David Clewell reviews my new poetry chapbook, "The Shape of a Man"

So like I was saying, Amy VanDonsel and I have co-curated a group art show where I'll release my new chapbook of poetry on Intagliata Imprints (printed by Firecracker Press): The Shape of a Man.

The art show, also called The Shape of a Man, goes down 7-11 p.m. Friday, January 6 at Mad Art Gallery, 2727 So. 12th St. in St. Louis. The event will be a potluck catered by men who cook.

From 8-8:30 p.m. -- that is only a half-hour of live poetry, for those given the hives by live poetry -- I'll perform a few poems from my new chapbook.

I'm given hives by live poetry, so I'll perform duets with musicians: Fred Friction (spoons), Roy Gokenbach (electric guitar) and Josh Weinstein (double blass, clarinet). Furthermore, I will perform through a sculpture, With Solid Stance and Stable Sound by Noah Kirby.

Since even thirty minutes of me live as poet, even with musicians and a sculpture, is too much without a break, I'll do two micro sets and a real poet, St. Louis' and Salt Lake City's own Stefene Russell, will perform one manly poem in between.

To pump up the release of this chapbook, which someone else is paying for and I want him to get his money back!, I asked Missouri poet laureate and my old buddy David Clewell to advance-review my book. And here is what Clewell said:

*

On THE SHAPE OF A MAN

Musician/poet/agent provocateur Chris King discovers some acutely painful sharp angles that contribute to The Shape of a Man. These are poems full of beer, bad guys, car rides, near-talismanic ears of corn, and a laundromat where the speaker’s determined to see his dirty laundry through, all the way to dry—to “pay for / heat, finish something, for once.”

If there’s sadness and regret along the way, these voices manage to find their own kind of resolve in the tenacity of their singing—the distinctive music King makes of language that can’t help saying how, sometimes, it’s amazing we’re still here. In “I Love Taverns When They’re Empty,” the speaker insists that “…it takes courage to enter a bar / when it’s empty, that, or / desperation. I admire courage and find / the desperate quotable.”

I admire the honest desperation in this collection, and I find the courage nothing less than quotable.

—David Clewell

***

Image is the print "Re-in-cur-nation" by George D. Davidson III, which will be exhibited at The Shape of a Man.

JUMBOTRON HUMANITY COCKROACH POEM

JUMBOTRON HUMANITY COCKROACH POEM

By Chris King

Once upon a time there was
a man, his beer, a ballgame, and a cockroach.
The man, so simply himself,
so fully inhabited in his ballcap,
his bleacher stadium seat.
This man owned the sun on this day on his face.
Slept. Cockroach climbed in his beer.

Was no press conference for cockroach climbing
into beer, but not back out,
nor zoom in on man resplendent after nap
in sold-out game of himself,
gulping down sun-warmed remnant of beer, the roach
slipping down open gullet,
we guessed, watching the man from our bleacher seats.
Blissfully self unobserved
vanished without us knowing, like that cockroach.
Jumbotron humanity
now watching self watch self do nothing on screen.

*

Photo borrowed from the Flickr of Raikyn. I have no commercial rights to it.

Free Beethoven (and your mind will follow)

Henderson plays all Beethoven sonatas in 4 days of free shows


Peter Henderson, one of the finest pianists in the metropolitan area, will play all 32 of Beethoven’s sonatas over the course of four days in concert at St. Louis Community College at Forest Park’s Mildred E. Bastian Center for the Performing Arts, 5600 Oakland Ave.

Henderson, who teaches at Maryville University and is in the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, will play 105 movements, about half of them from memory. The house lights will be up, so musicians are encouraged to bring their Beethoven scores with them. The concerts are free and open to the public from Thursday, Dec. 15 through Sunday, Dec. 18.

“Please join us in hearing some of the greatest music ever written. Additionally, you’ll be helping to encourage Peter as he checks this item of his ‘Bucket List,'*” said Thomas Zirkle, associate professor and music coordinator at STLCC-Forest Park.

The schedule is as follows:

Concert 1: Piano Sonatas Nos. 1-4, at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15

Concert 2: Piano Sonatas Nos. 5-8, at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 16

Concert 3: Piano Sonatas Nos. 19-20, 9-11, at noon on Saturday, Dec. 17

Concert 4: Piano Sonatas Nos. 12-15, at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17

Concert 5: Piano Sonatas Nos. 16-18, and 21, at 7 p.m. on Saturday Dec. 17

Concert 6: Piano Sonatas Nos. 22-26, at noon on Sunday, Dec. 18

Concert 7: Piano Sonatas Nos. 27-29, at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 18

Concert 8: Piano Sonatas Nos. 30-32, at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 18

For more information, contact Zirkle at: 314-644-9679 or tzirkle@stlcc.edu.

