Laura Young

VCCA Structure XXVIII

Mark Young

geographies: Saint-Saturnin-des-Ligneries

                                               In a single-pass sequence 

                     derived from a single 

                                            complementary DNA (cDNA) 

                                    clone, she built a catafalque 

                                             in the crypt under the 

                                           Capitol rotunda. All

                                               brown ink, with gray wash, 

                            over traces of black chalk,

                                         adhering to the sequence 

                             in keeping with strict military 

                                                     protocols. International 

                                           customers are welcome.

***

A Line from Stephen Hawking

By day, I'm an online 
media buyer, grew up 
with a passion & talent
for playing baseball. 

On Fridays I like to shoot
pool or collect oral histories
at cocktail parties. I looked 
in the toy section & saw

a sampling of narratives 
drawn from doing jet 
set events. Physics is
nearing its end; but I 

have a similar juicer at 
home that makes peanut 
butter. There are things still
to prove. Looking inwards 

at ourselves may influence 
a child's perception of self 
identity, but where are 
the environmental benefits?


***
***

Contributors to On Barcelona as of Sept. 29, 2014

January 2012

Aaron Belz, Geoffrey Gatza, Larissa Shmailo, Gregory Vincent de St. Tomasino, Charles Bane Jr., Stephen Russell, Bill Pearlman, Michael Rothenberg, Helen Duberstein, David Weinstock, Rodney Nelson, Alexandra Schor, Glen Phillips, Jaime Manrique, Dean Faulwell, Hilton Obenzinger, Burt Kimmelman, Anthony Robinson, Tony Mancus, Donna Fleischer, Lynda Schor, Hal Sirowitz, bobbi lurie, Halvard Johnson, Andrew Burke, Ken Wolman, Philip Hartigan, Paul Murphy, Steve Tills, Bill Dunlap, John M. Bennett, Robert Hughes via Halvard Johnson, Richard Livermore, Nancy Scott, Ramón Gómez de la Serna via Richard Kostelanetz, Harriet Zinnes, rob mclennan, Janet Mason, Steve Dalachinsky, Colin Morton, Lakey Comess, Patrick McManus, Lawrence Upton, Nathalie F. Anderson, Gunnar Ekelöf via Edward Field, Mark Weiss, Sheila F. Murphy, James Cervantes, Jill Jones, Douglas Barbour, Calvin Pennix, Bob Marcacci, Bonnie MacAllister, Anny Ballardini, Johanna Fischer, Mark Melnicove, David Rakowski, William Bain, Jerry McGuire, Hugh Behm-Steinberg, Hugh and Jane Stilley, Roger Mitchell, Larry Goodell, Amy King, Jan Clausen, Jasper Brinton, Ric Carfagna, Mark Prudowsky

February 2012

Rose Mary Boehm, Eileen Tabios, Janet Spangler, Laura Young, Lila Zeiger, Jack Dowling, William Bain, John M. Bennett, Douglas Barbour, Katherine Soniat, Sheila F. Murphy, James Cervantes, Jeff Harrison, Paul Charles Howell, Lars Palm, Mary Kasimor, George Bowering, Alvin Greenberg, Jose Padua, Alan Sondheim

March 2012

George Bowering, Laura Young, Dick Allen, William Bain, Steve Dalachinsky, Rose Mary Boehm, John M. Bennett, Mark DuCharme, Dominic Fox, Elizabeth Switaj, Thad Rutkowski, Felino A. Soriano, Michael Andre

April 2012

Jukka-Pekka Kervinen, Robin Mookerjee, John M. Bennett, Laura Young, Lanny Quarles, Mark Prudowsky, Chris Mansell, Dean Faulwell, Bjørn Magnhildøen, Jacques Prèvert via Harriet Zinnes, Alan Sondheim, Michael Andre, Harriet Zinnes, Dominic Fox, Max Richards, Cheryl Pallant, Lakey Comess, Gloria Avner, Andrew J. Jones, Steve Tills, David Gitin, Vivekanand Jha, Susan Lewis, Joel Chace, Patrick McManus

