The Point and Purpose of "Your Mother's Medicine Cabinet"

The Point and Purpose of "Your Mother's Medicine Cabinet"
from Frank Reardon

I've tried to explain the purpose of this series—live on the show—several times, but i failed. As we approach season two, I will explain my reasons for hosting this series.

Those who know me very well, know I tend to shy away from doing such things.  I am not a big fan of hearing my own voice, hence why I have not listened to one of the shows in archive other than the first one, so I could make sure it came out good.  I'm also not a fan of seeing myself on youtube reading poetry, etc.  That being said, a while back I read "Voices of the Lady" by an old Venice Beach poet named Stuart Perkoff.  Perkoff eventually became one of my favorite dead poets.

The voice of the lady, being 'muse', made me start to think of how I could give back to the muse.  Maybe that sounds dumb to some people, but I really wanted to give back to it, not because I see it as something spiritual or religious or philosophical, but because it has some sort of odd and deep meaning to me.

I buy the books of the living writers when I can afford to, and I still asked myself how I could give back, to put something in and find something positive.  Because let's face it, in the art world there are a lot of double dealings, drama, and back-handed conversation, though, that has and never will keep me from doing my own work.  People will be people, I guess, whether with art, in the line at the post office, or working for McDonalds.

Then I started to look at my bookshelf, the stacks of books on my tables, under tables, etc.  I thought to myself damn, I really like a lot of different writers and styles.  I seem to like language writers like Berryman, Hart Crane, Creeley, and Olson as much as I like narrative writers like Bukowski, Fante, or Celine.  The same could be said with my liking of Kerouac, Li Po, Jeffers, London, Muir, and Gary Snyder.  It is the same for a lot of the living writers that I know personally, or know through the internet, or have had the pleasure of reading with... people like John Dorsey, Will Crawford, Jason Hardung, Rob Plath, Scott Wannberg, Iris Appelquist, and April Michelle Bratten, etc. I have found myself equally blown away by them all, but I still thought how could I give back to the muse?

Since times are hard, I tend to read dead and living poets online first to see if I like four or five pieces before I ever purchase a book.  If it clicks, I buy something.  I still see the debates flame on in the realm of the internet world.  I guess they'll still be debating the shit one million years from now—who's good versus who's bad.  Even though I agree there is bad writing (a lot of it), it's still art, and it's a personal choice, is it not?

Anyhow, I started talking with some of the people from The Literary Underground and "Your Mother's Medicine Cabinet" was born.  The purpose of it is not to showcase one writing style or philosophy (like my bookcase).  The purpose of it is to bring together all the different styles of writing.  My only prerequisite was that the writer has books, or a book from a publisher other than themselves, or the publisher had a name going for them in the small press world.

The title of the series, "Your Mother's Medicine Cabinet" is a lot like my bookcase, a lot of different things to pull off the shelf, a lot of different highs, different adventures.  Anyone who has ever done drugs, knows that moms have an excellent 'bookcase' of highs in the bathroom cabinet.

This show is the only way I can give back to the muse.  People helped me a lot when I was struggling to find my voice.  People gave me a chance to publish in their journals or publishing house.  People bought my books, set me up at readings all over the country.  People gave me couches and food at their homes while I was in their towns giving readings.  So, I figured if I can help connect some of these people to other people, help them sell books, help their name grow, even if by a fan or two, then, I have helped the muse grow, even if just a little bit. Sure, this all might sound corny, and like I said I don't expect some sort of "blessing" from the muse, but what I do and always have believed in is the old saying "What goes around comes around."  I don't think I have a sense of duty, or a sense of entitlement.  I'm not delusional—I know it is blogtalk radio.  But, the funny thing is, we have only two to four shows a week running at the moment, and yet we have had over 3,000 listeners this month.  People are listening.  People are connecting.  For what it's worth, that makes me happy.  Whether it's language, haiku, narrative, truths, etc. is of no concern to me.  Connecting and growing beyond the “me, me, me” and putting out good writing is what concerns me.  Moving this culture away from "stupid is cool" is what concerns me.  It's not the books they're reading, or not reading, it's that they're reading, again.

The Meth Lab Radio Show: Open Mic. August 28, 2012

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New Release from The Mas Tequila Review

The Mas Tequila Review (TMTR) is a small press, bi-annual, independent poetry magazine publishing quality work by well known poets and many who should be. The editor published The Tequila Review in the 1970s. The TMTR is a continuation of the editor's desire to contribute to his art by providing a platform to share "poetry for the rest of us" and highlight what he considers to be some of the most fresh and exciting poetry being written today. Issue #5 contributor's are: Zach Nelson-Lopiccolo, Stewart Warren, Matthew Conley, Cathy Arellano, Virgil Suarez, Lorna Dee Cervantes, Tanaya Winder, Hakim Bellamy, Margaret Randall, Stellasue Lee, Rigoberto Gonzalez, Richard Oyama, Michael C Ford, Kallima Hamilton, William Pitt Root, John Bennett, Bob Buchanan, Rebecca Schumejda, Lea C. Deschenes, James B. Nicola, Matt Dennison, Rafael F. J. Alvarado, Sandra Vallie, Alicia Young, Andrea J. Serrano, ire'ne lara silva, Jane Lin, Marge Piercy, Beth Enson, Barbara Robidoux, Lawrence Welsh, Heather J. Macpherson, Frederick Pollack, Ron Koertge, Gerald Locklin, Richard Garcia, Sam Hamill, and Richard Vargas.