* Confluence City objects to use of cliched meme "Bucket List" in this SLCC press release.
**

Beethoven painting by Rhom.

Open Studio for The Shape of a Man this Wednesday at Amy VanDonsel's

Like I was saying, Amy VanDonsel and I have an art show coming up on Friday, January 6 that also is the occasion for releasing my new chapbook of poetry. Both art show and chapbook are titled The Shape of a Man and tackle manly themes.

This Wednesday, from 7-10 p.m., Amy and I are co-hosting an open studio to get geared up for the show. We're meeting at Amy's place, 3419 Iowa in the Cherokee Street neighborhood. It's free, of course, and open to the public; but bring your own thing to drink.

Though this reminder goes out late, we're hoping to entice the other local artists joining us in the show to come out on Wednesday: that would be Kevin Belford, Ron Buechele, Jon Cournoyer, Dr. Andrew Dykeman, Fred Friction, Robert Goetz, Noah Kirby, Sandra Marchewa, Dana Smith and B.J. Vogt. We hope, if possible, that they bring the work they plan to put in the show.

We also hope to see Hap Phillips, who will be in the show, and I mean literally he will be in the show: we are exhibiting Hap himself as an exemplary man at The Shape of a Man.

The show also will include work by Oscar Alvarez, who is a small child and not to be invited out on a school night; George D. Davidson III, who lives and works in Athens, Georgia; and Matt Fuller, who lives and works in Los Angeles. We don't expect their physical presence on Wednesday night, but hopefully Oscar's parents, Anthony and Gina Alvarez, will bring him to the show on January 6.

We also are including work by the late Hunter Brumfield III. In most cases, someone's being dead would disqualify them from attending an open studio or art exhibit. However, Hunter's track record for haunting his friends is so impressive that I half-expect his presence in one manifestation or another.

Finally, at The Shape of a Man I will perform poems from my new chapbook, backed up by some old friends: Fred Friction (spoons), Roy Gokenbach (guitar) and Josh Weinstein (double blass, clarinet). I'm inviting them out on Wednesday, and if any of them can make it then we can also give our fellow artists and friends a taste of our performance for The Shape of a Man.

Should be fun!

Why it's clear The Pulitzer tonight was not me dead & gone to heaven

It was one of those nights, the feet scarcely touched the ground.
A minimalist presentation of glorious Buddhist art, artifact, touchstone, in a building that is art on the street.

Tuneful, swinging, edgy, taking its sweet time live music.

Poets in corners and out in the main spaces, dropping poetry.

The music could get a little loud for the poets in their natural voices. So people stood around the poets, their heads bowed.

This was the best way to catch the poetry as it dropped. It happened to make living shrines of the poets.

The poets read poetry by others poets, all touched by Buddhism. This meant picking through the books of poetry in advance looking for the Buddhist-touched poems.

The poets had tagged all their Buddhist-touched poems, so the books all looked like they had sprouted  dozens of little paper buds of leaves.

The people huddled around the poets like shrines, and the poets waved books that looked like they were coming to life, poetry books actively growing new pages of poetry before our eyes.

Uncle Bill, the great Soulard poet, sat watching the poets, his beard perfectly Confucian, his soul Buddhist.

K. Curtis Lyle enfolded his fellow poets in his gigantic conscious warm embrace.

Michael Castro loved Jack Kerouac's mother with Jack. Ann Haubrich loved with Kerouac the truly mad.

Allison Funk sat quietly in eternity with Kenneth Roxroth. Chris Parr fidgeted there with Gary Snyder.

Castro apologized, with Kerouac, to Charlie Parker, as Dave Stone played saxophone like Charlie Parker's godchild taking his confident time toward eternity.

Dave took a break, then it was Josh Weinstein playing the recorded music that was also, in its way, totally live. I had to talk to Dave and Josh, I consider them like my brothers, but talking with them up on the DJ balcony, somehow stupidly I missed Curtis' reading! My deepest biggest soul brother Curtis! I missed him!

That is the only way I knew I had not died and gone to heaven! In heaven I wouldn't miss Curtis' reading! And in heaven Uncle Bill would be allowed to place between the calm toes of The Buddha his little paper memorial to the dead John Lennon on the anniversary of the day the madman shot John Lennon dead!

*

The image is stock, not from The Pulitzer's great show.

The Shape of a Man: art exhibit and poetry chapbook release

I am releasing a new poetry chapbook, The Shape of a Man, on Friday, January 6 at Mad Art in the context of an art show with Amy VanDonsel and friends, living and dead; also with a brief poetry performance backed up by Fred Friction, Roy Gokenbach and Josh Weinstein, performing through a sculpture by Noah Kirby.

