meantime, we bring you heaps of other wonder from Ric and his collaborators in sound, pitchers, and text. Oh my. There is much more goodness where these came from -- and we'll be sharing more (incl. the video part we fucked up this week) in the future.
Stop breaking things.
Week 47 Contents
Two Sound Pieces from the Performance Thanatology Research Society;
from Temporary Human Language by Ric Royer, Lauren Bender, and Cindy Rehm; and
Stand Up for Something by Ric Royer
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
February 01, 2006
Week 46 Has Black Gold In Its Heart
Melt before my wrath! (Thanks Beth and Dave for making the subject of the photo.)
I'm sure you've all heard by now, WE'RE ADDICTED TO OIL, MOTHERFUCKERS. The President said so. I can't believe I turned off the X Games for that.
In an effort to Check Our Collective Head we bring another installment of Bob Massey's missives from la LA land. Complete your reality-re-disaligning treatment with a couple poems from Miriam Stewart. Miriam's second poem shatters our prejudice against poems that say "poem." We stand corrected.
And don't think our Sundance coverage is over. Yes the Park City schwag boutiques-for-the-stars may be closed; and those one-week-past-new No Face parkas safely packed in every industry yokel's closet; but we won't sleep until we're ready to sleep. Your puny minuteman newscycle be damned! Stay tuned.
Week 46 Contents
labia minora a poem from Miriam Stewart
More L.A. Shite from Bob (Massey); and
where are we in this poem? a second from Miriam
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
January 25, 2006
Week 45 Goes Out to the Tired, Poor and Hungry
Watch closely for someone's career could end at any moment.
Late last week, Rock Heals took a jet plane for Utah. Two jet planes actually. The first wasn't the one we thought we'd be taking. And the second wasn't the one we thought we'd be taking in our adjusted plan. Rock Heals hereby hates American Airlines for all time. But that's another story for another time.
We'll try to ease you through whatever ails you this week with a Hot House 5 centered around our travails in and about the Sundance Film Festival. We do hope you enjoy -- we have.
But wait, there's more. We'll spice up the mix with a little bit of home: poetry from Leslie F. Miller, who splits time between writing, teaching in Towson, MD and constructing gorgeous mosaics.
Thanks to Tracey Gaughran-Perez and Beth Adams for the photos throughout this week's issue -- I've lost track of who took which.
Expect at least a smidgen more o' Utah next week.
Week 45 Contents
Goat, a poem from Leslie F. Miller
Hot House 5: Sundance Edition; and
labor day, a second poem from Ms. Miller if you're nasty
And remember to peruse the archives for some 44 other weeks of awesome in our fancy Archive by Week category. Hopefully we can iron out the kinks on where you'll find those links, but for now you can always get to the archive through the home page. Werd!
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
January 18, 2006
Week 44: Can't You Taste It
Jan. 17, 2006: New Horizon launch delayed because of high winds
First up, newcomer Marianne Amoss drops lovely science -- expect more from her in the (near) future. Mike Grau either sent us an email across time or took a really long time to edit it. And an announcement for a poetry reading in Baltimore this Friday that you shouldn't miss.
But unfortunately we'll miss it, as we track the elusive Brody-beast across Sundance. But we shan't forget you, oh loyal reader. Expect some star-studded, Salt-Lake-fortified rock healin' seven days hence.
Thanks to Sweetney for the picture. More everything over at her house.
And a last note -- you may notice things starting to change -- as 43 weeks of Beta was enough. The first add is the Archive by Week under categories that should make it easier to find things old and new. Eventually I'll straighten out the templates so it works the same all the way down. As we refine, any suggestions welcome:
jamie at rockheals dot com
Week 44 Contents
Npurrrrrrrr, a poem from Marianna Amoss
Get This (from the mailbag, sorta), an email from Mike Grau; and
Jan. 20 Poetry Reading in Baltimore
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
January 11, 2006
Week 43 Values Stretching Prior to Exertion
Friends don't let friends inbreed.
We've seen a lot of great poetry lately -- so expect it to keep coming and coming in the next few weeks. We've seen a lot of a lot in fact.
Not too long ago, Kevin Thurston sent us a series of collage / poem / something-or-others. We have a famously soft spot for something-or-others, but these are gorgeous just the same and you should eat 'em up. And no, we have no idea who Bill Gysin is either.
That's all we got for you this week. Happens.
And congrates to Bruce Sutter. We have a soft spot for split-finger fastballs, too. But who doesn't?
Week 43 Contents
poor Bill Gysin from Kevin Thurston
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:50 AM
January 04, 2006
Week 42 Is Rarely at a Loss for Words
Moo. Goddammit.
OK, whoever in Madison, WI came to Rock Heals through a Google search for "super napalm out of household ingredients" is scary. Please sir/ma'am, do not kill us. (FYI, such a search apparantly turns up RH's poetry index at the top of the second page of results... who knew?)
While we all remain -- this week we offer you three great poems from Baltimore denizen Chris Toll. Chris' work is studded with Jedi, ninjas, werewolves, zombies and so forth. What's not to love. (And yes he writes about a whole lotta other things, too -- read on you'll see.)
Also, Chris will be Reading @ Mina's in Hampden, B-more on Sunday, January 8th (815 West 36th St.). Starts at 4pm -- and his reading will be bookended by musical stylings from T.T. Tucker and the Raga Celtic Delta Blues Band. That's two musical acts -- though "Raga Celtic Delta Blues Band" would be a great name for a backing band, esp. for someone named T.T. Tucker. $3
What's next? Rock Heals making your booty shake for the next 12 months, sho nuff.
Week 42 Contents
S'all poetry from Chris Toll:
The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Inventions
Lock And Load Blues
Tears Made Flesh
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:50 AM
December 28, 2005
Week 41 Comes Complete With Joi De Vivre
This week continues the assault on cold with a review of Art Basel Miami (from early December), by the American Hope, Seth Adelsberger. But before you get to that take in Zombies vs. Ninjas -- pitting the season's hottest gifts against each other, head-to-head.
