So the other night on the Carbondale facebook site the topic of Winston the Bagel man came up, since Winston was an institution in Carbondale and he had a lot of people who loved him and who are severely bummed that he's gone. My main response to it, after I thought about it, was, "somebody ought to write a book about him," which struck a nerve; people agreed.
After more ruminating, I decided that that person was probably me. I can, after all, write books. I memorialized Stone Soup Restaurant in Iowa City and I could do the same for Winston.
The problem is, I didn't really know him all that well. I wasn't in the 2 am drinking crowd, although I think at one time I did buy a bagel and I liked it, but he wouldn't know me if I walked right up to him. I just wasn't around that neighborhood at 2 a m very often.
So, it would have to be a romanticized version, to some degree - fiction - and I'd have to change his name. I couldn't just make up stuff about him that I needed for my plot. Still, I find the whole scene - the bars, down by the woods where the homeless people slept, down on the southeast side, 2 a m, all the students coming out of the bars heading for Winston's little bagel stand.....it's the perfect venue for a novel.
Stay tuned. I need details about him even if I choose to avoid to use his name or I deny any similarity to real people. Of course he'll be a good guy anyway; I don't think any of his heirs will object. It's one of my goals, long term, for the moment.
Friday, April 02, 2021
Thursday, October 29, 2020
Postcards from the Edge
Halfway to Graceland
Center of the Universe
Center of the Universe II
These postcards are from a specific era in my life when I was using xerox machines to create graphic arts. The full collection is here although it is not quite complete yet. You'll see a number of ones from Carbondale including the ones above.
It was a prolific time for my pop art - the xerox art had started in Kansas in about 1990 and continued right through the nineties until I got more into posterization and computer-generated pop.
The good news is that I am working on a pop art book entirely about Carbondale. These aren't in it; they are early, and not as good quality, as the posterization. But they had a kind of inspiration that I still like. I will try to complete this collection and then link to it from templates.
Monday, June 01, 2020
All from before is now obsolete
100 Haiku paperback $4.29 + shipping on Amazon
kindle $2.99
This book has given "Boxcars on Walnut" (see the ad on the side) a new life, for this reason: small haiku books are clearly the way to go. Putting a thousand in a single volume was clearly beyond my ability to sustain, not to mention do well, and this one in general has a much better chance.
American haiku, 5-7-5, is alive and well. Making a collection of them gives you a single form for every one in the book, and there's something to be said for that. When it's all over, Boxcars on Walnut will be the first of a series.
Thursday, November 01, 2018
I was proud to learn that when the president tried to fly into southern Illinois, have a lightning rally at the airport, and leave town fast, a number of people were there to greet him. Someone who owned a farm near the airport allowed their land to be used for a huge "LIAR" sign, visible from the airport. The paid audience, many of whom came from elsewhere, were there to boo the protesters, but there were more protesters. Maybe they can't pay people enough to go to these rallies.
He hasn't been especially good for southern Illinois; he promised to bring back dirty coal, but, I don't think that will do it for southern Illinois, even if he were able to do that. I don't even think they want dirty coal anymore. Hospitals are one of our few remaining industries, and hospitals have been full of black lung for years. Dirty coal is not the answer.
I'll get a picture if I can. All I can say is, VOTE. That stooge you have in there who keeps voting for things like tax cuts for the wealthy, he has to go too.
He hasn't been especially good for southern Illinois; he promised to bring back dirty coal, but, I don't think that will do it for southern Illinois, even if he were able to do that. I don't even think they want dirty coal anymore. Hospitals are one of our few remaining industries, and hospitals have been full of black lung for years. Dirty coal is not the answer.
I'll get a picture if I can. All I can say is, VOTE. That stooge you have in there who keeps voting for things like tax cuts for the wealthy, he has to go too.
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
e pluribus haiku 2018
$2.99 on Kindle
1000 original haiku from fifty states and the District of Columbia - written in an original 5-7-5 style. Haiku are colorful and physical and include a season word or hint. Because the USA is geographically spread out, geography clues are necessary too.
