I love rock-n-roll. And Halloween.

See my previous post wherein I bemoan the struggles we underwent in coming up with the Ultimate Cover Band for Halloween. See below for how entirely we nailed it. 

If you're in my town tonight, I fully expect to see you at the show.

Haiku for My Halloween Cover Band

Do you wanna touch?

Do you wanna touch me there?

Yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah.

(Not pictured: my band mate, also Joan Jett.)

It's not right, but it's OK.

Haiku for Deciphering a Dating Site
(with R.)

What is a quiver?
Is that a euphemism?
Where your arrows are?

Homo in Noho, or, On Second Thought, Let's Not Do the Time Warp Again

Despite protests that it is a horrible place and wry laughter in response to my invitations to join me, I went to a certain gay bar in a certain New England college town last night for a Halloween party. There were no fewer than three unicorns, two Catwomen, six Power Puff Girls, and two Rockys from RHPS.

My favorite costume was Carrie White as interpreted by a cute guy wearing just a pair of trunks, a tiara, a corsage, and head-to-toe fake blood. He was accompanied by a woman dressed in black carrying a Bible and a knife. They didn't win anything. Pfff.

The cop who pulled me over on my way home for having a tail light out sounded incredulous that I would drive 45 minutes each way to attend such an event. I wanted to tell him, "I'm from the Midwest. I've gone farther for much less."

Haiku for a Small-Town Gay Bar

Flannel shirts and beards
Back it up and drop it down
Massachusetts queers

Hitch yer wagon to a dyin' star

Haiku for Freezing Temperatures in This Week's Forecast

Only trouble is,
When your soul's like autumn leaves,
Be prepared to die.

Oh, the humanity.

We interrupt this haiku blog...

It's been so long since I've written a poem that is not a half-assed haiku that I thought I'd share it here. Don't worry, it's mostly about the neuropathological effects of psychiatric medications, and only a little bit about fall leaves.

My brain shudders.
It is autumn, and the colors
Tap into receptors, unstrung,
Frayed, heads waving like snakes
Held by their tails.
Eyes shift, zap, the briefest
Static snap between film frames
(where the ghosts live). 

Falling on my head like a new emotion

Because it seems I can't stop thinking and writing about how mind-blowingly sexy and tender autumn is:

Haiku for October 16, 2013

Sleeping in the breeze
Last night the leaves fell so hard
I thought it was rain

Requisite Anti-Columbus Post

I appreciate that the people in my life mostly have kickass politics and that my Facebook feed the last few days has been full of statuses correcting the misinformation we were taught in school, particularly repeated postings of The Oatmeal's comic drawing on Howard Zinn's scholarship.

I also appreciate that Imani shared the photo below, taken outside Walter's in Fort Green, lest I feel too satisfied with myself and my friends and forget to be angry about gentrification and displacement and disenfranchisement currently happening in Brooklyn and all over occupied America.

Post by Imani Henry.

[Update: As I was writing this post, Imani got word that the restaurant owners issued a formal apology for the sign. Probably in part because his friends saw his photo and started making noise.]

Haiku for the Legacy of Genocide

2013
And still telling lies about
1492.

O My Sharp, Trifoliate Heart

Sure, I could have arranged the following lines into a more traditional haiku, but this is the way the phrase sprung, fully formed, into my head yesterday as I walked past this tree, on my block, under foggy, gray skies. Only later did I realize it was 17 syllables long.

I never claimed to be a purist.

Haiku for October 7, 2013

F*cking neon pink-
orange maple tree, you are
what my soul looks like!

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Vampire Practice*

Tribute bands are one of my favorite things in this world. I was in one, once, as a long-term project. Get me drunk, and I'll tell you about it.

I also love a good cover (and a good cover music radio show).

So why is it so difficult to come up with the ultimate cover band for the Future Collective Halloween Cover Band Show?

Well, I could explain why, but instead I'll just leave you with this haiku and this classic music video from 1979.

Haiku Cover

The times are tough now
Come on in and cover me
Just getting tougher

*The other night, when I told my roommate and her friend I was having "band practice" at the house later, they both heard "vampires" instead. Seems about right.