A great man has passed away. I met Joel Fallon when I burst onto the Benicia poetry scene in 2012. Some of the poets didn’t embrace my simple rhymes at first, but Joel would read my work in the Benicia Herald and write letters to the editor saying how much he enjoyed them. Now in […]
Poetry Corner: “For Joel Fallon” by Ronna Leon
You called them “dead Mother poems” and scorned their cloying sentiment, easy forgiveness. Your poem about your Mother named her Kali. You hungered for life – anger, difficulty, competition, sex. You insisted that wringing a tear from a stone was superior to opening well oiled floodgates. Now you are dead and my tears come unbidden […]
Poetry Corner: “Hope is the Thing with Feathers (Dedicated to Joel Fallon)” by Johanna Ely
“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops-at all” -Emily Dickinson If such a tiny bird, perhaps left for dead, or suffering from an injured wing, its feathers matted and torn, finds refuge in your broken heart, then reach inside yourself and […]
Poetry Corner: “Joel’s Passing” by Mary Susan Gast
“So, I may have been wrong after all – this damn cancer may indeed be the death of me.” -Joel Fallon, in an email of June 30, 2016 He died on the morning of August 11. That night, meteor showers dazzled the skies: The Perseids, at their peak. No reason to doubt that Joel hitched […]
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: “Joel’s Poetry” by Mary Susan Gast
It was the voice AND what he said That echo, that linger. The voice all deep and ready To use words honed to the point Of decisive descriptive endurance. He beckoned mismatched images to Sidle up to one another: Spaghetti and spaghetti straps, A golden owl and a bound foot, Key lime pie and [oh […]
Jeff Burkhart’s “Rhyme and Reason”: Changing Channels (An Ode to NBC)
Every couple years The World Olympic Games are aired We have to turn on NBC To see how countries fared Michael Phelps is mining gold The pride of Baltimore Tiny little gymnasts Tara, Weir; but wait there’s more! The network’s spending billions So that we will watch “Today” In hopes that they can sell some […]
Joel Fallon, Benicia’s first poet laureate, dies
Joel Fallon, who had the distinction of being Benicia’s first poet laureate, died Thursday morning, according to an email sent out by current Poet Laureate Johanna Ely. He was 85. “Joel was a wonderful poet and mentor to many, who gave so much of his wisdom and energy to our community,” Ely wrote. “He […]
Poetry Corner: Joel Fallon “Your Turn”
Editor’s note: In a sad coincidence, the Herald received an email the morning this poem was published that Joel Fallon had passed away the previous morning at the age of 85. As Benicia’s first poet laureate, Joel established a lot of programs that have allowed poetry to thrive in our community, including this Sunday’s Poets’ […]
Poetry Corner: Sherry Sheehan “Depot Delights”
Brush in hand, leaning over her just begun depot painting, Samantha McNally is on Saturday duty at the table by the entry when I walk into the Benicia Plein Air Gallery. Suddenly I remember that the depot sells See’s, so I walk down First towards the water, admiring Benicia’s sturdy palms on the west side […]