Friday, July 17, 2020

Magnetic Resonant Imaging

Although recovering Inquisitors designed
the machine, I'm told it's safe--just as
a member of the Frankenstein team
goes into a sealed control room.

The gizmo's noises range from
from punk-goose-shrieks to
psychotic jackhammers howls.
A magnet orbits my head like a mad
moon, a sadistic satellite. All
for some photos? The total effect

hypnotizes me. That and boredom
put me to sleep like a chicken at dusk.
Thus my head moves, ruining pictures.
The operator's voice intrudes,
imploring me not to nod off, and although
Fuck you forms in my pummeled
brain, I still myself, who has become
a hot-dog stuffed into a plastic bun
at a nightmare country fair.


hans ostrom 2020

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

"Written at Scarborough," by Mary Tighe

One-minute reading/video of a poem written by Mary Tighe (1772-1810), an Anglo-Irish poet known mainly for her long poem, Psyche, which retells the Pysche/Cupid myth. I like the modern tone of this poem.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DKyYzZyIPI

She Looks Good

30-second reading/video of a poem I posted in 2017, "She Looks Good."  On the lighter side.

link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_KKj2h1jMk

Thursday, July 9, 2020

"Lesbia," by Richard Aldington

Short reading/video of a poem about Lesbia, with whom the poet Catullus was in love and about/to whom he wrote poems. Here real name may have been Clodia, and she was apparently both learned and beautiful and wrote a satire of Caesar. Aldington alludes to the gods Hermes (Greek), Thoth (Egyptian), and Bel (Mesopotamian), as well as to a Renaissance philosopher, Pico Della Mirandola, who wrote a book of 90 theses, which the Catholic church banned.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJAii3Zync4

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

"Absent Sister," by Hans Ostrom

Short (30 seconds) reading/video of a poem, "Absent Sister," which I published here in 2017. I don't know much about anti-matter.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4VGaWcPXaA

Monday, July 6, 2020

"The Evening Light," Roger Illsley, Hans Ostrom

A mellow love song featuring Roger Illsley (singing; guitar) and Hans Ostrom (thumping on the Chickering piano), and a video by Roger set in lovely Santa Rosa, California. Roger and I wrote the lyrics.