Soon! Don't Worry I'll Remind You

Bailey, Sabo, Meyerhofer!

Here's Something

Oh, you live in Muncie, IN? You're not doing anything Friday afternoon at 2:00pm?
You're also familiar with the Ball State Campus?
I'm reading and talking about some new poems in the Robert Bell Building
in room 361. I had to title my talk and so it is titled:

Poetry! Poetry! Poetry!:

Radical Honesty

and the

Importance of the Colon

in the Lecture Title

Things That Make Sense But Don't

One, James Joyce stands with his legs apart. That's important. Also, I never knew that I would draw his profile in light (I did this with a flashlight while my friend kept his camera open, exposing the whole time). Nine years later, I see what I meant. It is probably perfectly obvious to you. I wasn't thinking.

Another New Review of Hitler's Mustache!

Hitler’s Mustache is a weird book, in the best sense...

New Review of Hitler's Mustache!

In the new Redivider, volume five, issue one. That's a nice thing.

How You Might Spend Your Free Time

Update: O god, it was cancelled due to weather. The U of Cininnati was closed. I spent the night with really great hosts, Matt Hart and his kind wife and beautiful baby girl. It will happen again sometime. I will keep you informed.

Walt Whitman

He says, "I've got a large white beard!
I like it." Other people acknowledge
his beard. You can hear some of them
saying things like, "Indeed, his
rather large beard is a wooly, excellent poetry."
He says, "I care for wounded
veterns and I self-publish!"
He also says, "I have influenced
many startling poets!"
Some people say, "This homosexual
is like over-the-top and, like, ugly-fleshy."
He says, "Whatever, you
stupid fuckers! Whatever."
And some of them (who are standing
near a lake) say,
"Oh yea, Whitman? Fuck you!
Fuck You, Whitman!"
But he's like, "You can kiss my fairy ass!
I'm smarter than you think!"
But some of them
still say, "You're stupid," or
"Whatever, dickhead!"
But he yells, "I'm rubber,
you're glue!" And they're, like,
"Good one." And he's, like,
"Yea, it was good!" And they yell,
"Faggot!" And he's, like,
"That's what I'm talking about!"

I'm Reading In Cincinnati!

MOOR POETRY
Thurs. Feb. 21st.
840 Gallery
University of Cincinnati
6:30 pm.
(with Kristi Maxwell and maybe someone else)

Are you in or around the greater Cincinnati area? Or will you be on Thursday? Do you enjoy poetry? You should come see me read and buy my book. I think you'd like it. I have every reason to believe this reading will be seriously fantastic. I'm looking forward to seeing you. Even though I don't think I know you, I think you're beautiful.

An Important Issue Regarding Vanity Fair, Rich Cohen, and my book, Hitler's Mustache!

In November, o7 the above piece by Rich Cohen appeared in Vanity Fair. It's good. I like it. I wish he'd have mentioned my pink book. This is what I wrote:

_________________________________________


Dear Vanity Fair,

Like Rich Cohen, I too am fascinated with Hitler’s mustache.

While Mr. Cohen provides a rich history of this particular configuration of face hairs and the way in which they ultimately arrived on, and defined, the upper lip of human evil, I was somewhat dismayed that he didn’t mention my book of poetry Hitler’s Mustache (Barnwood Press, 2006). Had he even Googled the words “Hitler mustache” he would have found my book among the very first results. He then would have discovered 56 poems, each centered on that mysterious patch of square, black, face fur that has come to be called a “Hitler mustache.” Among many other bits of information, I provide 238 potential alternative names for the mustache, including some that Mr. Cohen might appreciate, like the “Fur turtle” and the “Not Lincoln.” I also illuminate certain facts, such as “Hitler’s mustache underestimated the furriness of the Russian winter” and “Hitler’s mustache sees a beard and wonders, Why didn’t I think of that?”

When people ask me, as they do, why I wrote a whole book of poems about Hitler’s mustache, I always say that I was “simply filling a hole in the market.” It is a square, furry black-hole of the universe that is ripe for exploration. I am glad that Rich Cohen is a fellow explorer, and I hope, in the future, that he will acknowledge those of us who have gone before into that uncomfortable, black barcode.

All best,

Peter Davis
_______________________________________________________

Vanity Fair did not print my letter. But, I'm saying this: Rich Cohen and Vanity Fair, you should have printed my letter! I know that in your heart you know that I've got an excellent point and that there is no use arguing about that. So, I'm asking you, do what the universe suggests and feature my terrific book in your magazine. (Or, Rich Cohen, since you probably write for other magazines too, write about my book for some other magazine(s).) You cannot deny that my book, published 11 months prior to your article, clearly indicates that while we are both early comers to the significance of Hitler's mustache, my recgonition of this realization was published significantly earlier than yours. Additionally, while I have a great deal of respect for your crisp and engaging prose (something I can't quite do), we both, if we were both familiar with my book, would surely acknowledge that my engagment with this particular square section of face fur is much wider, longer, and depthy-er than yours. Of course, I know that your audience is a different audience than mine (meaning: I can write as if I don't have a significant audience, because I don't, but you must write as if you do have a significant audience, which you do.) So, I'm saying: Share the love, bro! We're all a little in debt to Hitler's face stubble. We all got bills to pay. Help me out a touch! Rich Cohen, I'll be happy to mail you a copy of the book for free! It got some terrific reviews! And I'll be happy to mail a copy of the book to anyone who you seriously think might like it. Free copies to anyone who works at Vanity Fair! My e-mail is artisnecessary@yahoo.com!

Another Beautiful Picture

The day I proposed to my beautiful wife, my dad said, "be sure you take a picture of the ring." There it is. It is very, very small in its giant black box. This is not what my dad meant. It is the exact same size now, but because it's close to Valentine's day I think it seems bigger. There are good things, and there are great things. That's one of the shining moments of my life. Nice work, I say to myself. Good going.

Beautiful Pictures

Max wearing the real hair from my soul patch/ goatee, circa, 20o3.

The Truth about the Beard

My beard makes a ton of
sense as it careens into the expanding
profile my shadow casts against, say,
a sort of screen.
The word I would use for it
is "luxurious" but other
people have opinions.
My beard hair is varied.
There is deep red
and chocolate, also other varities
of face hair colors, together.
It is a rich menagerie.
It is a vast tapestry of weaveable fiber.
The way this beard gnaws at
the universe is universal.
You too experiance the presence or
absence of pore fur.
We are all aware of the situation--
it is dense, historic.

Something Short about AWP in NYC

Probably the coolest thing was the Museum of Modern Art which is a cool museum containing some cool modern art. It was right next door. Also, there were meals, moments, people, etc. There was rain, instantanous umbrellas, kissing, books, and missing the sweet kids. Also, I saw super cool guitars that really fit my goopy hands. Yes, there is always a sense of sadness when one is looking in a mirror. Yes, there are missed opportunties and stuff. But, largely, the city of New York has good bedsheets and even the car horns sound a little good. My wife is pretty in New York, too. She kicks ass there, also. Additionally, the subway makes alot of sense.

Just Got Back from NYC

and I'll have more to say about that in the future. For the time being: I've got new poems in these cool places. You should buy these journals, not just because they're good journals, but, more importantly, because my poems are in them and you want to express a kind of second-hand love for me. I love you in a kind of second-hand way too.