083112

the workout
might be worth the frustration
manual wheelchair

CYÄEGHA 7 out with work by me

Graeme Phillips says

CYÄEGHA number 7 is now finished. This is a non-themed issue and features art, fiction, non-fiction and poetry by Jonas Anderson, Cardinal Cox, Kenneth W. Faig, Jr., Boris Hurtta, Roger Johnson, David C. Kopaska-Merkel, Nicolas Krizan, Steve Lines, Marcel Orie, Auke Pols, Ann K. Schwader, Jason Thompson, Don Webb and Peter A. Worthy.

http://www.freewebs.com/batglynn/cyaegha.htm


And also that a new issue of Fungi is seeking submissions:

http://bypierrecomtois.webs.com/

Also see

http://www.angelfire.com/biz5/FungoidPress/ [inactive, but lots of info]

083012

green wave
buds fur the bindweed
clawing at my ramp

Hurricane Isaac

Feels different from double nics
when it's your kid
and you know the storm's weak
but you can't feel the windows thrum
can't hear the drops lash
can't see oak twigs skitter
and know you made the right decision
so far

082812

come on Isaac
two more inches
won't end our drought

Joanne Merriam interviews me

http://www.joannemerriam.com/2012/08/27/intermittent-visitors-david-c-kopaska-merkel/

082712

#2 daughter won't have to evacuate New Orleans 4 days after moving there, but she wishes she had rain boots.

boots fly to the storm
to protect soggy feet
neither bird nor dog

082612

The scars don't show, but examine the digestive tracts of flies
trapped in his abandoned house. There is scar tissue aplenty.

082312

inside the stone
a crystal devours its neighbors
survival of the fittest

First Review of "On the Brink of Never"

082212

how is it that my manual wheelchair
is exactly the minimum
functional width
I have to be a Moderate
not 5 mm to L or R,
or get a bigger tent, er, chair

DN update

Time to start putting together #93, the last issue of 2012. Trying to finish revising the trace-fossil book in the same batch of spare time. Stay tuned!

082112

still no word
thru the wormhole
no news is good

082012

more flat rocks
to shine light on
what are u

081912

hairy buggers
where are the clean-cut microbes
with their microbibles

assu

081812

talking bout insulating
the floor, saving $,
while I shiver in the AC,
feeling like a visitor
from a hot planet.
Under my feet
the floor is smoking.

dirty little club

It looks like trilobites played golf. On dirt, since grass hadn't evolved yet.

081712 redux

Immigrant rights, cleaning house, cooking for strangers, plus the usual. An interesting weekend.

the green one
measures its life
unknowing

081712

Depressing story on NPR about seniors docked SS$ for not paying off PLUS loans.

at 102
I finally retire
some PLUS still owed

a nano fiction

not really vegan

your "salad" is actually made from the wings of photosynthetic butterflies.

081612

okay


you said it might be a while,
and I'm still waiting,
but the... thing... behind the bar
at the old spaceport says
that you hopped a generation ship to some star
way the heck on the other side of the wheel.

I mean, if you wanted a divorce
you could have just said so.

We'll invent FTL travel
before you get to your podunk star,
and you best believe
I'll be there
with a new partner,
and a passel of great-great-grandchildren
a mile-long,
and we'll own the place.

I might let you live there.





I intended just the usual haiku and this came out before I knew what was happening.

