I can't take it, but you're screaming
in my face--
take it.
You press me down
and down
and suck me
right out of my head
and into your eyes,
so deep
that I can feel the crash.
You're pressing more,
and I want more,
so you slap the chills off my seething back,
then rip me open--
we're face to face.
And I can't hide
with you inside me like this,
pulling me down,
deeper and deeper until you jam
your imprint into my heart.
I try to fight and I'm breaking
through the surface of your skin;
I've got you under my
nails.
But you're bursting through my futile walls
and we feel the end
as it starts to begin.
And you know that I know you
can taste
the wanting, can taste
the hate
and sweat on my skin.
As you open your mouth
to tear me apart,
I finally let go--
there's no
going back
now,
I'm gushing my disdain.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
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Friday, September 24, 2010
Flesh
My nails
are jagged, blood rushing thin
behind rough and
ragged, red
ragged, red
adorns the crumbling armor and fate
never had a chance.
Clumsily they grapple
like there is no railway
like there is no railway
of spindly veins that drive,
no pulsing
Throb
to throw them life and
lost.
They are hopelessly
Lost endlessly
Lost vividly, wildly, stunningly falling
Short.
Throb
to throw them life and
lost.
They are hopelessly
Lost endlessly
Lost vividly, wildly, stunningly falling
Short.
They sit on the edge and prod and wait and crack and heal and they are
Hard…but always
Behind
The crimson façade, the
Fearless shield
Of scarring claws
…Is
Flesh.
…Is
Flesh.
Second of three poems concerning my ten handiest appendages
I want to touch the world, I reach
Out with my
Novice hands
And ache that something
Someone, somewhere might brush against
Or hold them.
Out with my
Novice hands
And ache that something
Someone, somewhere might brush against
Or hold them.
Third of three poems concerning my ten handiest appendages
I’ve pricked my fingers, once and Twice.
Raw and bleeding, I come
Back to taste you with the tips
Once more,
“Where is my cure
For this
Disease”?
Raw and bleeding, I come
Back to taste you with the tips
Once more,
“Where is my cure
For this
Disease”?
'Phantom of the Opera' makes final run in Pittsburgh, for The Pitt News, 8/25/10
“The Phantom of the Opera” is giving Pittsburgh a chance to experience the man behind the mask and the thrill and intrigue behind the centuries-old tale of dark obsession and unrequited love.
The Phantom will run rampant in Pittsburgh from Aug. 25 through Sept. 19 thanks to The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh Symphony and Broadway Across America. The show will be a part of the 2010-11 PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh series.
Originally published as a novel in 1911 in France by Gaston Leroux under the name “Le Fantôme de l’Opéra,” “The Phantom of the Opera” was adapted as a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and debuted at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London on Sept. 27, 1986.
Since then, the show has picked up incredible speed and grossed more than $5 billion, making it “the most financially successful musical of all time,” according to thephantomoftheopera.com.
It became the longest-running Broadway performance overtaking the record set by “Cats” on Jan. 6, 2006 with its when it overtook the record set by “Cats” with its 7,486th performance. “It is the only Broadway show ever to reach 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st birthdays,” also reaching its 22nd in January of 2010.
“The Phantom of the Opera,” directed by Harold Prince, is the story of a young performer at the Paris Opera House who begins accepting musical tutelage from a man she refers to as her “Angel of Music.”
This mysterious, masked teacher whose face is marred by some unknown deformity wants more from Christine Daaé than what appears, yet she naively continues on with their lessons, all the while falling in love with another man.
The Phantom wreaks havoc on the opera house and the lives of the performers on his zealous quest for Christine’s heart and commitment.
The story reaches its climax when the Phantom steals Christine away and forces her to decide the outcome of her life and of the story: Stay with the Phantom forever or live without her true love, who will be killed at the hand of the Phantom.
The Paris Opera House is a real place and has been around since the end of the 19th century.
“Anyone familiar with a large opera house would testify that it is an extraordinary labyrinth of people and passageways, but the Paris Opera House ... was remarkable by any standards,” according to the Phantom site.
Its majestic appearance and maze-like layout make the Paris Opera House the perfect inspiration for the Phantom’s eerie and imposing tale. The 17-story fortress, complete with stables for the “opera horses” and a lake beneath the building, will be played this fall by the Steel City’s own Benedum Center, bringing all the majesty and the intrigue of the Phantom to our doorstep.
