Unlikely 2.0


   [an error occurred while processing this directive]


Editors' Notes

Maria Damon and Michelle Greenblatt
Jim Leftwich and Michelle Greenblatt
Sheila E. Murphy and Michelle Greenblatt

A Visual Conversation on Michelle Greenblatt's ASHES AND SEEDS with Stephen Harrison, Monika Mori | MOO, Jonathan Penton and Michelle Greenblatt

Letters for Michelle: with work by Jukka-Pekka Kervinen, Jeffrey Side, Larry Goodell, mark hartenbach, Charles J. Butler, Alexandria Bryan and Brian Kovich

Visual Poetry by Reed Altemus
Poetry by Glen Armstrong
Poetry by Lana Bella
A Eulogic Poem by John M. Bennett
Elegic Poetry by John M. Bennett
Poetry by Wendy Taylor Carlisle
A Eulogy by Vincent A. Cellucci
Poetry by Vincent A. Cellucci
Poetry by Joel Chace
A Spoken Word Poem and Visual Art by K.R. Copeland
A Eulogy by Alan Fyfe
Poetry by Win Harms
Poetry by Carolyn Hembree
Poetry by Cindy Hochman
A Eulogy by Steffen Horstmann
A Eulogic Poem by Dylan Krieger
An Elegic Poem by Dylan Krieger
Visual Art by Donna Kuhn
Poetry by Louise Landes Levi
Poetry by Jim Lineberger
Poetry by Dennis Mahagin
Poetry by Peter Marra
A Eulogy by Frankie Metro
A Song by Alexis Moon and Jonathan Penton
Poetry by Jay Passer
A Eulogy by Jonathan Penton
Visual Poetry by Anne Elezabeth Pluto and Bryson Dean-Gauthier
Visual Art by Marthe Reed
A Eulogy by Gabriel Ricard
Poetry by Alison Ross
A Short Movie by Bernd Sauermann
Poetry by Christopher Shipman
A Spoken Word Poem by Larissa Shmailo
A Eulogic Poem by Jay Sizemore
Elegic Poetry by Jay Sizemore
Poetry by Felino A. Soriano
Visual Art by Jamie Stoneman
Poetry by Ray Succre
Poetry by Yuriy Tarnawsky
A Song by Marc Vincenz


Join our Facebook group!

Join our mailing list!


Print this article


three poems by David Christian Stanfield

Happiness

Happiness is a writer writing,
                        a musician playing,
            a songbird singing.

Melancholy is simply
the lack of something better to do.




Prison Prayer

Rollin’ with Jesus ‘til the wheels fall off—
I said rollin’ with Jesus ‘til the wheels fall off!
Though other orangesuits may laugh & scoff,
I’m rollin’ with Jesus ‘til the wheels fall off.

Hallelujah, thank you Jesus.
Hallelujah, thank you Jesus!


Lord deliver me from these iron gates,
these concrete walls, this den of hate.
Lord lift my soul before it’s too late;
please release me from these iron gates.

Hallelujah, thank you Jesus.
Hallelujah, thank you Jesus!


Lord bless my life & bust these doors,
yes, pick my soul up off the floor—
Please let me go to sin no more!
Lord bless my life and bust these doors.

I’m rollin’ with Jesus ‘til the wheels fall off—
I said rollin’ with Jesus ‘til the wheels fall off!
You know, Ani called it—I’m not so soft, but
I’m rollin’ with Jesus ‘til the wheels fall off.




Those Nights

The other day I encountered an article
(or maybe it was an advertisement)
detailing a new option for cremation:
(a veritable technological innovation)
the carbon remnants of your beloved deceased
pressed into a diamond shining brightly
as the immortal soul itself.


Which reminded me of the conventional, non-fire method:
hearse, casket, earth, sky,
the tears of those who remain saying silent goodbyes.

Please remind me why do we do this again.
I say flush it all— innovation is pretension
and tradition,
regurgitation.

Please do not shame my memory with empty eulogies
or cosmetic finery, nor confine what’s left of me to a locked coffin cell;
put my body in a bank of rich earth and beneath,
for support, a worn plank— the rest can go straight on to hell!

I will live as I die & die as I’ve lived,
giving strength to those who’d be free:
bury me naked in the shade of a great oak tree
and plant a garden of seeds over me.


E-mail this article

David Christian StanfieldChristian resides in Memphis, Tennessee and absolutely loves it there. Did you know that there is more deciduous forest growth within the city limits of Memphis than in any other comparably sized American city? And Christian loves trees... He also loves yoga, reiki, tantric massage, the sweat lodge ceremony on Sundays, Chinese, teenage girls and the films of Woody Allen.