Saturday, April 07, 2018
Thursday, June 08, 2017
e pluribus haiku 2017
Available at Amazon $6.29 + shipping
Available at the Createspace Store $6.29 + shipping
Available on Kindle $3.59
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Thursday, December 22, 2016
Friday, December 02, 2016
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Quaker Plays for First Days
This is a southern Illinois thing:
$7.28 + shipping at Amazon
All profits go to Quaker organizations
$7.28 + shipping at Amazon
All profits go to Quaker organizations
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
more haiku
wakes up from th’strange dream,
magicians, dragons, ‘n’ castles –
‘no name road’ street sign
up devil’s backbone,
th’frog comes a bit too early,
and th’snake is ready
came back from l a –
he says it was th’prom, but could’ve
been seventeenth street
road t’ th’christmas tree farm –
at an old texaco sign,
he sees th’stud’baker
homecoming parade –
chi-o’s are telling the delts
plans for th’spillway
grand tower levee –
barge workers wave, when they’re not
fighting that current
interfaith windows,
broken in th’riots – used t’hit
th’army recruiting
fifty arrested
‘n th’halloween “disturbances” –
most from out of town
on boskydell road,
goes ninety – not listening to
th’shrill warnings ‘f th’locusts
chance t’go up t’duquoin –
he climbs on th’big main stage, where
charlie daniels played
reunion ‘t quatro’s –
only th’freshmen look diff’rent,
pizza’s good ‘s ever
they march t’ward mélange,
everyone’s a bit too cold –
then, th’kid spots santa
turn left ‘t th’smiley face,
vulture fest’s down that valley –
yellow, ‘n’ has th’bowtie
magicians, dragons, ‘n’ castles –
‘no name road’ street sign
up devil’s backbone,
th’frog comes a bit too early,
and th’snake is ready
came back from l a –
he says it was th’prom, but could’ve
been seventeenth street
road t’ th’christmas tree farm –
at an old texaco sign,
he sees th’stud’baker
homecoming parade –
chi-o’s are telling the delts
plans for th’spillway
grand tower levee –
barge workers wave, when they’re not
fighting that current
interfaith windows,
broken in th’riots – used t’hit
th’army recruiting
fifty arrested
‘n th’halloween “disturbances” –
most from out of town
on boskydell road,
goes ninety – not listening to
th’shrill warnings ‘f th’locusts
chance t’go up t’duquoin –
he climbs on th’big main stage, where
charlie daniels played
reunion ‘t quatro’s –
only th’freshmen look diff’rent,
pizza’s good ‘s ever
they march t’ward mélange,
everyone’s a bit too cold –
then, th’kid spots santa
turn left ‘t th’smiley face,
vulture fest’s down that valley –
yellow, ‘n’ has th’bowtie
Sunday, June 19, 2016
still more
end ‘f th’long grim winter
saint patrick’s day, they seem t’know
t’find their way t’elm street
tried th’cobden peaches,
rich ‘n’ juicy, sweet ‘n’ wet ‘n’ yellow,
moved here from new york
little grand canyon –
nice hike along th’autumn ridge,
little too long ‘n th’valley
from devil’s backbone,
they watch th’barges fight th’river
then cruise right back down
devil’s kitchen lake –
always best, he says, t’hide th’car
with no duck sticker
jury duty, murph –
th’judge has th’bailiff bring th’hot tea,
they still want t’go home
th’kid likes th’water tower,
smiley face with th’big bow tie –
b’neath it, th’leaves change
th’rainbows use chopsticks
t’pull coins from b’neath th’long branch porch –
bean soup f’r th’gathering
saint patrick’s day, they seem t’know
t’find their way t’elm street
tried th’cobden peaches,
rich ‘n’ juicy, sweet ‘n’ wet ‘n’ yellow,
moved here from new york
little grand canyon –
nice hike along th’autumn ridge,
little too long ‘n th’valley
from devil’s backbone,
they watch th’barges fight th’river
then cruise right back down
devil’s kitchen lake –
always best, he says, t’hide th’car
with no duck sticker
jury duty, murph –
th’judge has th’bailiff bring th’hot tea,
they still want t’go home
th’kid likes th’water tower,
smiley face with th’big bow tie –
b’neath it, th’leaves change
th’rainbows use chopsticks
t’pull coins from b’neath th’long branch porch –
bean soup f’r th’gathering
Thursday, June 16, 2016
more haiku
warm ‘n’ steamy evening –
she gets th’reds from th’closet, t’plan for
t’mato fertil’ty
horn player’s fingers –
he wonders why th’lights parade
is on th’coldest night
fresh painted dawg paws –
too much time watching kids shows,
the boys call them ‘clues’
t’buy th’pomona store –
th’weeds’ve got it, but th’problem is,
th’gas tank beneath it
three a.m., amtrak
station, october evening –
th’guests wonder ‘bout th’crowds
long line ‘f cherry cars,
he tells how they held th’nats – ‘til
they too got rowdy
weeds in th’labyrinth –
tales ‘f synergy, and th’students
who so loved bucky
makanda boardwalk –
gets déjà vu, when th’old guy
talks ‘bout vulture fest
when th’concert’s ‘t shryock,
th’kids all want t’hang ‘round th’fountain,
‘n’ try t’splash each other
reggae comes t’turley –
matted hair lass says, this one’s
more fragrant than th’rest
she gets th’reds from th’closet, t’plan for
t’mato fertil’ty
horn player’s fingers –
he wonders why th’lights parade
is on th’coldest night
fresh painted dawg paws –
too much time watching kids shows,
the boys call them ‘clues’
t’buy th’pomona store –
th’weeds’ve got it, but th’problem is,
th’gas tank beneath it
three a.m., amtrak
