A Declamation by Stan Raines I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United State of America and to the people and co-signers for whose constitution it stands to which I do subscribe- Battered old whore as she is in and out of bed with slavers and churchmen, taking in nine elder opinions for a [...]

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The Schedule: Spiritual Reading and Desayuna (San Juan) – Poetry focusing on spirituality and religion 9 – 10 am, Missionaries of Jesus Convent Host: Brenda Nettles Riojas and featuring Brenda Nettles Riojas, Vanessa Brown, Lina Suárez, Airlee Sattler Rose, Stan Raines, Steve Vera, Diana Dominguez, Lady Mariposa, Daniel García Ordoz NOTE: Please bring something to [...]

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Crowd gathers for Poetry Pachanga. Good times were had by those that wanted them last night as the major events day culminated with a poets’ dinner at the Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts center followed by the Poetry Pachanga in the San Benito Community Center Auditorium.

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A Poem by Thomas Thornburg (for Manisha) John Peterson the potter’s throwing Pots in his shop; the turning day Beholds him at the world’s fairs showing His canny cups in crafted clay. Midsummer and in solsticed snows John Peterson the potter throws Visions before him there and births Objects of art from pummeled earth. John [...]

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The Valley International Poetry Festival Continues for Saturday Events scheduled for today include: Registration 9 – 6 pm Narciso Martínez Cultural Arts Center Potluck Brunch 9 – 10:30 am Narciso Martínez Cultural Arts Center (Private – Registered Poets Only) Workshop: Tribute to the late raúlsalinas 10:30 – 11 am Narciso Martínez Cultural Arts Center; Presenters: [...]

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A Poem by Patricia A. I watch my dad as he looks past the floor, pensive, sitting on the edge of his bed, the edge of his life, about to run out of ground on which to walk. His knees are apart at shoulders width. His hands clasp loosely to each other, not as if [...]

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A Set of Poems by Thomas Thornburg Poor Eddie Poe collapsed in the snow and exhaled no more in old Baltimore. Poor Mary Mallon wept o’er many a gallon of soapsuds, avoiding the cops, and typhoiding. W. B. Yeats believed in the fates, but on Sunday in Spiritus Mundi. Fenimore Cooper did not make a [...]

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A poem by Stan Raines I see him, Lord of the Porch, And all that he surveyed, Weaving a web of words From the old world, The old, old world, Raising again the cry Of man against injustice Of man against man, And smack and smack and smack The shaggy heads of school boys, Errant [...]

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A Poem by Stan Raines For Don Rumsfeld One hundred thousands souls or so Fit the measure quite nicely. Every mother’s child can count that high Don’t need a reason why Every body’s count still adds up How many grains will fill the cup? How do you measure the oil You’ve brought to a boil?

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A Poem by Stan Raines Love, Love, The weak sister Must wait upon Those who would love Love But who wait upon The things of love- Who draw pictures of starry nights madly swirling, Or build fortunes on the wasting of factory towns, Or plot the downing of an unlucky race, Or dance till morning [...]

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Celebrating National Poetry Month And it’s still on here at NunnaYerBizness Today. So, if you have poems ready to read and would like to TEST MARKET them here, send ‘em in. Meanwhile, here’s what’s scheduled for the Rio Grande Valley International Poetry Festival today. Friday, Apr. 25 Poets In The Schools 8 a.m. to 3:45 [...]

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I had a pleasant conversation a little while ago with Ms. Estela Von Hatton, Brownsville City Secretary, on my pending requests for information on the construction and costs of Pablo Kisel Boulevard. She listed the dates that she had e-mailed Public Works on the matter, and they corresponded nicely with records of my own inquiries [...]

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Texas Monthly has an important article this month on the decline of sexuality education in our schools, “Faith Hope, and Chastity“, and I highly recommend its reading. I confess that I have a dog in this fight since I joined the board of Planned Parenthood of Cameron and Willacy Counties last November. but I am [...]

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A Poem by Eugene Novogrodsky They started side by side, Another couple, bags in hand, Crossing back to Mexico, US stores’ chickens/toilet paper/ Sodas/soap powder/toothpaste. Suddenly, in the middle of the bridge, The river’s green and brown water Fast below, he stops and Leans on the railing – traffic side. She’s walked on, and then [...]

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Memoir Memory is such an untidy thing; leaves cabinet doors open, clothes on the floor and crumbs on the counter. You can’t sweep it away, and no matter how you try to clean it up, it is what it is. Jimmy R. and I were drinking at the Carriage House, the only gay bar, at [...]

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An opinion I’m sorry to come back to Brownsville’s streets as a topic. The poetry and literary discussions on the site are much more to my liking and the readership seems to have broadened out and deepened quite a bit since the shift. I started this series—not knowing it would be a series or at [...]

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A poem Treasure Search your trash! You missed the one thing of true worth. Where are your shells And the bones of all You have consumed. What odds and ends you have in there. Surely they glow and glitter. And there’s a rhythm You can keep for life In your swing and sway. Why, the [...]

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Memoir Memory is a scourge, unless conflated, synthesized and expressed. All memoirs are fiction. Initials are only used to protect the not-so-innocent. This must have occurred in 1978, I suppose. NunnaYerBizness was still a working musical concern, and S. and I were winding down from a gig. He was driving me home in that robin’s-egg [...]

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If you count today, then there are still eight days left in National Poetry Month. That’s eight days more to get that gem of a poem you’ve been hiding in that notebook in the left bottom drawer of your desk out and post it for others to enjoy and appreciate at last. It’s also the [...]

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By Patricia A. Silent Lullaby under my chin above my chest there is a cave where you can hide my arms are doors i’ll locked them tight to keep you in inside my cave your forehead near a kiss away so near I feel tears down my neck i have no words except to pray [...]

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The Sunday Times Magazine ran an incredible piece on the ethics of going green–with a couple of pointed suggestions that go beyond Al Gore’s, “Well, you could change your light bulbs.” Click above to check it out.

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When five retired generals publicly criticized the war in Iraq in 2005, the administration put together a team of their own retired officers with ties as to the businesses benefiting from the war to make an answer. New York Times writer David Barstow describes the psy-ops directed at your head here. If you missed it, [...]

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In Brownsville In Brownsville did the Chertoff a mighty wall decree Its ramparts tall and gleaming with turrets jeweled blue and green Built of sturdy stone quarried from la Cerro de la Silla And set in place by los manos de muchos albiñiles; Many hands, many days and nights stretched to weeks and months, Oh, [...]

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