Memorial for Liam Rector
Poet Mark Salerno and I have been corresponding. We recently did an exchange of books (my first-and-only for his first and latest books). I had already purchased his "METHOD" on my last reading trip to NYC, before ever having met or been in contact with him. I love the book, it being so closely allied with an experimental project I had been germinating ("The Downburst Summaries"--now officially defunct--though four "summaries" were actually published in the second issue of The Tiny, a nifty new(ish) Brooklyn based journal). Anyway, I was flattered to hear from him that folks had asked him (he lives in L.A. and I live in N.C) whether he and I were related. This was a question I too had been getting here in N.C., at Lucipo and other readings). So he and I have begun hashing out a kind of Reading exchange program whereby he comes to NC and we read on the same bill (the Flying Salerno bros or some such foolery) and then I travel to L.A. for the same deal. Anyway, the recognition of Mark Salerno's poetry via people's questions of our possible relation is great. His work is so worthy of attention and revisitation especially to anyone interested in new or post-avant poetics. It's brave and acrobatic and challenging and formally adept work. To date, he is the author of "Hate" (96 Tears, 1995), "Method" (Figures, 2002), and "So One Could Have" (Red Hen, 2004). His new work, a book-length poem entitled "Odalisque," is forthcoming from Salt Pubishing in 2007. 
I'll be reading this evening at the Cameron Village Libary in Raleigh @ 6:30 pm with poets Tom Lisk, Bob Rogers and Alice Osborne. I hear there will be refreshments.
1) From the Al Bundy files: In high school, I played football for Immaculata High in NJ. My senior year, I was the starting noseguard. I was a bit bigger then, and was mostly used for my speed anyway, in what was a kind of unorthdox, hybrid 4-4 defense; I was free to line up almost anywhere on the line of scrimmage. That team, that season, and to this day, holds the New Jersey record for a defense/team going a whole season unscored upon. My favorite game was against Newark Central, which took place at night in downtown Newark's old, dilapidated stadium. Several of the upper deck sections were condemned. Their school band was small but amazing. On one set of downs, I recorded all 3 tackles, after which Newark punted.
2) My first job, when I was 16, was in a liquor store. My second job was as a gas station attendant, where I once pumped gas for John Amos (father from "Good Times") as well as Joe Piscopo. I also worked as a pool-hole-digger, a guy on a road paving crew, and was a forman on a house painting crew. I also painted playgrounds.
3) I played in a gigging band for 3 years--our drummer had previously drummed for Lisa Lisa and The Cult Jam as well as Clarence Carter.
4) I have received 4 of the 7 Catholic sacraments, before I gave up. For my Confirmation, I had to do community service. My seventh grade class went to an old folks home to visit with the elderly. My friend Brian and I rode the elevator for two hours, slinging our yo-yos, until I finally realized the error of my ways. I wandered into an old woman's room where she described to me, in detail, the lush countryside of Salerno, Italy.
5) My very first memory (that lasts more than a flash) is of my father throwing a pie across the dining room table, hitting my uncle in the face.
So, Barnes and Noble has picked up "Whirligig" for promotion in these* cities through January. Basically, if it goes well, they may keep stocking it. So, if you were thinking of getting it, and you live in one of these places, and you happen stroll into a B&N, pick it up and I'll literally send you something...reimbursment, interesting trades, a handmade collage, a sock puppet, a bullet casing, something. The underlying point is that this hasn't happened to Spuyten Duyvil before, and we really want Barnes to look their way more often, and in the future. 
justin's teeth.