Performing will be a 36-member cast from The Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Theatre Company. The show will star Tim Martin Gleason as the shrouded main character and Trista Moldovan as Christine Daaé, the innocent object of the Phantom’s oppressive fixation.
The Phantom will run rampant in Pittsburgh from Aug. 25 through Sept. 19 thanks to The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh Symphony and Broadway Across America. The show will be a part of the 2010-11 PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh series.
Originally published as a novel in 1911 in France by Gaston Leroux under the name “Le Fantôme de l’Opéra,” “The Phantom of the Opera” was adapted as a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and debuted at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London on Sept. 27, 1986.
Since then, the show has picked up incredible speed and grossed more than $5 billion, making it “the most financially successful musical of all time,” according to thephantomoftheopera.com.
It became the longest-running Broadway performance overtaking the record set by “Cats” on Jan. 6, 2006 with its when it overtook the record set by “Cats” with its 7,486th performance. “It is the only Broadway show ever to reach 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st birthdays,” also reaching its 22nd in January of 2010.
“The Phantom of the Opera,” directed by Harold Prince, is the story of a young performer at the Paris Opera House who begins accepting musical tutelage from a man she refers to as her “Angel of Music.”
This mysterious, masked teacher whose face is marred by some unknown deformity wants more from Christine Daaé than what appears, yet she naively continues on with their lessons, all the while falling in love with another man.
The Phantom wreaks havoc on the opera house and the lives of the performers on his zealous quest for Christine’s heart and commitment.
The story reaches its climax when the Phantom steals Christine away and forces her to decide the outcome of her life and of the story: Stay with the Phantom forever or live without her true love, who will be killed at the hand of the Phantom.
The Paris Opera House is a real place and has been around since the end of the 19th century.
“Anyone familiar with a large opera house would testify that it is an extraordinary labyrinth of people and passageways, but the Paris Opera House ... was remarkable by any standards,” according to the Phantom site.
Its majestic appearance and maze-like layout make the Paris Opera House the perfect inspiration for the Phantom’s eerie and imposing tale. The 17-story fortress, complete with stables for the “opera horses” and a lake beneath the building, will be played this fall by the Steel City’s own Benedum Center, bringing all the majesty and the intrigue of the Phantom to our doorstep.
Performing will be a 36-member cast from The Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Theatre Company. The show will star Tim Martin Gleason as the shrouded main character and Trista Moldovan as Christine Daaé, the innocent object of the Phantom’s oppressive fixation.
Matisyahu brings good vibes to Mr. Small's--for The Pitt News, 8/29/10
When Matisyahu stepped onto the stage at Mr. Small’s last week, the mood of the room took a noticeable turn.
The buzzing drone of chit-chatters quieted, cell phones were resigned to the depths of purses and pockets and the reggae artist known for his novel approach to music bowed his head to the microphone. The experience had begun.
From that moment until the very last note, Matisyahu, an American Hasidic Jew, exuded a mix of uniqueness and relatablity. The 31-year-old native of West Chester, Pa., wore the traditional Jewish tallit, a shawl typically worn during prayer with four white tassels hanging from the bottom, aviator sunglasses and a Volcom flat-brim hat. He was, of course, also sporting his signature beard and payot, locks of hair in front of the ears that wearers don’t cut for religious reasons.
His vocals went from a melodious prayer spoken in Hebrew to a series of rapping and beat-boxing interludes. Some of his songs were so catchy that they sounded like they could be Top-40 hits. Others blended various types of music, such as hip-hop and reggae to create a totally unique sound.
Matisyahu created his own original flow, transitioning between rapping, singing and prayer-like chanting. There was something to please every taste, and Matisyahu captured everyone’s attention. He even threw in some dancing and walked along the very edge of the stage, hinting at the possibility that he may fall right into the crowd. There were many open hands eagerly waiting, but the artist just slapped a few high-fives and continued alongside his band.
The music that set the stage for Matisyahu’s performance was played by Dub Trio, his openers from Brooklyn, N.Y. The group and Matisyahu had great chemistry and a talent for diverse rhythms that was apparent in its musical sequences. Despite posessing undeniable skill, the band members took a backseat to the solo artist, as his mouth ran a mile a minute into the microphone, causing his voice to sound as if it were another instrument.
