The Night Muhammad Ali Fought In Atlanta

Many have noted that Muhammad Ali lit the Olympic torch in 1996. Few seem to remember another Atlanta appearance from the former Cassius Clay. It happened October 26, 1970, at the Municipal Auditorium. To get to this point, lets borrow a few lines from a Courier-Journal Ali Timeline.
1960 – “Clay defeats Zbigniew Pietrzykowski of Poland on Sept. 5 to win the light-heavyweight boxing gold medal at the Olympics in Rome…”
1962 – “Clay hears Elijah Muhammad speak for the first time. He meets another Nation of Islam leader, Malcolm X, who becomes a friend and adviser. – On March 9, the military draft board classifies Clay 1-A, meaning he is fit and available to be called into the Army…”
1964 -” Because of a low score on the Army intelligence test, Clay is reclassified 1-Y, not qualified for military service, in January. “I said I was The Greatest,” he explains. “I never said I was the smartest.” – Clay scores a stunning seventh-round technical knockout over 7-1 favorite Sonny Liston on Feb. 25 at the Miami Convention Center, winning the world heavyweight championship at age 22. – In response to a reporter’s question the day after the fight, Clay confirms he is a member of the Nation of Islam, saying: “I believe in Allah and in peace. … I’m not a Christian anymore. … Followers of Allah are the sweetest people in the world. They don’t tote weapons. They pray five times a day.” – A rift grows between Elijah Muhammad and Malcolm X. Ali sides with Elijah, causing grief for Malcolm. – Casting off his “slave name,” Clay adopts the temporary name Cassius X. Later he announces that Elijah has bestowed on him the name Muhammad Ali. The name means “Praiseworthy One.”…”
1965 – “Ali knocks out Liston in the first round of their rematch, before only 4,280 fans in Lewiston, Maine, on May 25. Liston falls under a “phantom” punch that apparently few people see, giving rise to suspicions that he threw the fight. Former champion Joe Louis eventually declares Ali “unfit” to hold the title. – In October, former champion Floyd Patterson says: “Cassius Clay is disgracing himself and the Negro race.” On Nov. 22, Ali delivers a punishing defeat to Patterson, in part, he says, because Patterson refuses to call him Ali….”
1966 – “With the Vietnam War heating up, the Army lowers test-score standards, reclassifying Ali 1-A — fit for service. – “Man, I ain’t got no quarrel with them Viet Cong,” he says to reporters who call him at home in Miami. He later explains that “no Viet Cong ever called me nigger.” – Ali asks to be reclassified a conscientious objector to military service. A hearing officer sides with him, but the draft board keeps him 1-A, armed with a U.S. Justice Department opinion that Ali’s objections to military service are political not religious….”
1967 – “On April 28, Ali refuses induction into the Army in Houston.” “It is the light of my consciousness as a Muslim minister and my own personal convictions that I take my stand in rejecting the call to be inducted in the armed services,” Ali stated after refusing induction on April 28, 1967. “I have searched my conscience and I find I cannot be true to my belief in my religion by accepting such a call.” He was convicted of draft evasion on June 20, 1967. Ali was sentenced to five years in prison and fined $10,000, the maximum penalty for the offense. He remained free on a $5,000 bond while he appealed his conviction. Ali was also stripped of the World Heavyweight Championship by the New York State Athletic Commission and the World Boxing Association, systematically denied a boxing license in every state and stripped of his passport. “
For three and a half years, Mr. Ali was unable to fight in the ring. The WBA had a tournament, and installed their own champion. People tried to set up a fight for Mr. Ali, but were blocked by politicians, and state boxing authorities. California Governor Ronald Reagan said “That draft dodger will never fight in my state, period.” Then someone had the idea to have the fight in Atlanta.
Atlanta has never been a boxing town. There was no boxing commission. The Municipal Auditorium, the only venue that could host, was a dump. As Ring magazine tells the story: “So it was the height of irony that it was Atlanta, a city that occupied the heart of the Deep South, that provided the breakthrough. State Senator Leroy Johnson and Governor Lester Maddox helped pave the way for a most improbable return by persuading the City of Atlanta Athletic Commission to grant Ali a boxing license on Aug. 12, 1970. Shortly thereafter, it was announced Ali would fight Jerry Quarry on Oct. 26 at the City Auditorium in Atlanta. The bout was scheduled for 15 rounds, probably in recognition of Ali’s status as lineal heavyweight champion.” (Other sources say that Governor Maddox was opposed to hosting the fight, but was powerless to stop it.)
The opponent was Jerry Quarry, whose white skin was apparent that night. His obituary notes: :His most famous night was in Atlanta, Georgia, in October 1970, when he was the “fall-guy” for Ali’s comeback from his three- year exile. Quarry was stopped because of a badly cut eye in the third round. It brought him his biggest payday, $338,000. … By 1995 he was in the care of his brother James, and was suffering from severe pugilistic dementia.” Jerry Quarry died January 3, 1999.
The fight was not much of a contest. It lasted three rounds, before the referee stopped the match. Mr. Ali fought for ten more years, and regained the Heavyweight Championship twice. “On June 28, 1971, the Supreme Court unanimously overturns Ali’s 4-year-old draft conviction, saying that his claims as a conscientious objector were based on religion and were sincere.”
The fight was the occasion for a display of black pride, and black money. The New Yorker essayist George Plimpton remembered that invasion of the Harlem peacocks in their enormous purple Cadillacs: “I’d never seen crowds as fancy, especially the men – felt hatbands and feathered capes, and the stilted shoes, the heels like polished ebony, and many smoking stuff in odd meerschaum pipes.”
“The times reported that the bout was like “a page out of the roaring twenties. … The ladies had beads down to the hem of their maxi-skirts. One man wore an ankle length mink coat, with a high hat of mink to match. … Diana Ross sat in the forth row, ringside, with a bouffant, Afro-American hair-do that stretched out 10 inches on each side.” Many of those in attendance were invited to a party.
“Engraved invitations to one party in particular had been passed around to the hustlers in New York a week earlier and in Atlanta in the days leading up to the fight. The invitations announced that “Fireball” was throwing a party at 2819 Handy Drive, in Collier Heights.
The Handy Drive house happened to be one of several properties that “Chicken Man” Williams owned. He’d given a friend, an Atlantan-turned-New-Yorker known as “Fireball,” permission to use the house. He’d even helped build a craps table the week before so all the big-time gamblers who were sure to show up could “roll the bones.”
Williams’ girlfriend, Barbara Smith, skipped the fight to help prepare for the party. She and two girlfriends were busy in the kitchen when they heard the front door open. The fight was still going on, so Smith went to the front, expecting to meet an early bird. She was greeted by three men in ski masks standing in the hallway. All were armed; one was pointing a shotgun at her face. …
An estimated 80 to 200 people had arrived at the house expecting to party, only to be fleeced by masked men with shotguns. According to news accounts, the victims were led to the basement, then ordered to strip to their underwear, throw all their valuables in a pile and lay on the floor…
As more victims arrived, floor space in the basement became scarce, so the gunmen ordered the victims to lie on top of each other. Cash and jewelry was swept into pillowcases. That went on for hours as more and more people kept showing up. By 3 a.m., the half-naked victims were stacked like cordwood on top of each other.
Not one shot was fired. But as they left, the gunmen took Smith and one of her friends hostage and told everyone else to stay put. Three hours later, they dropped the women off on the other side of town and gave them $10 each for cab fare. By that time, the investigation was underway.
Creative Loafing has a terrific story about the party at Chicken Man’s house. If you have a few minutes, it is worth your time. Ditto for this newspaper story, in the sucky google books format.
A key person in the story is J.D. Hudson. One of the first eight black Atlanta policemen, Lt. Hudson was Mr. Ali’s bodyguard the night of the fight. Lt. Hudson wound up conducting the investigation of the party at Chicken Man’s house. Lt. Hudson met Gordon “Chicken Man” Williams, under rather unpleasant circumstances, in 1949.
Lt. Hudson never suspected Chicken Man of being part of the robbery. “From the time he took over the case, Hudson says, he knew Williams wasn’t responsible — even though other investigators already had pinned the crime on him. For one thing, Hudson could place Williams at the fight at the time the gunmen were at the house setting up the crime.
For another, Hudson says, “I knew [Williams] wasn’t dumb enough to pull a stunt like that. This was a man who ran [a] million-dollar operation from a pay phone on a street corner. He was smart. He could’ve run IBM or Coke. There’s no way he would’ve risked all that to pay somebody off. This was pulled off by a bunch of young thugs who were trying to knock over a party, and when they got there and saw how big it was, they improvised.”
Chicken Man went to prison in the seventies, and became a minister. He served as the Pastor of the Salem Baptist Church. Gordon Williams died December 6, 2014. J.D.Hudson died June 4, 2009. The men who robbed the party goers were killed a few months after the fight.
Pictures today are from The Library of Congress. This is a repost.

