BEGINNING AGAIN I have been writing the Abject Alphabet since the 1980s, after Kroetsch’s Sad Phoenician, I must be the Mad Phoenician I thought. I met Julia Kristeva when she was promoting a novel which I’ve since given away. I discovered my friend Peter Dueck (rhymes with dew ick) was in Toronto for national meetings as I
... read more.Author Archives: Victor
IF I WAS
JIMMY BANG’S IF I WAS BLUES If I were a sniper I would shoot myself in the mirror. If I were a stripper I would take all your clothes off with a bump and grind. If I were a spy I would let you know where I am. If I were a sinner I would
... read more.PEAR SEASON
Quotation If you want to know the taste of a pear, you must change the pear by eating it yourself. If you want to know the theory and methods of revolution, you must take part in revolution. All genuine knowledge originates in direct experience. Mao
... read more.WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT
FAIR CONTROL My psych understood I was after “fair control,” Understand my pain will never get better. Not ever, only intensity changes. Broken up prose like this might get to be a poem but now I am waiting for four pm and my next flight of meds.I’m in wine valley, though no more for me
... read more.POWER OUTTAGE
Yesterday was tough, my first words something to the effect. “I’m signing out. I’m out of service as of now!” Then the internet went down. Similar to Linus who goes out and it is raining and he says the usual “Rain rain go away, come again another day!” The rain stops, all of it, he
... read more.VICTOR’S MANY BEAN SALAD
I thought this was already posted on my site, but apparently not. Here it is today. I’ve also had good responses to my pear salad and my potato and egg salad. RECIPE Ready in 20 minutes Serves 4 – 8 people Ingredients 1 red onion 1-2 cans red kidney beans 1 can white kidney beans
... read more.MANIFESTOS
BREATHE Breathe. Deeply, hold it for three beats, exhale. Repeat. Three times. Breathing we all learned in choir, and when I was taking trumpet lessons, I was told how to stand properly and draw my breath from my balls. He was a Canadian Forces band leader. Our Mennonite choir director had more acceptable words for
... read more.Coming Apart 141
Remember when we say we can never step into the same river twice we acknowledge neither the river or ourselves, are the same changing every moment of every day. My brain has come, is coming, will come apart any moment since I was poisoned by an “addictionist” last July 19. I know, I say, our
... read more.BELIEVE IN HUMANS EVEN IF IT’S HARDER
A SUCCESSFUL ATHEIST You have a Mennonite sounding last name. How is it possible to believe in nothing after every hymn you’ve sung verses you have memorised, your father’s sermons; Bible stories you have heard religious paintings you have seen and seated yourself at St. Augustine’s desk + under Menno’s hat. (Thanks Murray Toews) History says anything
... read more.SHOOTING HIS CUFFS
WATCH he has seen others do it for over a year or more do it turn their well-turned cuffs and close their hands over the buttons cufflinks, hear that hard not-to-hear hand-cuffs as you now see his partner across the table raise her brows asking if she can, no, may help him he drops
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