Perhaps what was so striking about Matisyahu was his seemingly flawless ability to create an energy unlike any other. His seamless transitions between reggae, hip-hop, alternative and folk stylings, coupled with his self-effacing lyrics that called for peace among mankind, created an undeniable air of community and interconnectedness throughout the audience.
Matisyahu’s style is not so much a clash of customs as it is an avant-garde merging of melodies and cultures. While he performed, it seemed as though invisible forces stirred on the stage and inspired the crowd to be further unified by the swaying of hips and the shifting of hands and heads beneath the green, red and blue flood lights.
“You can hear the ground breathing,” he sang, and it was almost as if you could, listening to the cyclic beat of the drums behind him and the shuffle of the crowd.
Matisyahu will continue on to Hungary, Israel and California for additional shows to wrap up his 2010 year of performances of his most recent album, Light, out on Epic Records. Light debuted in the Top 20 on the Billboard charts, and “One Day,” a single from the album, was designated the official anthem for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
The buzzing drone of chit-chatters quieted, cell phones were resigned to the depths of purses and pockets and the reggae artist known for his novel approach to music bowed his head to the microphone. The experience had begun.
From that moment until the very last note, Matisyahu, an American Hasidic Jew, exuded a mix of uniqueness and relatablity. The 31-year-old native of West Chester, Pa., wore the traditional Jewish tallit, a shawl typically worn during prayer with four white tassels hanging from the bottom, aviator sunglasses and a Volcom flat-brim hat. He was, of course, also sporting his signature beard and payot, locks of hair in front of the ears that wearers don’t cut for religious reasons.
His vocals went from a melodious prayer spoken in Hebrew to a series of rapping and beat-boxing interludes. Some of his songs were so catchy that they sounded like they could be Top-40 hits. Others blended various types of music, such as hip-hop and reggae to create a totally unique sound.
Matisyahu created his own original flow, transitioning between rapping, singing and prayer-like chanting. There was something to please every taste, and Matisyahu captured everyone’s attention. He even threw in some dancing and walked along the very edge of the stage, hinting at the possibility that he may fall right into the crowd. There were many open hands eagerly waiting, but the artist just slapped a few high-fives and continued alongside his band.
The music that set the stage for Matisyahu’s performance was played by Dub Trio, his openers from Brooklyn, N.Y. The group and Matisyahu had great chemistry and a talent for diverse rhythms that was apparent in its musical sequences. Despite posessing undeniable skill, the band members took a backseat to the solo artist, as his mouth ran a mile a minute into the microphone, causing his voice to sound as if it were another instrument.
Perhaps what was so striking about Matisyahu was his seemingly flawless ability to create an energy unlike any other. His seamless transitions between reggae, hip-hop, alternative and folk stylings, coupled with his self-effacing lyrics that called for peace among mankind, created an undeniable air of community and interconnectedness throughout the audience.
Matisyahu’s style is not so much a clash of customs as it is an avant-garde merging of melodies and cultures. While he performed, it seemed as though invisible forces stirred on the stage and inspired the crowd to be further unified by the swaying of hips and the shifting of hands and heads beneath the green, red and blue flood lights.
“You can hear the ground breathing,” he sang, and it was almost as if you could, listening to the cyclic beat of the drums behind him and the shuffle of the crowd.
Matisyahu will continue on to Hungary, Israel and California for additional shows to wrap up his 2010 year of performances of his most recent album, Light, out on Epic Records. Light debuted in the Top 20 on the Billboard charts, and “One Day,” a single from the album, was designated the official anthem for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
Bob Marley's family commemorates him in concert--for The Pitt News, 9/23/10
Thirty years ago, the voice of the legendary reggae performer Bob Marley rang out over a crowd of his devotees for the last time in concert here in Pittsburgh at the Stanley Theatre, known today as the Benedum Center.
Today, on Sept. 23 — the anniversary of Marley’s final performance — his family will take to the Benedum Center stage to revive his voice, celebrate his legacy and support his lifelong mission — peaceful and conscientious living for all mankind.
Ed Traversari, producer of the upcoming show, is experiencing a sort of déjà vu in preparing for the celebration — he was also a producer of Bob Marley’s final performance.
