Falling Down The Rotten Tree

A note on forms

2004-09-23T19:55:00.000-07:00

Though most of my writing experience comes via the way of 'free verse,' I've always wanted to try my hand at certain fixed forms. The sestina, ballade, villanelle and sonnet come to mind. Hopefully, I might develop the kind of discipline needed to create some wonderful poems.

Update on plans for first book of poetry

2004-06-04T14:07:00.000-07:00

Most of the material that will make up my first book of poetry began around March of last year. I originally slated to have the first book be around 250-300 pages of nothing but poetry, but I have recently hit writer's block and had to revise my thinking. As it stands now, not currently counting the 20 or so poems I have completed thus far for my blog site, the book is 94 or so pages long. I think about 150-200 pages or so should do it. I have recently found a batch of 3 or 4 old 3.5" floppy disks containing old material which may or may not make it into the book as well after I'd had a chance to access it. If I can make it to 200 pages, then I would have felt that I have accomplished something worthwhile.
Unfortunately, the book won't be published by Infinity until sometime next year in 2005. Better late than never, or so I've heard the saying go.

Idle Thoughts

2004-06-03T12:15:00.001-07:00

Looking back on the extent of my evolution as a writer, I'd say I have put down hundreds of pages of poetry and prose in 13 years of writing seriously. Most of those have been lost and I unfortunately can't reproduce them anymore, but I do still remember them.

The first real one I remember was called "Flood" and was very raw and dark and emotive. I was into a lot of E.A. Poe, Sylvia Plath and Dylan Thomas at the time. Since then, in 13 years of hit and miss, I went from being a borrower to a kind of writer with his own voice.

I admit I still go back to what got me excited to write in the first place, but I have a feeling that as I have changed as a human being, so too has my writing been forced to mature and evolve.

Whether it's good or not, I'll let whoever reads it decide. I'm not qualified to make an objective analysis of my work because what I write is so a part of me so I don't feel quite up to the task of judging it's poetic or artistic merits.

Hopefully people will come away enjoying what I have done, but as long as they look at it honestly and come up with their own opinions of it, whether good or bad, if it is done honestly then that is all I could hope for.

"Letter left unsent to this morning's advice column"

2004-06-02T12:59:00.000-07:00

dear _______,

in the event of my impending unraveling, there is nothing left for me to give you. all I have are the words I have written over all these years. I have not left a single feeling, phrase or moment untouched. (as a matter of fact, remember the time we ran off in my Winnebago and ate BBQ all summer?) in these last moments I have left, I think of all the nice things that were left unsaid.

I'm sure if you check, Hallmark's already got the perfect card for what we both must be thinking now. the moon was out last night, and it was beautiful. silent, silvery light glowing in perfect defiance against the subtle sky, not a raindrop or cloud in sight. I think a few birds were about, chattering and wooing. all the while, the lone sound of a million wings flapping.

you were wrong about me, you know. I didn't turn out to be a bitter old coot like James or Thomas or even Hank. but what you did get right was the fact that I'm gonna miss you. and that's saying somethin' there 'cuz you know I don't miss nobody.

if you ever are standing outside at night on the porch your father built, in the old house where our children grew up, reach out with your hands. I still might be blowing a kiss your way. maybe, if I'm lucky, you'll be there to catch it. enough of this horseshit, I'm off to the bar to get drunk and scratch my ass all night.

your blubbering, loving idiot bastard,

Robert

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Copright: 2004, by Raymund Delizo

"A Dress Left On The Hanger"

2004-05-27T15:46:00.000-07:00

the man, the man, the man
left town in a tirade
about rotten tomatoes at the local mart
staring at the cashier lady with dog breath
and sagging breasts

she was a thrice divorced mother of three
in her mid-forties
drunk on Chinese takeout and cigarettes
she used to haul cargo across state lines

the house now empty
old Elvis plays on the turntable hi-fi
as night waits to infiltrate the sky
and change its face from light to dark

shadows loom in silence
too much msg in one's diet promotes lethargy
the dress is left on a hanger
dripping wet and seething with unkempt
anticipation.

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Copyright: 2004, by Raymund Delizo

"Sleeping With The Dregs"

2004-04-27T19:02:00.000-07:00

the man in the shitkicker hat stares
up at the moon
dangling a cigarette in his fat, callused fingers
contemplating whatever it is
a man of his hefty stature would

his old lady left him
when the rent was due
and took his grandfather's old rifle
without an explanation

"probably pawned it, the bitch," he thought
as he lit the cigarette and took a long drag
his long, unkempt hair blowing in the wind
inside, he missed her deeply
but his manly pride meant too much

the countless hours on the road
in and out of strange motels
fucking women with soft faces
and names like Yvette, Cassie and Lou Ann

eating in diners and driving a beat up '67 Cadillac
he had his shot at being someone once
but he gave all that up when he chose

to sleep with the dregs

(don't forget your blanket, Butch).