May 2012

Jasper Brinton, Laura Young, John M. Bennett, Jane Joritz-Nakagawa, William Bain, Gene Tanta, Cortney Bledsoe, Márton Koppány, Alex M. Pruteanu, Andrew Burke, Paul Charles Howell, bobbi lurie, Barry Spacks, Mark Prudowsky, Vernon Frazer, Michael Farrell, Barry Seiler, Halvard Johnson, Matthew Hill, Tucker Stilley, Caleb Puckett, Edgar Gabriel Silex, Rudolfo Carrillo, Audrey Friedman, Sheila E. Murphy, Lars Palm, Diana Magallón

June 2012

Harriet Green, Joanna Howard, John M. Bennett, Lena Bartula, Skip Fox, Jukka-Pekka Kervinen, Harriet Zinnes, Gray Jacobik, Hal Sirowitz, Sheila E. Murphy, Douglas Barbour, Edward Field, Lawrence Upton, Mark Weiss, Laura Young, Michael Kelleher, Mark Melnicove, Will Hochman, Jim Cory, William Allegrezza, Rafi Lev, Peter Ciccariello, Mark Young, Donna Kuhn, bobbi lurie, Rodney Nelson, Steve Dalachinsky, Mark DuCharme, Calvin Pennix, Murat Nemet-Nejat, Erik H. Rzepka, Michael Gottlieb, Barry Alpert, Jasper Brinton, Niels Hav, Adam Fieled, James Cervantes, Frederick Pollack, Donna Fleischer, Steve Tills, Paul Siegell, Scott Keeney, William Bain, Jill Jones, Diana Magallón, Jessy Randall

July 2012

Scott Keeney, Larry Goodell, John M. Bennett, Stephen Caratzas, Barry Seiler, Rudolfo Carrillo, Caleb Puckett, Felino Soriano, Peter Ciccariello, Alan Britt, Russ Golata, Laura Young, Jane Joritz-Nakagawa, Dean Faulwell, Michael Gottlieb, Lakey Comess, Marc Vincenz, Glen Phillips, Steve Dalachinsky, Karri Kokko

August 2012

Ric Carfagna, Barry Spacks, Wendy Battin, David Graham, Jukka-Pekka Kervinen, Allen Bramhall, Orchid Tierney, Halvard Johnson, Ruth Damon, Jeff Harrison, Erik H. Rzepka, Roger Mitchell, Russ Golata, David Gitin, Sarah Edwards, John M. Bennett, Donna Kuhn, H. Palmer Hall, Márton Koppány, Gloria Avner, Basil King, Daniel Zimmerman, David Rakowski, Chris Jones, Steve Dalachinsky, Marge Merrill, Scott Keeney, Stephen Ellis, Lars Palm, Bill Wootton, mIEKAL aND, Andrew Burke, Gwyn McVay, David Howard, Rudolfo Carrillo, Mark Thomas, R. Clark Morrow, Al Maginnes, Peter Ganick

September 2012

John M. Bennett, Steve Tills, Jukka-Pekka Kervinen, Alan Sondheim, Peter Ganick, Rudolfo Carrillo, David Hopes, James Cervantes, Márton Koppány, Lynda Schor, Stephen Russell, Diana Magallón, Mark Prudowsky, John Oughton, Russ Golata, Bjørn Magnhildøen, Jasper Brinton, Luc Fierens, Halvard Johnson, Nico Vassilakis, David Weinstock, Colin Morton, Jaap Stijl, Isma'il ibn Ali al-Sadiq, Talan Memmott, Vernon Frazer, Jim Andrews, Barbara Moore Vincent, Volodymyr Bilyk, Christopher Barnes, Sheila Black, Kristin Palombit

October 2012

Nico Vassilakis, Katherine Soniat, Russ Golata, Jim Andrews, Jukka-Pekka Kervinen, Dean Faulwell, Lakey Comess, Luc Fierens, Stephen Ellis, Márton Koppány, Christopher C. Jones, Volodymyr Bilyk, Ziba Karbassi, Jim Leftwich & John M. Bennett, Jim Bennett,  rob mclennan, Laura Young, Andrew Burke, Felino A. Soriano, Jim Wittenberg

