Month: June 2011
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A pleasant rejection
Dear Rachel Van Blankenship, Thank you for sending us “Red Car in the Future”. Although the editors voted against accepting it, I wanted you to know that I really liked it and I hope you will submit again to our next issue. Thanks again. Best of luck.
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The Auto-Destructor’s Masterpiece
Canvas stretched He smeared gesso like semen scumbled ribs, bore a girl glazed in kerosene, linseed oil Her pointillistic eyes praised by curators The rendering, he left unsigned
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The guy selling fireworks lives in a trailer in a parking lot
I open my mouth, an echo. I have so much to do to day and just don’t want to It’s cool and sunny and beautiful out. I want out. Sleep was spotted last night. I felt years every time I woke up. Laying flat, in and out of dreams, I was 49 and Pat still…
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Cold potato by now
I’m making a baked-potato (the fast way – microed first and then popped in the over for about 10 minutes to give the appears of crispy skin). I’m not sure why I’m making it now, I’m not hungry. My dinner: guacamole (homemade of course) and a tropical Popsicle with fruit lint – at least that’s…
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Plucked too soon
My high hopes for a good apricot in the East have been squashed by a pithy, tasteless ball of peach flesh. I miss my mom’s tree in the backyard. Fruit so heavy and plentiful, we could never keep up. The juice on the ground, the ants on the juice, the roots rich, drinking, recycling its…
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Happy 89 years, Grandma
I’m not sure how old my Grandma is here, but I think she looks beautiful and it’s one of my favorite pictures of her. She’s still in Montana in this photo. Still Bernice Newkirk. Will become Bernice Van Steenbergen to give me the “Van” in my name. She’ll fight for the polar bears any day.…
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A lady asks for another shot of espresso – too much milk
Please stop talking, I’m going to lose this all, words tromping through my brain, the words I’ve been running over on the walk over and rushing to the computer and now you want to know about my weekend and the party, what party oh that party and it was great, good food, nice place, OK…
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P.S. my birthday is in 6 days. tee-hee
Running my fingers through my hair, a small flake of tomato skin fell into my hand. No juice, no meat. I’m growing roots. Check my stomach for the seeds.
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Journey of a bag-girl
For the Taste section at work, we are all supposed to think of some creative recipe for “Red, White and Blue” 4th of July barbecues and potato dishes and coleslaw and illegal fireworks the neighbor children set off at 11 p.m. and scare all the skunks to spray in our yard. I’m not really sure…