Even "the guerrilla fighter of poets" can end up teaching in a classroom.  Brendan Constatine is currently reading in Albuquerque with fellow Southern California poet Peggy Dobreer.  Constatine writes, "I'm honored to be a guest in NM, a place with such a rich tradition of art. Honestly the idea of bringing poetry to NM is like brining your own sculptures to Greece."

Ms. Dobreer, with a keen eye for nature, has a different kind of insight.  Both will be featured this Wednesday April 6th at the Blackbird Buvette for the monthly Poetry & Beer night starting at 8:00.  There will also be an open mic and slam.  Oh, and pass the hat.

Brendan Constantine is a poet based in Hollywood. His work has appeared in numerous journals, most notably Ploughshares, Ninth Letter, The Los Angeles Review, Redivider, RUNES and LA Times Best-seller The Underground Guide To Los Angeles. His first book, Letters To Guns, was released in 2009 from Red Hen Press.  Peggy Dobreer is co-author of 64 Ways to Practice Nonviolence, A Curriculum and Resource Guide, and is an advocate for the practice of nonviolence in our schools and everyday lives.

Cold Reading

It's really cold in here now,
easily forty below something,
and half the class is asleep.
Snow dazzles in the windows,
makes a cake of each desk.
It's really cold in here now.
I've been lecturing on the same
poem for twenty-six hours
and half the class is asleep.
I want them to get it. I start
to talk about death again
and it's really cold in here now.
One student has frozen solid,
her hair snapping off in the wind
and half the class is asleep.
"See that," I say, "Lisa gets it."
But it's so cold in here now
half the class are white dunes
shifting to the sea.

--Brendan Constantine

across the ribs

       of red canyon

at the mercy of planets

rants in bold letters echo

through layers where a river

once birthed a teeming bosque

ran so full it punctured rock 

wait!

jutting around the next cliff

there's a cherry tree explosion

giant script stippled of orchards

misplaced in a moistless landscape

sweet white blooms wet on emerald

fittings merge at impossible junctures

as kindly as two submissive moons

orbiting ever without implosion

volunteers grow from shale rock

survive to deny any absence of 

blossoms O sing wayward comet

stay alive in a merciless sky

--Peggy Dobreer

Poetry submissions are welcome.  Email theditchrider@gmail.com.