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Copyright: 2004, by Raymund Delizo

"The Cracks Of Enormous Propensity"

2004-04-04T18:22:00.000-07:00

force feed through the gills of deception
as the skies part, the sea lays waste
to the forever kingdom
of the forgotten rulers

the misfits will have their say tonight

wisdom teeth show a propensity towards
idiotic displays of iconic bathroom behavior
as the bushmen await their next victim
the practical joke has reached new heights

lest the common folk forget the supplier
of their sugar-laced hallucinations
the trucks roll by
the scent of bear claws, twists and coffee linger

sitting by the roadside
up the cracks
looking at the children
as they stare back

in glowing consternation.

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Copyright: 2004, by Raymund Delizo

"Last Nerve"

2004-03-26T19:15:00.000-08:00

she called again
for the twentieth time
as the last nerve in my brain snaps
I let out a scream that no one ever hears

if I wanted to be fucked up
that's why I keep my cock close by
can't stand the cat fights no more

you can't make it past the phone line

you don't have to be here
I never asked you to come by to begin with
maybe you don't have anyone better to do
but next time you feel the need to cling

get yourself a damn blanket

I won't be around much longer
to put up with your shit
that's right, I'm evil
but at least I know what I am

"I know how you get around men."
bitch, if you really did know how I get
you would know better and
not spread your legs
for every asshole you meet

and you think I'm the easy one, huh?
we'll see about that.

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Copyright: 2004, by Raymund Delizo

"A Light Of Their Own"

2004-02-29T20:19:00.000-08:00

I have grown tired of chewing from the fat
of your lies
Elvis at the doorstep of the innocent
beatings of barefoot children
as they scream for mothers long dead

I have grown tired of chewing from the fat
of your lies
the engine of the car blew
while on the way to work on the funeral

I have grown tired of chewing from the fat
of your lies
two women, twin sisters were found just outside
the steps of their home
naked and raped
a pile of bloody clothes next to their dying bodies
under the odd beauty of moonlit night

I have grown tired of chewing from the fat
of your lies
the bridges have been burned and countless ghosts
let loose on an unsuspecting populace

I have grown tired of chewing from the fat
of your lies
the sins of the lustful have been duly noted
under the vigilant guise of the watchmen
who forever go nameless

I have grown tired of chewing from the fat
of your lies.

----------------------

Copyright: 2004, by Raymund Delizo

"Towards The Rear Wheels Of The Motorcade"

2004-02-24T01:11:00.000-08:00

today is Tuesday and the farmer's market is full
of activity, bustling with the buyers and sellers
children screaming and men scratching their heads
the forecast calls for partly cloudy skies with a 35% chance
of scattered showers

the undertaker has run out of mahogany coffins
Starbucks Frappucino's have been reported to cause
infertility in women on the verge of Tourette's
$7.50 for used tampons at all participating
Mom and Pop bank robberies

metallic dildos have replaced rubber ones
as the weapon of choice
56% of men report an increase of consumption
of salty snack foods once they reach the age of 45

the alarm clock is known to stimulate road rage
in slugs and rodents
three servings of caffeine an hour slows the brain's ability
to prevent pointless outbursts from overpaid game show vixens
somewhere in the world, three clicks
will signal the end of boy bands in spandex
taking over the airwaves

in light of this most recent infraction.

-------------------------

Copyright: 2004, by Raymund Delizo

Personal note

2004-02-14T15:05:00.000-08:00

Today at 8:05 a.m. my grandfather passed away. I will plan on posting more poetry soon. Thank you to all those who have extended their condolences to me and my family.

"Tower Files For Chapter 13"

2004-02-09T13:11:00.000-08:00

Transatlantic allies poles apart over breasts
the tabloids have devoted acres of newsprint
to a string of D-list celebrities
that goofy stunt sent shockwaves
over the yawning cultural divide

New York columnists are a tad more starchy
surgically enhanced reality TV shows
heartily sick over the furor
sporting pink gowns with plunging necklines
officially freaked out

American arrested while entering Brazil
is being held in his hotel room with 91 other tourists
except those from 27 mostly European countries

escapee tries to buy bolt cutters
office love reduces productivity
three in ten people citing the naughty nurse stereotype
spawning a revolution in menswear

there is good momentum
if you looked at the last year of discretionary spending
according to a committee that was denied representation
found at the scene
planted by authorities and supported
by actors who oppose the penalty.