Catalog Part Nine

Sonnets are the gateway drug. Fourteen lines, iambic pentameter, abab rhyme scheme. The first eight lines are part one, the last six lines are part two. There is more to it, but I am not an academic. I do poetry to have fun, and create beauty. When you find that free verse is too costly, the structure of restrictive poetic formats can be liberating. Someone named Shakespeare wrote sonnetsr.
The villanelle is the next domino to drop. It is not related to Nell Fenwick, the girlfriend of Dudley Dooright, although it does have a similar name. The villanelle is nineteen lines long, and has a formula of repeating lines. Only two rhyming sounds are used, so poets like words with lots of rhyming possibilities. The most famous example of the villanelle is Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, by Dylan Thomas. A villanelle below is why did the chicken commit suicide
The pantoum is another form based on repeating lines, in a disconcerting order. It can be combined with the sonnet to create the shakestoum. Here, the first eight lines of the sonnet stand as originally written. The second six lines of the sonnet are repeated twice, in a different order. An example of the shakestoum is what did the playtex bra say to the hat? Poetry does not have to be serious.
There are dozens of Poetry Types. The haiku is beyond easy, and can be fun. The acrostic… where the first letter of every line forms a word … is included in this collection. My name has 14 letters, so writing an Mckinnon Luther acrostic sonnet was an offer I could not refuse. Other poems to maybe someday explore include sestina, ghazel, and contrapuntal.
why did the chicken commit suicide
is it a lie or can it be true – she wanted to get to the other side
always looking for fine feathered bride – if the lips are moving that is a clue
why did the chicken commit suicide – a blaze of glory like bonnie and clyde
left nothing but a greasy residue – she wanted to get to the other side
not a good day to swallow her pride – did not get invited to the barbeque
why did the chicken commit suicide – facing a future battered and fried
could not get away to drink a cold brew – she wanted to get to the other side
tired of hearing ’bout yardbird genocide – weary of all the cock a doodle do
why did the chicken commit suicide – she wanted to get to the other side
what did the playtex bra say to the hat? – you go on ahead i’ll give these two a lift.
why didn’t the strip club hire the big cat – because she was a cheetah get my drift
what did one blue eye to the other say? – something smells between us out at large
i tried to buy a neutron the other day – shopkeeper gave it to me without charge
she went out with a girl called simile – doesn’t know what she metaphor you see
a mirror photography career – I could see myself doing it next year
doesn’t know what she metaphor you see – need to sell my vacuum cleaner she fussed
I could see myself doing it next year – ’cause right now it is just collecting dust
need to sell my vacuum cleaner she fussed – a mirror photography career
’cause right now it is just collecting dust – she went out with a girl called simile
is it a lie or can it be true
a perfect example white privilege grump- if the lips are moving that is a clue
oozing pollution what would jesus do- here’s your nose back thanks for the bump
is it a lie or can it be true- colostomy regurgitation stew
remember bette davis what a dump- if the lips are moving that is a clue
see it from a different point of view– little better than your prodigal chump
is it a lie or can it be true- minimum payment was way overdue
true confessions of kardashian rump- if the lips are moving that is a clue
got the right church but the wrong pew- continental style of forrest gump
is it a lie or can it be true- if the lips are moving that is a clue
This wraps up the catalog project. When this thing got started, I did not intend to publish posts about what I found. The idea was to go in, make a list of what I had, and identify the good poems for later use. When I got into 2014, I began to want to post some of the better work. At this time, I am going to post some poems from 2013.
The graphic poems originally were a response to prompts from the trifecta writing contest. The first graphic poem was Laundry, posted October 4, 2013. The text is placed on the right side, instead of in the middle. It was a learning curve. The first poem I want to reprint here is another trifecta prompt.
such a groovy player – permanent scare
what is hidden in there – bigger than her derriere
life is not fair – try not to stare
say a quiet prayer – for the girl with big hair
November 10, 2013, was the 100th anniversary of James Broughton’s birth. I had briefly met Mr. Broughton in 1983, and attended a fund raising event for a film about Mr. Broughton, Big Joy. There was a later blog post, Pauline Kael, Gina James, And James Broughton. On the 100th birthday party (Mr. Broughton died in 1999,) there was a celebration in Atlanta. This poem is the result.
it is this – when misters kiss
shout and twist – follow your own weird
naked dancer splinter risk – 100 birthdays 14 miss
twenty reader poetry bliss – remember in november
big joy in the granite hall – it was over much too soon
he and she and you and y’all – erogeny it is this
Call To Dinner
pg was talking on his phone – while getting ready to go
to dinner he saw his wallet – and car keys and looked for
the phone before realizing – he was talking on that phone
Morticia Addams Had Lunch – with lily munster – lurch served them
having waited tables – since the divorce – morticia left a generous tip
lily got drunk and tried – to leave without paying – thing caught lily
amanda palmer drops the veil – to become a viral sensation
converts rage into mammary tale – forgoes the request for donation
the daily mail saw her boob – they knew the tit not the tune
copacetic reply delights you tube – dangerous lady honeymoon
miss palmer shed her kimono – to call out twat misogyny
much prettier than yoko ono – more musical than deuteronomy

