Good morning, Albuquerque! It's soooooo early! Who is up and about at this time of day? Are you up? Why are you up? Why is anybody up at this hour?! It has to be the poetry, yes? I'm still bleary-eyed from last night's Southwest…

Good morning, Albuquerque! Is that coffee I smell? What can I say but THANK YOU to those who have offered me so many kind words and encouragement as I continue to steer this…

Good morning, Albuquerque! Rich Boucher here, back again as your interim editor (for June and July) of The DitchRider. Before we dive in, I would like to thank Jon for this opportunity (again) the take the wheel here. This is an honor and a privilege and I'm grateful for…

Anyone who wanders into the wild canyons of life, eventually picks up the sandy rocks, notices the obsidian flakes, and kicks the dirt a little.  This morning's poem promises to keep our eventual destination in mind, no matter what we encounter.…

Those familiar with Rudolfo Carrillo's work will absolutely love this new piece.  As the title suggests, a marvelous, complicated trip awaits the reader.  "I dreamt Orion was invisible." says the poet.  So that pretty much leaves us to wander without his familiar presence.  Yes, "The hunter lies…

The sweet sadness of Julie Brokken "bubbles like cream soda slowly sipped" in a tall glass of poetry this morning.  Happy Mothers Day!

Julie Brokken works out of her White Butterfly Studio in downtown Albuquerque's…

With one poem, Marilyn Stablein has managed to redefine a color that had a somewhat lonely, if not negative, place in my memory.  Blue brings a smile this morning.



Ms. Stablein is reading at…

Just about one year ago, Hakim Bellamy was selected as Albuquerque's first Poet Laureate. What an honor!  And what a responsibility.  How can a poet be such an active presence in the community and continue writing at the same time?  Somehow he's doing it...and brilliantly.  His first book of poems came out…

If any kind of poem seeks to crystallize the meaning of life itself, it is one that is written to a son or daughter.  As hard as that is, Gina Marselle sprinkles plenty of memorable images in the direction of her beautiful baby boy.

Ms. Marselle, "Wife. Mother. Teacher. Poet.…

Jessica Lopez draws me into her world with every line.  Writing with power, passion, and insight, she can leave the reader breathless.  You can hear Jessica Helen Lopez read for free next Sunday April 14th at the Tractor Brewing Co. in Nob Hill as part of the "I'll Drink To That" series. …

Have a vision for America?  Have a plan for you own life?  Does Grover Norquist intrude upon your quiet thoughts about what tomorrow might hold?  If you do nothing else this morning, read on.  Thanks to Zach Kluckman for the heads-up on Lauren Zuniga's coming to town and…

Despite this week’s cold snap, we have all been outside thinking about our gardens, worrying about those fruit trees, and glancing at the tangled hose half buried under the brown leaves out back.  Welcome to spring!  “Avoid bunnies,” adds the poet.



Merimee Moffitt lives in…

This morning Margaret Randall will be reading at Sunday Chatter (formerly Church of Beethoven).  You can hear her read "Cursive Writing..." in person.  I can…

Sit down for coffee with Nathan Brown and watch the people around you.  Ride along the Rio Grande with Cathy Arellano and wonder about your life as the sheriff comes into view.  Ah...Sundays.…

Maine poets Wil Gibson and Beau Williams rolled into town this weekend.  They read last night at One Night Only  which was staged at The Source on Carlisle Blvd in southeast Albuquerque.  Gibson claims Rockford, Illinois as a hometown.  As does another of…

Lyre Snakes are a mildly poisonous snake found throughout the southwest.  Named for the V-shaped marking on their head, they are not easily observed--being primarily nocturnal and living deep in rock crevices and canyon walls.  They are said to eat lizards, rodents, and even bats.



New Mexico…

I heard that sometime within the next five years, there will actually be more guns in the U.S. than people.  Is there no turning back?  Must we live with instant death forever?  How crass have we become?  Is there a tipping point?



Margaret Randall continues her work here in Nob Hill and…

Many, many people regard the Rio Grande valley as a holy place.  What does that mean?  Well, for one thing, it seems to draw a lot of people to it that imagine or re-imagine the essence of life on this earth.  This is seldom a matter of belief, rather an individual perception of what is, what flows, and what…

Yesterday, Rev. Jesse Jackson asked President Obama to come to Chicago.  The occasion?  Death by gunfire in the streets of Chicago, including that of a young woman who had participated in Obama's Inauguration festivities in Washington D.C.  In the U.S. 1280 people have been killed by guns just since last…