November 2012

Kit Robinson, Diana Magallón, Donna Kuhn, Michael Fleming, Mark Prudowsky, Márton Koppány, Rae Desmond Jones, John M. Bennett, Lars Palm, Diana Magallón, David Harrison Horton, Volodymyr Bilyk, Teresa Peipens, John C. Goodman, Mary Kasimor, Peter Gannick, John M. Bennett, Glenn Bach, Laura Young 

December 2012

Rudolfo Carillo, Bob BrueckL, Laura Young, Jan Clausen, Felino Soriano, Joel Chace, Jasper Brinton, Vernon Frazer, Luc Fierens, Ruth Lepson, Lynda Schor, Philip Meersman, John Oughton, Alicia Askenase, Hugh Seidman, Catherine Daly, Victoria Marinelli, Anthony Robinson, Lawrence Upton, Russ Golata, Paul Howell, Rudolfo Carrillo

January 2013

John Oughton, Ken Wolman, Lakey Comess, Marge Merrill, Martha Deed, Nancy Scott, Volodymyr Bilyk, David Howard, Eileen Tabios, Larissa Shmailo, John M. Bennett, Luc Fierens, Bob BrueckL, Marthe Reed, Sheila E. Murphy, Stephen Ellis, Ann Neuser Lederer, Vernon Frazer, Richard Kostelanetz, Caleb Puckett, rob mclennan, Russ Golata, Jukka-Pekka Kervinen, William Bain, Michael Andre, Katherine Soniat, Satu Kaikkonen, Lars Palm, Felino A. Soriano, Murray Jennings, James Cervantes 

February 2013

Alla Vilnyanskaya, Laura Young, Nico Vassilakis, Wendy Battin, John M. Bennett, Jasper Brinton, Tad Richards, Larry Goodell, Charles Taylor, Alan Sondheim, Diana Magallón, G. Robert Jeaurond, Volodymyr Bilyk, B.E. Kahn, William Bain, Joseph Somoza

March 2013

Diana Magallón, Allen Bramhall, Diane Jackman, rob mclennan, Bob Marcacci, Halvard Johnson, Rudolfo Carrillo, Lakey Comess, David Howard, Federico Federici, John M. Bennett, Niels Hav, Alicia Salinas

April 2013

John Oliver Simon, Volodymyr Bilyk, Taylor Reid, Mark Prudowsky, Elizabeth Terrazas, Murray Jennings, Stephen Ellis, John M. Bennett, Felino A. Soriano, Sheila E. Murphy, James Finnegan

May 2013

Lawrence Upton, Volodymyr Bilyk, John M. Bennett, Peter Ganick, James Bell, Bob BrueckL, Rudolfo Carrillo, Francesco Aprile, Allen Bramhall, Francesco Levato, Laura Young, Adam Fieled, Pansy Maurer-Alvarez

June 2013

Laura Young, Felino A. Soriano, Aurora Margrethe, Stephen Ellis, Dean Faulwell, Volodymyr Bilyk, Andrew K. Peterson

July 2013

Glenn Bach, Charles Taylor, Lakey Comess, John M. Bennett, Lynda Schor, Joseph Somoza, Signe Hammer, Sheila E. Murphy, Volodymyr Bilyk, Vernon Frazer, Ray Greenblatt, Matt Margo, Ric Carfagna

August 2013

Marcus Bales, Stephen Ellis, Andrew Cantrell, Alan Sondheim, Allen Bramhall, Felino A. Soriano, Jesse S. Mitchell, Albino Carrillo, Donna Kuhn, Camille Martin, Márton Koppány, Mark Prudowsky, Alan Sondheim, Wendy Battin, Peter Ciccariello, Martha Deed

Sept. 2013

Rudolfo Carrillo, Márton Koppány, Alan Sondheim, Martha Deed, rob mclennan, David Howard, Charles Taylor, Lanny Quarles, R. Clark Morrow, Lynda Schor, Skip Fox, Halvard Johnson, Alyssa Black, Colin Morton, Joel Chace, Stephen Ellis, John M. Bennett, Lakey Comess, Felino A. Soriano, Volodymyr Bilyk

