Collected poems written in the Santa Cruz and Berkeley areas during the 70s & 80s, while working at the Santa Cruz Heart Institute.
This collection consists of a number of my 70s & 80s poems, many of them committed to paper in Santa Cruz (principally at HEINZ' BIERGARTEN DELI, which was the preferred post-heart surgery decompensation venue), with others recorded at various places between Santa Cruz and Berkeley (where the rooftop over Peet's Coffees was a favorite hangout...it should be noted that the two multi-bazillionares who founded the STARF*CKS chain in Seattle learned their trade as raw neophyte baristas at Mr. Peet's knees there).
Both Santa Cruz and Berkeley of that era (70s/80s) were what we call 'happening' places and the poems reflect bits and pieces of those venues. The book is available in hardcover format (only) in 5x8 inch format and is NOT available as a Kindle download deliberately, as a token protest against the 'social media' illiteracy that is turning so many minds into captive mush these days of electronic everything. I am a great appreciator of the 'hard copy' physical book medium, although protesting against the increasing trend of turning everything into a downloaded electrons is ultimately an indicator of the sort of frustrating hopelessness that attends geezerhood (I suspect).I DO NOT patronise STARF*UCKS, by the way, preferring small, independent coffeehouses equally with small local indie bookstores over megacorporate entities like the forenamed, and would rather die of thirst than drink something out of a cup emblazoned with a 'politically corrected' (no discernible 'ta-tas') mermaid logo on it! Grrrr-grrrr!
Excerpt
Love is a Two-Way Street
"Love is a two-way Street.
Unfortunately, your lane is closed
for repairs
and my own leads back
to a highway still
under construction"
Professional Reviews Weird?
"Dunno, man. Looks weird to me!" -Ralph 'Barnowl' Baker
Something of value!
"Obviously something of value in these observed impressions, but beats the hell out of me as to exactly what!" -Z.L Rypherson
Dis Bro lik'it!
"Da kine, if you lolo malihini haole...li'dat." -Joe 'Aumakua' Anuhea
Reviews for "Santa Cruz Sargasso, Berkeley Fog (poems)"
Congrats on your two poetry books. I wrote poetry during that era as well and some of them were published in anthologies and newsletters. Unfortunately, I kept none of them.
Twenty years ago I thought about publishing a poetry book, but never could find anyone to illustrate my poems, something I thought necessary. Poetry books don't sell. Hell, books don't sell. So I'm going to pass on creating a poetry book unless someone crowns me "poet laureate," something that is highly unlikely.
Your poem on love as a street is spot on.
Back in 1968, my girlfriend was a nurse in Stanford Hospital's heart surgery ward. I don't know if she was working on heart transplants are not, but the job was very stressful. She soon quit, took a trip around the world taking a year, and then returned to her native Saskatchewan and married a schoolteacher.
Twenty years ago I thought about publishing a poetry book, but never could find anyone to illustrate my poems, something I thought necessary. Poetry books don't sell. Hell, books don't sell. So I'm going to pass on creating a poetry book unless someone crowns me "poet laureate," something that is highly unlikely.
Your poem on love as a street is spot on.
Back in 1968, my girlfriend was a nurse in Stanford Hospital's heart surgery ward. I don't know if she was working on heart transplants are not, but the job was very stressful. She soon quit, took a trip around the world taking a year, and then returned to her native Saskatchewan and married a schoolteacher.
Ron