Tag: coffee

Collision of jazz and Chinese poetry

The train was late. Or rather, I was late for the train. Work ran later than expected. Missed the 5:45. The street car was running. No mechanical problems like Monday. But a few minutes behind schedule due to a presidential rally.

I decided to skip the street car and walk to the station in order to catch the last train home. There is almost two hours between one train and the other. Walking gave me a chance to find a coffee shop and some time to catch up on reading. The Public Market was on the way, but it tends be loud. And crowded.

Stone Creek Coffee is nice and near the train station. And open until 7 p.m. It displays a nice interior design. But sometimes the atmosphere feels a bit too mod. The baristas are often impertinent. And I feel inelegant when I visit. Maybe I am getting too old to haunt swanky coffee shops. Stone Creek coffee is luxurious. In spite of pretentious barista I bought a cup and then walked to the train station to wait and read a book. It is an autobiography of the Chinese poet Tu Fu. The fact that a book published in the 1930s is still in circulation at a public library is impressive. Also interesting are the translator notes. A few weeks ago I finished reading a recent translation of Li Po poetry. The translator, Seaton, made observations similar to those made nearly 100 years ago by Ayscough and Lowell.

I struggled with one passage in the book as the train station grew loud with passengers arriving from one train and departing on a Greyhound bus. Pulling a mobile device out of my pocket I placed in ear buds and cued up episode 88 of the Discovering Jazz podcast. As I listened I read that one Chinese ideogram may require more than one word to transliterate. Sometimes an entire phrase is used to convey the idea of a single Chinese character. The last train arrived. I boarded. Found a seat. Continued reading. And listening.

The jazz podcast explored absolute pitch. The show host mentioned that Asian languages are tonal. Pronouncing a vowel with one pitch may mean one thing while pronouncing the same vowel with a different pitch provides a different meaning. I experienced that when I visited Japan. But I did not have the knowledge to appreciate it then as I do now.

Reading a dozen pages was all I managed to accomplish before the train stopped at the home station. Thankful to be homeward. Grateful for the travel disruption that mingled American jazz and Chinese poetry into one commute.

Poetry reading list for National Poetry Month, part two

Asheville’s Beanstreet coffeehouse, circa 2005.

As stated previously, the poetry reading list for National Poetry Month is designed to encourage you to seek out the influence of living poets — where they live and and where they read. Allow me to introduce you to a few of the living poets I met at the open mics and coffee dens of Asheville, North Carolina.

One of those souls is an editor, poet, journalist and friend, Pasckie Pascua.[1] He has published several chapbooks and collections of poetry and prose. We first met at a coffeeshop in West Asheville and later haunted Beanstreets and other places from North Carolina to New York City. He left the back door to the poetry scene open for me and allowed me to grow and mature as a poet and writer. He also published many of my early writings. Lines from his poems still echo in my mind, like this one:

“The color of my poem

is also the color of my brother’s soul,

the color of my friend’s heart.”[2]

Another poet I wrote with and read alongside is Jessica Newton.[3] She facilitated a writers group when I first moved to Asheville. We gathered at the UNCA library or other spots around Asheville to write and read our compositions. Sometimes she brought writing prompts or other sources of inspiration. We shared prompts and poems. One night Mara Leigh Koslen[4] brought examples of haibun.[5] She introduced the poetic form and then we wrote. It was that night that I composed the first draft of a poem that would later be published.[6] Several other poets and writers visited the writers group.

My poetry reading list is really an introduction to friends and poets who I have met face-to-face. We read and wrote poetry together. We drank coffee at sidewalk cafés until dark-thirty. We shared wine after a moonlit poetry reading. Met in cafés and coffeehouse, taverns and art galleries, bookstores and basements and rooftop ballrooms. We did life together.

When I introduce you to poetry, I introduce you to friends.

I’ll continue the reading list, introductions throughout this month. [7]

NOTES:

[1]Learn more about Pasckie Pascua from this Rapid River Magazine article. http://www.rapidrivermagazine.com/2015/red-is-the-color-of-my-night/
[2]Read the full poem, “Red is the color of my night” and other poems. http://pasckiepascuawords.blogspot.com/p/poetry-red-is-color-of-my-night.html
[3]Jessica Newton is published in several literary journals. The last time we read together was at the Asheville 100 Thousand Poets For Change event. https://coffeehousejunkie.net/2013/10/03/100tpc-quote-jessica-newton/ Jessica was also a finalist in the Mountain Xpress poetry prize: https://coffeehousejunkie.net/2011/04/07/who-will-be-the-winner-of-the-2011-mountain-xpress-poetry-prize/
[4]Mara Leigh Koslen bio: https://palimpsestgarden.com/about/bio/

 

 

Poem Four: Never look a doughnut dealer in the eyes

Never Look A Dealer in the Eyes

NOTES:
1) Originally published April 5, 2011, https://coffeehousejunkie.net/2011/04/05/poem-never-look-a-doughnut-dealer-in-the-eyes/
2) This is a rough draft and includes typos, erroneous grammar and other literary warts. In this case, perfume is intentionally misspelled to represent a unique American accent.