---------------------

Copyright: 2004, by Raymund Delizo

"Sniffing Around Former Consolidated Property"

2004-02-09T00:51:00.000-08:00

protesters in Boston decry gay marriage
wedding guest cow wanders into bank
caught on German security cameras
scolding a customer who asked for Fed Ex glitches

notable girl suspended from hell
Uncle Sam's genitals go on display
Jewish beauty queen bags more than 1,000 obscene pilot plugs
leaving Brazil

woman strikes oil in toilet
where police apprehended one of the assailants
who turned up in a central predawn holdup

robot dogs get social conscience
wired to toxic materials at former landfills
the brainchild of radioactive waste
technoartists in Idaho.

--------------

Copyright: 2004, by Raymund Delizo

"Gambling On Persistently Pursuing Surprise Interests"

2004-02-07T18:18:00.000-08:00

live in safety
the solemn mood at the hotel
NASA test drive
conceded studying a volcanic
manager left behind

Maine all but abandoned
its push for 2-1 rivals trailing
after good showings
recommended be pardoned
for proliferation of Michigan bureaucrats

brothers told watchdogs
of the impending nine contests
back-to-back strategy calls
said earlier government enemies of the state
a group linked to more than $474,999 in online contributions
of the Better Off Run By People Act.

--------------------

Copyright: 2004, by Raymund Delizo

"Be On T.V."

2004-02-07T17:59:00.000-08:00

CIA defends imminent threat
painted statements on the urgency of stopping
sitting in a prison cell
Sarasota surveillance camera not cooperating
the disappearance has sparked intense rebuttal
by former weapons

veterans in San Antonio
suspect wishful thinking
as possible evidence
of showdown hardliners
as an alternative to the weekend
must-have election victory
of several hundred provisions

as seven states hoped for a boost
Wisconson will carry the comment on e-mail
hopeful reporters raising a lot of money
in a speech pledged to get rid of splinter groups
aimed at online bombing

the terrorist network scrapped an event Thursday
after supporters had recently undiscovered the causes of
mad cow nuclear leakage.

-------------------

Copyright: 2004, by Raymund Delizo

"The Tiger Against The Leaning Post"

2004-02-07T17:37:00.000-08:00

let us have some fun
Woosley is the shooter
annual report card likely to suffer
due to harsh cuts

F Homebuyer coming Saturday
murder released in the eyes of cows
quality of life down at the interchange
responsible for damage
did not itemize the repercussions

the doctor is out?

just barely passing seven areas
of the chopping block
mighty gray mammals offer
no improvement

the suit charges $4.3 billion
a signifiicant step during annual
migration to Mexico

good morning, say cheese!

how to reach classified
attorneys seeking comment
with all appeals nearly exhausted

support the validity of the sentence.

---------------------------

Copyright: 2004, by Raymund Delizo

Getting Published

2004-01-31T17:05:00.000-08:00

My thoughts on getting published: It's definitely something that I've been working towards all my life. There's so many great writers out there I have yet to discover and learn from. Even though I've been writing almost thirteen years now, I feel like I've got so much to learn and room to grow. It feels like I'm constantly on the look out for new things to help spur my creativity. Getting my book out there is only the first step. My guess is that a great deal of authors write just to see their work in print.

Fortunately, I don't fall into that category. Ever since I can remember, I've been writing. It's the one thing I do better than anything and it's something that has always come without much effort. Authors of any kind of work: novels, short stories, poetry and those in journalism (print, TV, Web) have a responsibility to themselves and to their prospective audiences to present the world as they know it in as real a manner as possible.

The problem lies in this: how does an author stay true to himself (herself) in order to reach the widest audience possible without sacrificing their artistic vision and communication of the truth?

All of the things that inspire me as a writer all come from very distinct areas culturally and philosophically, but the common thread of being individual in nature and universal in impact. For my work to get published is one thing. The real work will be in how I handle the impact that what I've created affects my audience.

The truth is not being objective, but to be conscious of being able to accept one's own subjectivity, while at all times making sure that the reader/audience has every opprtunity to make up their own damn minds and take whatever they can from what the author (or authors) have created.

On a final note, I just write whatever comes out. I'll let my readers decide on their own whether or not my work is worth the time and trouble reading. My voice is not anyone else's. No matter how much it may remind them of Neruda or Poe or Plath or even Bukowski. Thirteen years at the grindstone and I finally found my own voice and know how to get things down in words right most of the time.

Okay, I'll stop now.

"Shut up, you're making me dull." - Bukowski

My advice to anyone who wants to write or be creative in any way: Just do whatever it is that makes you happiest and don't ever forget that your talent is a gift that should always be nurtured and never neglected.
But be responsible: your words, music, paintings or speeches will have an influence on many people, most of whom you will never get to see or talk to or know by name.

