I often dream that I'm someone else, someone you could have loved
all of you
September 2009
a shock of purple, power lines cut the dusk, in my throat sits an owl
“Often enough God gives man a glimpse of happiness, and then utterly ruins him.”
—Solon (in The Histories by Herodotus, Book I) (via whokilled) (via smut-to-go)
Haikus, Eric Amann
A night train passes:
pictures of the dead are trembling
on the mantlepiece
The names of the dead
sinking deeper and deeper
into the red leaves
Winter burial:
a stone angel points his hand
at the empty sky
(via poetry365)
“The bitch-
scent of the silver-
and-pink-clawed possum in heat — all rhubarb-breath and unbelievable
udder — is as sharp as fuchsia
spokes of my oleander. I could put
my eye out looking.” —Anna Journey
scent of the silver-
and-pink-clawed possum in heat — all rhubarb-breath and unbelievable
udder — is as sharp as fuchsia
spokes of my oleander. I could put
my eye out looking.” —Anna Journey
“A passing angel wants a cigarette
I give her one
She says don’t forget I love you” —Robert Forster - I’ve Been Looking For Somebody
I give her one
She says don’t forget I love you” —Robert Forster - I’ve Been Looking For Somebody
Stiltsville - The small houses built on stilts in the Biscayne Bay flats →
key-biscayne.com
Just over a mile due south of Key Biscayne is a collection of houses that is known as Stiltsville. Stiltsville is a good name for small houses that are literally built on stilts in very shallow water in Biscayne National Park, that is located in between Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Before hurricane Andrew in 1993, there were over 20 structures that dotted the seascape. With sustained winds in excess of 190 mph., and much higher gusts of wind, many of the structures simply did not stand a chance against the power of nature. Although many of the structures have been through a dozen hurricanes over the years, it became one of our finer laws that the owners of the properties (or the leases) could not make any repairs to the structures, so, they would simply fall into disrepair. Some of the structures are in fantastic shape and make a wonderful place to gather with friends and family to enjoy nature from an entirely different perspective. The laws that have allowed Stiltsville to become such as mess instead of being treated as the National treasure that it is. There is no other place on the face of the earth like stiltsville. There is a grassroots movement to save Stiltsville that has taken some traction and hopefully we will be able to pass this treasure and this history on to our children.
Originally Stiltsville was built or imagined during the days of prohibition and Al Capone and rampant gambling.The law was that gambling was allowed provided that it was located a mile offshore. Stiltsville is located just over a mile offshore. Many structures were built, in fact, a very large boat was purposefully run aground at high tide at full speed and then more permanently secured to the ocean floor during low tide when the ground was no longer under the water but was now exposed and above the water level. It was a fine and exquisite gambling establishment and clients were ferried to stiltsville.
The law was soon changed to 3 miles offshore. The gambling boats located at Bayside in Miami will be very happy to take you 3 miles offshore so that you can gamble legally.
During the 1980’s when Miami was in the Miami Vice days, the stiltsville area was used for seaplane dropoffs of contraband where speedboats would take off with the cargo. Film shoots have been shot there and plenty of wild parties and photo shoots for minimal clothing magazines have featured the houses of stiltsville. Today, the houses sit. They provide protection out of the summer sun or cover during a torrential downpour for smaller vessels.
As previously mentioned, the group of structures known as stiltsville are built in the shallow waters of Biscayne National Park yet what makes the ‘address’ of each structure unique is that it is built with over half of the structure in foot deep water and the other portions built in waters that are between 6 - 20 feet deep. With this technique incorporated into the design, it is possible to dock your boat right under the structure without running aground. The waters run from Biscayne Bay to the Atlantic Ocean and back from the Atlantic Ocean to Biscayne Bay as the tide changes twice a day. There are well developed channels called “finger channels” and explain how the water can be 1 foot deep and 4 feet away 15 feet deep. The “finger channels” are named since when viewed from the air, the channels resemble the fingers of the hand.
Going to stiltsville can be accomplished by boat or seaplane and is well worth the visit. In fact, many of the “flats” fishing charters will fish the “flats” of stiltsville for bonefish with stiltsville clearly in sight. In the event that time does not permit and you only have time for a quick look, you can drive to the Bill Baggs State Recreation Park (where the Cape Florida lighthouse is located) and look to the south (The lighthouse is located on the Southeast side of the Island of Key Biscayne), and you will see stiltsville.
I dreamt I fell asleep on the verandah of my Stiltsville house to ocean song and was woken because I lived in the middle of the sunrise.
“My quietness has a man in it, he is transparent
and he carries me quietly, like a gondola, through the streets.
He has several likenesses, like stars and years, like numerals.” —In Memory of My Feelings by Frank O’Hara
and he carries me quietly, like a gondola, through the streets.
He has several likenesses, like stars and years, like numerals.” —In Memory of My Feelings by Frank O’Hara
I still recommend songs to you in my head, I wonder what songs I’m missing out on hearing. I write poems that aren’t about you.
Haikus, Jack Kerouac
Birds singing
in the dark
in the rainy dawn
Wine at dawn
—The long
Rainy sleep
Prayerbeads
on the Holy Book
—My knees are cold
After the shower
among the drenched roses,
The bird thrashing in the bath
Beautiful young girls running
up the library steps
With shorts on
(via poetry365)
Romeo and Juliet, Richard Brautigan
If you will die for me,
I will die for you
and our graves will
be like two lovers washing
their clothes together
in a laundromat.
If you will bring the soap,
I will bring the bleach.
(via poetry365)
Qasida of the Woman Prone, Federico Garcia Lorca
To see you naked is to remember the Earth,
the smooth Earth, clean of horses,
the Earth without reeds, pure form,
closed to the future, confine of silver.
To see you naked is to understand the desire
of rain that looks for the delicate waist,
or the fever of the broad-faced sea
that cannot find the light of its cheek.
Blood will ring through the bedrooms
and will come with flaming swords,
but you will not know the hiding places
of the violet or the heart of the toad.
Your womb is a struggle of roots.
Your lips are a dawn without contour.
Under the lukewarm roses of the bed
the dead men moan, awaiting their return.
(via poetry365)
“Loneliness adds beauty to life. It puts a special burn on sunsets and makes night air smell better.”
—Henry Rollins (via brokenmachine) (via quote-book)
“When everything is finished, the mornings are sad.”
—Antonio Porchia (via youarebonbon)
it hurts
I don’t think I miss you any less.
Your heart is a clenched fist. I’m punching for air.
