I am incredibly honored to be Drunk Monkeys “Writer of the Month” for July. They will be posting five of my poems across the month, the first of which is “Pressboard Salvation“. It’s about a childhood memory when I’d hide under the pews at church. Please enjoy!
Ever wonder why “Sarah Thursday”? No, it’s not my legal name, but the one I have chosen. You can read my poem “Hammer of My Name“, on the Silver Birch Press website. It was written just for this series where many poets explain the origins of their names. This series will continue through the month of June and July. It already includes many of my favorites, like G. Murray Thomas, Thomas R. Thomas, Barbara Eknoian, Rick Lupert, Lynne Thompson, and Robin Dawn Hudechek, among others.
This incredibly creative journal, velvet-tail, has once again selected one of my poems to have a custom collage done by the editor, Canese Jarobe. View the entire poem, “Funeral for Bees”, and even one by my friend Charlotte San Juan, at velvet-tail.com. The art is sumptuous and the poetry vivid!
On May 17th, I had the honor of once again reading with Dave Williams & MBT at CALB at the Shore. I shared my time with four other female power poets, JL Martindale, Raundi Moore-Kondo, Elmast Kozloyan, and MsT Musze. We were all dazzled by the incredible improvisational talents of Dave’s jazz crew, Magic Bullet Theory. Even though traveling back in time is not an option if you missed it, you can actually hear all the performances on Bandcamp. If that wasn’t enough, you can download them in two volumes for FREE.
Listen or download at mbtmusic.bandcamp.com/album/prose-rhythm-and-noise-muliebrity-vol-1 and mbtmusic.bandcamp.com/album/prose-rhythm-and-noise-muliebrity-vol-2.
So excited to have another poem (with one in the next issue as well) in Hedgerow: a Journal of Small Poems! They have included “Silver Brick Road” at the very bottom of the issue. I wrote it about my friend Aly who has taught me so much about the power of optimism. Take a moment and read through the issue.
Have you ever been into a magical land where art, music, and poetry converge into one place? The place exists as the green salon in the home of Roy Shabla in the suburbs of Downey. On Saturday, June 27th, I will be joined by Raquel Reyes-Lopez and Kelsey Bryan-Zwick for a special performance of the journey into our poetic sisterhood. Because this is a private home, in order to find out more details, join the Facebook event page or email me at SarahThursday@gmail.com.
On Tuesday, June 23rd at 1 p.m., I will be joining the one and only Amélie Frank at the Spoken Word Club of Laguna Woods. This monthly reading in the past has featured some of my favorite poets, including JL Martindale, Raundi Moore-Kondo, and Ricki Mandeville. If that wasn’t enough, Ellyn Maybe is now co-hosting the event! Find and follow them on Facebook to get the most current information: Spoken Word Club of Laguna Woods.
I love the teeth of your love
how you pit-bull deep
into the flesh of loving
How you make shrines
in the empty spaces,
abandoned apartments
Shrines to former residents
of borrowed books and toiletries
envelopes full of photographs
and letters in pen
How you never fill
the same space with new
but keep building out
expand the frames and floors
How you know when to change the locks
and when to nail it shut
I love how you calculate
estimate the risk
How you trust
the unnamed algorithm
the intuitive push, flashing “Yes,
love this one, let that one in!”
How soft your wrought-iron grip
holds every name tight
each face, its own story
each moment, a glass in your pane
How you refuse to argue
about the wrong
or right way to love
I love how so much of it matters
how you will forgive
as many times
as they will call
and ask for it
How you defend this weakness
with the expense of wasted time
Your time-to-give being
your love currency
not words, not gifts,
not your doing-for-me
But your minutes and hours
your speak to me, eat with me
your listen and watch with me
sit in this space of air
I breathe with me is love
I love how love-greedy you get
How you collect time
and stuff it in bags and boxes
shove it on shelves, in closets
covering walls, blocking doorways
in empty apartments
You guard-dog this house
an unapologetic hoarder
How you refuse to purge it
refuse to loosen your grip
Set shrines in windowsills
light blood candles
There is always room
for more
2-3-14
Originally published in Silver Birch Press, Self-Portrait Series.
Also listen on Soundcloud.
Incredibly honored to be in the special all women’s edition of Indiana Voice Journal, featuring all female authors and artists. They have included three poems of mine, “What I Mean When I Say Run”, “Girl in Flight”, and “Love Letter No. 3: To My Mending Self”, each of which displays a strong female voice. Please take a few moments and view the poems at IndianaVoiceJournal.com, as well as the many other women featured this month.
Thrilled to once again to have the honor to read poetry with a live jazz band. Not just any live jazz, but Dave Williams and friends. Not only am I reading, but I get to share the stage with other Poety Goddesses: Elmast Kozlyan, Raundi Moore-Kondo, and JL Martindale. Come out to CALB at the Shore (above Shenanigan’s) 423 Shoreline Village Dr. in Long Beach on Sunday, May 17th between 5 and 8:30 pm. Count on some serious enchantment!
Sarah Thursday 