Disclaimer

2004-01-29T17:32:00.000-08:00

Suffice to say, everything on here is of my own creation and is therefore copyrighted. Anyone who takes from my work without prior written permission from me is subject to the appropriate consequences.

"The Secret Of My Misery"

2004-01-29T12:04:00.000-08:00

- for GW and Bukowski.

Dear Mr. Chinaski,

I'm nearing the end of my first book
not expecting it to take this long
the whole creative process drawn out
with pregnant pauses and mental blocks

on the bed nearby lies a fairly worn copy
of one of your books of poetry
I still don't understand how you were
able to write a new one every year

maybe it was the booze
or the cats
or maybe Vivaldi with his fruity strings
was behind it all

2 a.m. and I'm in bed
while you plug away
on your computer
and my screen has a mind of her own
freezing on me
not budging

blinking faster than my eyes can react to it

six feet under
in some quiet space
I hear you laugh
as the underbelly of my undoing
seethes just beneath the breaking point.

Fearfully taken,

Robert "Rambo" Chimney
------------------------------

Copyright: 2004, by Raymund Delizo

I admit... I AM a geek.

2004-01-29T11:58:00.000-08:00

Thought of the day: I must be some sort of super-geek, but I'm probably one of the very few who has not seen "The Return Of The King." Mostly because I'm trying to keep busy with other things, but maybe also because I don't want to have to get up during the middle of the movie in fear that I miss a crucial bit of the story.

If I miss out, there's always the Collector's Ed. DVD...

"Stuck At The Crossing Guard's Death Knell Scoreboard"

2004-01-29T10:26:00.000-08:00

it wasn't until doing some research that I found the cause
of the decay of modern Western society: kid's cereals
seemingly innoculous, these sugar-coated yummies
exert such a pull on the stomachs and minds of the young
that it has made me realize where I went wrong in my own childhood:

I should have ate more than one bowl every morning!

the woman down the street is divorced
with two beautiful children
a girl who's eight (at least she was the last time I saw her)
and a boy, barely two years old

I used to see them at the store sometimes
and the three of them zooming around on an old cart
its metal rusted and wheels rickety

standing in line waiting to pay for my groceries,

(typically: quick meals, meat, Romaine lettuce for salad, some fruit, milk, a kid's cereal picked at random and a generous helping of junk food)

I stared down at what she had in her cart and recoiled in horror:

skim soy milk and tofu

there was no meat, no veggies and not even a single speck of anything sugary or salty that anyone (child or grown-up alike) might otherwise wish an occasional indulgence

I went home that day and ate three bowls of sugar-coated yumminess
as her children waited at my door
secretly hoping for a bite.

------------------------------
Copyright: 2004, by Raymund Delizo

Author's comment: Most often times my titles don't actually match what's in the poems because I've realized that it is an attempt to keep my work sounding and feeling as my own. I still gladly eat kids cereals today as well as junk food. Life just isn't life without having yummy treats to break the routine of healthy eating.

The Mindless Hoopla Behind Election 2004

2004-01-28T13:43:00.001-08:00

As a lot of you know, this year marks yet another one in which the country goes to the polls to vote for a President and Vice-President. After the debacle of 2000 where the voters basically elected Al Gore but George W. Bush ultimately won the contest because of a small but important technicality that the framers of the Constitution devised when they drafted our national charter called the "electoral college," a lot of people came away disenfranchised and disgusted with the process.

Apparently, the founders had a profound distrust of our ability to make up our minds properly to be able to choose who governs in our interests. Having earned my degree in Political Science, I understand the reason behind why the electoral college exists, but I don't think that there is a practical need for it anymore.

I think that people are a lot more intelligent and care what's happening to them on a practical level to know that the first step in reclaiming a sense of trust in our leadership is to allow for the people to directly elect the President and Vice-President. Anything short of that is to allow apathy and the status quo to remain in place.

Hopefully, by the time we're ready to choose the next President, Washington will have enough faith in us, common men and women, to decide for ourselves whom we want to lead us in the future.

A small opening, but still an opening

2004-01-28T13:17:00.000-08:00

January 28, 2004: Today marks a beginning for me. This is my little space on the web to share my creativity and intellectual insight with others. I am a 30-year old young man born with cerebral palsy. What that means in layman's terms is that my lower extremities do not function properly because of brain damage and damage to the muscles in my CNS (central nervous system). I have to use crutches to get around. I have my B.A. degree in Political Science from Loyola Marymount and I have various interests, mainly: reading, writing poetry, hanging out with friends, movies, music and meeting new people.

I am currently working on finishing my first full-length book of poetry as well as doing research for my first screenplay. I plan to have my first volume of poetry published before the end of 2004 and well be on the way writing my second poetry book way before we ring in 2005.