January 6th, 2018 by admin
New poem by Kim Shuck
2017 Poet Laureate of San Francisco
Drought Break
Weaving of water is layered
Sitting in the rain
Feet dragging in the runoff
I know there are trees coming down tonight
Drought tired
Clots of soil run free
Sailors still catch and spill
Windpainting
Still navigate by song
Remember...
Read Full Story »Tags: Francisco X. Alarcón, James Downs, Joe Milosch, Kim Shuck, John Peterson,
Posted in: Forever Journal,
January 2nd, 2018 by admin
Poetic Matrix Press'
20th Anniversary Authors' Anthology
246 pages, Price $20.00, available from Small Press Distribution (SPD) www.spdbooks.org
With material from our 60 books and 45 authors (including new pieces from many) this is a true reflection of So Many Voices that we have had the privilege...
Read Full Story »Tags: Anne Whitehouse, Ashley Pinkerton, Brandon Cesmat, Diana Festa, Francisco X. Alarcón, Gail Entrekin, J.P. Linstroth, James Downs, Joe O'Connell, John Peterson, Joseph Zacardi, Leroy Moore, Lyn Lifshin, Tomás Gayton, Kim Shuck, Shadab Zeest Hashmi, Patricia Nelson, Joseph Miloach, Arthur W. Campbell, Mun Duk-su, Peter Gibson Friesen, Hassan El-Tayyab, Joan Michelson, Grace Marie Grafton, Yearn Hong Choi, Rayn Roberts, Chris Olander, Molly Weller, Charles Entrekin, Sandra Lee Stillwell, Joel Netsky, Ruth Rosenthal, Bonnie Joanna Gisel, Peter and Donna Thomas, Reverend James Fox, Alex Landon, Elaine Halleck,
Posted in: Poets Comment into the World,
January 26th, 2016 by admin
It is time, before the coming Republican primaries, for me to say something I first formed 40 years ago. Before the pundits spew out the stereotype about disaffected white men voting for the likes of Trump and Cruz, let me say this, I am a white man (even an older white man), my three sons are white...
Read Full Story »Tags: Essay, John Peterson,
Posted in: Uncategorized, Poets Comment into the World,
December 10th, 2015 by admin
Earlier today I saw a CBS News piece on actor Mandy Patinkin as he went to a beach on a Greek island as refugees came ashore. He went to, as he said "connect with reality" and meet these people as they fled conflicts in the Middle-East. Patinkin said "fear is the poison of our lives." Our humanity...
Read Full Story »Tags: John Peterson, Mandy Patinkin, Press Note,
Posted in: Uncategorized, Poets Comment into the World,
December 10th, 2015 by admin
I just saw Trump's disgusting and abusive portrayal of a disabled person. Having just published Leroy Moore's book Black Kripple Delivers Poetry & Lyrics I realize how much Leroy has affected me. Leroy has the same speech and physical patterns that Trump caricatured but the great difference between...
Read Full Story »Tags: John Peterson, Leroy Moore, Press Note,
Posted in: Uncategorized, Poets Comment into the World,
July 1st, 2015 by admin
Go ahead dive down
It is alright something beautiful is in there
You'll see
More beautiful then even you're sadness
It will take your sorrow and turn
It cloudy and bright
Like the shine on that red amber place
You've seen once or twice
Just before everything was lost or
Just before found
A gentle...
Read Full Story »Tags: John Peterson, poems,
Posted in: Uncategorized, Forever Journal,
June 6th, 2014 by admin
Click on above link to see entire essay.
I recently left Barnes & Noble with a problematic view of the position of poetry in the store. The poetry section in Barnes & Noble in Fresno is located towards the back of the store, right up against the children's section, right in between bookshelves...
Read Full Story »Tags: Essay, John Peterson,
Posted in: Uncategorized, Poets Comment into the World,
May 31st, 2014 by admin
OK
OK, mid morning on a Monday
Diana Krall comin through the speakers
The latte is hot and smooth
Like the sun on my shoulders
Yes it's Starbucks, the coffee and sounds
Are canned, chosen in the hip board room,
Still it's good
Traffic and Bart going by, the Richmond
Sun as fine here as anywhere it shines....
Read Full Story »Tags: John Peterson, poems,
Posted in: Uncategorized, Forever Journal,
February 13th, 2013 by admin
-for devon
last night the pond was the size of a small hat
ten or fifteen of you holding on enough water
only to cover your back and keep the sun off
foot prints of coon and coyote dog and deer
and small bird circling down from reed covered
banks across cracked mud and soggy bottom
you squirm hoping...
Read Full Story »Tags: John Peterson, poems,
Posted in: Uncategorized, Forever Journal,