Next week will take us into the new year, while it will still be Year One in the Time of Rock Heals. It's a great time to share the best of the 2005 or forecast the best of the coming year; and a great time to send along that work you should be sharing with the world.
submissions (at) rockheals dot com
Week 41 Contents
Zombies vs. Ninjas
Art Basel Miami: A Seth's Eye View from Seth Adelsberger
Posted by Rock Heals at 10:00 AM
December 21, 2005
Week 40 Is Full Term
Gryphon Magnus, born 12/13/05, will never play Dungeons & Dragons w/o irony
For the next couple weeks we'll help you keep warm with stories from far-flung warmer places. Yeah, this is the interweb and you may be in those far-flung places, but we tend to serve normal people here (read, East Coasters above Georgia).
First up is another installment in our continuing correspondence with Bob Massey in L.A. -- an installment that couldn't be more clear on the benefits of leaving reality and re-locating to Southern California.
And we also have some chunes for you to spin while you watch the snow fall outside. Two songs from Taylor Maxson -- who currently resides in the much colder Baltimore.
Next week we'll finally have our piece on Art Basel in Miami -- it's not like you were running down there had it been on time. And that art thing is supposed to be forever anyway, they say.
Week 40 Contents
Snow is Overrated from Bob Massey
Two Songs from Taylor Maxson
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
December 14, 2005
Week 39 Casts a Net of Silence Over Protests
Come Winter!
Been a while since we've had poultry up in here... so this week brings selections from Rock Heals Press' first offering - Who's That Kickin' Yr Ass?, poems from Lauren Bender, Buck Downs and Jamie Gaughran-Perez.
Coming weeks have lots and lots of goodness to carry you through a cold cold season -- reports from notable warm places: Miami and L.A.; delicious draw-rings; sweet sweet music; and a chap book from good ole' Vietnam. This is the sound of the Empire growing. Whaddup!
Week 39 Contents
rhp002: Who's That Kickin' Yr Ass?
... from Lauren Bender
from Extratutionalized, Buck Downs
(she's my) Little Q'n'A, Buck Downs
George Bush wakes up in a different world every day, Jamie Gaughran-Perez
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
December 08, 2005
Week 38 wird meistens mit Japan betroffen
More on Project Gulliver in this week's issue.
Hello adoring public. This week we are pleased to bring you savory delights.
Gwydion Suilebhan (which is so much easier to pronounce than you think) comes clean concerning a certain Japanese fascination. And then Raji Krishnaswami follows that up with a status report on Japan's Project Gulliver.
Then we shift gears to let you know about a Routineers show at the Warehouse this Thursday, 12/8 avec sa affiche magnifique.
Next week we'll catch you up on the chapbook we put out and another one to come. We may even figure out how you can order them! The completed one is a work of glory; and the Nobel committee has been hounding us for the one to come. Hey Mr. Nobel, quit sweating our nuts!
Week 38 Contents
Gwydion vs. The Sudoku at the End of Time, from Gwydion Suilebhan;
Project Gulliver: Status Report, December 2005, from Raji Krishnaswami; and
The Routineers @ the Warehouse (DC) this Thursday, 12/8
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:50 AM
November 30, 2005
Week 37 Uses High Quality Stapling Technology
ass-kicking courtesy of Lauren Bender (detail of Hexagram Diagram)
Back with a vengeance and a pocket fulla' amazing. This week we have a song from the wonderful SF band, Continuous Peasant who put together a New Orleans benefit rekkid. Check it out and the great org they are giving the proceeds to.
Then, a whole lotta something from Justin Sirois as he gets you up to speed on the "war rugs" coming out of Afghanistan. If you were running low on ideas for Holiday gifts, this is a must read.
And last -- there's the i.e. reading series in Baltimore is hosting Rock Heals faves Buck Downs, Lauren Bender, and Jamie Gaughran-Perez (yeah the last one is Rock Heals staff, whatchoo care?) this Saturday (12/3) at Clayton Books in downtown Baltimore.
We don't want to keep you too long with the witty-witty when there is so much good reading to get at. Jump on in.
Week 37 Contents
From Continuous Peasant, To New Orleans, a song for you to enjoy, a cause for you to support;
War Rugs, from Justin Sirois; and
A Reading in Baltimore with Buck Downs, Lauren Bender, and Jamie Gaughran-Perez
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
November 22, 2005
updated: NEXT WEEK is Week 37's Wednesday
Happy Thanksgiving!
Who are we kidding. Too much work. Too tired. And we don't want to give some really great stuff to come the short shrift. We need to diversify our employee pool like a motherfucker.
All y'all just read this when your slacking at work anyway -- and you're away for turkey day.
Team Rock Heals is a overworked -- but if we don't drop from exhaustion, we'll be posting some amazing shit a day later than usual. All I'll say is: things that go boom v. things that are good on your feet -- sure to be the chocolate/peanut butter for the new year.
And yeah, word on the street is that they chowed down on eels for the first Thanksgiving. Which some of Rock Heals thinks sounds yum and some think sounds yuck.
Please, Hammer. Don't hurt them.
Posted by Rock Heals at 06:23 PM
November 16, 2005
Week 36 Focuses on Core Compentencies
We intended to have some new music for you this week, but we fell down on the technical aspect of the job. Don't worry, our crack IT department is on the case and all that new music will be with you soon. Maybe we'll even work our butts off to achieve an All-Music Issue. Who knows.
In the meantime, that makes this weeks bite-sized morsel all the more bite-sized. Hot House 5 is a list of some favorite novels. It's no Times 100 or Modern Library Best of the Best -- but these are some really great books in the literary vein. Spend the time you save on Rock Heals by picking up one of them.
Week 36 Contents
Hot House 5: Novels from Jamie Gaughran-Perez
I know it's not much, but it's what we got.
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
November 09, 2005
Week 35's Child is Full of Woe
We'll come back for Indian Summer And go our separate ways.
This week we bring you a profile of Lisa Jarnot's Iraq war response, the One Hundred Hat Memorial. We've been meaning to wrap this one up for a while...
And from there, every other piece we thought of posting just didn't seem right. So we raided the mailbag. Forgive us our moment of weakness.
Speaking of weakness -- beware the pestilence. It's abound.