Press release (updated Dec. 19)!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Amy VanDonsel
avd@amyvandonsel.com
(314) 265-7836

“The Shape of a Man”
Art exhibit and chapbook release
Mad Art Gallery
2727 So. 12th Street, St. Louis

7-11 p.m. January 6, 2012

New work by Amy VanDonsel.
Poetry chapbook by Chris King.

Poetry performance with musical guests.

Additional manly art by:

Oscar Alvarez, Kevin Belford, Ron Buechele,
Jon Cournoyer, George D. Davidson III
Charles and Chalot Douglas-Book,
Dr. Andrew Dykeman, Fred Friction,
Matt Fuller, Robert Goetz,
Kim Humphries, Chris King,
Noah Kirby, David Langley,
Sandra Marchewa, Hap Phillips,
Stefene Russell, Dana Smith,
B.J. Vogt, Eric Woods
and the late Hunter Brumfield III.

Also, one exemplary man – Hap Phillips – will be exhibited.

Potluck provided by men who cook.

November 18, 2011, St. Louis, MO – Amy VanDonsel and Chris King collaborate on and co-curate a small group show, the first in a projected annual exhibit series exploring the shapes that men and women are in.

“The Shape of a Man” opens Friday, January 6, 2012, at Mad Art Gallery, 2727 So. 12th Street, with a reception from 7-11 p.m. “The Shape of a Man,” explores the shapes men are in through a creative conversation between a woman and a man working in a variety of media (with help from their man friends, living and dead).

Amy VanDonsel will show new mixed media, paintings and installation, and Chris King will release a chapbook, The Shape of a Man, and perform poems from it with Fred Friction (spoons), Roy Gokenbach (guitar) and Josh Weinstein (double bass, clarinet).

The exhibit also will feature visual art by Oscar Alvarez, Kevin Belford, Ron Buechele, Jon Cournoyer, George D. Davidson III, Charles and Chalot Douglas-Book, Dr. Andrew Dykeman, Fred Friction, Matt Fuller, Robert Goetz, Kim Humphries, Chris King, Noah Kirby, David Langley, Sandra Marchewa, Hap Phillips, Stefene Russell, Dana Smith, B.J. Vogt, Eric Woods and the late Hunter Brumfield III. Also, one exemplary man – one Hap Phillips – will be exhibited in his natural, fabricated habitat.

A potluck will be provided by the men artists and other men who cook.

Amy VanDonsel creates mixed media paintings on canvas or panels and installations with paper, tape, string and found items. Her work examines textual communication and the processing of information through abstracted and figurative imagery, and combines research interests in literature and technology with handmade visual representations. She is the Director of Marketing and Development for Saint Louis City Open Studio and Gallery; plans arts and charitable events; and serves on the board of directors for non-profit Poetry Scores. Examples of her previous work may be viewed at www.amyvandonsel.com.

Chris King has been recasting his old, bad poems into the 7/11 form innovated by Quincy Troupe, alternating lines with 7 and 11 syllables and alternating stanzas with 7 and 11 lines, with results he likes enough to publish. The Shape of a Man (Intagliata Imprints) compiles his more manly 7/11s. As an “artist,” he sketches people and then has the subject sign the sketch, or makes paintings on vinyl records based on his sketchbook. He will perform his poetry with musical guests through Noah Kirby’s sculpture With Solid Stance and Stable Sound.

VanDonsel and King have previously collaborated on projects for the non-profits Poetry Scores and Saint Louis City Open Studio and Gallery. They also happen to share a birthday. VanDonsel/King plan to continue the “Shape of a Wo/Man” project with a follow-up exhibit, “The Shape of a Woman,” in January 2013 at Mad Art Gallery, then continue the themed project with future group collaborations.

What: Visual Art Exhibit Opening and Chapbook Release, with accompanying performances

When: Friday, January 6, 2012, 7-11 p.m.

Where: Mad Art Gallery, 2727 S. 12th Street, St. Louis, MO 63118

Who: Presented by Amy VanDonsel and Chris King, also featuring Oscar Alvarez, Kevin Belford, Ron Buechele, Jon Cournoyer, George D. Davidson III, Charles and Chalot Douglas-Book, Dr. Andrew Dykeman, Fred Friction, Matt Fuller, Robert Goetz, Roy Gokenbach, Kim Humphries, Noah Kirby, David Langley, Sandra Marchewa, Hap Phillips, Stefene Russell, Dana Smith, B.J. Vogt, Josh Weinstein, Eric Woods and the late Hunter Brumfield III.

Cost: Free and open to the public with cash bar.

CONTACT:

Amy VanDonsel
avd@amyvandonsel.com
(314) 265-7836
www.amyvandonsel.com