October 2013

Allen Bramhall, Bob BrueckL, Márton Koppány

November 2013

Mark Prudowsky, Stephen Ellis, Márton Koppány, Jim Benz, Jesse S. Mitchell, Vernon Frazer, Nazar Honczar, Laura Young, David Bircumshaw

December 2013

Volodymyr Bilyk, Lawrence Upton, Andrew Burke, Laura Young, Murray Jennings, Coral Carter, David Howard, Felino A. Soriano, Wendy Battin

January 2014

James Cervantes, Joel Chace, Harriet Zinnes, Bill Wootton, Lawrence Upton, Kenneth Wolman, Donna Kuhn, Edgar Gabriel Silex, Ali Znaidi, Nancy Scott, Charles Bane, Jr., Charles Taylor, Susan Lewis, Caleb Puckett, Adam Fieled

February 2014

Colin Herd, John M. Bennett, Janet Joritz-Nakagawa, Peter Ganick, Mike Sikkema, Joel Chace, Md Khan, Vernon Frazer, Stephen Ellis, Matt Hill, Bob Marcacci

March 2014

Mark Prudowsky, John M. Bennett, Hal Sirowitz, Matthew Rotando, Volodymyr Bilyk, Carole Rosenthal, Ali Znaidi

April 2014

Philip Garrison, Márton Koppány, Lawrence Upton, Laura Young, Bob BrueckL, Larissa Shmailo, Volodymyr Bilyk

May 2014

Ric Carfagna,  Allen Bramhall, Ali Znaidi, Felino A. Soriano, Laura Young,  John M. Bennett, Lanny Quarles, Lynda Schor, Sue Beere, Charles Taylor, J.P. Dancing Bear

June 2014

David Howard, Anny Ballardini, Charles Taylor, Joseph Somoza, Halvard Johnson, Alan Sondheim, William Allegrezza, Eileen Tabios, Philip Byron Oakes, Márton Koppány, Virginie Colline

July 2014

 Roger Mitchell, Mark DuCharme, Susan Lewis

August 2014

David Hopes, Vernon Frazer, Eric Dickey, Mark Young, Laura Young

September 2014

Hugh Behm-Steinberg, Bob BrueckL, Eileen Tabios, 

Eric Dickey

I Saw Your Blue Taurus

When I rounded the corner,

a blue Taurus just like yours

pulled into the parking spot

next to my stomach.

The left tire stopped inches 

from the curb of my tongue.

My words wanted to climb in

as if it were you

and your blue Taurus

coming to take me to the Dog’s Head 

rocks of the Lamoille River 

to make our minds green with the forest.

Our lives were like the water 

squeezing through narrow rocks.

The gushing sound, always there.

Can’t talk over it,

just listened to each other’s faces.

The language of moon and leaf,

our caregivers.

Your blue Taurus knows the way.

***

Five Quiet Squirrel Disquisitions

1.       I travel the freeways of trees.

          Branches dart like lightning;

          I leap from strike to strike.

2.      A man sits beneath my sycamore

         writing in his book.

         His thoughts scuttle like ants 

         and caterpillars across the page.

3.      Raccoons sneak in the doggy door at night. 

         They wash their hands in the water bowl 

         and eat the leftover dog food. And so they go, 

         from house to house.

4.      A woman sleeps with her mouth open. 

         She wakes with a fright

         when I claw up the wall. 

5.     This maple is not her tree:

         The carved heart has a P and a K

          but that doesn’t really matter.

***

How Embarrassing

          after Pentti Saarikoski

When I get on the bus,

the driver is alone. 

I sit in the first seat to keep him company.

What time did you start this morning?

How many runs do you do a day?

Do you ever change routes mid-shift?

I see his brow furrow in the mirror,

I am embarrassed by my questions. 

I think I should just shut up, and do.

I can’t tell if the bus driver is relieved or not. 