Week 35 Contents
Lisa Jarnot's One Hundred Hat Memorial; and
From the Mailbag: Can you be like a man?
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
November 02, 2005
Week 34: Life is like a box of mixtapes
The Bobbsey Twins vs. the House of Doom (thx sweetney for the pic)
Hope everyone had a great Halloween and got all the good candy. We've most def' been keeping busy, so let's cut right to the Parade D'Awesome.
As promised, the second part to the latest "This Is Los Angeles" dispatch from the intrepid Bob Massey. Also, another text+image poem from Justin Sirois -- remember Tickle Torture -- that was tits and so is this new one. And an DCAC reading announcement for November 20 brings up the caboose.
The past week marked the 2,000 U.S. casualty in the ongoing Iraq mess. Next week we'll bring you a profile on a homegrown memorial that's been underway for more than a year and running -- if we get off our butts and finish writing it.
If you have any work (writing, photos, etc.) in response to the war aka invasion aka liberation aka buggeration that is Iraq, now's the time to get 'em over here. submissions at rockheals dot com
Week 34 Contents
This is Los Angeles: they paved the river (2) from Bob Massey;
Bell: A Poem by Justin Sirois; and a
Reading @ DCAC, November 20
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:50 AM
October 26, 2005
Week 33 Brings Favorites to Mind
Disobedience to me, is disobedience to Him!
A new powercord has been procured and the Rock Heals Media Empire is back on its feet. Let world dominance continue.
When we got mail back we found another dispatch from Bob Massey. But I couldn't blind you with all its love in one sitting -- so expect part II of that next week. And poetry from Lauren Bender to round off a good week.
In related news, have heard about "Snakes on a Plane"? From the advanced press:
[Samuel] Jackson plays an FBI agent escorting a witness on a flight from Hawaii to L.A. when an assassin releases hundreds of deadly snakes on the plane to eliminate the witness. The FBI agent, along with a rookie pilot, frightened crew and passengers must then band together in a desperate attempt to survive.
Who needs plot when you have so much poetry?
Week 33 Contents
This is Los Angeles, a letter home from Bob Massey
Math-Rock-Scissors, a poem from Lauren Bender; and
Lie to me, Pinocchio, harder. another from Lauren Bender
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
October 19, 2005
Week 32 Is Hurting
ouchie
The fine-tuned publishing machine that makes Rock Heals happen (aka a bottomfeeder laptop) is not feeling well.
It can no longer reap the benefits of the wonderful "electicity" that emits from the wall and breathes life unto its tiny microchip lungs.
This is a story about an awesome computer company that rhymes with hell.
About Hell's ability to send a replacement power adapter in a timely fashion.
About Hell's adamant anti-interoperability with anything anyone else makes anywhere ever -- especially if that anything that could be bought at a local store.
All of Rock Heal loves you Hell.
Consider it a temporary setback. If you don't hear from us here next Wednesday, you will already have heard about a small group of folks that lost it and firebombed Hell. I know, firebombing Hell, novel concept.
Everyone else, I know there is awesome shit here you haven't checked out so get on it, and pretend it's a new gift for today. Go back to the beginning and walk forward through 6+ months o' awesome.
Where it all started (thx again Mark)
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:00 AM
October 12, 2005
Week 31 Is Waiting For You
Our intrepid photographer, Raj, trekked across Asia but ended up finding Japan back at home. (That's Yuzo Kayama -- look'im up.)
Out of the blue, RH's pal Jon Lee sends us this email with a video attached. What's this? It turns out to be this gorgeous video postcard he received from his pal Katherine Gorman. So the transitive property of pals makes her a pal of ours.
Get yourself another Hot House 5 as well.
Check check check check it out.
Then go gather up awesome shit and send it our way for da' publishing.
submissions at rockheals dot com
Week 31 Contents
For Jon: Museum with Wings, video by Katherine Gorman
Hot House 5, by Jamie Gaughran-Perez
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:50 AM
October 05, 2005
Week 30 Sheds Its Second Skin
Thanks for keeping us up on things, Raj.
If you are just tuning in, the country is going to hell. We hate to be the people that have to tell you.
In the meantime, we bring you wall-to-wall K. Lorraine Graham (we all call her Lorraine, fyi). Word has it she is up and going to California on us.
Is a theme developing? Dear California, you owe us some shit back. We'll take Brad.
Week 30 Contents
Work from K. Lorraine Graham
Belligerent; and
from Some Epistles
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:50 AM
September 28, 2005
Week 29 Carries the One
happy birthday Mina... watch out for the turkeys and bees!
We're so happy that last week we promised great things from our man in L.A., and we're actually coming through. Welcome to, "Los Angeles. Hell Yes," from correspondent extraordinaire, Bob Massey. I'm telling everyone to expect many more as to goad him away from paying the rent and toward sending us more notes from the battlefields.
Also this week, a recipe from the Kevin Thurston... obviously his state o' missing Bal'mer comes through in this little crab concoction.
But wait there's more... a few panels from a coloring book (in progress, ain't everyfing) from John Shanchuk, Corin See, and Jamie Gaughran-Perez.
It's September 28, do you know the Yankees still suck?
Week 29 Contents
Los Angeles. Hell Yes. from Bob Massey
crab hash (for 2) from Kevin Thurston; and
from Where the Clothes Hide, John Shanchuk, Corin See and Jamie Gaughran-Perez
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:50 AM
September 21, 2005
Week 28: Divining the Metaphysical Seat of Our Hackles
Red Sox Nation, September 2005
Looking for a good body shop for the pooched car leads to amazing Baltimore site-seeing -- particularly of places you may not normally visit. Patapsco and Curtis Bay? Can I get a sho'nuff?
We were all like Hey Lauren Bender, I love that sex ads poem of yours, z'it taken? And she was all like No, I'll send it along. And we were all like Word. And then she was all email like Here it is and a few other things I've been up to if you like. And it was like the one we asked for plus 5 other poems of all kindsa goodness. And so we were all like You are a crushingly prolific bitch and I'm gonna punch you in the face. And she was all like Who ARE YOU MONSTERS?! And then we were all like publishing the sex ad poem plus two more in this issue and hoarding the rest for another day.
