etch a sketch

So, I don't think Voxtrot has a video for "The Start of Something." And as I was trolling YouTube I found this one. It's such a cute display of one of my fave songs. Look closely for the line: “Poetry is not a luxury, it’s how I’ll break this home.” Love it! Think 1986 Etch A Sketch with the colorful flare of 2010—my mind wanders to little space men and space junk even though we're not going back to the moon anytime soon.

happy birthday, chekhov!

I own everything you ever wrote. Thank you for "The Cherry Orchard."

the woman always dies

Yes, she does. No, not really. Yes. She does. Literally or figuratively, the tragic woman dies. She totally does. She dies from shame, the loaded word. Shame of living, not living enough, acting inappropriately, shame acquired (the hopeless romantic in me). The list of 'tragedy' is endless. Think about Shakespeare's Juliet, Portia, Ophelia and Cordelia. What fates they met. What about Hawthorne’s Hester. What a lovely way to live. Yes, she lived decades before Williams' Maggie, Stella and Blanche. But, tragic women all have one thing in common. They love. Unrequited. Shallow. Forbidden. It is the heart that makes a woman tragic. Pish posh, said outloud because, men love too. I've know a few tragedies in my day. It's just (I'm the first to admit) not that interesting to read about tragic men. Yes, I perpetuate the stereotype here, and I can't mention tragic women without calling attention to Ms. Monroe and Ms. Woolf. The belles of tragedy. Why o why. In all of my searching, I am continually drawn to their deaths and the ghosts that followed. Is that something missing. Because, it seems a more meaningful act when the woman dies.

revolving door

Revolving Door continues on Wednesday, 17 February, 7:30p.m., (1108 West Randolph) with performances from Allison Gruber, Donna Pecore, Luis Humberto Valadez, and Sid Yiddish!!

Allison Gruber writes fiction, plays, essays and sometimes, for good measure, poetry. Her work has appeared on-stage, online and in print. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and teaches composition, literature and creative writing at Carthage College and The Illinois Institute of Art.

Alma Stuckey award winner Donna Pecore claims Poetry saved her. It wooshed down over her at Weeds, a Chicago venue-Gregorio Gomez MC in 1996, transforming her. Donna finds this transformation is a daily process, in which something new is found every day-if she looks. This woosh of words has turned Donna into a Word Wrangler, trying to bring voice to the pangs and the joys and the little things, roping them into a cohesive collaboration of sound and sense. Poetry took her to school, first NBC, a two year business school, to learn to type. Falling even more madly in love with poetry at Columbia College Chicago, via Women's poetry, New York School and the Beat, God bless Keroac; she is aquiring her MA at UIC. She has been published in: the South Loop Review, NCC Review, Chicago Poetry's publications, among others and her baby is “Word Curves,” a CCC anthology she edited (Next issue pending) She believes poetry should be heard out loud as well as read. Donna workshops with the Neighborhood Writers Alliance and The Small Table. She hopes her words will woosh down on you, lighting even a little corner of your world, leaving you either with a smile...or a thought.

Luis Humberto Valadez is from Chicago Heights, IL, music, and his jefa. He went to school at Columbia College Chicago and Naropa University. His first book "what i'm on" was published last March by the University of Arizona Press as part of the Camino del Sol series. His first CD "wat ahm on (ep)" was released in conjunction with the book by Last Minute Records. He is deeply influenced by writers like Harryette Mullen, Sonia Sanchez, Anne Waldman, and Amiri Baraka. His performance style is bread from a combination of the influence of the aforementioned writers as well as hardcore punk and hip-hop.

Sid Yiddish is a semi-sweet kosher industrial poet-throat-singing radio broadcasting-Furby spy. He’s performed in tight spaces within the USA & by web-cast in Norway & Denmark, plus published in; Tomorrow, Children, Churches & Daddies, Flipside, Si Senor, Satyr, Urban Coaster, Magnetic Poetry-Book Of Poetry, Poem800.com, Bardball.com & PoetrySuperHighway.com. From 1986 to 1991, he published the poetry fanzine, Cops Hate Poetry. In the past, he's worked diligently as an oddball actor, teacher, beat reporter & as the Chicago coordinator for the Bathroom Poetry Project. He's a current member of the Chicago Composers Forum, Atomic Theory Dance Band & Flabby Hoffman Trio and an honorary member of the Danish punk band, Clean Boys & has been covered by news media including Time Out Chicago, Chicago Tribune, WGN Radio, Chicago Reader, Memphis Flyer & Yahoo! Sports. This spring, Sid will embark upon a tour of Denmark w/Clean Boys, in support of their collaboration together on Sid’s penned “punk opera” & an album that will be subsequently released. In his spare time, Sid roots out crazy sounds by throat-singing & playing Shofars to be in harmony with crows & Furbies worldwide. Sid Yiddish lives in Evanston, Illinois.

cornbread, gumbo, california

I always say i'm not traveling for the holiday, and I always do... it was lots of family, friends, gifts and reminiscing. It was sunny, shopping malls, and I was able to get to the beach. I missed california, salty air and the 405. I mean, most of my poems call to the beach and the freeway. These are my roots. Anyway, on baby jesus' birthday, we ate gumbo and cornbread muffins. And my aunt made her famous chicken wings. I think I had two plates full of the wings. I lost count. I was in food heaven. I swear. I ate and ate. And since returning, I've been making cornbread. My favorite part is mixing the batter. It gives me warm fuzzies. And when it comes out of the oven, it smells nothing short of divine. Bring on the cornbread!

I've been thinking about the lessons learned this year. They span. I mean, I learned how to better relate to my students. I learned how to close various important doors. I learned how to forgive. I learned how to better manage my time. I learned more about poetry. I learned more about crafts. I learned that I'm a bit conservative. I learned more about sex and love.

I have also been thinking about what's ahead: Alcuin's Annual Gala and Auction that I'm planning for April, classes starting in spring at Columbia, and changes to Revolving Door Reading Series. I've accomplished A LOT in 2009. I deserve a bit of a break. Naples, FL do you hear me calling.

revolving door

Next Thursday, 17 December @ 7:30p.m., Revolving Door continues with poet, John-Franklin Dandridge and guitarist, Vo Era!!!

John-Franklin Dandridge lives and writes in Chicago, IL. He received his M.F.A. in Poetry from Columbia College. His poems have been published in several literary journals and online zines, the latest of which are the Smoking Poet, Spirit's Journal and Fast Geek Reader.

Vo Era is a professional independent recording artist that hit Chicago's soul music scene in 2003 with a song in his heart and a guitar in his hand. His first performances were received by the wide and receptive audience known affectionately to him as "the subway commuters." With the love and support of his eclectic audience, Vo has since performed at such venues as The Wild Hare, The Cotton Club, Winestyles/South Loop, and many others. Vo Era's unique sound fuses poignantly simple lyrics with funky soulful guitar rhythms. Vo knows how to musically take a common phrase and paint the most colorful and extraordinary picture of life's most relatable occurrences making it easy to identify his acute skill and life experience within his music.

We hope to see you next Thursday at Red Kiva (1108 W. Randolph)!!!

revolving door

Revolving Door Reading Series Presents:

The Book Release Celebration for

The Lingua Franca of Ninth Street

Poems by Randall Horton

When: Thursday, 12 November @ 7:30p.m.

Where: Red Kiva (1108 W. Randolph)


With open mic readings from

Krista Franklin & Toni Asante Lightfoot


Tell everyone ya know!


Revolving Door is always searching for open mic'ers. If you would like to sign-up, please contact us at: revolvingdoorrs@gmail.com