Mullet Over

Catalog Part Eight

comma splice walks into a bar it has a drink and then leaves
gerund and infinitive walk into a bar drinking to drink
three intransitive verbs walk into a bar they sit they drink they leave
First They Came
first they came for the weirdos i said nothing because i was normal
then they came for those who frowned i said they have a negative attitude
they came for the lonely and depressed i said nothing because it is their choice
then they came for those they label racist i said nothing i do not defend racism
then they came for me there was no one left to speak up
#SignsOfANeighborFromHell Part One
infected tree falling in the driveway – bathtub on the porch toilet in the dell
sneak out of diner when it’s time to pay – aromatic children smoking dog smell
talk about the babysitter out loud – say this is better than birmingham
garden gnome has pitchfork and crowd – junior plays hopscotch on a pentagram
#signsofaneighborfromhell parts two and three
these are the #signsofaneighborfromhell – dog tries to kill one more chicken
brimstone barbeque with a gnarly smell – cooked on a charcoal grill in the kitchen
sacrifice of goats while you are sleeping – has a personal relationship with jesus
horns on the head pointy tail squeaking – talking in tongues about his penis
she knocks to ask you for a cup of meth – grumpy postal worker with bad breath
big hair honey smokes marlboro butts – all the little boys have mullet haircuts
she lights the garden grill with her finger – fat children ask if are you a swinger
alluvial shit piss and corruption – excremental feculent forgotten
festering fornication suction – dental hygiene of johnny rotten
contaminated vessel of disrepute – wipe silverware clean with your shirt
ewwie gooey vomitory for the loot – grunt and groan diarrhea squirt
bloviating dumpster of human drool – colostomy regurgitation stew
pornographic penile pustule – oozing pollution what would jesus do
It is now time for #NationalPoetryMonth, and another thirty for thirty.
joy of finding change in a payphone – wear a dress backwards for charm
hillary clinton for president crone – def leppard drummer with right arm
hairball retrieved from shower drain – can be dried out and glued on tight
oreo stuffing fights toothpaste pain – two wrongs do not make you right
out of toilet paper? find a doggie – lick mud you find at a port a pottie
say “you” instead of “u” in a text – when you cry wolf at night after sex
grace to know the difference between – true wisdom and clever string of sheen
blow job boner boogie woogie boo boo – freaky french fry mambo mama gobble
cunnilingus cock sucker gaggle cuckoo – carpetmuncher deepthroat wigglewobble
pussy peepee penis pinga pecker – fellatio hair pie hookup hoover head
johnson junkjuice knobjob chubbydecker – monica lewinsky muff diver fred
skin flute salad sister sixtynine slurp – wang chung verga down wet willie spurt
glimmer lady clitoris dancing stupor – doober your uber upside my goober
lick swallow cowboy sucky fucky witch – gonna suck the chrome off a trailerhitch
henry charles chinaski bukowski – would hate my sonnet if he had a chance
at coffee drinking open mic poetry – dickhater georgia gothic romance
hank thinks poems that rhyme are a bore – like baseball nuns or men who cry
some people think he died in ninety four – california dirt will tell you don’t try
hank still has a racetrack episode – bets on number nine horse to kill
with a twenty fished out of the commode – after taking a dump on top of the bill
forever spitting out poems like hot turds – on the morning after beer drunk words
maybe i never just went very honestly – swashbuckling rutabaga mannequins
i hope that i should but i can’t literally – skedaddle spelunker shenanigans
i’ll try but i’ve got a problem absolutely – brouhaha pumpernickel appetite
irregardless i have to stuff things really – quintessential humbuggery morphodite
strumpet ragamuffin charlie mingus – discombobulated cunnilingus
umpteen bunghole kaleidoscope fantasy – nincompoop fooey latrine manatee
cuckhold phalanx tomfoolery bongo – kumquat lollygag idiot mambo
caucasian opinion is like an asshole – it should be clean quiet kept out of sight
unlike a preacher who covets your soul – and motivates you to go out and fight
put labels on jars not on my brother – conservative racist or liberal
or terrorist who’s always the other – words that divide us like a cannibal
is it a lie or can it be true – if the lips are moving that is a clue
don’t even wait for demagogue shout – the devil knows the bible in and out
media manipulation to spend – never forget we are all god’s children
#ImShowingMyAge
turn the black and white TV knob slow – watch two five eight eleven if you dare
stay up late for the johnny carson show – then television goes off the air
just putting on my shoes is a chore – either take viagra or be obsolete
pay cash for cassettes at record store – dancing to the wqxi beat
leisure suit jacket looked pretty sporty – what once was a 6 pack is now a 40
sing along with hee haw made me smile – where’s the star on a rotary phone dial
no ma’am I dont know what idk means – why would anyone ever say cool beans
#MyDogStoleMyPhoneAnd
#mydogstolemyphoneand found legs to hump – acts like he hasn’t done anything wrong
tweets more coherent than @realdonaldtrump – tail dialing friends taking hits from a bong
invites buddies over for poker night – sent fifi selfies of his doggie junk
texted stormy spaniels got in a fight – called on uber he’s at the bar drunk
ordered pizza with pineapple donuts – listed pals with a picture of their butts
rude message calling our cat a jerk – told teacher i didn’t do my homework
joined barkersonly.com to get dates – when I get a call the stomach vibrates
#BadHygieneTips
bathe in swamp water for a youthful glow – lose your toothbrush? find a live weasel
go lick your vibrator clean tomorrow – dollar store cologne instead of diesel
smoke the breath mints in the urinal – floss is too flimsy try a razor blade
fill both sides of toilet paper y’all – lick bathroom floor at the colonnade
bug spray deodorant in a pinch – perfume covers republican stench
you never have to wipe a clean cut crap – if you piss in the sink with spinal tap
use meth to whiten and strengthen smile – kinky groovy sex at walmart lifestyle

Catalog Part Seven

Wonder Weasel
shake hands with a salami cluster bomb – its got a beat you can dance to it
whitewash the fence with huck and tom – spray whipped cream on a banana split
trigger therapeutic trouser snake – satin head serpent of carnal knowledge
tenderize lumberjack happy tube steak – put mr. kleenex’s kids through college
pull your own baloney pony weight – put relish on your hot dog spaghetti
play tag with your pink torpedo mate – wax one-eyed wonder weasel chevy
plug in semen extraction toaster – calibrate satanic surge protector
ram the ham secret sauce roaster – tip off the crazy hand jive inspector
my faithful darling my sweet-eyed – blackguard schoolgirl be my whore
my mistress as much as you like – your cunt does another dirty thing
your hot cheeks and eyes my little cuntie – fuck your two rosy-tipped bubbies
she wants me to roger her arseways – to come on your face and squirt it over
small things give me a great cockstand – the horn I had was not big enough
I am going to lie down and pull at myself – till I come lie frigging all day looking
here in body now is the place to be – it is never too late to do nothing mate
invite thoughts in don’t serve them tea – to talk to god pray to listen meditate
always remember breathe to be free
White Trash Tinkle
blue eye devil betty crocker – big nose cabbage degenerate
becky bubba crisco cracker – buffy clampett confederate
lily munster elvis fruitcake – yogurt yuppie yaku winkle
ofay opie paleface pancake – whiskey tango white trash tinkle
vegas showman ill-fitting trouser tubes – unpleasant smell emanating outside
stick figure curly hair smiley face boobs – bride of frankenstein makeup petrified
deodorant congealed to little chunks – ensnared among matted armpit jungle
past vomitorium to the privy drunks – pungent bluecheese crumble antifungal
clutching empty bottle of thunderbird – scent that smells like embalming fluid flan
mutilated corpse of mortimer snerd – a cunning plan hatched by a punning clan
muzak thrum of manilow’s greatest hits – bury her husband’s body bleeding misfits
puff the magic dragon fellatio – play a million songs bubba can sing
penis pleasure palace arpeggio – the oral majority happening
happy focus on whimsical motion – gentle enjoyment for the clitoris
magic magenta pillow commotion – liberate sodomy brontosaurus
parade every nerve ending he has – tease us like lovely horndogs we are
play over 6,000 nerve ending jazz – pretend your tongue is a feather guitar
embody purply sensitivity – harmony ecstasy festivity
#NationalTellAJokeDay
two hungry cannibals eating a clown – does this fellow taste funny to you slim
this guy walked into a bar with a frown – man should have looked in front of him
what is a bee born in may a maybe – there was a little girl in nantucket
prisoner takes own mug shot a cell-fie – how do you keep a moron in suspense
Cross The Road
where’s the best place to hide a dead body – try page two of google search results
why was six afraid of seven mommy – because seven ate nine happy adults
need more gates around graveyards because – the people are just dying to get in
why did van gogh become painter who draws – he just didn’t have an ear for music my friend
why did the old duck cross the road kick’n – to prove that he wasn’t just a chicken
why did the duck get arrested out back – maybe because he was peddling quack
why did the chicken commit suicide – he wanted to get to the other side
watermelons marry they cant elope – didn’t like my beard but it grew on me
are the frogs high they are smoking croak – what kind of bee makes milk? a boo bee
to hurt lady gaga poker face taint – you count cows with a cowculator fist
whats red smells like blue paint red paint – goodbye boiling water you will be mist
#aduckwalksintoabar waddle it be – sends pretty lady unwanted duck pic
self medication for the mallardy – get a quack fix from heron dealer nick
a dyslexic duck walks into a bra – gets hammered skips out on his bill
i don’t know the tune but i’ll wing it raw – its donald duck not donald trump chill
Caucasian Cha Cha
many opinions ’bout white folks who dance – some look down their nose at the spectacle
we are having fun so we take the chance – so what if its not quite respectable
some people don’t like caucasian cha cha – no matter what we do or don’t wear
giggle and point and call our moves caca – we will have too much fun to care
jitterbug watusi macarena – suzy q boogie woogie mambo
pom pom jelly roll mosh pit polka – two step electric slide foxtrot disco
an opinion is often compared to a hole – lay down the beat and light up your soul
One of the stars at Java Monkey Speaks performed at a festival in North Carolina. When he got back, there was a comment about white people there, who like goofy looking dancing more that wearing deodorant. What this person did not know was that people who like dancing, more than deodorant, are my kind of people. This poem was read the next week. The star poet, who inspired this protest, was hobnobbing in the lobby while this poem was read.
no matter your childish protestation – jitterbug watusi macarena
decay and ruin of civilization – pom pom jelly roll mosh pit polka
crafting a wig from waterlogged hair – can can charleston madison rumba
g-d is oblivious to your prayer – fandango mashed potato cha cha
a banal and empty platitude piss – two step electric slide foxtrot mambo
will tumble with you into the abyss – suzy q boogie woogie disco
Walk Into A Bar
past present future walk into a bar – heard through the grapevine it was tense
why did the cow cross the road over thar – to get to the udder side of the fence
ham’n cheese sandwich walks into the station – bartender says that we don’t serve food
see the hot new movie constipation – would go but it hasn’t come out yet dude
would you like the milk in a sack son – no dad you can keep it in the carton
how do you make the holy water fit – you just boil the living hell out of it
what did one volcano say to the other – volcano i lava you like a brother
bungee jumping hit bungee speed bump – running with lorena bobbitt scissors
could not remember safe word sisters – was the proofreader for donald trump
look ma no hands hold my beer applaud – erection lasted over five hours
all you can eat marijuana flowers – talk about fight club double dare g-d
peroxide leaches through skull tennessee – hillary clinton suicided me
left iron on tweeting from the bathroom – forgot that jesus flew out of the tomb
wanted to try drano bubble bath – swiped right on hallelujah psychopath

