You may or may not know that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  DV, while not often talked about, is one of the most prevalent forms of violence.  In various settings I have recently inquired about the number of people who have been directly affected in some way by DV and overwhelmingly there was 99% [...]

I am totally, 100%, a bonifide Tia Chucha’s groupie.  If the place had a fan club, I’d run for president; I’d flood the inbox with gushing fan mail; I’d moon about it on my social network status–oh wait, I already do that one.  Well anyway, you get the idea, I just love the place. Why [...]

So I’ve been struggling for several years with the whole matter of religion.  I started to write about my wrestling and restlessness in A Hand-Tailored Life.  This isn’t the easiest topic for me to write about, mostly because there is just so much swirling about in my head and my heart. I’m frustrated with religion.  [...]

Mi poema, es su poema I am your voice you are my ears I am your heart you are my soul I am your eyes you are my vision I am your song you are my lyrics I am your rap you are my rhythm I am your courage you are my strength I am [...]

winding home on an empty, curving, two-lane I am caught in the unblinking silver stare of the moon my sham of being fine is easily seen through I falter and finally I let go two steady streams flow from their wells down hot cheeks over trembling chin past choked throat en route to douse the [...]

Estoy aprendiendo a hablar español.  Este es mi primer poema en español, así que si usted, por favor, perdona mis errores.  Esta es mi familia: somos abuelito y niño mujer y hombre moreno y güera sangre y agua hermana y hermano Esta es mi familia: somos poetas y músicos maestros y estudiantes activistas y visionarios [...]

we gasp out cries for relief our lungs laden with the thick pollution of grief the stiffling smoke of suffering that weighs heavy in the air shrouding the sun in dark cloak casting an eerie light upon the world Kyrie Eleison! *Please keep the SoCal firefighters in your thoughts and prayers as well as all [...]

On the playground you were toast if you ran like a girl In gym class you were picked last if you threw like a girl With the neighbors you were left behind if you were chicken like a girl I was just tryin’ to figure out how to be in this world So I ran [...]

I came to tell you goodbye three hundred and sixty-five days– eight thousand, seven hundred and forty-nine hours ago you left too quickly for any of us to say goodbye I couldn’t do it at first I didn’t know how I didn’t want to, It didn’t seem right and for a while, I wasn’t even [...]

I’ve long been against the idea of explaining poetry, giving background info, or providing the context.  To me, this seems to take something away from the meaning a reader may derive for herself or himself.  But recently I’ve heard some interpretations of my writing–actually more specifically of me–reflected back to me and it was so [...]