Plus a new semi-regular feature, the Hot House 5 -- a handful of anythings that are getting us through the day-in-day-out.
Next week we'll begin publishing a set of dispatches from an agent who finds himself surrounded by L.A. Be appreciative, our far-flung correspondent is risking life and limb among the body sculpted and sacrificing that notion of "winter" for you!
Week 28 Contents
"with short wings" by Lauren Bender
Hot House 5 for Sept. 21, a new feature
WOMEN SEEKING, Lauren again
"edge of a person less intimate" that's right... Lauren
Posted by Rock Heals at 08:50 AM
September 14, 2005
Week 27: Investigates Escape Velocity
Relax. Don't do it. When you wanna go to it.
You, oh hungry masses, we wouldn't forget you.
We roll out this week with poems from Mike Grau in two sets. The first from his Unabomber Haiku series, the second from a set of sonnets titled Trade. The latter were a big part of Rock Heals getting the activation energy it needed some 6+ months ago. Right away we could see they were vibrant, good, and most of all -- important. Then guiltily hid them, Frankenstein-like. And have been mixing metaphors ever since.
Also an announcement of the Taffety Punk Theatre Company's upcoming show at the Black Cat (DC), September 27th. Taffety Punk is about bringing great theater to new audiences -- fast-moving shows that are both aggressive and accessible. If you don't usually take in theater, this is a great place to start a habit.
Kick it. Send us your stuff. We're on vacation and happy -- it's a good time to hit us with strangeness. We'll read it on the beach or indoors watching torrential rains buffet the dunes.
submissions at rockheals dot com
Week 27 Contents
2 from Trade, poems from Mike Grau
And Then It Faster Rock'd, a night of Shakespeare's collected noise for the Taffety Punk Theatre company (DC)
Unabomber Haiku, more poems from Mike Grau; and
RH Covers That Almost Made It
Posted by Rock Heals at 10:00 AM
September 07, 2005
Week 26 Should Be Half So Lucky
Silence is sexy.
This week brings three poems from Reb Livingston. Do not fear the suburbs, they are your friends. See how shiny they are? Big Man hoards his shiny things. Bad Big Man, bad.
Also check out Seth Adelsberger's show at Flash Point in DC. You know we like Seth's work muchly (look back at Week 15), keep clicking or scrolling for the flyer.
There were much bigger tragedies than losing Bob Denver this week. But we'll miss him all the same.
Keeping on.
Week 26 Contents
3 Poems from Reb Livingston:
Parts
And the Point Is?
Love, Sincere;
and differently, Seth Adelsberger @ Flashpoint (DC)
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:50 AM
August 31, 2005
Week 25 Moistens My Whole Situation and Preserves My Sexy
G Unit (Washington DC), August 25, 2005
This on again off again humid swelter that is crushing our soul. Can’t it be Fall already? Rock Heals = no fan of Summer.
This week we return to Jon Lee, with a series of drawings he did as he was about to leave for the Dominican Republic a while back (where the ‘Our Lady’ drawings you’ve seen here happened).
And on top of that, fulfilling our no-poetry week mission, is a review and photos of paintings by Ryan McGinness as seen at the “Beautiful Losers” exhibit at the Contemporary Museum in Baltimore. Dig it.
And thanks to the verbal genius of Diddy (aka Sean Combs aka Puffy aka P Diddy) for this week’s title – even if the massive editorial machine here at RH tells me we may have added “whole” to the original.
Week 25 Contents
Leaving, by John Lee
Ryan McGinness Kicks Serious Ass (a review)
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:14 AM
August 24, 2005
Week 24 Enforces a Strict Dress Code
August 21, Grindon Avenue (Baltimore)
Weekend before last
We went to Hoboken. We went to Manhattan. We saw Lauren Bender read. We saw Amy King read. We saw Brian Evenson read. We saw Linh Dinh read. We asked Linh to send us stuff. Linh Dinh translated Bui Chat instead. We had our socks removed.
This week
We wondered where Lauren Bender's farewell to Kevin went. We found them in our junk filter. We cursed Microsoft. We kissed and made up. We wrote this.
Next week
You send us something amazing. We publish non-poetry. We make sweet sweet music. We don't end up pregnant this time.
Week 24 Contents
Poems by Bui Chat (translated from Vietnamese by Linh Dinh)
Stab Skin
Kurrent State
Upside Down Pole
Run Two Back for Thurston, by Lauren Bender
here housepainter
Ms. Bender shares of life's sublime secrets (Directions for making a genital print)
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:50 AM
August 17, 2005
Week 23 hearts Kevin Thurston
can't you see I'm eating a sandwich?
Dear Mr. Thurston we miss you. Baltimore misses its treasure. I knew we shouldn't have left the key with Gargamel for safekeeping. Deserter. Scoundrel. Buddy ole' pal.
And so, a handful of favorites from Charm City and the Occupied Territory (DC) blow sweet sweet kisses Kevin-ward. Poetry from Buck Downs and Michael Ball, a song from Ric Royer, an interactive visual piece from Justin Sirois -- now updated with iFrames in page!, and a something from Lauren Bender that will be along any minute now. She's one tardy motherfucker.
Week 23 Contents
the meme of memory, Buck Downs
Oh Ignorance Don't Fail Now a song Ric Royer discovered in his travails
No More Jellybeans from Michael Ball
...my (a)(b)(c) identity for kevin... by Justin Sirois; and finally you may ask yourself,
Who is Kevin Thurston?
Posted by Rock Heals at 01:00 AM
August 10, 2005
Week 22 and The Crack is Whack
We steadfastly believe in giving you something to look at.
If you have insomnia and HBO, then you know the fine purveyor of Six Feet Under has put New Jack City into heavy rotation. See it through your post-gangsta rap eyes. No shit, Judd Motherfucking Nelson. Why now HBO? Why now?
That has nothing to do with the bunch o' text and images Justin Sirois (DJ Serious) shares this week in what is the first piece here to be even vaguely weblike. But wait there's more, Jon Lee is in town again with more drawings from his recent DR trip. And wrap it all tidy with a little flier for a Narrowhouse (co)hosted reading in NYC.