Catalog Part Six

DJT Tweets About HRC
she has done poorly with such men – horrible things about my supporter
brainpower is highly overrated – constantly playing women’s card
reading poorly from telepromter – she should be ashamed of herself
pandering to the worst instincts – never been anything like her lies
no solutions no ideas no credibility – she has failed failed failed failed
#ScaryStoriesIn5Words
ann coulter make out session – bernie sanders in tighty-whities
dating naked renewed next season – freddy krueger wet dream deodorant
leak hilary clinton nude photos – honey boo boo mom sextape
kim kardashian retweets my picture – view deray mckesson verify account
michael jackson coming to babysit – stuck in traffic with diarrhea
viral infection makes cows extinct – we’re having a vegan wedding
#5WordSeduction
i often use correct punctuation – will never never vote republican
dishes are done laundry folded – make you pancakes tomorrow dear
how about watching some football – your nipples taste really funny
does this smell like chloroform? – my ankle bracelet doesn’t work
wanna see my comic collection?
#ShareYourBadJoke
two cannibals were eating a clown does this taste funny to you?
bees go to bathroom at bp station – f transitioning into m is dude process
a neutron walks into a bar orders beer bartender says for you no charge
what does hipster weigh? an instagram – past present future go into bar its tense
a pair of jumper cables walks into a bar i’ll serve you but don’t start anything
#4WordCauseOfDeath Part Two
toxic work environment diversity – beginner at russian roulette
drank cheap gas station coffee – monday morning gas station sushi
retweeting while driving drunk – after overdosing on tiny violins
flesh wound involving a unicorn
Not Getting To Perform Part Two
java monkey speaks 11 pm curfew – piers gaveston got lost in the fog
lady before him had anger to spew – some would call her a female dog
poet style a machine gun monotone – went on on on much longer than needed
evil hillary toxic trump rupaul unknown – poopeyhead purge is never completed
if others are waiting please trim your word – we have only so much time
listen to others if you want to be heard – respectability politics are not a crime
Java Monkey is down stairs from a condo building. If the show goes on past 11pm, there is trouble. On this night, a new emcee was taking over. There was a big crowd, and I was way down on the list. When 11pm was approaching, a young lady started to speak. No one had ever heard her before. She had an angry, political speech. There was no let up, no change of pace, no concession to the comfort of the audience. It is a cliche of activism that “it is not my job to make you comfortable.” This may work for the protest stage, especially when you are preaching to the choir. However, Sunday night open mic is entertainment. You can be political, but you should be aware of your audience. It is rather selfish to take the “its not my job…” attitude in any circumstances. When you are preaching to the converted, it does not matter. However, when a curfew is approaching, and people are not going to get to perform, “its not my job” is not a good look.
#RejectedPantoneColors
taupe of the heap supremacy white – destroy soul of my enemy pink
urinal cake pink ratchet red – taco filling tube red $5 whorange
engine light orange blonde kanye – urine trouble yellow oil spill black
pc beige hot dog factory flesh tone – penis envy green algae pond green
splatter green truck stop hooker blue – cornhole blue honey boo boo blue
barney purple just the tip purple – umber the rainbow who gives a fuscia
sausage jockey
brothers of the fudge big boy combo play – microwave popcorn hot dog engineer
bowling in the basement hershey highway – liquor in the front poker in the rear
intestinal tourist private first class – backdoor barbeque michelangelo
anal chainsaw massacre backstage pass – vegan hotpocket curly larry moe
hunker down brown town panorama – sausage jockey creeper peeper
sliding all the way to lower alabama – stick it in stick it in deeper deeper
dance the chocolate chacha elton john – driving on on on on the autobahn
Mexico Later – tweets from @realDonaldTrump
saturday night live is worst of nbc – not funny cast is terrible really bad
in horrible shape falling apart pee – not to mention crime infested sad
totally made up facts by sleazebag – a failed spy afraid of being sued
are we living in nazi germany drag – lost so badly they just don’t know dude
most over-rated actress in hollywood – arnold schwarzenegger got swamped
just more very dishonest media hood – sleazebag political operative stomped
will be paid back by mexico later rot – going to be a smooth transition not
Shakespeare Insult Generator
thou errant doghearted measle squid – gorbellied whoreson haggard booby hatch
you should be women yet your beards forbid – tottering obscene greasy tallow-catch
hence, horrible villain I’ll spurn thine eyes – like balls before me I’ll unhair thy head
poisonous bunch-back’d toadstool surprise – brine smarting in lingering pickle dead
thou clay-brained guts knotty-pated fool – cockered ill-breeding beef witted tool
thine horrid image doth unfix my hair – per bootless mongrel strumpet derrière
your virginity breeds mites much like a cheese – as tedious as tired old whore strip tease
thou dankish unchin-snouted malcontent – spleeny dog hearted onion-eyed pignut
bawdy flap-mouthed giggler testament – frothy beetle-headed gudgeon mac butt
thy hugger bugger kiss is comfortless – as frozen water to a hungry snake
wayward canker-blossom pox-mark putress – thou mangled sheep-biting bladder forsake
i scorn you, scurvy companion buttock – misbegotten folly-fallen rut sock
fawning dizzy eyed porcine maggot-pie – roguish earth-vexing bugbear lullaby
rascally, cheating, poor lack-linen mate – away you moldy old rogue ruminate
We believe black lives matter
Woman’s rights are human rights and that no human is illegal
We know that science is real We feel that love is love
We see that kindness is important
As is correct grammar proper spelling, and fact checking
Mckinnon Acrostic
morphodite democratic delusion
cracker employment asylum martyr
killer media self is an illusion
if you assume everyone is smarter
needle on fingers of an open grope
noodle protest against humidity
opiate the futility of hope
not smiling idiot stupidity
lilac never be dishonest weasel
under powerless alienation
testosterone altruistic people
hear affirmation find inebriation
eager starvation somnambulist
rocking and rolling materialist
Rules For Writing
writing is a part of who you are – not just something that you do
writing well requires a rhythm star – just finish what you’ve started boo
read more sacrifice overflowing – be a person who enjoys sitting down
it’s not about finishing it’s knowing – when to stop writing and go to town
style is a mood you generate out – of yourself can do anything you want
don’t listen to anyone with doubt – who tells you how to write or taunt
Autological
sesquipedalian hyperventilation – fricative wishy washy frankenword
unhyphenated articulation – superfluous awkward canary bird
time-consuming nasal cacophonous – supererogatory twelve-letter
literary harmless euphonious – redundant grandiloquent go getter
asexual visible aromatic – nonpalindromic pentasyllabic
esoteric synthetic problematic – pedantic polysyllabic bombastic
formal dactylic anagramatic – self-referential multisyllabic
Miss Moo
zoom yuk yowza zinger twinkle – snarl snore wallop yadda yahoo
whisper whip why whinny waffle – warble woo hoo wee wee woo woo
tweek poop twang peep trickle tick tock – tinkle swish thump squish thud tee tee
squeak squeal splatter spank snuggle shock – slurp spit heehaw twitter snap spree
scarf rustle rush rumble scat scrap – rabbit rip rattle rah rah ru
smash smack slosh slop slither slip slap – shit slash sizzle sing shuffle screw
puff poot plop plink prattle plonk plunk – pitter patter ping pong piss poo
oink mutter ouch nutter ooze junk – murmur munch moan mumble miss moo

