To paraphrase Bo Diddley:

I walked forty-seven miles of barbed wire, I got a cobra snake for a necktie
A brand new house on the road side, and it’s a-made out of rattlesnake hide
Got a band new chimney put on top, and it’s a-made out of human skull
Come on take a little walk with me baby, and tell me what do you love?

Lovers’ll (we figure) be somewhere else while the hard cores (like you) will want to gather Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 7PM for Living Room, SPLAB’s World Famous critique circle. Your humble facilitator (Paul Nelson) will lead with a Hymn to Maple Syrup to get the sap flowing and you’re welcome to read a love poem, bring a poem for critique, or get that aforementioned facilitator to read more hymns by Ed Sanders or some of his own love poetry. Remember, it may be some THING you love and not some ONE. Yr choice, as always at SPLAB.

Writers of all ages, backgrounds and skill levels gather Tuesdays at 7P to read new work, the work of someone else or to just be in the engaging company of other writers. Your donation of $5 helps SPLAB continue our programming. Please bring 8 copies of the work you plan to read. If you do not bring copies, they are available for 10c.

Living Room happens @ SPLAB in the Cultural Corner at 3651 S. Edmunds. (Look for the SPLAB sign on the wall and come inside.) We’re 2 blocks from the Columbia City Link Light Rail Station. (Parking is available on the school grounds.)

From Ed Sanders Hymn to Maple Syrup:

Sugar Freak

I rotate the bag on its spile
and pour the sap in a metal pail
then walk through the dark
to the 40-gallon holding can
by the shed

steady steady
dodging the low hanging white pine’s
bough as the raspberry wands
and the China rose whack the legs

trying to keep the sap from sloshing
with little frothy waves
to douse the knuckles and gloves

as cold as the ocean at Gloucester.