The Women’s March on Washington, D.C. How Fantastic! I salute all my activist sisters! Yippee! It was reported that there were some 600-plus marches around the globe. Obviously, people of all origins and situations are ticked at the status quo. Outstanding, ladies, contrast that to a lame 53 percent voter turnout in the U.S. this […]
The A Cappella Handyman: Pedro’s Back! (No. 361!)
Yes, it’s true, The A Cappella Handyman is BACK! Let’s just say a sabbatical was in order and I got some home chores done, re-started my Friday Blog and gave a shot in the arm to my “Taproot & Aniseweed.” And yes, this IS my 361st column for the Benicia Herald. Really, since 2008, 360 […]
Poetry Corner: Peter Bray “Tan Pony Blues/Thin Limb in the Rain”
Out on the branches of a thin limb, caught between the holidays and rain, nobody wants to be doing home repairs now, everyone’s focused on buying presents and making their best holiday gravy. “Make a rue,” says my one brother to another on the land line phone at Nana-Mom’s while brother #3 is out of […]
Poetry Corner: Peter Bray “FossilWorks”
My body went down to the FossilWorks, where Advancing Age and Atrophy lurks. It began with my shoulders then went to my knees, climbing each staircase came with no ease. My balance was gone, my walk was erratic, Old Age was calling me like some ghost from the attic. I thought about Tai Chi and […]
Poetry Corner: Peter Bray “November Sun…To Donald Trump”
The November sun was high in the air, you’d almost think summer was there, but you don’t really believe in Science now, do ya? CO2 from dirty fuel melts the glaciers and it’s cruel, but you say it’s all a Hoax, now don’t ya? President-Elect of the USA, Electoral College winner any way, how much […]
Poetry Corner: Peter Bray “After the election…”
After the election, I grieved like a puppy that had lost its tail, heard the acceptance and concession speeches and went on my way to see a customer, scheduled new work and then headed to Nation’s for breakfast. Good luck, World and America, your new boy thinks Global Warming is a hoax, his majority colleagues […]
Poetry Corner: “Colonel Poetry Father” by Peter Bray
They were playing “Mack the Knife” by Louis Armstrong at Starbucks when I got the call from Johanna Ely, our 6th Poet Laureate, 2016-2018: Joel Fallon, our first Benicia Poet Laureate had caught the morning train today to that Big Love Poem in the Sky. We spoke for a bit about our immediate group […]
Poetry Corner: “Repeal of the ‘Two-Carrot Rule'” by Peter Bray
Watching far too much political horse s*** on TV and the Internet lately, my Mental Dream Machine went into orbit last night and came up with this piece In a dramatic compromise between “Feel the Bern” forces and Hillary’s DNC-preferred status, we all learned last night of the proposed “Repeal of the Two Carrot Rule!” […]
Peter Bray: Survival Squirrel…
Not yet 8 a.m. and I’ve already e-mailed crisis help to a friend in Hawaii in need of meditation and a case manager, told a phone caller, “No, I don’t do ceiling leaks,” and another e-mail to a customer, “Yes, I can install your Video Doorbell, I did one in Benicia two weeks ago. I’ll […]
A Cappella Handyman: Bonnie, remembered
WE MET AS LETTER-TO-THE-EDITOR WRITERS in The Herald in the late 1980s. I remember seeing her name in print on various letters and issues in town and one day we met at Raley’s. In no time at all she invited me to be the organizer for the Poet’s Tree at Arts in the Park. I […]