Copies can be purchased here for $7.

Your Mother's Medicine Cabinet Poetry Series: Scott Wannberg Tribute Show. August 27, 2012

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Zygote in my Radio: Monogamy, Marriage and Infidelity. August 22, 2012

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DVTCRFM. August 21, 2012.

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Your Mother's Medicine Cabinet Poetry Series: Rebecca Schumejda

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Call for Submissions: Citizens For Decent Literature

Now Playing @ Citizens For Decent Literature - http://nowplaying.citizensfordecentliterature.com

Simultaneous submissions and previously published works are accepted. No need to send Author BIOs. Authors retain all rights to their work. By submitting you give us permission to publish your work online. No payment can be offered at this time.

Submit : Poetry, short stories, essays, lists, photography, collages, sketches ... not sure, send it. Only send one submission at a time (3-8 poems, 1-2 short stories).

Submit using Submittable here - http://theliteraryunderground.submittable.com/submit. It’s free and easy to register. Questions? Email admin(at)citizensfordecentliterature[dot]com

ALSO! Pantifesto will be answering all our hate/fan mail and offering advice to wayward poets in Issue #2. Please send your correspondence to pantifesto(at) citizensfordecentliterature [dot] com. (http://nowplaying.citizensfordecentliterature.com/2012/08/pantifesto/)

Your Mother's Medicine Cabinet Poetry Series: John Yamrus. August 15, 2012

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DVTCRFM. August 14, 2012

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Your Mother's Medicine Cabinet Poetry Series: Dena Rash Guzman. August 13, 2012

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Your Mother's Medicine Cabinet Radio Series Schedule 2012

AUGUST
13 Dena Rash Guzman " Chairman Mao Praises Me Good At Chat"
15 John Yamrus " doing cartwheels..."
20 Rebecca Schumejda "Falling Forward etc." Also Zima party
27 Scott Wannberg Tribute show...read scott poems, share scott memories.

SEPTEMBER
3 Unadorned Press with Murphy Clamrod
10 Danny Baker "fractured"
17 Paul Corman-Roberts & Lynn Alexander
24 S.A. Griffin " editor: Outlaw Bible of American Poetry etc

OCTOBER
1 Rob Plath ' Death is Dead'
8 Maria Gornell 'In the absence of wing'
15 Neil McCrea " Wisdom and Dust"
22 RD ARMSTRONG...LUMMOX PRESS
29 Meg Tuite...One of the Editors of Santa Fe Lit Review/Domestic Apparition

NOVEMBER
5th Aurora KillPoet.... Bacon Sundaes
12th George Wallace...Walt Whitman writer in residence.
19th Brian Fugett's ZyFez Fantasy Football extravaganza ' Zygote in My Coffee'
26th Bill Gainer " A Note in the Window"

DECEMBER
3rd Jaqueline Corcoran " Somewhere like Here"
10th No show Pats are playing MNF
17th Australian writer Amanda Joy "not enough to fold"
24th no show holiday
31st no show holiday

url:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/theliteraryunderground

Book Release: Dip My Pacifier in Whiskey by Mathias Nelson

Mathias Nelson's first full-length collection of poetry Dip My Pacifier in Whiskey is being released by NYQ Books. It is expected to be available for purchase on August 10, 2012 at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Powell’s and Small Press Distribution.

Read more about Mathias Nelson at The Literary Underground Wiki.

Zygote in my Radio: Internet Porn. August 9, 2012

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Book Release: More Than The Alley by Doug Draime

Announcing the long awaited publication of the selected poems of Doug Draime, More Than The Alley,
from Interior Noise Press. To purchase a copy: https://www.createspace.com/3936904

Books for review, multiple purchase, or promotional discounts contact the publisher directly on the web site
http://www.interiornoisepress.com/index.html


MORE THAN THE ALLEY
(2012)
By DOUG DRAIME
144 pages: Poetry
Perfect Bound: 5.5" x 8.5"
$15.00
USD

DVTCRFM. August 7, 2012

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The Meth Lab Radio. August 3, 2012

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Call for Submissions: Citizens for Decent Literature

Citizens for Decent Literature Press was founded in 2011 as a project of The Literary Underground. Established first as a print zine and APA (Amateur Press Association), on January 1, 2012 Now Playing @ Citizens for Decent Literature began publishing selections of poetry, short stories, essays and podcasts online every third day. We are now switching to a monthly schedule, publishing on the 15th of every month. So send in your good stuff ASAP here. The first monthly issue goes live August 15th!

In the meantime, please check out more about CFDL Press... the print stuff, the whos and whys and all that jazz at press.citizensfordecentliterature.com

DVTCRFM (sporadically revamped edition). August 1, 2012

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