Catalog Part Five

coffee cigarettes whiskey dope – free verse almost never free
poetryzac won’t help you cope – copacetic dog synchronicity
preacher shouting prose g-ddamn – writer pants stay up all the time
crack ultra violent poetry slam – fine print prose will never rhyme
poet music will make you dance – knee jerk hip hop broken ass
prose puts money in your pants – too much fail to take a class
Why I Don’t Say The N-Word
the n-word hurts my neighbor
if wrong person hears me say the n-word i get hurt fired sued
the n-word is not a fair fight no word like it for white people
becky cracker honky don’t match negative power of either -a or -er
the n-word demeans people who say the n-word why hurt myself?
chicken-headery clitoris cow – cunnilingus dependent ecstasy
exponential fellatio gentleman – immediate jumbotron orgasm – penetrative position possible
talk to me with your mouth full – tease me like a dirty hornbag you
gag reflex kicks in jaw snapping – don’t have to take your clothes off
glorious gob round my knob – gobblin’ gums around my plums – youthful uber upside my goober
The week before July 10, 2016, was rough.Two black men were shot dead by police. Five Dallas police were killed by a sniper. I knew there would be a lot of black emotion at Java Monkey. The best thing for a white man to do was to be there, and listen. I brought a smutty poem, sixtynine more words, to read. The rest of the time, I was quiet, and let other people speak.
One of the other white men felt the same way. He opened his poem by saying that it was not his struggle, and it was not appropriate for him to speak. (Those were not the exact words.) I spoke to him at intermission. He said to think about this… what if you were a black person, coming to read on a night with much black pain. You looked in the audience, and there were no white people to listen?
Two weeks earlier, a young lady was talking about her natural hair. There was a comment about how *white* hands like to touch this hair. After this comment was made, a loud round of applause, and laughter, rose from the room. I was puzzled, and just a wee bit hurt. I have never had the slightest desire to touch a black lady’s hair.
So the evening went. The names of Timothy Hill and Gerard Foster were not spoken. They were two men shot to death during the previous week. Mr. Foster was in a Decatur apartment complex, walking distance from Java Monkey. Mr. Hill was in a gas station parking lot, less than ten miles from Java Monkey. Mr. Hill was a bystander, when two men had a dispute over a parking spot.
java monkey speaks black white mix americas bad week
two black men shot dead by police
best thing for white man to do is be there listen
not your struggle not appropriate – read your smutty poem shut up
first they came for the rich i clicked like on facebook
then they came for #racists i tweeted a #woke #hashtag
then they came for truth tellers i gave my #thoughts&prayers
then they came for me
when in doubt quit talking – not everyone enjoys hearing your voice
listen twice as much as you talk – anger and loud talk make things worse
use name of g-d with kindness respect – understand if you want to be understood
forgive if you want to be forgiven
autoerotic bj becky bestiality – blow me blumpkin blumpy bob
boss brain canoodle captain chair – chicken head chrome commander
deep throat dine at the Y furburger – eat foam give brain gobby goose
headmaster hoover hover hummer – knob knowledge manipulation
munch carpet nosh peck play – rusty trombone skin flute skull
slob knob slurpin gherkin smack – smoke pole square away swallow
I picked a good year to start performing poetry in Decatur. In August of 2016, Decatur hosted the National Poetry Slam. I don’t do slams, but felt the urge to help out as a volunteer. I wound up working three days, with mixed results. On Wednesday, I worked at the haiku slam. The emcee put me to work on signing up contestants. It got a bit frantic, but wound up being fun. The next event was “Black Poets Speak Out.” The anger was more than I could handle, and I left. Your right to be angry does not include my obligation to listen.
I thought that was it for me, until I saw an email asking for more volunteers at the semi finals. The event was held on the beautiful Agnes Scott campus. As usual, there was not a lot to do, except stand in back of the auditorium and watch.
Glori B., from Austin TX, performed a piece about rape. There was a lot of fast, loud, angry talking. I missed some of the qualifying details. What I did hear was at the end. This is not a verbatim quote. “Men, if you want to know what rape culture is, it is you.” While Gloria B might not have meant that…. that men were rape culture … that is the message the I heard. When people are shouting, subtleties and nuance go out the window. What comes through is the message… YOU ARE RAPE CULTURE. Slam is not a subtle medium. You go for the impact, and the details don’t matter.
Glori B, and a partner, had a piece later in the show. The two women shouted, both standing up and crouched over. The piece could be summed up by a haiku Glori B did wednesday… again, this is not a verbatim quote… call me bitch and that gives me permission to show you what one is. The piece was extremely well received by the audience. As for confusing Glori B with a lady dog …
Sonnet Number Two
bake brownies blow mud build a log cabin – bust a grumpie burn a mule blow ordure
code brown crap factory get happy win – lubrication defecation manure
discharge doo doo craptastic driver ball – drop kids off bomber pool hot honkey night
wolf bait trout duke it out go down the hall – dump trump wailin’ palin burger delight
deep fried twinkie luther burger breakfast – regurgitation free the turtle fast
expel shy hamster dumper diver lunch – grease the bowl grow a tail corpulent crunch
fly fecal matter effluent sinner – give birth to future state trooper dinner
@blackedpoetry how to make new blackout poetry
1- find an old book magazine or newspaper and a black marker
2- let the phrases find you
It was about this time that I made friends with blackout poetry. The idea is simple. Take a sheet of paper, and use magic markers to blot out all the words that don’t fit your agenda. Here are a few examples of traditional blackout poetry. I decided that editing hard copy with ink was crude and messy. You can do it easier with a computer.
How To Write A Poem
avoid all clichés know your goal – communicate theme pimp your soul
glorious image simile metaphor – concrete word that will never bore
don’t do sentimental revise revise – subvert fabulous ordinary lies
always rhyme with extreme caution – over the road to daydream has been
one two three for even laughter – a pair of odds the numbers after
mythical zero prelude four five – total six seven eight nine survive
i saw the debate i stayed up late – worried for the blue and the red
listened to trump who took a big dump – while a man shot a citizen dead
i saw trump slither heard hillary dither – feel my brother’s pain how is he insane
this will not end very well
The big story in 2016 was the election of Donald J. Trump as President of the United States. I did not write many poems about this unfolding horror story. If you can’t say anything good, don’t say anything at all. The Democrats blew it. They lose an election to a dangerous idiot. The Democrats thought if they called Donald J. Trump a racist, then it would help Hillary Clinton win. It did not work. Now we have a deplorable man as President, and the racial divide is worse than ever.