Why do we publish the same writers again and again? Because they continue to fucking rock. If you are rocking this hard or harder (p'shaw) send it our way. That's what we are here for.
submissions at rockheals dot com
Week 22 contents
Tickle Torture by Justin Sirois;
A Dozen Super Heroes from Jon Lee; and
Narrowhouse in NYC, August 13
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:50 AM
August 03, 2005
Week 21 Is a Recess Appointment
This week, we catch up with Jon Lee. When we last met our hero, he was on his way to the Dominican Republic to be rejoined with his mother and meet the long lost half sister he thought dead all these years. Would he make his plane? Would his blood type be a match for the much needed kidney transplant? Would he drink the water? Read on to find out.
Look out for more from Jon in the coming weeks -- he was a busy man over there.
Get out the heat. Seek water. Stay safe. And sometimes a duck is a mosaic with grapes.
Week 21 Contents
All Jon Lee, all day
Our Lady (introduction)
Untitled Comic
Boy Super Hero 1
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:50 AM
July 27, 2005
Week 20 and We Are All Liars, Everyone
That's Asashoryu. Small but still the Champ. And those are shittake mushrooms. A whole lot of 'em.
So I lied last week. I said it was Week 20. And then I got all Stalin just now and changed the text so it said Week 19. The web is good like that. You can realize your inner Stalin.
Enough. Poems from Mel Nichols; photos from Heather Fuller; more poems from Rod Smith. What do they have in common, besides all the ass-kickin? They're all reading together in Baltimore on Saturday, July 30. At Once.Twice: Sound. Get it on.
(Turn back to Week 17 for more details on that.)
Once again thanks, Raj, for view from around the world. Stay safe.
This is a lot more than we usually assign for a week. We believe in you.
Week 20 Contents
Tons-o-matic from Heather Fuller, Mel Nichols and Rod Smith
Voiceover, Mel Nichols
Ghost Brain, Rod Smith
Neighbors, Heather Fuller (photography)
Poem, Rod Smith
Ghost Brain, Rod Smith (a different Ghost Brain)
3 Poems, Mel Nichols
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:50 AM
July 20, 2005
Week 19 Loves You Tender, Loves You Blue
This week we bring you a long-awaited track from Rod Smith's new CD "Fear the Sky" (Narrowhouse Recordings) and accompanying text for the read-along-at-home audience.
So it seemd to be a good time to interview Narrowhouse Recordings' chief instigators, Justin Sirois, whose works been 'round these parts. We need people like Justin with Narrowhouse -- or Rod with the Bridgestreet reading series -- who are creating channels for the rest of us to share our work and carving out their own space in the culture machine.
Rock Heals wants to spread the word on what it takes to put together your own thing -- the ease, difficulty, cost, effort, reward -- to make it more human and achievable and to help get us off our collective asses and building more of these spaces, projects, or what have you in your own special way. If you have a story to tell along these lines -- hit us with them at < submit at rockheals dot com >. The same goes for any other work that ready for the sharin'.
Next week is Rod's CD release party (July 30) so we'll run some more release-related shizzle for you 7 short days from now.
Week 19 Contents
Identity is the Cause of Warts by Rod Smith (audio and text)
12+ Questions with Narrowhouse Recordings
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:50 AM
July 13, 2005
Week 18 Is Wall-to-Wall Swelter
The living is easy. But the living is too damn hot.
From the shadows of our air conditioned fortress we've dispatched our man Jon Lee to the field.
What important assignment is keeping him from the glorious humidity? Heat, heat and more heat -- high-tailing his butt down to the Dominican Republic to catch the festival of St. Carmen. He should be reporting back to us soon with special things -- such as a correction on the name and spelling of the festival.
In the meantime, we'll share something completely different from Jon -- part of a something something he's calling the Phoenix Notebook. It's no secret that we love some drama. Enjoy, ladies.
Week 18 Contents
Drama from Jon Lee's Phoenix Notebook:
Simon and Carl
Maryann and Ashton
Ignoramus and Loser
Posted by Rock Heals at 04:50 AM
July 06, 2005
Week 17: A Huge Tonic for the Do-It-Yourself Giant
You may have heard mention before that Adam Good is DC's Anselm Berrigan. If that doesn't mean shit to you, who cares, read the goodness herein. Enjoy -- Adam's a youngin' and there is sure to be much much more from him. Well, unless he gives up poetry to become an arms dealer in Africa. You never know.
And beware of the false Adams Good! They are legion!
Meanwhile, our friends at Narrow House Recordings are almost set to release a new CD of work from Rod Smith. Info on the release party below. Check back here in the coming weeks for an interview with Narrow House and audio from Rod as the release gets closer.
Week 17 Contents
A selection from Little is the New Chicken; and
the gift both from Adam Good
... and an event notice for Rod Smith's upcoming CD Release party in Baltimore (July 30)
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:50 AM
June 29, 2005
Week 16 Would be Candy But for the Tardiness
We mean so, so much better. How poorly we treat you, our lovely and loyal reader. Are those new shoes? How very nice. Yeah, I can see they do go so well with your eyes. Won't you stay for dinner? Aww, you always say that.
All jokes aside that image there is a detail from a paiting by Lauren Bender whom we've loved here before.
What else do you have for us Candyman? Glad you asked, I thought we should prepare for the 4th with a little Teddy K. filtered through Grau, or maybe it is the other way around?
Dig on it and don't go blowing your hand off.
Week 16 Contents
more from Unabomber Haiku by Mike Grau
Posted by Rock Heals at 06:55 PM
June 22, 2005
Week 15: Words + Pitchers = Love
It's summer. Let swampy drawers begin.
This week we bring you a short one and a long one from Rupert Wondolowski. Rupert has been running the Shattered Wig Review and the Shattered Wig nights in Baltimore since the closing days of the Civil War ("Recent Unpleasantness"). With the growing popularity of moving pictures many thought Rupert was "shit out of luck" (an expression from that time) -- but he and his folk persevered by doing it their way.