“It’s been a passion of some of us who were at that show in 1980 to see a show like this come to Pittsburgh to celebrate Bob Marley. Not a lot of people know that his last performance took place in Pittsburgh,” Traversari said.
He said producers started tossing around the idea of a tribute show about 10 years after the 1980 performance.
“We thought about it for a while and were considering doing it around the 25-year mark,” he said.
But planning the show turned out to be quite a bit of work and they needed more time to “pull all the pieces together,” Traversari said.
Finally, after 30 years, the Marley family will join together to commemorate their relative and show Pittsburgh how much his music can still move a room. Family members thus far confirmed to be taking part in the performance include his daughter, Cedella, along with her group The Marley Girls; his sons, Stephen, Julian, Ky-Mani and Damian “Junior Gong;” and his widow, Rita, the “Queen Mother.” Alongside Rita will be former I-Threes member Marcia Griffiths.
Rita Marley will travel all the way from her home in Ghana to be a part of the tribute.
The set list is the exact one played by Bob Marley himself at his last performance and includes such classic hits as “Natural Mystic,” “Exodus,” “Jamming” and “Is This Love?”
All of the show’s proceeds will go to the Marley Family’s new nonprofit organization, 1Love. Its website, www.1love.com, describes the movement as “a global call to arms dedicated to giving back through charities that empower individuals and groups to take action for sustainable and responsible living.”
On the 1Love site, Cedella Marley writes about the inspiration her father’s life provides to her. “Still to this day, our father’s ‘Tuff Gong’ spirit has never backed down in his fight to end corporate and political greed, abolish prejudice and racism, and spread peace, harmony and equality throughout our planet. In fact, he always says, ‘the bad guys never take a day off, why should I?’”
Donna Mastropasqua, executive director of 1Love.org — established this past June — said that the upcoming concert is the very first effort of the new organization, which is set to be formally launched this fall.
“1Love basically was created to further Bob Marley’s vision on how to make the world a better place,” Mastropasqua said. “We’ve come up with three pillars that are the areas in which we look for charities to help out through money, resources, volunteers — any way we can in the name of Bob Marley’s vision.”
These pillars are youth, planet and peace. Some of the charities that 1Love will assist include the African Leadership Academy, an organization dedicated to the encouragement of young leaders in Africa, and Water.org, a nonprofit committed to supplying safe, fresh drinking water to developing nations.
As the excitement builds, locals are looking forward to the concert and appreciating the legacy that Bob Marley left behind.
Pittsburgh musician and Bob Marley fan Scott Weishorn said, “For Bob Marley coming from a place that is so poor and filled with crime ... to send a message that is so positive and inspiring is truly a gift. From a musician’s perspective, for such a huge event to happen in Pittsburgh is very historic and I can’t wait to hear what the Marley family has in store.”
Today, on Sept. 23 — the anniversary of Marley’s final performance — his family will take to the Benedum Center stage to revive his voice, celebrate his legacy and support his lifelong mission — peaceful and conscientious living for all mankind.
Ed Traversari, producer of the upcoming show, is experiencing a sort of déjà vu in preparing for the celebration — he was also a producer of Bob Marley’s final performance.
“It’s been a passion of some of us who were at that show in 1980 to see a show like this come to Pittsburgh to celebrate Bob Marley. Not a lot of people know that his last performance took place in Pittsburgh,” Traversari said.
He said producers started tossing around the idea of a tribute show about 10 years after the 1980 performance.
“We thought about it for a while and were considering doing it around the 25-year mark,” he said.
But planning the show turned out to be quite a bit of work and they needed more time to “pull all the pieces together,” Traversari said.
Finally, after 30 years, the Marley family will join together to commemorate their relative and show Pittsburgh how much his music can still move a room. Family members thus far confirmed to be taking part in the performance include his daughter, Cedella, along with her group The Marley Girls; his sons, Stephen, Julian, Ky-Mani and Damian “Junior Gong;” and his widow, Rita, the “Queen Mother.” Alongside Rita will be former I-Threes member Marcia Griffiths.
Rita Marley will travel all the way from her home in Ghana to be a part of the tribute.
The set list is the exact one played by Bob Marley himself at his last performance and includes such classic hits as “Natural Mystic,” “Exodus,” “Jamming” and “Is This Love?”
All of the show’s proceeds will go to the Marley Family’s new nonprofit organization, 1Love. Its website, www.1love.com, describes the movement as “a global call to arms dedicated to giving back through charities that empower individuals and groups to take action for sustainable and responsible living.”
On the 1Love site, Cedella Marley writes about the inspiration her father’s life provides to her. “Still to this day, our father’s ‘Tuff Gong’ spirit has never backed down in his fight to end corporate and political greed, abolish prejudice and racism, and spread peace, harmony and equality throughout our planet. In fact, he always says, ‘the bad guys never take a day off, why should I?’”
Donna Mastropasqua, executive director of 1Love.org — established this past June — said that the upcoming concert is the very first effort of the new organization, which is set to be formally launched this fall.
“1Love basically was created to further Bob Marley’s vision on how to make the world a better place,” Mastropasqua said. “We’ve come up with three pillars that are the areas in which we look for charities to help out through money, resources, volunteers — any way we can in the name of Bob Marley’s vision.”
These pillars are youth, planet and peace. Some of the charities that 1Love will assist include the African Leadership Academy, an organization dedicated to the encouragement of young leaders in Africa, and Water.org, a nonprofit committed to supplying safe, fresh drinking water to developing nations.
As the excitement builds, locals are looking forward to the concert and appreciating the legacy that Bob Marley left behind.
Pittsburgh musician and Bob Marley fan Scott Weishorn said, “For Bob Marley coming from a place that is so poor and filled with crime ... to send a message that is so positive and inspiring is truly a gift. From a musician’s perspective, for such a huge event to happen in Pittsburgh is very historic and I can’t wait to hear what the Marley family has in store.”
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Judgmental Ass...I'm back.
Is it right to assume that past a certain age, say like somewhere in the thirties, there is something...odd...about being single?
Maybe I am a judgmental ass or just a total weirdo myself, but when I see someone around 35ish or older, as I trace them over with my eyes doing that momentary inventory that we all daily fall victim to, I tend to find myself lingering on their left hand, fixated and waiting for them to shift it just so in order for me to make my determination--married...or freak.
All else about the person can pass my mental examination for basic normalcy and competence at life, but if they're missing the band, I generally assume, without even meaning to, that a few bolts are missing upstairs, as well.
True, they may choose to remain single based on some actually superior mental awareness and capacity that most of us lack, or they could be recently divorced or separated.
Yet, when I notice that that particular finger is bare as a naked butt, I automatically, as if on cue, picture the person sitting at home, alone on a Friday night, the melancholy lights of some news show or another flickering on the television somewhere in the background.
He or she is sitting on the couch (which doesn't match the chair--an obvious hand-me-down) in only underwear, unshaven and absentmindedly fiddling with some pointless collection accumulated over the lonely years.
Maybe it's train sets, model airplanes, Sacajawea coins--it doesn't really matter. Each is as sad as the next.
And there's always a cat (or five) creeping around on an emptry shelf amidst the dust and lint where photos of children should be.
Am I an evil drone, a mindless product of society? Do I even have a soul!???
:)
Maybe I am a judgmental ass or just a total weirdo myself, but when I see someone around 35ish or older, as I trace them over with my eyes doing that momentary inventory that we all daily fall victim to, I tend to find myself lingering on their left hand, fixated and waiting for them to shift it just so in order for me to make my determination--married...or freak.
All else about the person can pass my mental examination for basic normalcy and competence at life, but if they're missing the band, I generally assume, without even meaning to, that a few bolts are missing upstairs, as well.
True, they may choose to remain single based on some actually superior mental awareness and capacity that most of us lack, or they could be recently divorced or separated.
Yet, when I notice that that particular finger is bare as a naked butt, I automatically, as if on cue, picture the person sitting at home, alone on a Friday night, the melancholy lights of some news show or another flickering on the television somewhere in the background.
He or she is sitting on the couch (which doesn't match the chair--an obvious hand-me-down) in only underwear, unshaven and absentmindedly fiddling with some pointless collection accumulated over the lonely years.
Maybe it's train sets, model airplanes, Sacajawea coins--it doesn't really matter. Each is as sad as the next.
And there's always a cat (or five) creeping around on an emptry shelf amidst the dust and lint where photos of children should be.
Am I an evil drone, a mindless product of society? Do I even have a soul!???
:)
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