Poetry reading list for National Poetry Month, part one

Asheville’s Beanstreet coffeehouse, circa 2005.

As stated earlier this week, my poetry reading list for National Poetry Month is designed to encourage you to seek out the influence of living poets — where they live and and where they read. Allow me to introduce you to a few of the living poets I met at the open mics and coffee dens of Asheville, North Carolina.

One of those souls is an editor, poet, journalist and friend, Pasckie Pascua.[1] He has published several chapbooks and collections of poetry and prose. We first met at a coffeeshop in West Asheville and later haunted Beanstreets and other places from North Carolina to New York City. He left the back door to the poetry scene open for me and allowed me to grow and mature as a poet and writer. He also published many of my early writings. Lines from his poems still echo in my mind, like this one:

“The color of my poem

is also the color of my brother’s soul,

the color of my friend’s heart.”[2]

Another poet I wrote with and read alongside is Jessica Newton.[3] She facilitated a writers group when I first moved to Asheville. We gathered at the UNCA library or other spots around Asheville to write and read our compositions. Sometimes she brought writing prompts or other sources of inspiration. We shared prompts and poems. One night Mara Leigh Koslen[4] brought examples of haibun.[5] She introduced the poetic form and then we wrote. It was that night that I composed the first draft of a poem that would later be published.[6] Several other poets and writers visited the writers group.

My poetry reading list is really an introduction to friends and poets who I have met face-to-face. We read and wrote poetry together. We drank coffee at sidewalk cafés until dark-thirty. We shared wine after a moonlit poetry reading. Met in cafés and coffeehouse, taverns and art galleries, bookstores and basements and rooftop ballrooms. We did life together.

When I introduce you to poetry, I introduce you to friends.

I’ll continue the reading list, introductions throughout this month and maybe beyond. Why should poetry only be celebrated in April?

NOTES:

[1]Learn more about Pasckie Pascua from this Rapid River Magazine article. http://www.rapidrivermagazine.com/2015/red-is-the-color-of-my-night/
[2]Read the full poem, “Red is the color of my night” and other poems. http://pasckiepascuawords.blogspot.com/p/poetry-red-is-color-of-my-night.html
[3]Jessica Newton is published in several literary journals. The last time we read together was at the Asheville 100 Thousand Poets For Change event. https://coffeehousejunkie.net/2013/10/03/100tpc-quote-jessica-newton/ Jessica was also a finalist in the Mountain Xpress poetry prize: https://coffeehousejunkie.net/2011/04/07/who-will-be-the-winner-of-the-2011-mountain-xpress-poetry-prize/
[4]Mara Leigh Koslen bio: https://palimpsestgarden.com/about/bio/

 

 

[Reprint] Poem: Never look a doughnut dealer in the eyes

Never Look A Dealer in the Eyes

NOTES:
1) Originally published April 5, 2011, https://coffeehousejunkie.net/2011/04/05/poem-never-look-a-doughnut-dealer-in-the-eyes/
2) This is a rough draft and includes typos, erroneous grammar and other literary warts. In this case, perfume is intentionally misspelled to represent a unique American accent.

Ever have one of those days…

DSCN2490[squaretiltdallashi]

Ever have one of those days when you write a blog post that you think is really witty or brilliant, save it as a draft, come back a few hours later and realize it is not only stupid and self-absorbed but utter rubbish?

Yeah, that was me yesterday. So, I deleted the post and decided to share this image of a nice coffee shop and café located in the historic section of downtown Racine, Wisconsin.

Before the landmark Porters of Racine building was demolished last year into a gaping scar of urban planning, it was easy to direct people to Circe Celeste. The hole-in-the-wall café faces — or rather, used to face — the Porters of Racine building. Circe Celeste has a wonderful intimate, ambience and a delicious selection of pastries, coffee and lunch specials. The scones alone are worth a visit to the café.

For regulars to Circe Celeste café, it is a place where everyone knows your name. If you are so fortunate, you might have a sketched portrait of yourself on the wall in the room to the left of the front counter.