Sandwiched between them is a great bit of painting from Seth Adelsberger. Seth was just in New American Painting back in April. Homeboy's pants are on fire, yo.
More next week, you know the drill.
Week 15 Contents
2 plot devices, by Rupert Wondolowski
Jansen Acid Test Dictionary Painting, by Seth Adelsberger; and
Meditations in a Thrift Store, another from Rupert
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:50 AM
June 16, 2005
Week 14: Better Late Than Never
This week brings you another comic, as promised, from Mr. Ryan Nelson. Among the many Ryan is up to, he plays in The Routineers who are going to be at Fort Reno (in DC, sorry for the tease to my readers in Singapore) on June 30 w/The Evens. Consider that reason #101 re why you should go to Fort Reno more often.
Plus two great poems from Justin Sirois -- you may remember him and his work from Week 2 (oh we were so young then).
But wait there's more -- a quick morsel from D_, our paramedic in the field who keeps running across one-legged people. Read, enjoy, send us your own story about tthe one-legged folks in your life -- definitely the it genre for Summer 2005.
We won't be late next week. We won't be late next week. We won't be late next week.
Week 14 Contents
A second installment of Another Night in Jail from R. Carroll Nelson;
Two poems from Justin Sirois:
love prayers (see the real thing for the full title);
mister Cyclopes & the men I have grown to love; and
Air Jordan XX, another dispatch from D_, our paramedic in the field
And don't forget to check out all the goodness from previous weeks.
Posted by Rock Heals at 08:00 AM
June 08, 2005
Week 13: Say It Ain't So
Avoiding the obvious to briefly show our love for Felix Gonzales-Torres
Comics again at last! R. Carroll Nelson (or Ryan Nelson as we know him -- or the former drummer of the much-missing Most Secret Method or the beloved-but-now-gone Dead Teenagers) brings us an installment of his ongoing "Another Night in Jail." It's been 10 weeks since we had comics people! Are you having trouble finding the address to submit your work
Also more Letters To Norm brought to you from the People's Peaceable Assembly Line. Last time around there was some confusion. Some of you thought the P-PAL was Rock Heals staff acting through a persona -- that is not the case. Through emails with P-PAL's Provost, I got the following description of the organization:
"We have no mission statement, no hierarchy. We are merely cowed and
terrified citizens acting as we see fit under the directive of the signs: Report Suspicious Activities."
Next week... We have another pagefrom Ryan, but we didn't want you to gorge yourself on comic goodness all at once! What else? Who knows.
On the horizon there is more work from Kevin Thurston; stuff to look at from Seth Adelsberger (don't know that name? You will, motherfucker, you will); more 911 Diaries; and much more. Dribble-drabbled all slow-like.
Week 13 Contents
Another Night In Jail from R. Carroll Nelson; and
Activity Report No. 1 from the People's Peaceable Assembly Line
If you don't know how to find the stuff from previous week's then you are hopeless. (No excuse for the ongoing lack of a good index 'round here.)
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:50 AM
June 01, 2005
Week 12: Speechless
If I had set up this photo shoot David LaChapelle would be sweating my nuts.
Last week we caught Ryan Walker over at Red Emma's in Baltimore as part of the Portable Reading series. Ryan is a tall man. It was a good time, and must admit that Ryan's work was unexpected.
What was so refreshing about was how "giving" his work was. Read aloud and on the page he offers up so many levels, and even if you miss a few (typical at a reading) there's plenty to walk away with. So dig.
Interupting Cow just put out Ryan's new chapbook, Enjoy Potion. It's like 6 bucks, don't sleep on it. Make the check out to Cathy Eisenhower (she runs the Cow)
Interrupting Cow
3355 16th Street NW #712
Washington DC 20010
Next week we are very excited to bring you comics from Ryan Nelson. We just got them today and of course they fucking rock. We love comics. Everyone send us awesome comics. Or, if your name is Ryan, send something our way, I'm sure we can keep this streak alive.
Week 12 Contents
All up in some Ryan Walker poetry
the Factory of Life and Consciousness
one year
hatch
I'm gonna get my act together with a real index soon... but start here.
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:50 AM
May 25, 2005
Week 11: [Obvious Reference Here]
Thx Joel for the picture; Debbie and David for the PA; and Kim ++, The Materials (pictured) and Sylvan Screen for the choons
I have to make this quick because my computer is sputtering. Well actually, it was smoking a few weeks back. Then the fan got really loud. And tonight it just shut itself off and refused to be stirred for quite a while.
Things have been better.
For instance, Kevin Thurston read over here in Baltimore last weekend. We meant to video it for this here rag, but we spaced on charging the camera. Instead we bring you the "score" for his performance.
And just for him, we'll also include a recipe. Though a drink recipe this time. The perfect drink to match with the previously mentioned Taco Salad. A tequila pleasure called La Paloma.
We owe you: 911 Diaries and This Month In Search, but we gotta get going before this beeyatch blows. We're good for it.
Week 11 Contents
current(ly) a performance score from Kevin Thurston
La Paloma a delicious tequila refresher
Remember to check out more killer shit from Weeks 1 - 10, yuh hear
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:30 AM
May 18, 2005
Week 10 Is This Many
Tracey Gaughran-Perez is blowing up. We bring you a couple of her fine fine poems and she's in the Baltimore City Paper this week -- a picture and everything. Add to all that the kick off of Rock n Romp Baltimore this weekend and her ongoing blog barrage -- girl is insane! (Full disclosure: another Gaughran-Perez is not-so-behind the scenes here.)
Also this week: we're sharing one of the best things on the web, and have a little Baltimore reading announcement. Yeah, that other Gaughran-Perez is part of the reading. This is a bit of a Team GP edition.
Up next week: a new installment of 911 Diaries. And hoping to drop our first video joints shortly.
What was were we thinking when we decided this bitch should be weekly? We gotz to get us some more help.
