Four Poems Written During The Cosmic Dust Fusion Band's Memorial Day 2016 Show

The Cosmic Dust Fusion Band

Unitarian Church

4505 E 18th St., Vancouver, WA

Memorial Day 2016

The Cosmic Dust Fusion Band performs at the Unitarian Church in Vancouver, WA on May 30, 2016

 Rosario

That was his name. Draw the brush slowly, deliberately, across the landscape. Thought gives form to color. Memory gives form to emotion. The sanctity of true friendship. The ease of it. The quick laughter. The unforced smile. Remember the times we sat together. No one can erase these moments from the mind’s eye.  

 

Jim Templeton and Mike Doolin

 New York Taxicab

Pay you extra to take me to the tunnel. Fear beyond language. Top speed. No signal. No frame. Not where I expected to be. The street fragments and streaks. Where do you get off? What’re you thinkin’?

Who told you that? No way.

Charles Neal

 Blues #7

“What happened to the first six, I can’t tell ya.”

Talk so often ‘bout myself, people wish I’d just shut my mouth

Talk so often ‘bout myself, people wish I’d just shut my mouth

“Gonna call myself on the telephone one day, and tell myself to shut up”

(Miles Davis)

They say a poet is a person in love with the sound of his own voice

A poet is a person in love with the sound of his own voice

But when this scribe begins to speak,             don’t it sound so nice?

If you don’t have nothin’ to say, why open your mouth at all?

If you got nothin’ new to say, why open your mouth at all?

If your heart’s not in it, why say anything at all?

Hope they never take this mic away

Been writin’ all my life

If they should take this mic away

Could mean the end of my life

I promise

not to

say

another

word

‘less

that shit is

true

profound

precise

The Cosmic Dust Fusion Band performs at the Unitarian Church in Vancouver, WA on May 30, 2016

 The Roots Of The Forest

This afternoon I renew my vow of devotion to you. Allow me to be the protector of your heart. Put your tiny hand in mind and we’ll walk slowly into the beautiful darkness of our future. Not imaginative enough to have thought it could ever be this good. A true partner by my side. A stalwart friend, willing to corkscrew my bones to breaking when the time comes. To bruise my ribs when the time is right. Like a couple of kids. Who cares if we come away with a little bark in our hair?   

 

The Cosmic Dust Fusion band is Jim Templeton (keyboards), Mike Doolin (guitar), Pete Petersen (winds), Sam Hallam (bass), and Charles Neal (drums). For more information, visit The Cosmic Dust Fusion Band

"A Lot of Art is Simply Being a Loudmouth"

Sue Graham Mingus on her husband Charles: “See, his motives are right. This is the whole thing. See, the means he uses can be outrageous. If you were to look at the way he does a lot of things you might say, ‘What the hell, this is impossible. You know, you can’t deal with people on this level.’ But his motives are always right, and I think that’s what people respect about him; and they understand that maybe he doesn’t handle things the best way, but they know it’s from the heart and they simply put up with it….Most people don’t live as full a life as Charles does. He is inhibited about very few things, and he lives out his feelings, he lives out his doubts, he lives out his angers. See, most of us have learned to curb certain things, control certain things….That’s partly what an artist does anyway. You know, a lot of art is simply being a loudmouth. Saying everything, spitting it all out, getting out all your feelings, examining them—and eventually certain truths become apparent. You know, most people don’t expose themselves all the time, but that’s how you do find art. You know, it can be at the expense of a lot of people around you when you are doing this, but this is an artistic need.” From John F. Goodman’s Mingus Speaks, University of California Press, 2013.   

Bid on a poetry trading card by Niche Poet Laureate Christopher Luna to benefit VSAA's jazz program

Update, February 22: Congratulations to Jennifer Pratt-Walter ($20) and Peggy Bird ($25) for their winning bids on the poetry trading cards I created to benefit VSAA's jazz program. I would also like to thank Jamie Lutz and Amy Horstman for participating in the  auction. Keep supporting the arts.   

Christopher Luna working on poetry trading cards at Niche 

Wednesday, February 15, 2012 Photograph by Daniel Wickwire

I had a great time at Niche Wine and Art bar Wednesday night, listening to some very talented young jazz musicians from the Vancouver School of Arts and Academics. Every Wednesday this month, Niche will present jazz performances to benefit the school's musicians. Here is the announcement from Niche's Facebook page: "During the entire month of February a selection of wines and sodas will be supporting the Vancouver School of Arts and Academics jazz program. Profits from these items will be donated to the VSAA jazz students for travel. Enjoy a great restaurant while supporting great jazz! Every Wednesday for the rest of the month the actual jazz performers from VSAA will be here (with special guests)!!"

I occasionally create poetry trading cards and postcards while hanging out at the bar. I created three new cards that night, and while one is spoken for, I am offering up two of the cards to the highest bidder. I will donate all of the money raised to the VSAA Jazz program. Please contact me on Facebook or via email (christopherjluna@gmail.com) no later than 5pm Wednesday, February 22 if you would like to bid.

  RE-EMERGENCE

poetry trading card by Christopher Luna

February 15, 2012

 EQUINOX

poetry trading card by Christopher Luna

February 15, 2012

Opening bid: $5 Jamie Lutz

Finally, here is the third card I created that evening, which is not available for auction because I gave it to young bandleader and bassist Stu Jackson: 

a dirty word, but it comes out clean (Jack Kerouac)

for Stu Jackson

poetry trading card by Christopher Luna

February 15, 2012

I will be posting more examples of these trading cards soon.

Thank you for supporting art, poetry, and jazz in the 'Couve.

Christopher Luna

Niche/Angst Poet Laureate