station, october evening –
th’guests wonder ‘bout th’crowds
long line ‘f cherry cars,
he tells how they held th’nats – ‘til
they too got rowdy
weeds in th’labyrinth –
tales ‘f synergy, and th’students
who so loved bucky
makanda boardwalk –
gets déjà vu, when th’old guy
talks ‘bout vulture fest
when th’concert’s ‘t shryock,
th’kids all want t’hang ‘round th’fountain,
‘n’ try t’splash each other
reggae comes t’turley –
matted hair lass says, this one’s
more fragrant than th’rest
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
carbondale haiku, 6-16
memories ‘f jim ‘n’ ruth’s –
th’leaves fall on th’tiny street,
th’stories tumble out
(6-16)
midland inn’s back porch –
crickets chirp, ‘n’ th’old man tells how
they had t’come here t’drink
(6-16)
chief illiniwek
blanket – th’kid sleeps through th’fireworks
down by th’arena
(6-16)
at th’friendship statue –
th’freshmen ‘n’ their parents find
th’mill street underpass
(6-16)
fall’n trees on campus –
those visitors won’t forget
that graduation
(6-16)
no power, two weeks-
th’neighbors ‘n th’sultry back yards
sharing th’gen’rators
(6-16)
pile ‘f anti-war signs –
choose one at th’pavilion, stand
on th’corner, by th’leaves
(6-16)
irish fests 't turley -
for years, th'kids took in th'music
'n' it always seemed t'rain
(6-16)
th’leaves fall on th’tiny street,
th’stories tumble out
(6-16)
midland inn’s back porch –
crickets chirp, ‘n’ th’old man tells how
they had t’come here t’drink
(6-16)
chief illiniwek
blanket – th’kid sleeps through th’fireworks
down by th’arena
(6-16)
at th’friendship statue –
th’freshmen ‘n’ their parents find
th’mill street underpass
(6-16)
fall’n trees on campus –
those visitors won’t forget
that graduation
(6-16)
no power, two weeks-
th’neighbors ‘n th’sultry back yards
sharing th’gen’rators
(6-16)
pile ‘f anti-war signs –
choose one at th’pavilion, stand
on th’corner, by th’leaves
(6-16)
irish fests 't turley -
for years, th'kids took in th'music
'n' it always seemed t'rain
(6-16)
Thursday, June 02, 2016
return of the boxcars
For a while, when I left Carbondale, it was hard to think about it, and I knew it would be, so I compiled my haiku about Carbondale into this one little edition, printed it on paper, and offered it free to anyone who lived in Carbondale. It remains that way today, three years later, but I've given very few of them away, and don't really like a system where it is not really available to the public except through contacting me. It has some of my earlier and better haiku, and is not burdened necessarily by geography as much of my haiku is, since it's clear, from the start, that it's southern Illinois.
I took it out the other day, and was reading it, and decided a few things. 1) I should republish it, and add to it, a variety of things that are not represented in it, for starters, sunset concerts, hallowe'en riots, other things. 2) there is no such thing as "no season haiku" (or, to put it better, though one can maintain that one doesn't need a season for haiku, I don't want to maintain that...3) the process of adding to it, and putting it on Amazon with other publications, would be fun and good for me, though it might take a while.
So there it is - it's coming. It might take a year or two, but it's coming.
This site is kind of indirectly named for Carbondale haiku. The name and the haiku arrived at about the same time. It's not quite accurate to say the site is here for the publication. I put all kinds of Carbondale things here, and will continue to do so. I maintain my offer. If you would like this first edition, paper copy, let me know. I have people coming and going from Carbondale often; it might not even cost me for shipping.
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Longbranch remembered
Longbranch Coffee Shop gets its thirty seconds of fame.
Apparently someone from Carbondale was watching this television show, and there it was. CBS had bought the image. Which reminds me, I have images like this as well. They are what I use to remember Carbondale. And I remember it well.
At one point in Carbondale, I was a single father, and had two young children, but only half of the time. My own week was intensive. I did my best with them. When it was over, I'd give them back grudgingly. But then I'd walk down to the Longbranch - usually at night. I'd order a hot coffee and sit out on the patio watching trains. In winter, I'd stay indoors, but usually away from the smoke. It had a lot of smoke those days. It was the smoker's cafe.
Apparently someone from Carbondale was watching this television show, and there it was. CBS had bought the image. Which reminds me, I have images like this as well. They are what I use to remember Carbondale. And I remember it well.
At one point in Carbondale, I was a single father, and had two young children, but only half of the time. My own week was intensive. I did my best with them. When it was over, I'd give them back grudgingly. But then I'd walk down to the Longbranch - usually at night. I'd order a hot coffee and sit out on the patio watching trains. In winter, I'd stay indoors, but usually away from the smoke. It had a lot of smoke those days. It was the smoker's cafe.
Friday, April 15, 2016
Monday, December 28, 2015
Monday, December 14, 2015
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