Got bored, made art. It's as simple as that. My main goal this time around was to try not to overthink things. So I just let this happen. I like where things went. As such, here's "Remember It in, Meaningless." Enjoy!
 We threw a sea pearl in the crow canyon
Then continued with wild abandon. Walking the Fox Brook marking west Then crowning a royal hoping the best. Did you hear the reserve say Woodford owns sapphires from Bombay? A half acre from nowhere clear The holiest heretic made us hear The old pale rebel joke, "Cigar City is going up in smoke. So have zero fear! The revolution must be near." Because that metropolis Is a smoggy necropolis, Smoldering proof of that and this Except the truth we all miss. Though bloody, ever onwards A legion of arrogant bastards Making good use of stars Wandering home to bars; Trudging after graves Twilight gladly saves For the walking dead Seeking a bed; Pirates led by the red Fox Sailing ocean to sea thru locks, Oblivious to curses and pox Lobbed in Caribbean docks. Arriving upon the equinox At the school of hard knocks, Glad to graduate to a pine box.  In an effort to ignore the screaming void in the heart of existence I decided to distract myself by making art. Perhaps this piece in its entirety... a butterfly rising from a chaotic mix of colors, and bright because -- happy thoughts. If one wanted to overthink it the idea is that of something beautiful ascending out of chaotic meaninglessness. I don't recommend overthinking it, but there it is. If nothing else, it's fun to look at. Why ask for more?
Once again I got the pleasure of taking part in BYOT last month. I lucked out with a fine pair of performers -- Elliot Palmer and Vinney Greco. In addition, Rachel Silvert, our director, brought it to life much the same as I envisioned things while writing it. That's rare. However, I won't ramble on too long. Rather, I'll let this sketch speak for itself. As usual, if you're intrigued by what you see here then check out the other videos from that evening as well as clips from the many fine shows BYOT has put together.
For more info about BYOT (Bring Your Own Theater), especially if you live in the Chicago area and want to participate, check out the links below: https://www.byotproductions.com/ https://www.facebook.com/byotproductions/ https://www.facebook.com/events/1698205613626953/  Somewhere in this town is a door. Those who knock on it are often seeking something they can't find. Lists can go on and on -- love, children, fortune, fame, etc. -- but one element is always the same. Whatever answers the door is no kind dealer.
Take the case of Tammy and Joe. Two a-typical teens living a real Romeo & Juliet situation. It's an old story, only the broad strokes really matter. Seems back in the fifties Tammy's granddad accused Joe's parents of being commie spies. When the truth came out that ol' granddad just had a bad case of the Red Scare the two families got set on a track to hate one another indefinitely. That indefinite duration coming to an abrupt halt one Autumn evening in 1994 when a pair of teenagers bumped into each other at a kegger. In any event, neither family would even entertain the idea of these teens being together. The hurt was part of the family, and the parents would rather disown their kids than an old wound. So having no choice, and being madly in love -- emphasis on the madly -- two irrational teens decided an urban legend would best solve their problem. What exactly they went through to find the right door is anybody's guess. Personally, I like to suppose it all started as a playful distraction. Neither kid expected to actually find anything. The whole search was supposed to be a way of not thinking about their doomed love affair -- together against the odds. Then a seemingly kind stranger, perhaps with a sinister smile they should've worried about, pointed the kids in the right direction. So it was they walked hand in hand down a dark alley to knock on that fabled door. It didn't take much more than a few taps to elicit an answer. Maybe they even thought about bolting before anyone arrived, but they certainly didn't react fast enough. Instead, the door opened revealing... who can say? All that's known for sure is Tammy and Joe were never the same after that. First Joe's parents died in an automobile accident. Then Tammy's folks succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning while she was at the library. Suspicions naturally abounded, but rumors aren't facts. So the couple settled in expecting to be together forever. Only that love didn't last. I doubt that's whatever toll they needed to pay. The truth is probably simpler. Sacrifice enough, it spoils the thing you sacrificed for. Kill your parents to be together, well, you better be the perfect lover everyday ever after. Not a single unkind word, harsh tone, or bitter touch -- it's gotta be all paradise, or things sour fast because that's when the question slips in. That unflinching neon weed spreading through the mind asking, "Was it worth it?" My point being there's a door in town. All it takes is a knock. What's on the other side will give you whatever you want. Just make sure you can live with the cost. That said, if you find this door let me know where it is. If nothing else I wouldn’t mind selling directions.  New art inspired by... frankly I have no idea where this came from, and that feels like a good thing. It's kind of fun looking at something and wondering what the hell I was even thinking at the time. The title, however, offers a partial hint. I'd just bought tickets to Lamb of God, and that put me in a mood to just have some fun. I suppose that's what I'm getting at: without intention it's easier to do things for the pure joy of doing them. So this is simple art fun. Enjoy!
