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Alice
Pero |
November 2004 |
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bio
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Alice Pero's poetry has been published in many magazines and anthologies, including Three Mile Harbor, Salonika, San Gabriel Valley Poets Quarterly, The California Poetry Calendar, Word Thursday, Trés di-verse-city, Albatross, Lummox, and The California Quarterly. She can be found online at www.jacketmagazine.com among others.
Alice's first book of poetry, Thawed Stars, published in 1999, was hailed by Kenneth Koch as having "clarity" and "surprises." She has on two poetry prizes from the National League of American Pen Women, an award from The California State Poetry Society, and awards from the San Gabriel Poetry Quarterly. Thawed Stars is available on amazon.com or directly from the author at her website.
Alice has taught poetry to children in private and public schools for 12 years and is a member of the CA Poets in the Schools. In October 2002 she founded a new poetry reading series in Santa Monica, Moonday, which she runs with her co-host, Anne Silver. More information on
Alice's website
pero@earthlink.net
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When I Lie |
I'd like to have that wide-eyed look,
empty eyes like the ABC at 6 newswoman
with the stiff blond hair-sprayed hair
who has the mask that was frozen in time
by some catastrophe
so she couldn't stop announcing them
one after the other, her voice like a steel trap
When I lie, I'd like to hold the universe perfectly still,
not jostling anything, keeping the status quo, poker face
When I lie I wouldn't see the stack of cards,
all falling in a ripple, catching me up,
tiny sounds echoing in my ears
When I lie, I'd rather not flush or sweat, skin clammy,
I'd just keep it smooth, even,
no one knowing my dark inside
When I lie I'd like it to be like a poem,
one full of places I've never been,
people I could never be,
songs I never sang,
loves I never spoke of,
a lie that might be true
copyright 2004
Alice
Pero |
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The Silence |
The silence I am looking for
is punctuated with bird song
the quiet suddenly
making bird sound into music
The silence I am wishing for
is after the baby finally falls asleep,
the house settling like an old horse,
comfortable in its stable,
soft wood creaking between the rest points
The silence I am longing for
is after the love making, bodies sinking deep
in an ineffable quiet, quilts falling on them
like snow on a windless night
The silence I am asking for
is the rests between the notes,
the long breath before the flutist plays
long pearl shaped tones,
the nothing that makes the sound carry far
The emptiness you want to fill
with everything
copyright 2004
Alice
Pero |
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Another Rain Poem |
The rain is not as beautiful
as you might think
It is loaded with thoughts
those grammatical errors
fights with your ex
a stumble in the dark
old shoes
The rain streams down
sides of buildings
holding us captive inside
Even though the lights are on
we squint, stare out windows
try to feel cozy
On rainy days words seem closeted
We try to find each other
across large carpeted rooms
The dog's bark is muffled
coming from the garage
Whoever invented rain thought grief
would make flowers grow
Cold would force smiles
a drenching wet
would bring the happy village idiot
to his senses
We have to find reasons for quiet rain
the mist coming off the mountains
the slow drips from the eaves
excited birds' extra twitter
at the bird feeder
a log on the fire
But I agree with that old Greek playwright
who said that rain is merely Zeus
pissing in a sieve
I am glad the air is so kind to it
somehow turning it sweet
as it falls on our heads
copyright 2004
Alice
Pero |
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