Three poems into his chapbook, Win Po, and three lines into "O My Words," Frank Parker invokes long-gone poet Lew Welch: "a ring of bone," from the title of a touchstone lyric by Lew, and of his posthumous Collected Poems.
The last line is in diction Lew would've dug: "adobe yellow wall"
But its not just little homages that make the poem. Line by line, in any case, Frank makes 'em fit together, with a touch light enough it seems careless at times, part of his humor: "a flute, a reed/cut from roots/a ring of bone/everyday air/skinny bird song/Palo Verde limbs/cats walk up and down/adobe yellow wall"
That's it. It's dedicated to Luis Garcia, another humorous, spare poet, but Lu's gone out on a different sort of limb: living to sing about it.
Frank Parker sings about it from living, breezily sometimes, the lines directed to this or that friend, family member ... some of them poets.
David Gitin, poet and Frank's longtime Monterey neighbor--a crosstown neighbor--and frequent presence on frankshome.org, a website hosting a community of poems and poets, is dedicatee of "Letters from Tucson," where Frank's corresponding from, now: "when I wake it's dark/light coming soon//see you then//your friend"
Another poet, Michael McClure, is recipient of "Song": "breathe deep/blue sky//feathered edge/of nitrogen"
Finally, "Mirror in a Garden," for his daughter: "I reach for my cup/and the birds scatter."
Eleven poems, an odd number, with the qualifier, "a work in progress."
It's progress, in the sense of moving through the landscape, one he came to late, where he's seen much, once settled in.
What's exhilarating in Win Po is that rare sense of somebody finding himself, his voice--both at once--yet taking another step, and another, not stopping.
These are perceptions on the move, not snapshots so much, like the often-faded imitations of Imagism. No scent of the workshop; more like witch hazel. Bracing.
Frank's book's from Obscure Press, 34 1/2W. Kennedy St., Tucson, AZ. 85701-2202. If you get it, ask for it signed--and get him to initial the colophon, too: Frank's the printer.
A Pleasent Surprise from Heather Nagami
A surprise email regarding Win Po from Heather Nagami:"Frank, thanks for sending me the link to your work. Wow, I really enjoyed reading it. I'm so impressed. I love the cover, too--the beautiful colors and texture. The poems themselves are so beautifully "textured" too in their layers of sound and meaning. I enjoy your subtle rhymes, the consonance, and the sparseness of the lines in terms of the number of words, but the fullness in terms of the feeling and image that is created. I think "Mirror in a Garden" struck me the most, esp. "the hundred wounded sparrows/ fly like arrows," but really all of it. It seems like a technical masterpiece--how the images next to each other create something new and how they seem to elegantly carve out such emotional depth, but then I feel bad talking about it like it's just a technical endeavor because it seems full of such pain, so I'm sorry if that's offensive. I just am in awe." -Heather Nagami (Tucson poet and web designer)
Updates over at frankshome.org
Win Po - a work-in-progress, by Frank Parker. Poems written since December 2009. I'm excited to see where this journey will go over the course of 2010!
From "This Tiniest of Fish", audio of parts 1, 2, and 3 read by the author, Kristina Erny. From her bio note:
"Kristina Erny grew up in Asia, & has lived in West Africa, as well as Kentucky, Indiana, and Arizona. She is interested in dialect, storytelling, language acquisition, spirituality & community (insiders vs. outsiders). In 2010, she completed her MFA from The University of Arizona. She currently lives in South Korea with her husband and son."
I appreciate Kristina's efforts and the cooperation of the U of A Poetry Center to record this outstanding young poet before she moved to South Korea!
Recorded 12 May 2010 by Frank Parker at the University of Arizona Poetry Center to whom we extend our gratitude.
2009 @ frankshome.org
Five Poems - Gloria Avner
Gloria Avner lives in Bar Harbor, Maine in the summer where she writes, paints, and tends her gallery of art from other cultures. In the winter she teaches, writes, and paints in Key Largo, Florida. Gloria is a new member of the frankshome.org family and we are delighted to host her poetry!
Greek Islands - Joan Cofrancesco
Joan enjoys hiking, reading poetry, visiting art museums, and traveling. Her recent trips to Greece and Italy have inspired many new poems. We are just thrilled to host her Greek islands series. This is Joan’s second set of poems to find a home with us. We couldn’t be happier!
3 Songs from the '70s - David Gitin
Performances of his poems are often in collaboration with musicians, including Leonard Paschini (electric guitar), Preston Houser (shakuhachi), John Tchicai (saxophone), Laszlo Gardony (piano), and John Cortes (saxophone). Here are 3 rare poems from June 1977 in which his lyric interests are clearly stated. David is one of the first poets frankshome.org ever hosted! (Thank you for believing in us all along, David!)
Nine Poems - Luis Garcia
“I listened to a lot of jazz,” Garcia continued, “the notions of improvisation, of the transformation of notes—hitting them in a different way—of inflection and intonation influenced my style, one of brevity and lyricism,” and we welcome this selection of Luis Garcia’s poetry to frankshome.org by standing up on our chairs, clapping and shouting, “BRAVO!”
Sunday Suite - Frank Parker
The poems begin Heart Shaped Blossoms: 1993-2007, and comprise the Monterey, CA, section of my first book. The reading is from October 27, 2007, at the Stone Ave. Gallery, Tucson, AZ, sponsored by POG. Here each one of the three parts is set to music.
3 Poems, December 2009 - Frank Parker
The first two weeks of December 2009 found me in a groove with the word and these three poems are the result, the first of which became our holiday poem for 2009.
Zig-Zag Journeys - Frank Parker
Completed in June of 2009, Zig-Zag Journeys seems so distant now. Yet it was the basis of multiple memorable performances and a chapbook I’m very happy with no matter the year!
Rites by David GitinMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Like the music of Miles Davis or Thelonious Monk, silence is as important as choosing just the right notes, or words in this case, to play. David Gitin's words, or notes, grace the space that surrounds them. If grace is an economy of motion, and I think it is, the dance of these poems compliments the air in which they are staged. To paraphrase George Oppen, "this is the level of art, there are other levels, but this is the level of art". One minute in the presence of art can impact the meaning of a life more than a career bent to mundane purpose. In fact, such an encounter is healing. I find myself renewed in the company of this master's art.
View all my reviews >>
Modern American poetry begins with the determination to find the image, the thing encountered, the thing seen each day whose meaning has become the meaning and the color of the POG Directors Group Reading, September 26, 2009 - 7 PM, The Drawing Studio, 33 S. Sixth Avenue, Tucson (map)!
Potluck to follow at Barbara Henning's, 1940 E. 2nd St., Apt. #2 (map). Bring a dish and join the celebration! (I hear martinis will be mixed!!!)
POG Poetry in September!
Thursday, September 17, 2009 - Norma Cole & Charles Alexander / Chax 25th Birthday - 6:30 PM, Club Congress at Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress St, Tucson. Poetry Reading & Celebration co-sponsored by POG.
September 26, 2009 - POG Board of Directors Group Reading - 7 PM, The Drawing Studio, 33 S. Sixth Avenue, Tucson (map). The members of the POG Board of Directors present their work in what promises to be an electric evening of poetry, art, and performance! This will be one of those events talked about long after it's over. Don't be left out of the conversation!
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