Week 10 Contents
Two Poems from Tracey Gaughran-Perez
Best of the Web: It's a Wookie, Wookie World; and
Upcoming Reading in Baltimore this week, May 20th
Previously on Rock Heals
I Saw Week 9 In Steel with letters to Norm at the Dept. of Homeland Security
Week 8 Stops Making Excuses for Beta with all kinds of poetry from Lauren Bender
And on the 7th Week more Unabomber Haiku and the first edition of This Month in Search
Week 6 Is Habit Forming with another installment of 911 Diaries, a photo from Raji, and a review of Katamari Damacy!
Week 5: Yankees In Last! (But so are the Sox) with a short play from Brian Calandra and a recipe
Week 4: Perdue, the Pope and Bellows. Oh my! with 911 Diaries, Mike Grau, and music from M_GP
Week 3 Waits Patiently for Spring Weather with a comic from John Shanchuk
Week 2 In the Time or Rock Heals with poetry from Justin Sirois; and
Week 1 Where it All Began with poetry from Mark Wallace
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:09 AM
May 11, 2005
I Saw Week 9 In Steel
This week brings letters from concerned citizens to Norm, the man behind the Homeland Security tips line. The same tips line you see referenced on highway signs cruising up and down your interstate of choice. Is Norm a real guy? Rock Heals isn't cleared for that kind of information.
Our first thought is for your safety.
Week 9 Contents
Letters to Norm brought to you by the People's Peaceable Assembly Line
Activity Report VII: You Should Know a Nut
Activity Report X: too quiet, you know; and
Activity Report No. XIV: legostomperfallguy.com
Previously on Rock Heals
Week 8 Stops Making Excuses for Beta with all kinds of poetry from Lauren Bender
And on the 7th Week more Unabomber Haiku and the first edition of This Month in Search
Week 6 Is Habit Forming with another installment of 911 Diaries, a photo from Raji, and a review of Katamari Damacy!
Week 5: Yankees In Last! (But so are the Sox) with a short play from Brian Calandra and a recipe
Week 4: Perdue, the Pope and Bellows. Oh my! with 911 Diaries, Mike Grau, and music from M_GP
Week 3 Waits Patiently for Spring Weather with a comic from John Shanchuk
Week 2 In the Time or Rock Heals with poetry from Justin Sirois; and
Week 1 Where it All Began with poetry from Mark Wallace
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:07 AM
May 04, 2005
Week 8 Stops Making Excuses for Beta
One may feel a certain bias to Baltimore poets running through this here periodical. But we assure you, that is not the case!
Event still Week 8 is all Lauren Bender, all poetry and all wonderful. She's great on the page and great in person. Go Lauren, go. Make Charm City Proud.
(Thanks to Amsterdam, John, Justin, Mike, Ravi, Pengo and Tres for there contributions to our cover)
Week 8 Contents
all Poetry From Lauren Bender
New Car Jacking Scheme
This Ain't No Damn Bingo! Shoot.
Water Weight; and
a certain trauma encoded in a time of year
Previously on Rock Heals
And on the 7th Week more Unabomber Haiku and the first edition of This Month in Search
Week 6 Is Habit Forming with another installment of 911 Diaries, a photo from Raji, and a review of Katamari Damacy!
Week 5: Yankees In Last! (But so are the Sox) with a short play from Brian Calandra and a recipe
Week 4: Perdue, the Pope and Bellows. Oh my! with 911 Diaries, Mike Grau, and music from M_GP
Week 3 Waits Patiently for Spring Weather with a comic from John Shanchuk
Week 2 In the Time or Rock Heals with poetry from Justin Sirois; and
Week 1 Where it All Began with poetry from Mark Wallace
Posted by Rock Heals at 01:00 AM
April 27, 2005
And on the 7th Week
This week we have the wonderful second installment of Unabomber Haiku from Mike Grau and This Month in Search -- the first monthly Rock Heals search engine report -- yeah I know what it sounds like; just give it a whirl.
Unfortunately, those relentless commercials for the LOCUSTS! TV movie had my angst-ridden ass huddled in a corner fearing insect plagues and kept us from making any progress toward leaving the beta behind... And worse we got behind schedule on the editing of the first Rock Heals interview. But don't you worry, we'll be back with it next Wednesday.
Week 7 Contents
more from Unabomber Haiku by Mike Grau; and
This Month In Search
Previously on Rock Heals
Week 6 Is Habit Forming with another installment of 911 Diaries, a photo from Raji, and a review of Katamari Damacy!
Week 5: Yankees In Last! (But so are the Sox) with a short play from Brian Calandra and a recipe
Week 4: Perdue, the Pope and Bellows. Oh my! with 911 Diaries, Mike Grau, and music from M_GP
Week 3 Waits Patiently for Spring Weather with a comic from John Shanchuk
Week 2 In the Time or Rock Heals with poetry from Justin Sirois; and
Week 1 Where it All Began with poetry from Mark Wallace
Posted by Rock Heals at 01:00 AM
April 20, 2005
Week 6 Is Habit Forming
Photo courtesy of Raji who just got back from the JP
Read on...
Week 6 Contents
I wasn't even on the clock... by D_, our paramedic in the field; and
Katamari Damacy: Tetris 2004? (a review)
Previously on Rock Heals
Week 5: Yankees In Last! (But so are the Sox) with a short play from Brian Calandra and a recipe
Week 4: Perdue, the Pope and Bellows. Oh my! with 911 Diaries, Mike Grau, and music from M_GP
Week 3 Waits Patiently for Spring Weather with a comic from John Shanchuk
Week 2 In the Time or Rock Heals with poetry from Justin Sirois; and
Week 1 Where it All Began with poetry from Mark Wallace
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:30 AM | Comments (0)
April 13, 2005
Week 5: Yankees In Last! (But so are the Sox)
Yeah, I know that ain't the Yankees. (thx Raj for the pic).
A lot going on at ye ole Rock Heals. We're trying to get out of beta limbo; you'll see the templates beging to shift in little and big ways over the next few weeks (we hope).
In the meantime, we'll keep churning out a little something something great every Wednesday. This week we mix it up, and show new sides to the rock healing.
Brian Calandra hails from NYC with his ten minute play, Deliverable. We only wish we could relate less to this piece.
And a simple recipe for an update on the taco salad that goes great with your favorite tequila-based beverage.