Catalog Part Four

come on all you big strong peeps – uncle sam has got in deep
she got herself in a terrible jam – out there in #afghanistan
put down your phones – and give us your loot – there’s a lot of folks to shoot
jesus saw judas leaving – mary magdalene’s place
jesus told mm i wish you – would quit doing this
mm handed jesus – two pieces of silver – shut up here’s your cut
obsolete jesus leave me alone – obsession with life after death poisons faith
stop your shouting – get along with your neighbor – show comfortable path to g-d
Eight Line Poem Part Two
young americans width of a circle – sound and vision scary monsters
rock n’ roll suicide quicksand queen – bitch panic in detroit moonage
daydream andy warhol life on mars – kooks jean genie hang onto yourself
fame eight line poem changes – bewley brothers ashes to ashes
This brings us to 2016. January 8 is David Bowie’s birthday. I celebrated by repackaging some old posts, writing a poem of song titles, and creating a computer play list. Two days later, David Bowie died. This was the first indication that 2016 was going to be a very strange year. I decided to honor Bob Dylan’s May 26 birthday in the same way that I observed David Bowie’s. Bob Dylan went on to win the Nobel Prize. Meanwhile, another Bowie tribute was required. Pictures were taken at the doll’s head trail, off Moreland Avenue.
Eight Line Poem The End
ashes to ashes chameleon comedian – corinthian caricature andy warhol
take a cement fix major tom – speed jive don’t want to stay alive
quaaludes and red wine oh by jingoes – reflexes like a whore falls wanking to the floor
wham bam thank you ma’am – i’ll be a rock’n rolling bitch for you
After the Tennessee show, I wanted to find a place to read in public. There were several options. The one I kept hearing about was Java Monkey, a coffee shop in downtown Decatur. One day, someone told me where you could park on Sunday night. On February 28, 2016, I went to my first open mic. The plan was to observe the scene, and bring something to read if I was brave enough. I wound up as the last spot of the evening. I later learned that this is not a good spot, that most people had left by then. Nonetheless, I saw the welcoming vibe of the house, and have been going back regularly for the last two years. My notes said I read “java edit022916.” which was a combination of a few short poems. I don’t remember how many I actually read. JM has a strict one piece rule, and an 11pm curfew.
This influenced my writing. I began to notice what gets a reaction, and what does not. The big word poems did not do the trick. The neo-pornographic, the bouncy rhythms, and melodious wordplay got the crowd going. I would also start to experiment with different forms of poetry. The sonnet is the gateway drug here. The more poems you read, the more you learn what the crowd wants to hear.
April is national poetry month. One way to celebrate is to write thirty poems in thirty days. On chamblee54, this means a picture for every line of text. Between Apri 2 and April 26, thirty graphic poems were published at chamblee54. This is not recommended if you have a life.
Hank Bukowski
hank bukowski hates my poems – hank or his bookcover name charles
hate poems that rhyme hate poems – set in 38 point comic sans with
dogs in the background hank hates – open mic poetry drinking coffee
people think charles died in 1994 – his body was very well preserved
charles still goes to racetrack places – his bet on number nine horse with
a twenty fished out of commode – after hank took a dump on top of it
poems continue to spit out like hot – turds on the morning after a beer drunk
hank hates me reading this
She Will Be His Wife
another sunday night at java monkey – waiting on turn man on stage talks
he has been sorry but is better now – calls out name says she will be his wife
everyone cheers cellphones record – fiancee goes on stage to get her ring
please don’t make me follow this – goes on about love while lady glow
no one wants moment to end it does – the next one to read is chamblee54
lester maddox is talking on tv – says something goofier than usual
go back to news room weather man – has head on desk laughing looks up
says that is a tough act to follow
smile through rainbow tomorrow – like lemons are watching it take
more muscles to frown than it – does to happen for a reason if
life gives you dance make nobody – learn to yolo in the lemonade
You Cannot Petition The Lord
if you are alienated from jesus
don’t buy circular reasoning g-d of the bible the word of g-d
don’t think endless talk about life after death justifies abuse
think that g-d might exist but tire of the talk without trust
you can find it tough to pray
good morning g-d please forgive me for calling you dog spelled backwards
please give me slack to make it through this busy life please give me less pain
thank you for gift of sobriety and memory of inebrience
please help me overcome body chemistry that tells me to be unhappy
tell jesus worshipers that it is better to listen than to talk
to care for the living and have faith in g-d to take care of the dead
please g-d try to get along better with Allah
help white people and people of color live together with kindness and respect
thank you for earth air fire and water
thank you for people who enjoy this offering
help those offended to get over it
namaste mahalo amen good bye
blooper blunder boo boo bye bye – divorce erratum faux pas flub
fubar fuckup fumble gaffe – malapropism mea culpa my bad – snafu solecism stumble typo
luscious mauve mediocre moist – obfuscate obnoxious optionality
overused pabulum panty penis – piehole pimple placate plump
pornographic precious pretentious – pulchritude repellent serendipity
succulent synergy tasty tender – transparent tummy turd twee
unbearable underwear veggie – velvet visceral yucky yummy
sixty nine words
blow job boner bonk boogie bush – carpet munching deep throat dick
chill cunnilingus cock sucker gag – eat french freak goober gobble
hair pie hookup hoover head fellatio – johnson juice junk knob job lewinsky
mambo lick muff diver oral mamo – penis pussy pinga prick pecker quim
rub salad sixtynine skin flute slurp – snatch spit splash swallow spurt
verga unload wang chung wet willie – suck the chrome off a trailer hitch

Spectrum Rather Than A Binary

my romantic life ~ waffle house standoff ~ Southern Poverty Law Center, Inc. Admits It Was Wrong, Apologizes to Quilliam and Maajid Nawaz for Field Guide to Anti-Muslim Extremists, and Agrees to Pay $3.375 Million Settlement ~ SPLC ~ East Cobb resident wants Confederate general’s name in Cobb park designation ~ Cobb commission meeting ~ Why it Pays to Be Hungry | Les Brown | Goalcast ~ In this tale, an investor leaves New York in a hurry, after some shady dealings and failed marriage. He goes to Atlanta, and stays with his one time protege, a prosperous Asian. The two go to Ponce City Market, the beltline, Buckhead, and other trendoid spots we all know and, if not love, at least tolerate. They talk about hedge funds, and their adventures in moving money without creating value. Finally, they part ways on uneasy terms. ~ I am an Atlanta native familiar with setting of this story It was fun to listen to even if a lot of it did not ring true It is ironic for a *asian*-we never learn what country-to say racism about a buckhead dive bar bless Barry’s heart both Barry investor and Barry ex potus ~ Louie Frank Powell Frank Powell owned the cove, and a series of other bars in atlanta. Once, I was perusing the legal notices, and saw where he was applying for a liquor license I saw that his first name was Louie Fory plus years later, I wondered what happened to him. I googled the name. Louie Frank Powell Birth – 23 Nov 1931 Westville, Holmes County, FL Death – 8 Mar 1996 (aged 64) Atlanta, GA Burial – Sweet Gum Head Church of Christ Cemetery Sweet Gum Head, Holmes County, FL The Sweet Gum Head was a show bar on Cheshire Bridge Road for several years. In 1973, Frank’s boyfriend drove his cadillac through the South wall of the Cove ~ asexuals ~ GOP senator calls child separation “current shiny object of the day” “keep the focus on President Trump’s request to Congress to cut $15 in spending.” @chamblee54 maybe .@CBS could use the $15 to hire a proofreader ~ Liza Minnelli: ‘I Do Not Approve Nor Sanction’ the Judy Garland Biopic Starring Renee Zellweger ~ where our troops are fighting “hostilities or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances.” ~ What’s Jesse Singal’s Fucking Deal? ~ Bahama Breeze in Orange Village calls police on black sorority over bill dispute ~ West Coast Fog radio ~ gossip in the city part one ~ xxx alleged killer ~ @realDonaldTrump “I REALLY DON’T CARE, DO U?” written on the back of Melania’s jacket, refers to the Fake News Media. Melania has learned how dishonest they are, and she truly no longer cares! ~ @Acosta FLOTUS spox confirms Mrs. Trump wore a jacket to visit border kids that reads: “I really don’t care. Do you?” Spox says: “It’s a jacket. There was no hidden message. After today’s important visit to Texas, I hope the media isn’t going to choose to focus on her wardrobe.” ~ People Are Disgusted By The Way This Woman Responded To A Wedding Caterer’s Prices ~ The Southern Poverty Law Center has lost all credibility ~ splc headline ~ root share ~ another root share ~ intellectual dark web contains no authoritarians @BretWeinstein @GlennLoury It is a stretch to say that IDW “contains no authoritarians” ~ .@jordanbpeterson sounds like an authoritarian many see authoritarianism as a spectrum rather than binary do you have authority figure to keep authoritarians out? ~ @BretWeinstein I enjoyed @GlennLoury monolog about heavy handed attempts by media-dnc team to force you to vote for HRC this was a factor in small town PA WI MI I felt same way only I was in GA and ec went DJT while you were in MA and were forced to go for HRC ~ @BretWeinstein one problem with your hypothesis is that @SenSanders was an obnoxious weak candidate that the republicans would have taken apart in the general election @GlennLoury ~ @PressSec Last night I was told by the owner of Red Hen in Lexington, VA to leave because I work for @POTUS and I politely left. Her actions say far more about her than about me. I always do my best to treat people, including those I disagree with, respectfully and will continue to do so ~ @HoarseWisperer Note: Sarah Huckabee Sanders has a personal account. It is: @SarahHuckabee She used the federal government’s account for the Press Secretary (@PressSec) to target a private business owner. ~ Help Separated children, bill number 2937 ~ S.3036 – Keep Families Together Act ~ Kellyanne Ennui ~ a weird yearning for death combined with a crushing sense of my own smallness and futility that presents as a fear of death ~ With the awakening of his emotions, his first perception was a sense of futility, a dull ache at the utter grayness of his life ~ the word racism has been trivialized by overuse demoze thought calling millions of americans racist would help elect hillary we are harvesting the fruit of that hideous strategy now this subject is emotional quicksand ~ I want to be on the side of history where false equivalency tweets/facebook posts are ignored ~ People think that Sarah Palin said that she could see Russia from her back porch. ~ drain the swamp anagrams as sin raw dp the man ~ These are the bills regarding the separation of children from their parents at the border. Help Separated children, bill number 2937 Keep Families together, bill number 3036 Sen. Perdue 404.865.0087 Sen. Isakson 770.661.0999 GA04 Rep. Johnson 770 987-2291 GA05 Rep. Lewis 404 659-0116 GA06 Rep. Handel 770 998-0049 GA07 Rep. Woodall 770 232-3005 GA11 Rep. Loudermilk 770 429-1776 When you contact these numbers, please be considerate of the person taking your call. It is not helpful to make an angry speech. Just ask them to support bill 2937 and bill 3036 Please only contact the Congressional representative from your district. ~ Instead of making noise on twitter, you could call your senator and ask them to support Help Separated children, bill number 2937, Keep Families together, bill number 3036 namecalling will accomplish NOTHING there will be opportunities to scream racism later ~ If you are concerned about the situation at the border, call your senator (Sen. Perdue 404.865.0087, Sen. Isakson 770.661.0999) Ask them to support Help Separated children, bill number 2937, and Keep Families together, bill number 3036. Please be courteous to the person taking your call. ~ Can we have a timeout on the memes, name calling, pointing out hypocrisy, and other examples of internet logic and rhetoric. We know that you are angry. We know that you are clever. There will be plenty of opportunities to scream racist later. ~ Can we have a timeout on the memes, name calling, pointing out hypocrisy, virtue signalling, and other displays of internet performance logic. We know that you are angry. We know that you are clever. There will be plenty of opportunities to scream racist later. ~ my next book – 12 Antidotes for Rules: A Life to Chaos ~ As the Baptist said to the Presbyterian, there’s a madness to my Methodist. ~ the moment when you see #andrewsullivan trending, and you wonder what the idiot has said now – andy says to give djt his wall it will be expensive, environmentally unsafe, and WILL NOT WORK but yea, let orange hair have his wall, paid for with money taken from healthcare it will make the liberals mad ~ those who talk the most listen the least ~ This was very frustrating to listen to. The race issue is a bottomless can of worms. The *good news* is that they did not discuss queers or life after death. This may be a first for jesus worshipers. @JemarTisby @williamrblack ~ @AryehCW Has anyone written a thinkpiece on why Italians are the only ethnicity it’s still okay to make fun of? @chamblee54 Southern White People Idk of that is an ethnicity, or a lack of one, but it is open game, especially if you throw in a kkk joke, in which case it is absolutely virtuous to insult us ~ One problem with the internet is distractions. If you see something you want to share, you will need to go share it. While you are there, inevitably you will look at facebook, thus putting your peace of mind at risk. Like when two facebook friends shared a vile screed. What is the proper response to this? Say something, and get into a quagmire argument. Or just ignore it, and lose respect for the two men who liked this. I don’t want to be someone who hates others because of their opinions. The article says you should speak up, when it suits them. The good news is, the next poem I found in the archive addresses this issue.
it is is not about justice – it is having an emotional experience
that validates your privilege – the person judging you
is just as messed up as you are – it is is not about salvation
it is having an emotional experience – that validates your privilege
Pictures are from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”. ~ selah