081512

computer crawls
to my calendar
clay tablets faster

I'm in @7X20 today

Follow the famed twitterzine @7x20

081412

so many errors
it's a wonder we can communit
ate at al

On the Brink of Never Contents

On the Brink of Never


Contents

Introduction


Part I: It Comes 7


Apocalypse Lullaby by Marcie Lynn Tentchoff
Scanning the Skies by Terrie Leigh Relf
The Sun God Bids Farewell to His Lover by Marsheila Rockwell
Fate by Jaime Lee Moyer


Part II: Apocalypse Now


When the Earth Shakes by Marcie Lynn Tentchoff
Sunrise by Jennifer Schwabach
Lotto Drawing by Terrie Leigh Relf
After the Broadcast by Marcie Lynn Tentchoff
End of the World by Jaime Lee Moyer
Ephemeral by Jennifer Schwabach
The Last Olympiad by Marsheila Rockwell
How doth the world end? by David C. Kopaska-Merkel
Holiday by Marcie Lynn Tentchoff
You Can Run, Chicken Little by David C. Kopaska-Merkel
Final Score by Marsheila Rockwell
The Sign Read: Post-Apocalyptic Choir Seeking New Members by Terrie Leigh Relf
End by Jennifer Schwabach
The Important Things by Marcie Lynn Tentchoff
Christmas by Jennifer Schwabach


Part III: Aftermath


Spring by Jennifer Schwabach
Turning Tides by Marcie Lynn Tentchoff
Habitats for Humanity by Terrie Leigh Relf
Nuclear by Jennifer Schwabach
Starfish by Samantha Henderson
When the Comet Came by Marsheila Rockwell
Insanity Is the New Sanity by Terrie Lynn Relf
Keepin' On by David C. Kopaska-Merkel
Goodbye by Jennifer Schwabach
Excess Baggage by David C. Kopaska-Merkel


Part IV: Looking Back


Rebuilding by Jennifer Schwabach
The Refugee Camp on Psion IV by Terrie Leigh Relf
Rebellion by Jennifer Schwabach
A Wink of the Further Eye by David C. Kopaska-Merkel
Immortality by Jennifer Schwabach
Remembrance Day by Marcie Lynn Tentchoff
Mapping the Limits by assu

081312

5-second poem
takes 12 seconds to type
earn one free syllab

On the Brink

I now have a pdf of "On the Brink of Never," the new end-of-the-world
poetry anthology by the Musers. If you are interested in writing a
review or making a Stoker nomination, please let me know.

New testimonial for "The Edible Zoo"

"The Edible Zoo is page after page and animal after animal of delightful fun. It's full to the brim with Kopaska-Merkel whit and charm." --Mary Letcher

081212

We Are a Humble People

1. Carve in stone only what you want galactic conquerors to see.
2. Never build that which no one else can.
3. There is always another false tomb.
4. The secret language of Priests is a key.
5. There is always one more gender.
6. Don't translate the important tales.

Welcome, Terran

081112

Carver listed some
ways we could use the peanut
yum

081012

didn't I just clean
this room last year?
avalanche

Mars, panoramically

080912

the radical cosmologists of Lineland
postulated a whole series
of "parallel" worlds
close, but distinct,
one even suggested that by means of a "grid"
a purely mathematical construct
one could exist in 1+1 worlds
simultaneously

Gemeinhardt piccolo for sale

Gemeinhardt
silver
excellent condition

080812

Lists

1. Summer projects - completed
2. Summer projects - in progress
3. Summer projects - to do
4. Shopping - various
5. Fall semester prep.
6. Books to read
7. Books to give away
8. Dr. appt. & X-ray

Stir

stir

that's how you do it,
if this Station is to be the ultimate power for love
in the universe
it has to be like a meatloaf,
components loosely amalgamated,
no pressure, just warmth and persistence,
savory goodness in every slice.

My work in Inkscrawl 4

http://inkscrawl.net/currentissue.html

New minireview of "The Edible Zoo"

"So, last night, when I asked [young reader] what book he wanted to read, he went right for the Edible Zoo! He would not let go of it after I turned the light out and carried it around the house all morning. He then “read” Crocodilia to us while he ate breakfast this morning!! Thanks, it makes us all smile."

080712

the title
of this poem
the thing itself

Curiouser and curiouser

did u miss us?
back on Mars
with Science

080612

luggage sticker
just out of Curiosity
and my jets are tired

Who ate the planet?

the third planet
spongy, lightweight, its structure
repeating in 3D

Some critter replaced
whatever was here before

climate change NOW?

