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gonna do a lil more research today on ash wednesday since a lot of my work revolves around the concept of fire.

The last couple of blog entries make it seem like my poetic life is absolutely stellar but the truth is that I am just as lost as I have ever been. Answers are coming easily. The equations that once seemed like concrete algebra are turning into a complex quantum formula full of imaginary numbers.

Case in point: I was asked to write a poem for a professional development meeting. The parameters were pretty well defined, or as well defined as they could be; something inspirational regarding persistence over time, the value of hard work and its not so immediate rewards and place the poem in an educational setting. Well, after a bit of research and a restless night that had bits of lines running through my head, I woke up early and enjoyed a real long shower but had no poem to show. All was good as I was asked to read a poem from a book. Pretty good one, too. (Note to self: Look up said poem.) And while I know “a poem is not a pop tart” I was still highly disappointed in myself.

The day was not a complete poetic waste as I was able to produce a sonnet based on Pablo Neruda’s Soneto LXXV, which speaks of home and emptiness. For my sonnet I added more about silence and laughter because, well, life is all kinds of good like that despite small disappointments.

many thanks to all who have submitted to tea party magazine’s next issue!

as of today i have a good deal of submissions to look over but it’s not too late to get in. the poetry deadline has been extended to february 16th.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: THE TRANS• ISSUE

TEA PARTY magazine seeks submissions of fiction, poetry, photography, visual art, comics, and feature essays for its upcoming issue #17, to be published in Summer 2007. As a non-profit arts & culture magazine based in Oakland and San Francisco, we publish work by writers, artists, intellectuals, and activists from diverse cultures, communities, and fields of study. Our core focus is the intersection of creativity and social justice. We are distributed in independent bookstores both nationally and in Canada.

Our theme for Issue #17 is TRANS• in all its many shades of meaning. As a prefix or abbreviation, TRANS• can mean “across, beyond, through, on or to the other side, into another state or place, change, the opposite side of,” or can even refer to something farther and allow us to experience new, in-between states. What does TRANS• mean to you? What words or associations does it conjure?

Please send Poetry Submissions by Feb. 16h to Poetry Editor, Oscar Bermeo at oscar (dot) b (at) gmail (dot) com

More info here.

Regular blogging takes a back seat to real life again but here is the two-minute drill:

– Out About the Town: I will be speaking at New College’s “Creative Writers Teaching In & Outside of Academia” panel this weekend. Should be good times as I get to recall what can be kindly called less than optimal teaching conditions.

– Finished reading Lucifer: Evensong and Martín Espada’s The Republic of Poetry. Both satisfying but I hope to start reading some different stuff.

– Stuck in my laptop: Looking over submissions for Tea Party’s next issue. If you are a poet, I hope you submit.

– Out About the Town (2): Driving into SF from Oaktown is nowhere near the hassle as the Bx to Manhattan or Boogie Down to Crooklyn ride. But I do have one question: What do folks out here have against using their turn signal?

– The Open Mic contract. I may go into this a lot more in the near future (or maybe not) but the bottom line is this: As long as you are putting genuine effort into the delivery of a poem, then you have my attention. Otherwise, I may get snooty. (Ring the inside joke bell!)

– Biggest revelation of the last month: I am a huge Talking Heads fan.

– More culinary delights: I make a mean Garbanzo Leek soup. You can try to make your own with this recipe.

– Change of Scenery: For some reason, Blogger Beta does not love me. Which is kind of cool since that means I don’t have to lose an hour of my life to reformatting my page.

– Change of Scenery (2): I will be making updates to the look and feel of oscarbermeo.com. Uhhhh, there goes that hour gained.

– Poetic Challenge: I owe Tony Robles a poem based on the Godfather movies. Note: I refuse to call it a trilogy cuz any real fan doesn’t count III.

– Poetic Challenge (2): I owe a certain third grade class a poem. Since I am all about educatin’ the kids I plan on making it in some kind of form.

– The Sign Off

Poetry Mission Thursdays @DALVA
3121 16th Street, near Valencia
WE’RE IN THE BACK ROOM!
7p — 9p
Open Mic * Feature * Open Mic
January 25 Feature: Barbara Jane Reyes
hosted by Adam Wolf & elz
21 and over w/ID only!
no cover, one drink minimum
donations accepted
door prizes!
second and fourth Thursdays
of each month
GET THERE:
14 Mission
22 Fillmore
26 Valencia
33 Stanyan
49 Mission – Van Ness
53 Southern Heights
16th and Mission BART