September 1–7, 2008: Jan Oscar Hansen and Steve Bloom

week of September 1-7, 2008

Jan Oscar Hansen and Steve Bloom

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Jan Oscar Hansen
oskar.hansen@sapo.pt

Bio (auto)

Jan Oskar Hansen is a poet from, Benafim, Algarve, Portugal He is the author of “Letters from Portugal”, “Lunch in Denmark” and “La Strada” and his work also appears in the anthologies “Routs” and “Shaken & Stirred” published by Bewrite books

Visit Jan’s blog here: oskar.aucklandpoetry.com

The following work is Copyright © 2008, and owned by Jan Oscar Hansen nd may not be distributed or reprinted in any form whatsoever without written permission from the author.


How Safe Is Your Child?

Mums and dads have been demonstrating
outside the city’s park, they want the lake
filled in and trees chopped down since
a boy fell from a tree into the lake, broke
a leg and nearly drowned
There is a chopper overhead taking picture
of the lake, dangerous trees, boulders and
bushes along a tall wall where pedophiles
can lurk, see the evening news; later talks
by experts: “How safe is your child?”

It has now been decided that the lake can
be walled in, branches of tree cut so no
child can reach them, the bushes chopped
down and light installed, no hiding place,
and yes, the boulders rolled into the lake
Still the mums and dads are not happy,
it’s ok for the kids to climb trees as long as
they are made of rubber and there is foam
carpet under each one, the lake draws ducks,
that draws rats, breadcrumbs and pestilence

The park was fenced in, off limit to anyone
under twenty one, then it was privatized
restaurants, tennis courts, dance, furtive sex
in the bushes, and wet T shirt contests, while
children are safely at home watching TV

Steve Bloom
stblm@optonline.net

Bio (auto)

Steve Bloom is a lifelong social activist who lives in Brooklyn, NY, and works as a decorative painter and faux finisher His work appears online in roguescholars.com, arthouseproductions.org, poetsagainstthewar.org He has also been published by Caprice, the Poet’s Pen, Flutter, Soul Fountain, Medicinal Purposes and in the anthology, Journey He has upcoming work in Asbestos Recent performance venues include the Saturn Series and Bar 13 in New York City and the Traveling Poets Reading Series, Bakersfield, CA You can visit Steve at www.stevebloompoetry.net .

The following work is Copyright © 2008, and owned by Steve Bloom and may not be distributed or reprinted in any form whatsoever without written permission from the author.

Flower Plots

Watch out for the caucus of crocuses
there, on the hill I hear they are hatching a plot
to overthrow the daffodils
Beware the wisteria conspiracy
up on the ledge,
perfecting a plan I suspect,
to overgrow the privet hedge
I wouldn’t interfere, if I were you,
should bleeding hearts and columbine combine
to show defiance
against that great lilac alliance
And it’s OK to stand where you might see
but don’t get in the way
as the cherry blossom posse gallops by,
leaving pink hoof prints against the sky
There’s so much more I’ll bet you never knew
about what flowers do,
and—when no one’s looking—where they go (Just don’t let on who told you so )

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