The Doors sing Reading Rainbow theme

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBRYsAfchkY&feature=youtu.be

080512

Robert E. Vardeman wrote this book
if I'd bought Cenotaph Road new
I'd not have noticed the shadows
the shadows on the cover
oh so wrong
I'm less wise
but more observant now

080412

how did my floor
shrink so much
incrementally

080312

cool air passes
the open door of Autumn
speak friend and enter

Crystals, small ones

Brick-shaped dolomite crystal encrusted by a fan of silica. Long dimension 0.1 mm (1/250th of an inch).

Teachers Can Study with Scientists in Arctic & Antarctic

Call for Researcher and Teacher Applications
PolarTREC: Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating
Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S.

Application Deadline: Monday, 3 September 2012, 5 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time

For further information, please contact PolarTREC at:
Email: info@polartrec.com
Phone: 907-474-1600

Apply at the PolarTREC website:
http://www.polartrec.com/about/application

--------------------
PolarTREC (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating) is currently accepting applications from researcher and teachers for the 2013 (Arctic) or 2013-2014 (Antarctic) field seasons.

More information and application forms for both researchers and teachers are available at: http://www.polartrec.com/about/application

A one-hour informational webinar (web seminar) will be held for researchers and teachers interested in the PolarTREC program on Thursday, 9 August 2012, at 2:00 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time (3:00 p.m. PDT, 4:00 p.m. MDT, 5:00 p.m. CDT, 6:00 p.m. EDT). Please register for the event at: http://www.polartrec.com/about/informational-webinar


ABOUT PolarTREC:

PolarTREC—a program of the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS)—is a professional development program for educators, which pairs teachers with researchers to improve science education through authentic polar research experiences. The program integrates research and education to produce a legacy of long-term teacher-researcher collaborations, improved teacher content knowledge and instructional practices, and broad public interest and engagement in polar science.

PolarTREC teachers will spend three to eight weeks in the Arctic or Antarctic, working closely with researchers in the field as an integral part of the science team. PolarTREC teachers and researchers will be matched based on similar goals and interests, and teachers will be trained to meet the program requirements prior to the field season. While in the field, teachers and researchers will communicate extensively with their colleagues, communities, and students of all ages across the globe, using a variety of tools including online journals, photos, other multimedia, and web-based seminars.

Teachers and research projects will be selected and matched to fill the approximately 12 openings available. All major expenses associated with teacher participation in PolarTREC field experiences are covered by the program and program partners, including transportation to and from the field site, food, lodging, and substitute teacher costs.

PolarTREC researchers must be at U.S. Institutions. Applications from researchers on NSF-funded projects will receive priority in the selection process. Researchers should have secured funding for their research project prior to applying; if funding is pending and you would still like to host a teacher, please contact PolarTREC at info@polartrec.com to discuss your situation.

PolarTREC is funded by the National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs.

APPLICATION PERIOD
The application period for researchers and teachers to apply to participate in PolarTREC will begin on Wednesday, 1 August 2012 and end Monday, 3 September 2012.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Further information about PolarTREC, including program goals, requirements, and frequently asked questions, is available at: http://www.polartrec.com/researchers.

Or contact PolarTREC:
Email: info@polartrec.com
Phone: 907-474-1600

A satisfied customer

080212

this coupon
makes a nice bookmark
or this tissue

On the Brink of Never

Anthology of poetry celebrating, or at least commemorating, the coming apocalypse.

http://sdpbookstore.com/poetrybooks.htm#onthebrink

Lunacyin Louisiana again

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2012/07/bobby_jindal_possible_vice_presidential_pick_but_has_a_creationism_problem_.html

Creationism masquerades as science, and some peddle it to children.

080112

cupholder slips its grasp
brown gold runs