At last, a lit mag that likes my work - Mushroom Soup - Lilac poem

Mused Bella Donna Lit Review published "Wine from the Central Valley of Chile."

Click here. It was a gift from Alan and Elaine Klawans. I sent it to Elaine, who loved it and printed it out.

Click here to read my short story "Yes or No."  My friend Ginny Burroughs has a cat with diabetes who's sposed to eat very high-priced food. From that I thot up a story. Used my knowledge of the Vermont landscape from the two years I attended Goddard College.

  The Clock Tower at Goddard

Click here to read the true story Curlicues.  Lisa O'Shea, the editor, helped me with this.

Many editors are very demanding and pompous when they tell you what they want. Many, not all. It's hard not to curse when I write about them, so excuse me. One asshole editor said, "We don't like one-word titles."

WTF?

 Asplundh was on our street trimming trees. They just march into your backyard and take charge. They did clean up nicely.

Once I had three maple trees in the backyard. Two were taken down, so I've only got one. She's in good health, tho, said the arborist - Willow Tree Company - when he chop chop chopped it about five yrs ago.

 Since I had a bad "diabetes lo" last nite I stocked up on "things that save me."

I had another attack tonite, spoke to Hannah at the Giant, "Don't worry," I said to her, "I'm fine but my sugar is 46."

She figured out why I went so low.

I don't eat enuf protein after I inject.

 How ridiculous, I thought, that I haven't brot any lilacs in the house. Knew I wanted to write a poem about it. Posted it on FB. Folks always love em there. I'd goggled "lilac" and they used the term "in the past" so that's what my poem is about. I immediately saw a "vision" of a dilapidated house where lilacs grew.

Mushroom Soup. Chef Dan Keebler, dressed in white, was in his huge room at the Giant when I walked in and asked if he had any good recipes for mushroom soup.

He printed out something for me, which formed the basis of the soup.

MUSHROOM SOUP

Saute in butter and olive oil

lots of mushrooms
smaller amounts of
onions
carrots
celery
garlic

Add
Nature's Promise Chicken Broth


Cover pot and simmer until liquid boils down.... over an hour. Set timer so you don't burn pot.

I also, per his recipe, made a roux

Equal parts Butter and Flour in a separate saute pan

Then I added it to the big pot. I suppose it thickened the soup but I'm not positive.

THE LILACS LEFT BEHIND

In the old mill town
empty houses bear witness to
wayward times, violence
and suspicion,
fighting among friends
ramshackle houses
tumbling down
empty and lonesome
speak kindly
to one another
as a roof caves in
and a shutter clatters
onto the porch

Purple lilacs, aroma
pouring into the sky
link arms knowing their time
is nearly up, two
weeks of bloom,
then fast asleep
until next spring.