It is also a great place to grab a cup of coffee on a rainy day after spending the morning at the Racine Public Library — located a mere block away. It does not matter if the printer/scanner is not working. Or the batteries in the digital camera died while trying to photograph a sketch for a client. Or the iPhone charger was left somewhere 15 miles west of Racine and the phone battery displays 23% power. Circe Celeste café is open and the pour over coffee tastes smooth and bitter with a hint of sunshine.

Field notes

Is there anything larger than a venti coffee?

Field notes

Just realized… it has been two weeks since I drank a cup of coffee. How have I survived?

Caffeine junkies

theeconomist:

Found in a kitchen frequented by our Daily Charts team. Those chaps really love their work.

(Source: http://theeconomist.tumblr.com/tagged/chart)

Coffee with Iron Man.

A book and a cup of coffee are two of life’s greatest pleasures.

bookoasis: A book and a cup of coffee are two of life’s greatest pleasures. (Photo by meadbh metrustry)

(Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/meadbh/1277820529/sizes/m/in/photostream/)

Happiness is a cup of coffee

powells:

Amen.

(Source: http://weheartit.com/entry/6988025)

I believe in coffee

brocatus:

via whileyouwereout

amen

(via macaroononastick)

(Source: http://boxbrown.com/?p=772)

The ritualistic ceremony of brewing coffee is not about speed

Brewing coffee with an infuser

A few months ago I began brewing my coffee through a tea infuser. The glass decanter for a coffee press I used had shattered and I was awaiting shipment of a stainless steel coffee press. So I brewed a cup of coffee with an infuser and was amazed by an excellent cup of my favorite bean beverage.

The stainless steel coffee press arrived and I began using it daily. It took me awhile to get used to the taste (coffee tastes slightly different in a steel press). The convenience of putting the coffee grounds in the press, adding hot water, pressing, and (more often than I’d like to admit) hauling the press to the office.

Then a programmable coffee maker arrived and I was giddy at that thought of waking up each morning to the smell of freshly brewed coffee. After a few days of that I decided to revert back to the slow process of a single cup of infused coffee. The coffee maker added a plastic oily taste that I really didn’t enjoy. The steel coffee press had a slight metallic taste that reminded me of drinking coffee from an enamel metal camp cup (which wasn’t bad, just different). The glass coffee press had the best flavor. But there’s something about the slow, ritualistic ceremony of pouring hot water onto the infuser and watching a light layer of foam appear on the grounds that is very appealing to me.

When I read the following story in the Mountain Xpress, I found a local establishment that caters to me coffee snob tastes. Here’s five comments made in the article:

  1. Espresso beans are like bananas.
  2. Coffee shouldn’t be about speed.
  3. It’s espresso, not EXpresso, people.
  4. Dark roast does not have more caffeine than lighter roasts.
  5. “Fair Trade” doesn’t really mean much of anything.

Link: Dispelling some espresso myths

decaffeinated coffee table

I bought a decaffeinated coffee table, you can’t even see a difference.

Author Unknown (via coffeechat)

Wie trinkst du deinen Kaffee?

http://assets.tumblr.com/swf/audio_player.swf?audio_file=http://www.tumblr.com/audio_file/378333170/tumblr_kwpnpfSwOd1qzz5rt&color=FFFFFF

germanheit:

Wie trinkst du deinen Kaffee? How do you like your coffee?

– schwarz (black)

– mit Milch (with milk)

– mit Zucker (with sugar)

– mit Süßstoff (with sweetener)

Ich trinke meinen Kaffee gerne schwarz mit Süßstoff und manchmal auch mit Milch. Mmmh. Lecker.

(I like to drink my coffee black with sweetener and sometimes with milk, too. Mmmh. Yummy.)

Field notes

somedays i miss smoking. then i walk to starbucks, order a coffee & enjoy that burnt java taste. reminds me of unfiltered camel cigarettes.

Field notes

should not start my morning by reading articles about online marketing & social media stats. coffee & pancakes first. priorities, man…

Field notes

pancakes & coffee for breakfast… somehow i don’t think i’ll try a 2 mile run today… 19°F & feels like 1°F with 20 mph wind…

Coffee grounds

i’m orange peels. i’m coffee grounds. i’m wisdom.

Marjory The Trash Heap, Fraggle Rock, Season 1, Episode 1

Field notes

malty: My post-it note confession

the last legal high

in other news, the homemade cappuccino i made this morning using my coffee press turned out surprisingly well…

// 7:14am – been awake for over 2 hours. i think it’s time to brew some coffee.

RT @tweetmeme 50 Beautifully Delicious Coffee Designs | Webdesigner Depot http://bit.ly/tdaMK // really. need. coffee.