Catalog Part Three

my thoughts are my business – practice outweigh beliefs
g-d does not write books – thought about jesus does not – affect life after death
rumble grumble rattle bubble – gurgle murder tumble scream
thunder whimper whistle trouble – groan growl boo hoo bleep dream
daedalus nine peninsula dead – didi won straw warts now i did – dogma in my hymn i am god
drab as a fool aloof as a bard – draw o caesar erase a coward – evi saves god dogs evasive
evil did i dwell lewd i did live – go deliver a dare vile dog – i man am regal a german am i
lived on decaf faced no devil – margot trades used art to gram – mr owl ate my metal worm
murder for a jar of red rum – tulsa night life filth gin a slut – drat saddam mad dastard
before you call out racism – there are a few questions
is the accuser telling the truth? have you heard both sides of the story?
is it really racism or is it a personal dispute where someone cries race?
is it institutional systemic oppression or just someone saying something stupid?
do you know what you are talking about? is it any of your business?
when people around you sing praises for someone
that hates on you even though you have never done anything to hurt someone
but because someone finds your opinions to be distasteful
pg went to see frickin witch poet – read in dickhater georgia basement
where they let people smoke tobacco – pg misgendered fwp in blog post
told secret officer of pronoun police – about it they called pg oppressor
In June of 2015, I heard a poet, Jamie Mortara, on a podcast. They had a show in Decatur, and I attended. Since they described themself as a faerie witch, I thought some people I knew might be interested. I made a few facebook posts about the show, to no avail. When I wrote about the evening, I used he/him/his pronouns. There was a comment: “i am frequently misgendered throughout this article and it makes me angry.” A few days later, I described the incident to someone, who went ballistic. The pronoun police don’t play. In August of 2016, I saw the poet at the National Poetry Slam. They did not remember me. We had a brief, semi pleasant chat, before they excused them self to type on their laptop. Singular they can be tough to get used to.
atrocious revolting appalling vile – nauseating odious pernicious nasty
loathsome disgusting hateful bilious – unctuous feculent odious putrescent
interpretive jiggery-pokery – subordinate tangential availability
presuppose purported provisions – statutory rudimentary ratification
substantive transcribing distortions – congressional participation principle
affordable equivalent implementation – unquestionable challenged provision
bleat bleep blow bluster boil – boohoo breathe bubble clack clap – clash click cluck coo cough crackle
crash croak flicker groan growl – grumble gurgle hiss howl hum – murmur neigh rattle reap roar
rumble rustle scrap scrape scream – sing snarl snore sob squeak squeal
stutter thunder tinkle tumble weep
do one thing at a time do it – slowly deliberately completely
do less put space between things – smile serve others develop rituals
designate time for certain things – devote time to sitting live simply
make cleaning cooking meditation – think about what is necessary
have two ears and one mouth listen twice as much as you talk
when in doubt shut up if you want to be forgiven forgive
douche is a hygiene appliance not an insult
ass is a noun not an adjective or adverb
before you call out somebody for racism drape a towel over your mirror
real estate agent got a surprise he showed closet to possible buyer
inside were skeletal remains of last year’s hide and seek champion
brad majors was upset when car got back from garage
he knew the odor caused by rotting meat loaf in trunk would never completely go away
pale faced man came out of kitchen said “what are you doing to my home?”
wrecker’s ball distributed contents of his head across the front yard
We are getting to post e092, or number 92 in 2015. Chamblee54 poetry has been going on for two years at this point. The writing contest prompts, that started this, have ended. There are a few short posts now, but more long ones. There are starting to be “big word poems,” where words, and phrases, are mined from articles. They are grouped into poems based more on the way they sound, than on the meaning the words have. A lot of these poems are terrible, and not included in this collection.
In early October 2015, I was at a *family gathering* in Tennessee. I read a selection of poems at the “no talent show.” It was a great experience. I decided to find an open mic program, and start to read regularly in public. Going live is the next part of the story.

Sunday Motivation

This is a repost double feature. It is on the general subject of motivation, inspiration, and manipulation. Such things are like perfume…nice to sniff at, but dangerous to swallow.
Back when I was at redo blue, we traded some printing for a motivational speech. The speaker was D. J. Harrington. He came on stage with a telephone handset, demonstrating how to answer the telephone. There were a lot of statistics, like you get 50 percent more information when you use your left ear. (This is a made up example, not a quote. I don’t remember any of his examples.) It reminded me of something a teacher said once…: ” The best way to win an argument is to use statistics. The best way to get statistics is to make them up”
On the all important issue of what to say when you answer the squawk box, he suggested “How may I direct your call?” Now, I like to identify the company and myself as briefly as possible, and quit wasting the customer’s time. Mister customer knows why he called. HMIDYC is seven unnecessary syllables that do your customer no good.
As some of you know, I have a sensitive BS detector. This gets in the way of being “motivated”. When confronted with a entertainer motivational speaker, I try to glean one or two worthwhile tidbits. I give D.J.H. credit, he did make one good comment. “You must sell yourself first, your company second, and your product third” There are some idea mongers who feel I owe them my trust. I beg to differ.
Mr. Harrington used to call his dog and pony show “C*** U* F*** T** N*** U*.That phrase is currently a registered trademark of the Mood Disorders Association of Ontario and may be used with permission only. The link no longer works.
Redo Blue was a diverse company. I suspect D.J.H. toned down some of the good ole boy touches from his presentation. Towards the end, he described a speech he gave in Oklahoma. “The only Catholics they have ever seen are Ted Kennedy and Mary Jo Kopechne” He proceeded to tell a tasteless story about the Catholic Church. I was almost motivated to walk out.