Hey, submit your shit! submissions at rockheals.com
Week 5 Contents
Deliverable by Brian Calandra
Californian Taco Salad to enjoy with a good drink
Also on Rock Heals
Week 6 Is Habit Forming with another episode of 911 Diaries and a review
Week 4: Perdue, the Pope and Bellows. Oh my! with 911 Diaries, Mike Grau, and music from M_GP
Week 3 Waits Patiently for Spring Weather with a comic from John Shanchuk
Week 2 In the Time or Rock Heals with poetry from Justin Sirois; and
Week 1 Where it All Began with poetry from Mark Wallace
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:15 AM
April 06, 2005
Week 4: Perdue, the Pope and Bellows. Oh my!
The birds of Virginia are flying within you
and like background singers they all come in threes.
A bit going on this week?
The debut the long-awaited 911 diaries, with the "Blood Mystery,"
A sampling from Unabomber Haiku by Mike Grau; and
A little musical treat.
Git to it.
Week 4 Contents
911 Diaries: Blood Mystery, D.
Unabomber Haiku, Mike Grau
The Alphabet Song, M_GP
Also on Rock Heals
Week 6 Is Habit Forming with another episode of 911 Diaries and a review
Week 5: Yankees In Last! (But so are the Sox) with a short play from Brian Calandra and a recipe
Week 3 Waits Patiently for Spring Weather with a comic from John Shanchuk
Week 2 In the Time or Rock Heals with poetry from Justin Sirois; and
Week 1 Where it All Began with poetry from Mark Wallace
Posted by Rock Heals at 07:00 AM
March 30, 2005
Week 3 Waits Patiently for Spring Weather
We don't have the anxiously awaited paramedic field journal, instead we bring you a great comic from the multi-talented John Shanchuk you're sure to enjoy. And don't sleep on the cool new Rock Heals IM icon.
Week 3 Contents
Buttermilk John, John Shanchuk
For the Love of Free Stuff
Also on Rock Heals
Week 6 Is Habit Forming with another episode of 911 Diaries and a review
Week 5: Yankees In Last! (But so are the Sox) with a short play from Brian Calandra and a recipe
Week 4: Perdue, the Pope and Bellows. Oh my! with 911 Diaries, Mike Grau, and music from M_GP
Week 2 In the Time or Rock Heals with poetry from Justin Sirois; and
Week 1 Where it All Began with poetry from Mark Wallace
Posted by Rock Heals at 01:07 AM
March 23, 2005
Week 2 In the Time of Rock Heals
An old friend used to say it took 6 weeks to make a habit stick. This week we bring you two pieces from man-about-Baltimore Justin Sirois -- I won't waste your time pre-chewing them; jump in and enjoy!
We'll aim to have new stuff on Wednesdays from here on out. Next Wednesday will be the first installment of our paramedic-friend's field journal -- but if he's too busy saving lives we may let him slip a week. Don't worry, we have great stuff in line.
Week 2 Contents
Poetry from Justin Sirois
to the woman in Wendy’s wearing the purple & black jersey listening to pop country.
merrie melodies & the role models of termite terrace
Also on Rock Heals
Week 6 Is Habit Forming with another episode of 911 Diaries and a review
Week 5: Yankees In Last! (But so are the Sox) with a short play from Brian Calandra and a recipe
Week 4: Perdue, the Pope and Bellows. Oh my! with 911 Diaries, Mike Grau, and music from M_GP
Week 3 Waits Patiently for Spring Weather with a comic from John Shanchuk; and
Week 1 Where it All Began with poetry from Mark Wallace
Posted by Rock Heals at 12:48 AM
March 15, 2005
from PARTY IN MY BODY
Like Richard Nixon said on his last day in office, you can kiss my jowls goodbye. Let's steal jokes from cantankerous places. On another mundane day, I'm struck by revelations. With free tickets to a heartwarming comedy, instead we'll wander around outside. Here I am in public, taking a public role. I may not recommend action, but I'll certainly tell you what to avoid. Who can afford to be oversensitive? Security seizes this town like you've never seen before. Working for vacation time! Even when I'm standing close to them, these guys who run the world seem dumb.
*
Searching for something permanent, we missed the whole world. Noah's Ark leaves next Sunday. Now with more options than ever before. A sunny sharp day when diffusion, my hand on the side of a building, leaves me languorously lounging. Shall we have some fun while time keeps going? Challenging one's own exaggerations! When I can't focus, music helps me dream. No rehearsals and no arrangements and so they swung like crazy. I don't know how I got here, but right now I really don't care. Can you tell me how to exit the labyrinth?
*
Seeing endings as tragedy leads to more tragedy. One role, one life, one unavoidable dilemma. How do you feel about the locked door? Driving down the street in L.A., I kept having visions that weren't really visions. Cross the wires and pass the buck. You've left Jane for the bottom line? Singing the National Anthem to another sold-out stadium, I started to question my faith in talent. Is it worse to return to the scene of the crime? The right to suffer the consequences! Once we've streamlined the process, none of us will have to know anything.
*
I felt prophetic and abandoned until I answered the phone and the door. He had a sophisticated theory and a nasty personality. The news wonders why the young are upset but doesn't dare answer the question. I've not seen very much really, but I know what happens when we look past the world. What should we choose to break our hearts on? Talk with me in the sun for a day and maybe we'll get lost. Believing in solutions! There's as much night as there are ways to see it, yet people still lunge for their own piece of darkness. What are the things you can't make yourself say? At first it seemed funny, then it seemed like the place that I live.
*
Mark read in Baltimore on March 19, 2005 (a great sequence of selections from Dead Carnival), click the image to see the event flyer.
More from Rock Heals
Week 6 Is Habit Forming with another episode of 911 Diaries and a review
Week 5: Yankees In Last! (But so are the Sox) with a short play from Brian Calandra and a recipe
Week 4: Perdue, the Pope and Bellows. Oh my! with 911 Diaries, Mike Grau, and music from M_GP
Week 3 Waits Patiently for Spring Weather with a comic from John Shanchuk; and
Week 2 In the Time or Rock Heals with poetry from Justin Sirois
Posted by Rock Heals at 11:04 PM
