Counting Backwards in Music

I’ve been lucky enough to live close to some great college radio in the Boston/Cambridge area. My favorite station is WMBR (MIT’s station), and my favorite show the James Dean Deathcar Experience. Back in June the DJ counted backwards from 2009 and picked a favorite band and song for each year. I like almost all of these.

2009) Hatchem Social - Crocodile
2008) Arms - Whirring
2007) Les Breastfeeders - Qui a Deux Femmes
2006) Art Brut - Good Weekend
2005) Soundtrack of our Lives - Lone Summer Dream
2004) High Spire - Glass in my Mouth
2003) Grip Weeds - Every Minute
2002) Resonars - Lunar Kit
2001) The Fletcher Pratt - Spin Label
2000) Lockgroove - Bullet with your Name on it
1999) Green Pajamas - Happy Again
1998) Asteroid #4 - Sorry Way to Go
1997) Bob O’Clock - I Believe in Faeries
1996) Sianspheric - Flow Ebb and Die
1995) Bowery Electric - Deep Sky Objects
1994) Stereolab - Outer Accelerator
1993) Kill Sybill - Deep Sleep
1992) Love Battery - Foot
1991) Bevis Frond - It Won’t Come Again
1990) Superchunk - My Noise
1989) Cavedogs - Baba Ghanooj
1988) My Bloody Valentine - When You Wake Up (You’re Still in a Dream)
1987) Happy Flowers - Why Didn’t You Tell Me You Were Bringing Home a Baby
1986) Screaming Trees - Orange Airplane
1985) Butthole Surfers - Lady Sniff
1984) The Smiths - This Charming Man

Veteran’s Day —
another letter addressed
to Parris Island

Veteran’s Day —
the dog barks
at a falling leaf

Veteran’s Day —
a red strobe light
in her bedroom window

Veteran’s Day —
a fly trapped
behind the storm window

Veteran’s Day —
a bird’s nest
in the tallest tree

Veteran’s Day —
bare tree limbs
against the twilight

Veteran’s Day —
a ladybug climbs
the desktop cactus

dream sequence - part 6

It’s a story captivating the nation — four men stranded in a lifeboat, floating in waters unknown. A website includes detailed biographies and chronicles the hours, days and weeks. When their number falls to three we are spared the grisly details, but not the desperate faces. Then it’s two, and finally one — gaunt, sunburned and bearded, hollow eyes barely alive. It’s me.

waiting room

I’m not a patient boy, and yet I wait.
If function is the key to the waiting room,
how do I get out?

autumn rain —
the warmth of one too many
glasses of wine

dream sequence - part 5

I fall asleep in your arms
and wake up in a parking lot
surrounded by walls of piled-up snow.
the lights are out.
I must find someplace warm.
the dog keeps trying to open the bedroom door.
I’m awake,
and I’m alone.

dream sequence - part 4

waking up, someone thanks me for having nice veins.
I’m lying on the ground, staring into bright lights, in a lot of pain.
a football game.
“did we win?” I ask.
“don’t get me started.”
it’s not a football game.
it’s Iraq,
and my legs are missing.

dream sequence - part 3

down port, way past midnight, I wander from shadow to shadow, determined to avoid the cops. a voice cries out “Merry Christmas!” no one is there.

dream sequence - part 2

wearing your bathrobe I fingered through your CD collection while you slept, wondering if I had misjudged you - fantasizing that you were as cool as I wanted you to be.

dream sequence - part 1

your stained sheets made it clear
that this wouldn’t be what I had hoped.
on the other hand
it seemed totally appropriate
to wipe off your lipstick
on the comforter.
minutes later
I dreamed of my next
fortuitous wrong turn
into paradise.

autumn —
a long glance
at my Hawaiian shirt