He probably doesn’t give a shit one way or the

other and doesn’t return my small talk

with more than single syllable simian grunts.

Embarrassing, the lone passenger 

on a big empty bus. Holding a bag

of groceries on my lap. 

I get to my mother’s house

and put the bag on the table.

I give her a hug and sigh

into her shoulder. 

As I leave through her front door, 

I look around to make sure the neighbors 

aren’t throwing spears at me

with their disapproving glares: embarrassing, 

a grown man going to his mother for sympathy,

they say. 

Two more people are on the bus. 

What a relief. I sit across from them. 

One disagrees with the other 

about their aunt’s last wishes and turns to look 

out the window. She squints her eyes tightly

like the bevel of a fine blade.

The other glowers at me with her daggers.

I shift my gaze to their feet

bound tightly in their shoes.

I return home. My wife wants to know 

when I will finish chopping the pile of wood.

I can’t tell her to back off

and have to come up with an answer.

“Saturday.” She hands me the ax

anyway. I go to the pile

but I don’t stop. I keep going.

Back on the bus, the two sisters are here

again. I say hello to the driver; he returns with 

“Afternoon.” looking at his mirrors.

I walk past the women, “Hello again.” 

The one is still looking out the window.

The other smirks at me.

I move to the back of the bus.

We three get off together.

As I reach for the handle by the back door,

my hand brushes one of them

and presses the soft flesh of her breast.

I say “Excuse me” and divert my eyes,

stumbling out of the bus.

They start calling me names,

the bus driver, too. I don’t look back.

I keep my head down and walk 

to my girlfriend’s apartment. 

Embarrassing, a married man 

seeking the comfort of a girl-child.

But still, I enter her building,

run up the stairs, down the 

hallway, and straight up her thigh—

shelter from the Barbarians.

***

***

Vernon Frazer

Nerve Ending

dendrite commotion

turns a notion dyspeptic

as 

the seizure fits

parlance

its grudge a matter of rotor parts

dissembled at the root

crossing a slow-motion

tread turning to radial

under a renewed dimension

motoring a transit slowly lit

a flume of looming canopy breath

perfumed a nonchalance gone

while sighting the sheath on the ceiling

*

the slathering dimension 

crams through the nook 

an entry gone to recede

while leisure

suits its past pretensions

to lasting

retrospectives 

casual as a tired gesture

fired weary irritation

as 

the parlance fits

seizure

to the axon leaping its gored return

***

Mirroring the Current Reflection

the cove 

tides a slow dimension

the parallel time

gliding the currents aligned 

slowly to flow

while covens grip

embalming rudders 

*

no salt wave needs

its soaking redemption 

transfiguration parallels the line

curving low 

before the treacherous palms

*

cresting seeks its own

plasma shelf for dining

a waving tidal current

turned recurrent twice 

as one retracing the line

curses at each reflection 

*

entanglements plunder the raging sun

***

***

David Brendan Hopes

Before the Flight

 

You think this time the rain will not close the airports,
nor the thunders stack the planes like storks
above the sheltering roosts.
The winds will bear. The gray waves
will pass without incident far under.
You will arrive amid the clamor of reuniting families.
The accommodations will be good enough.
You will have the experiences you anticipated,
along with others which the universe provides
toward its merry and imponderable ends.
 
You will forget the face you seek on the strade
must be, by now, worn and furrowed as your own.
A grandson, maybe, passing under the orange trees,
launching those missiles of remembrance,
his face, his arch of brow--not him.
You don’t expect to wonder if you’d lived too long.
You’ll recall November roses sprung up
in the unnatural gardens and doomed on all sides
when the real night eddied backward with its ice.
That flawless camembert
is history. Aim for someplace new.

 

Swans gather in the public waterways.
The bars will be full of singing.
The little town at the river’s mouth will seem,
in an hour, as intimate as your mother’s garden.
Perhaps it was what she was remembering
when she began to dig.
Try not to tear up thinking of that. Waste of time.
Continue packing.
Divide your resources and keep half hidden.
Remember to provide for all weathers.

***

***