In an early morning discourse, I said that Martin Niemoller was rolling in his grave looking for the royalties from his poem, “First they came…“. For those of you with very short memories, here it is.
When the Nazis came for the communists, I remained silent; I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats, I remained silent; I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists, I did not speak out; I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews, I remained silent; I wasn’t a Jew.
When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out.
Friedrich Gustav Emil Martin Niemöller was the son of a Lutheran minister. In World War 1, he served on a U boat crew. Harold Marcuse tells this story: “Niemöller was a commander of a German U-boat in World War I. A seminal incident in his moral outlook, … occurred when he commanded his submarine crew not to rescue the sailors of a boat he torpedoed, but let them drown instead. “
After the war Mr. Niemöller became a Lutheran Minister. Mr. Niemöller was originally a supporter of Mr. Hitler, but became an opponent. Mr. Niemöller was imprisoned in Sachsenhausen and Dachau concentration camps from 1937 to 1945.
After the war, Mr. Niemöller began to speak out. The famous poem was derived from these speeches. It was never written down in typical poet fashion. There are several versions of it from him, and many more as the years rolled by. It has been quoted, updated, and quoted again.
In addition to the four groups mentioned above, the Nazis also came for mentally ill, incurably ill, or people in occupied countries. The legend is that when asked if he included Catholics, Mr. Niemöller said “I never said it. They can take care of themselves.” (If you have a few minutes to spare, the page that quote came from is worth looking at.) When the McCarthy fever hit America, he declined to mention Communists. Maybe Mr. Niemöller was a pre-mature anti-facist.
With regard to the royalties, I could not see that it was ever copyrighted. I do not know who “owns the rights”. Some have even speculated that the poem was not composed by Mr. Niemöller.
Recently, there was a blog post that quoted “First they came…” The post was about gay marriage. With all due respect, to the people affected by this, the ability to marry someone of the same gender does not come close to a government killing six million Jews.
There is the Rebel looking for a cause syndrome. Many people just want to fight about something, and the cause is secondary to the lust for battle. When a poem like this is used to fire up people for a shaky cause, it brings discredit to the poem.
There is the matter of the “Next Hitler” argument. During the run up to the first war against Iraq, Saddam Hussein was routinely called the next Hitler. While this may be a valid argument at times, it often sounds like the boy who cried wolf. The “Next Hitler” argument is covered by Godwin’s Law. On August 13, 2017, Mike Godwin updated his law. @sfmnemonic “By all means, compare these shitheads to Nazis. Again and again. I’m with you.” Whatever dude.
Maybe a general moratorium is needed on the use of “First they Came…” This is a repost, with pictures from The Library of Congress.

Catalog Part Two

freddie phelps doth prepare – to go and meet his maker
why should anybody care – the cake will find a baker
see the last trifecta post – thirty three words are toast – there will be things to do
listen to the music blue – one thing to make me grin – this time i want to win
Perfect Country Western Poem
remember mama in the rain – kobir made me miss the train – pick up truck needs oil
radiator fixin’ to boil – drunk down at the prison gate – mama you don’t need to hate
One problem with the internet is distractions. While you are there, inevitably you will look at facebook, thus putting your peace of mind at risk. Like when two white facebook friends shared a vile screed, White People Are Cowards. What is the proper response to this? Say something, and get into a quagmire argument? Or just ignore it, and lose respect for the two white men who liked this, as well as a bit of self respect. I don’t want to be someone who hates others because of their opinions. The good news is, the next poem I found in the archive addresses this issue.
Emotional Experience
it is is not about justice – it is having an emotional experience
that validates your privilege – the person judging you
is just as messed up as you are – it is is not about salvation
it is having an emotional experience – that validates your privilege
There is an irony here. The article at the root makes the point that white people have done terrible things, and other white people did not speak out about it. This is a fair enough point. The article is titled “White People Are Cowards,” and the cowardice stems from this lack of speaking up. There is a quote from Thomas Jefferson, which nobody has a source for. Now, should I speak up about the fbf posting this obnoxious article where I can see it? If I had confronted the two fbf about this article, it would have gotten nasty. Nothing good ever comes out of a discussion like that. While you might feel like a coward from walking away, sometimes that is the best thing to do. The second best thing to do is substitute “black” for “white,” in the title and concept, and wonder what would happen.
have you seen the little ciggies – burning to get off
and for all the little ciggies – love to make you cough
always have a match to play around with – have you seen the filter ciggies
in the bright red pack – you will find the ciggie lovers
smoking in the back – always having air to blow the smoke in
in their packs with all their filters – they don’t care if cancer will come
in their eyes is some dark yearning – what they need’s a damn good burning
everywhere there’s lots of ciggies – in their ciggie lives
you can see them in the ashtray – with their cigar wives – flicking on a bic to light another
Revenge Of The Mannequins
someone called me racist – maybe it was atheist
another one said slut – don’t listen to that nut
now the word is bitch – a verb a noun a glitch
butt hurt in your soul – when you call me asshole
it is now summer – time to get dumber
temperatures will rise – like mosquitoes and flies
time for the beach – duane will eat a peach
firework fourth of july – elvis will say goodbye
bible sausage congressional districts – made by devious people seeking
maximum profits from raw materials – see them being made become atheist
republican vegetarian efficient use of – material has priority over healthy diet
Which brings us to the poem that got me banned from yeahwrite, Whitehall Street. The pictures were taken at a mural on Whitehall Street. Getting the background colors to match was a chore. A few days after publication, there was an email. “Based on the nature of your post this week, your entries will no longer be welcome at yeah write.” Rowan Grigsby submissions editor rowan@yeahwrite.me | yeahwrite.me” After a few emails, I got this: “What you said, essentially, is that a trans woman is a fake woman. Frankly, we have never felt the need to specifically articulate that hate speech is unwelcome in our community. It seemed obvious to us and, indeed, to nearly everyone who submits posts.” Here is the test of the “hate speech.”
pearl told peter she is pregnant – baby daddy peter wants to marry
pearl do big man thing what peter – does not know pearl was formerly
known as paul gender reassignment – can grow pretty boobs paint happy
face but cannot create productive womb
downtown morning storm torrent – clouds gone by tennessee hills
arrive park hike set up tent – friday night cabaret thrills
party heart circle much talk – dance first time two plus year
no water message writ by chalk – wash your hands rainbow queer
thunder drum for spiral dance – fire glow purple orange red
rain hug rain smile rain romance – unwanted burden to be shed
pound drum foggy night rain – morning isis compost bucket
astarte hecate demeter insane – kali iana diana rain fuck it
grand jury renders opinion – national hissy fit begin again
when justice is popularity contest – freedom lies bleeding in street
On November 24, 2014, I was waiting on a grand jury to make an announcement. There was little doubt that Darren Wilson fired the shots that killed Mike Brown. The question was whether, or not, to indict Mr. Wilson. The grand jury decided not to indict Mr. Wilson. This decision was confirmed by a later Department of Justice investigation. While waiting on the announcement, I was concerned about mob justice. I feel that the justice system should decide the case based on the evidence and arguments presented , rather than by public opinion. This is a fundamental concept in a nation governed by laws, rather than brute force. Many people disagreed with the decision of the grand jury.
There was a comment. Anonymous said, on November 25, 2014 at 2:28 pm (Edit) Thanks Luthor… you’re racism never disappoints! The name was misspelled. … Is a dependence on a system of law and order racism? Anonymous seems to think so. Is they qualified to make this judgment? If racism is anything that you don’t like, then Anonymous is qualified to make the call.
There is the style of the comment to consider. While Anonymous did not give their name, there was an I.P. address. The IPA is connected to a .edu server. Apparently, this is a workplace computer. Leaving insulting comments from your employer’s computer does not reflect well on the institution.
the morning after wayne holsey – died with arm full of mystery drugs
nineteen years after will robinson died – did holsey deter future murders
when ego happy social justice warriors are silent
blue moo haiku woo – zoo crew loo poo screw goo boo – xanadu do you