 I used to know a fellow named Dale
Who without fail Could be called to go for days Singing his own praise. Say something simple like "Good to see you," And as if planning to strike He takes that as cue: "Drink it in deeply, Enjoy that you see me. Hell, I'm cute as a corgi All the ladies adore me, But supermodels bore me. Don't want a mouth breathin' mannequin -- Fuckin' them ain't a win. Every single one a coat hanger I'd break if I bang her." So I think you get the gist, But let's go down the list. Ask about work, And induce his quirk To sell a dry well: "I don't mean to boast, But coast to coast I got the most Stocks, jewels, money, cars -- I fuckin' own fifteen bars. I got enough cash to buy me class. My wallet's fatter than Kardashian ass. I drink champagne from a Martian glass. I bought NASA to fly me around. That's my shuttle outside of town." Yet, though rare, He was known to share An odd open mindedness Suggesting a kindness. Beneath the bravado A family first motto. Inquire about his mother, He answers like no other: "She's hungry for dick. Don't be a prude prick Acting all sick Cuz she's down to fuck. Moms need to get their pussy stuck. And mine's got a vadge like a fire truck Red, wet, and gushing water Like Poseidon's own daughter. In fact, my Pop going down nonstop Chugging her quim is what drowned him." So that's Dale. Never stale. Quick with a word, And happy to be heard. Yet, he wasn't all that bright. Went for a firecracker Lit a stick of dynamite. However, sometimes after a few beers His ghost appears: "I was supposed to deflower Everyone at prom, But some motherfucker Dropped an atomic bomb, And now y'all dead. Just ghosts inside my head." In an effort to get better at a little thing called shameless self promotion, but also to provide more dynamic content, I'm doing what I can to track down videos of performances I've made. Whether it's sketches I've written for theater troupes, or live shows where I read my writing, I'm endeavoring to gather them here. To that end, here is a sketch I wrote a long time back called "This is a Cursed Place." It was performed by a wonder theater group here in Chicago called BYOT (Bring Your Own Theater). I've mentioned them before, but here are some links to more info about them: https://www.facebook.com/byotproductions/ https://www.byotproductions.com/ Anyway, this is a fun weird piece that I'm going to let speak for itself. Everyone in it did a fantastic job. Enjoy... This is a Cursed Place... Currently I'm working on a few stories and poems, some I hope to sell to publications, but others I plan to post here. When there isn't really a place for your work you have to make the space yourself. In any event, I took a break from writing for a bit, and to decompress my brain I did this piece. It's called "Melting Wax Bust". Once again, I'm sticking to a somewhat abstract format, though I am still trying to make things that are, at least, inclined to something familiar. In any event, enjoy.  A few months back I got the opportunity to do some spoken word at a fundraiser for a fantastic Chicago theater group called Coffee and Whiskey Productions. It was a wonderful evening, lots of fun, drinking, good folks, excellent acts, and laughs. As such they've been able to put out a pretty solid season so far. This is the video of my set that evening. The fundraiser took place around Giftmas, so that's why the story is about Christmas. Still, I think it's funny year round.
That said, Coffee and Whiskey are about to briefly bring back a wonderful show they did last year called Karaoke Night at Al Capone's House of Pancakes. It's a delightful, lively production full of laughs and heart. In addition, it contains a unique bit of, for lack of a better term, improv. Performers actually sing karaoke throughout the night, however, they have no idea what songs they'll be expected to do. So you can actually catch a flash of worry across an actor's face when suddenly called to the mic. And if last year is any indication, audience members might be called on stage to perform songs as well. This is a show put on by a group of people whom you will be able to see enjoying the show they're in, not just acting in it. For more on Coffee and Whiskey Productions follow the links below. Coffee & Whiskey Productions – Theatre is Conversation https://www.facebook.com/coffeeandwhiskeyproductions/ |
AuthorJ. Rohr enjoys making orphans feel at home in ovens and fashioning historical re-enactments out of dead pets collected from neighbors’ backyards. Archives
October 2024
Categories
All
 |
RSS Feed