Monday, August 08, 2005
Coincidence
It was strange to read today that Peter Jennings has died of lung cancer. Strange and sad. I never met Jennings but just this last Thursday I received a call from my mother telling me that my grandfather has a tumor in his lung and has lost 20 pounds. Because of his age, they're probably not going to treat it. I was already halfway drunk when I got the call, and I went all the way after that. I even wound up on the wrong train back from DC. I almost ended up in Shady Grove instead of Takoma Park.I didn't realize that Jennings was a smoker, but apparently he smoked for most of his life. My grandfather wasn't much of a smoker. He doesn't smoke at all now, and when he did smoke it was only infrequently. He did once confess to me that he really loves the smell of tobacco. He did have asbestos exposure when he was younger and worked for the power company. But who knows. He's 88. He's already had all kinds of heart surgery, special diets, etc.
I wish I were back in San Diego. I once wrote a poem about my grandfather's tattoo that I would like to post here but I don't think I have it in DC. I'd also like to be able to just hop in the car and drive over to Phoenix for a visit. There will be a chance for that once I am done here.
I will check at home tonight and see if I have that poem on my laptop. If so, I'll put it up.
About Me
-
- Name: Matthew Shindell
- Location: San Diego, California, United States
Matthew Shindell used to live and write in Phoenix, Arizona. He now lives and writes in La Jolla, California.
The Poetry Postcard Project:
Stay tuned to this blog for updates on the status of the Poetry Postcard Project.
Go to the Poetry Postcard Project website to see the project and find out how to participate.
My Vocabulary Radio Show:
Find out about My Vocabulary, the weekly poetry radio show hosted by Matthew Shindell and James Meetze.
Where are my poems?
Read a PDF of my chapbook, Were something to happen it would be both funny and interesting. Copies of this limited edition chapbook are no longer available.American Letters and Commentary (Coming Soon) - "Hoo Ta Ta, Hoo Ta"
American Poetry Review July/August 2004 - "It sounds like a saxophone tugging across a field"
Black Warrior Review v30n2 - "Sidekick"
FENCE v6n2 - "Drinking with the Ventriloquist's Dummy" & "Parable of the Boy inside the Deer"
Hayden's Ferry Review #25 - "The Willow"
Hayden's Ferry Review #35 - "The Monkey's Skull: Where Do Good Newsmen Come From?" & "Made Easy"
Jubilat 7 - "But Emerson Says, 'The body is a metre. The eye appreciates finer differences than art can expose."
The Melic Review - "In Short, a Pleasant Day :: The Man Arrives, Hooray!" "The Same Words :: Order of Harpoons," & "A Birdâs Head Rolls Into Two Baskets :: Walkie-Talkie"
No Tell Motel - "Order of Harpoons :: Digitalia :: Dobre Vecher" 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Read my discussion of the poem here.
Northwest Review - "Clink" & "Bear-Caught"
Octopus 4 - "About the Author," "Four Star General" &
"The Day :: Born :: The Red Door"
Pleiades 24:2 - "Speech of Artificio, a Character in My New Play" & "Inc."
Tarpaulin Sky v2n2&3 -
"Two Jokes About Bears"
Unpleasant Event Schedule - "He Called Her Forest (or was it Forest?)" & "The Brain Full of Bourbon (concerning the doctor and the simulation of Switzerland)"
Listen to my Pandora station? Why not?
Online Poetry Magazines
B A L A K L A V ACan we have our ball back?
Castagraf
Conjunctions
Double Change
Drunken Boat
Ducky
Failbetter
Gut Cult
HOW2
H_NGM_N
Jacket
La Petite Zine
LVNG
Mark(s)
Moria
No Tell Motel
Octopus
Piplit
PomPom
Puppyflowers
Shampoo
Slope
Tarpaulin Sky
The Canary
Typo
Unpleasant Event Schedule
Word For/ Word
Archives
02/06/2005 - 02/13/2005
02/13/2005 - 02/20/2005
02/20/2005 - 02/27/2005
02/27/2005 - 03/06/2005
03/06/2005 - 03/13/2005
03/13/2005 - 03/20/2005
03/20/2005 - 03/27/2005
03/27/2005 - 04/03/2005
04/03/2005 - 04/10/2005
04/10/2005 - 04/17/2005
04/17/2005 - 04/24/2005
04/24/2005 - 05/01/2005
05/01/2005 - 05/08/2005
05/08/2005 - 05/15/2005
05/22/2005 - 05/29/2005
05/29/2005 - 06/05/2005
06/05/2005 - 06/12/2005
06/12/2005 - 06/19/2005
06/19/2005 - 06/26/2005
06/26/2005 - 07/03/2005
07/10/2005 - 07/17/2005
07/17/2005 - 07/24/2005
07/24/2005 - 07/31/2005
07/31/2005 - 08/07/2005
08/07/2005 - 08/14/2005
08/14/2005 - 08/21/2005
08/21/2005 - 08/28/2005
08/28/2005 - 09/04/2005
09/04/2005 - 09/11/2005
09/11/2005 - 09/18/2005
09/18/2005 - 09/25/2005
10/02/2005 - 10/09/2005
10/09/2005 - 10/16/2005
10/16/2005 - 10/23/2005
11/06/2005 - 11/13/2005
11/20/2005 - 11/27/2005
11/27/2005 - 12/04/2005
12/04/2005 - 12/11/2005
12/11/2005 - 12/18/2005
12/18/2005 - 12/25/2005
01/01/2006 - 01/08/2006
01/15/2006 - 01/22/2006
01/22/2006 - 01/29/2006
03/12/2006 - 03/19/2006
05/21/2006 - 05/28/2006
06/11/2006 - 06/18/2006
07/02/2006 - 07/09/2006
07/16/2006 - 07/23/2006
07/23/2006 - 07/30/2006
09/10/2006 - 09/17/2006
12/10/2006 - 12/17/2006
02/11/2007 - 02/18/2007
09/02/2007 - 09/09/2007
Blogroll Me!
visits since March 30, 2004.
4 Comments:
Matt,
I'm sorry to hear about your grandpa. But your fish and avocado trees are doing just fine, with the exception of one tree being eaten by an invisible pest. Otherwise, San Diego is as boring as usual.
Just wandered here through the poetry web somehow, but couldn't pass this by without saying I'm sorry about your grandfather. Lung cancer seems to be touching a lot of people I've encountered lately both in direct and peripheral ways.
I'm sorry to hear, Matt.
I didn't know Peter Jennings smoked either, and he was my favorite newsperson. News of his death made me sad.
Be well.
matt, i'm sorry to hear about your grandfather. take care.
Post a Comment
<< Home