Erasure Poem: Bottles, Twigs, Cans and a Piano

I try to (occasionally) practice the erasure poem genre as described and demonstrated by Austin Kleon in his book Steal like an Artist.   Here is my latest, prompted by an article in the New York Times, "Bottles, Twigs and Trash Cans (and Mozart)", by Anthony Tommasini, Music Review  8.5.17

It was an unusual sight, 
the Hall crammed with a motley assortment
of corked wine bottles, four gleaming trash cans
and small piles of twigs.

The members began to snap the twigs
and dump them on the floor.

Later, 
stretching of jumping rhythms
played by tapping
on a coffee table
as well as the outside
and inside
of a piano.

The Brandy Still Flows...

this is an "original" erasure story by Anita C. Fonte based on the original written by Corey Kilgannon, New York Times, 4/8/2017 "The Brandy Still Flows at His Fountain of Youth". The "erasure story" is a concept developed by Austin Kleon in his book, Steal Like An Artist.

photo by Anita C. Fonte at Ralph P. Fonte's birthday, Tucson, Arizona, February, 2013

******

"The problem with turning 107 is that you can't work no more."

Until a few years ago, he tended Mario's parking lot, while working as a waiter of sorts.  Besides Mario's on Wednesdays, he goes on Saturday nights to Pasquale's Rigoletto restaurant down the block, where he dances with his girlfriend and performs burlesque songs.

He is Jewish and was raised by Yiddish speaking parents in Brooklyn, but now is more conversant in Italian.  He jokes that he was born Jewish but will die Italian.  Regarding his health, he said that more or less, "everything works."

"People plan, God laughs," he said.

Return to 3 words to help you do happy today

Healthy--Exercise for me is an everyday challenge.  But I'm lucky to live in a walkable neighborhood and evening/sunset walks on north Mountain Avenue can be a spectacular experience.  Last night we also were invited to say "hello" to a puppy, and were glad to see a new herd of cows in the UA Campus Farm field.  We've enjoyed the flock of sheep who mysteriously appear and disappear each day this past month.

Music--If I were near Atlanta, I would go to hear Dave Mathews, Bruce Springsteen and others at the "Many Rivers to Cross" music festival that Harry Belafonte is bringing together.  My dad loved Harry Belafonte's music and I am still inspired by his thoughtful, consistent political activism.  There's a super article about him in today's New York Times, on the Arts page.  www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com

Celebrating--Tomorrow is the first night for the Jewish High Holy Days.  We're doing our Rosh Hashanah dinner early tonight because our son has a rare Saturday off from his chef job.  Mark and I are making two dishes from a previous NYTimes Food article on the food from Umbria, Italy.  I am adding a midwestern apple crisp recipe from a friend, topped off with Haagan Daas ice cream--my Jewish mother-in-law's favorite brand.  I love the Jewish holidays of Passover and New year and am grateful to have had many years at Lila's table with her friends (most of them also gone) and family who now are stretched across the continent.  So, we celebrate today, in its unique beauty and
start tomorrow anew.

Sunday Starbucks poem

Success (an erasure poem based on a Sunday Sports story from the NY Times)

A little more than three years ago,

The man

Told her the future.

The man seemed

An unlikely clairvoyant.

His predictions

Stuck—

Distinctly outlandish:

A romantic rise,

A cash-filled corporate push.

On Sunday:

The future,

Exactly as predicted,

Has arrived. 

Erasure Poem: Keeping Calm

(words 5/19/16 NY Times/Arts Section, article by Ben Brantley "Keeping Calm and Carrying On Until Doomsday")

The forcast tomorrow--
noise of rain on the roof is steady.
It is a soothing sound.

The couple
have made the choice:
of course, there are no children.

What's the point?
The crystal balls
do not
glow.

Coachella Erasure Poem

(one of my pro-trainers just returned from the Coachella Festival, so I had a particular interest in the NYTimes/Style Section article 4/28/16 "Where Coachella is a Playground and Muse" by Sheila Marikar)

It was just after 1 a.m.

Over the next few hours

Kylie beamed and bounced

as if on a tiny trampoline:

"I just wanted to have the feeling

of when I am in the fields."