What's going on, Albuquerque?

The DitchRider's Blog – January 2010 Archive (6)

The Sunday Poem: Richard Oyama... What Is Richard Doing In Albuquerque?

Do your friends far away ever wonder why you are living in Albuquerque? It is hard to explain to an outsider. This poem will make you smile as your head moves up, down, and sideways. It probably won't help your friends much.

Born in New York City, Oyama has a Master's degree in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. He lives in NE Albuquerque.

Authors Note: In September 2009, at the invitation of Bob… Continue

Added by The DitchRider on January 31, 2010 at 8:00am — 15 Comments

The Sunday Poem: Sara Marie Ortiz... Twisted Light

Most of us have imagined the moment of our own death. But when Death comes calling, it is a 'come-as-you-are' affair...sometimes with a twist.

Sara Marie Ortiz, of Acoma Pueblo by way of Albuquerque and Santa Fe, reads at the Church of Beethoven. Her work has won numerous awards. Currently she is the assistant coach with the Spoken Word Team at the Santa Fe Indian School. She is also working on a couple of screenplays, one of which is about… Continue

Added by The DitchRider on January 24, 2010 at 8:00am — 5 Comments

The Sunday Poem: Georgia Santa-Maria... Love Poem for my Stove

A wood-burning cook stove is the total opposite of that funky electric Hotpoint you had in your first apartment. There are tricks to using one but once you know how, it becomes a partner in turning a cold room into a sweet-smelling, warm kitchen. No wonder they are passed down from generation to generation.

Georgia Santa-Maria is an Albuquerque native, born in the old purple brick St. Jo’s on Martin Luther King. Jewell Thompson, her 5th grade… Continue

Added by The DitchRider on January 17, 2010 at 7:30am — 8 Comments

The Sunday Poem: Jessica Lopez... Ordinary Woman

The extraordinary Jessica Lopez reflects on "the ink blots and back ants" of love gone bad.

Jessica Helen Lopez is a Poetry and Creative Writing Teacher/NM History Instructor at Robert F. Kennedy Charter High School. She is a former member of 2006 and 2007 City of Albuquerque Slam Team and the 2008 National Champion UNM Lobo Slam Team. She is currently a member of the writing collective and performance troupe Mestizo… Continue

Added by The DitchRider on January 10, 2010 at 8:00am — 8 Comments

In Memorium: DCF Poet Maisha Baton... July 2,1938 - Dec. 27, 2009

Albuquerque poet Maisha Baton died on December 27th of cancer. She had spent the last few months with her daughter and family in Pittsburgh, PA. She was 71.

Maisha was featured in the Duke City Fix on April 19th in The Sunday Poem series. In that poem, FROM SHIPROCK TO ALBUQUERQUE, are the following lines:

And the only path open to us… Continue

Added by The DitchRider on January 5, 2010 at 8:00am — 14 Comments

The Sunday Poem: Gary Brower... Shooting With Dick Near Corpus Christi

Dick Cheney continues to insert himself into the current political debate. Poet Gary L. Brower has the former VP in his metaphoric sights as he focuses on a very real hunting trip. The Incident occurred on February 11, 2006, when then U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney shot Harry Whittington, a 78-year-old Texas attorney, while participating in a quail hunt. Both Cheney and Whittington called the incident an accident.

Gary Brower is one of the… Continue

Added by The DitchRider on January 3, 2010 at 7:30am — 7 Comments