Reading at Collected Works Bookstore, Santa Fe, NM

Santa Fe Community College Student Writing Awards 2015

 

 

My poem "Listening to Patti Smith" won runner-up for poetry this year and one of my other poems won an honorable mention.  Poetry readings and award ceremony at Collected Works Bookstore on April 30th 2015 at 6pm.  http://www.collectedworksbookstore.com/

 

 

 

Listening to Patti Smith

 

is like dreaming life, through her eyes.   

      

Open-hearted, you take her hand               

trusting her, your wild mother,                                                 

she promises to wake you up when she’s all                                                           

done.  She’ll tell you fairytales, 

 

whisper them gently in your ear:

Her lyrics a sacred savory wafer that falls from  

the tip of her tongue.  She

like you, loves the boys

 

guitars and sonic noise, like you she wears

comfy old man jacket and boyfriend’s tie

a holy mess, her holiness—

could you ever be as holy as her?

 

Her hot breath blows like an angry storm

through your stereos loud speakers,

her words a wind that slaps you across the face

leaving throbbing welts of wisdom.

 

You feel guilty for such a pleasure

like a sinner,

she yells,

“G - L- O - R- I- A, Gloria!”

 

You’re not disappointed when

the dream is over, but finally wide awake when

you grab for a microphone, of your own.

 

 

 

words by Lorraine E. Leslie ©
2014

 

 

  

Fray Project-Guerilla Poetry for the Planet

 FRAY-Santa Fe, New Mexico

FRAY, a community dialogue and guerrilla poetry installation,  uses the metaphor of “fray” to evoke the strain we feel as individuals and communities living deeply within an economic system that is fraught with painful realities and contradictions that we must internalize in order to survive.

On Sunday March 16, 2014,  9 women artists and writers came together at the
Leonora Curtain Wetlands in La Cienega, NM for a workshop.

Inspired by the beauty of the place we were to create poems
that we would copy onto small fragments of parchment paper
(meant to evoke fragility and impermanence).

On April 15th or before we are to distribute our poems in
public places around Santa Fe.  Send them out into the world.
These are little guerilla love offerings.

The poems would be photographed where they were placed (on car
windows, shop windows, public parks, taped to park benches, etc.)

There will be a reading of poems at Op-Cit Books, April 15th 5:30-6:30 pm
http://www.opcit.com/

For more information about the Fray project go to:  http://fraypoetry.wordpress.com/

Thank you to Kirsten Mundt and Stella Reed

 

 

Working on pieces of artwork to add poems to.

 

 

 

 

 

My Poems

 

 Lorraine E. Leslie © 2014

 

 We moved in circles

The cold wind filling our lungs

I took in your breath.

 

 

Lorraine E. Leslie © 2014

 

You could never imagine...

the death of old worlds

bring about new stars... 

the world is collapsing

from its ashes

a new one will emerge...

 

 

Lorraine E. Leslie © 2014

 

parched earth under her feet

wearing a coat of SHADOWS

she is so thirsty

 

Lorraine E. Leslie © 2014
 

your soul flew to the world that is invisible

leaving your wings behind 

 

 

Lorraine E. Leslie © 2014

 

live simply...

let your soul be as free

as feathers

in the wind

 

Lorraine E. Leslie © 2014

place your hand on this print.
i was here too
if only for a short while
i do not know you
and i might not ever get to know you
my friend
but,
 i love you

Lorraine E. Leslie © 2014

look through the burnt hole

set a fire to your mind

what do you see there?

 

Lorraine E. Leslie © 2014

We are too busy
staring into digital screens
instead of looking into
each others
EYES

 

Lorraine E. Leslie © 2014

The wetlands we visited showed no signs of water,

except for the gourds that I picked up.
Round yellow spheres,
like the bright winter sun that hung above the horizon.

 Tiny fragile microcosms filled with stringy fibers and seeds,

floating on the dry grass.

 The sides of the gourds that kissed the ground,

were damp, soft and yielding
when I gently pressed their shells.

 You told me stories about grey manatees,

and I dreamed of water
in that place of barren beauty.

 Empty, dry, desiccated, and brittle,

where everything crunched as we walked.

 Yet,

I could hear myself think,
I was outside of the fray.

 

 

 



1 Billion Rising

 

On Valentine's Day millions of women, men and children all over the world,

danced, bringing awareness to stop the violence against woman. 

February 14th is now officially known as V-Day.

 

I participated in the dance and march last year in Santa Fe,

New Mexico at the Roundhouse.  I didn't go this year, but I

finally got around to taking pictures of one of the cartoons I painted

documenting the event.

It was a great day, filled with positive energy, excitement and love!

 

http://www.onebillionrising.org

 

Video from the Santa Fe, New Mexico

1 Billion Rising 2014:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOB6hs_okhA

 

Axel Contemporary VAGINA van

 

 



"GOD"

"GOD" by Lorraine E. Leslie

"The true, authentic god resides

in your heart and mind."

-Father Alberto Luna

"Torch"

"Torch" by Lorraine E. Leslie

"I offer my body as a torch to dissipate
the darkness..."

We'Moon 2013 is out!

"Eve of Destruction"

Pages from the new We'Moon 2013!

My work is located in the calendar at the beginning
of the year, in the month of January
and at the end of the year, October 31st,
Samhain/Halloween.

You can order this calendar at: http://www.wemoon.ws/

"Death"

Painting selected

My painting, "Winter Solstice," was chosen to
be published in Suzanne Mathis McQueen's new book,
"Four Seasons in Four Weeks."
http://www.4seasons4weeks.com/

The book is now out and available at Suzanne's website!






Suzanne will be reading and talking about her book, "4 Seasons in 4 Weeks"
at The Ark bookstore in Santa Fe, NM.
February 25th at 4:30 pm.    http://arkbooks.com/