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Saturday, October 11, 2014

Featuring Poet Lawrence Gladeview: Small Towns, Big Mouths


Lawrence Gladeview is a minimalistic American poet who uses personal anecdotes to make sometimes joyful, sometimes wry comments about life. His first two books Just Ignore the Beer Stains and Lowlifes and Fast Times and Occasionally Love have previously been reviewed by BOLD MONKEY. His latest release, Praying For a Spare (2014, Epic Rites Press) will soon be reviewed.

Bio:  Lawrence Gladeview is a barroom raconteur and the author of three poetry collections.  His writing has been published in magazines around the world and his books are stocked on the shelves of independent bookstores as well as university libraries.  Lawrence lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife Rebecca.

Sherry Said

i’m 
heading out
to hancock fabrics

be back
in ten

what do
you need
from there?
steve asked

fabric steve
what the 
hell else
would i get?

you know
what i meant
steve said

you’re right
sorry
sherry replied

i’m knitting
scarves
for the twins

well i might
not be home
when you 
get back
steve told her

i’m heading
to the 
hardware store

for what?
sherry asked

a new hoe
& thrusting screw.


Stan & Barbara

came home 
to the
teenage neighbors 
shoveling
their driveway 
& walk

you really should 
get some salt 
to throw down
on your driveway
the oldest one 
advised stan

a few 
minutes later

the boys rang 
the doorbell 
&
lingered

hoping
stan might offer
them cash 
or a check

you really should 
ask about 
payment 
before
being so bold 
as to 
expect it

stan advised
them in return

shutting the door
in their 
rosey red

faces.


Ralph

was an
experienced
skier

it was
marla’s
first time
on the slopes

every
lift ride up
ralph would
give marla
pointers

you need
to move
your hips
& straighten
your
legs more
he told her

just watch me

that run
ralph went
speeding down
the hill
& fell in a
grand display

his skis
& poles
were thrown
everywhere

marla came
to a stop
behind him
& yelled

yard sale!







Don Hates

the
radio

he
always
says

good
lord
turn off
that
pansy

high
singing
bull

you
turn on
a radio

you
turn on
the dodgers
&
that’s it

carl
could
give
a shit


he’s a
yankees

fan.



This Snow

is the 
soft kind
daryl remarked

what?
shane asked

this snow

it’s the soft kind
& not the
heavy wet kind

so what?
shane said

it’s probably
what kept
the airbags
from
deploying
daryl replied

daryl 

will you just 
shut up
& help me
get the car
out of 
this ditch

lord knows
i can’t afford 
another d.u.i

& don’t forget

when doris
asks what
happened

we hit
a deer.



Are Those Pigeons?

trixie
asked arnold 
as they
waited for
the light
to change

huh?

i don’t know
arnold replied

it’s certainly
hard to tell
trixie said

they could
be doves

what does
it matter
if they’re pigeons 
or doves?

oh it doesn’t
trixie said

just making
friendly 
conversation

friendly conversation?
arnold thought
to himself

for two hundred
up front
it should be

do you prefer
missionary
or 
doggie style
big daddy?



The above poems have been published with the permission of Lawrence Gladeview. The poet would like to acknowledge that the poems previously appeared in the print publications PigeonBike Press, Mad Rush Quarterly and Every Reason Magazine.


Visit Lawrence Gladeview’s website to check out his books Just Ignore the Beer Stains (PigeonBike Press), Lowlifes, Fast Times & Occasionally Love (Erbacce-Press) and Praying For a Spare (Epic Rites Press) here: http://lawrencegladeview.com/






                                                                                                                                    His latest chapbook: