Who will carry me over the river?

crossing to safety, justin bieber, and more poetry

Deep into Lonesome Dove, gripped by its subtle beauty I felt the urge to reach out to every person I ever knew to see if they had read it, or, if they had any interest in talking about it with me. No such luck.

If I were a Redditor(?) I could probably find a willing partner. I like this little recap. laudida has 81,000 karma points.

“I’m late to the party, but Lonesome Dove absolutely rocks.”

-laudida

My poem — American Water (Newark) — was published by Spectra.

In a moment of deep and shameful vulnerability, I asked ChatGPT for a book recommendation. I told the robot that I loved Richard Yates and how I was sad that, since he was dead, he wouldn’t be producing any more of his devastating fiction. For additional context I typed in that I had recently took up buying used copies of the first edition pressing of The Easter Parade — because its my favorite. The robot suggested I read Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegnar. So I did. In two sittings.

I was entranced by Justin Bieber singing Yukon in his boxer shorts at the GRAMMYS. Eyes closed, beaming his love song right to his wife, glowing in the front row. Moving stuff. The world seemed to stand still for a few minutes right there on CBS. I wish we could slow time like this more often. Manufactured vulnerability, sure. Lots of tattoos to manufacture some edge for Justin. Sure. But, I love it. Inject this into my veins. My entire youth played out behind my forehead right then and there. Singing love songs quietly to every girl I couldn’t get out of my head — right at myself in the mirror with my door locked. Slide city.