nested Soundtracks for other places
nested Soundtracks for other places
Rivka Clifton's poetry suite and the sound of clawhammers demoing sheetrock
We met outside McGhoulie’s one night. Rivka shared her ideas about a manuscript for her MFA. Something about an animus or a vore, I don’t know though. I can barely recall the correct name for the bar. We did discuss vores at an Indian restaurant in Portland, OR. That was years later though.
Listen to Rivka Clifton read her work “eye inside the I”.
Months after our meeting at McGhoulie’s, Rivka and I went to lunch. Falafel sandwiches and saffron rice. Rivka shared their ideas about starting a literary journal, an idea that later turned into Bear Review.
Supposedly the bar across from McGhoulie’s is the home of the wanted felon who jumped out of an airplane to evade capture by the FBI. I’m forgetting his name, but according to legend painted on the bar’s wall, the spot is where he landed after jumping out of the plane. His parachute may or may not have opened successfully.
Later we met in Rivka’s apartment, where she read a poem. One thing I’ve enjoyed about Rivka’s work is that the poems do not offer sense-making. Quite literally in “To Ask” the speaker talks about labyrinths and offers the notion that people too often think of the labyrinth’s center, some sort of solution or compartment. Instead nobody thinks about the opening, which might lead to uncomfort, an asterisk placed next to your name, or something else that causes the body to twist.
Rather than offer much commentary on Clifton’s work, Osmanthus invites you to spend time with Clifton’s suite featured on Osmanthus’ site. During the next month, April 21-May 20, Rivka Clifton’s work will be the focus of LinerNotes’ essays from EarShrub.
Our editors would like to give appreciations to Matthew Schmidt for “Opening Nectar” and helping Osmanthus kick-off the monthly poetry suites. If you would like to contribute a suite, please submit 3-5 poems for consideration to editors@osmanthus.tv.
Please have a listen or a read, and feel free to comment any thoughts.
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