THE BRAIN'S HOLIDAY

Yesterday, after the longest Christmas morning of opening presents ever (what a pleasure to watch a child relish the experience), I finally gave the hubby, the son and the Abuelita what I characterized as my "major present" to each of them. I made them open their packets simultaneously. Each received a copy of ROMAN HOLIDAY. Everybody was tickled by it, as I had not told them previously about the chapbook that featured Michael's drawing on the front cover, and the back cover photo which is of the four of us presumably Roman-holidaying...

...After the oohs and aaaahs, Mom asked how I managed to get Michael's drawing on the front cover and our family photo on the back. I modestly said that I'm a "famous poet" and such tend to get what they want from their publishers. After everyone snorted over my claim to fame (even my son, which means, Dear Hubby isn't providing good modeling...tsk, tsk) (if you're a newbie peep reading this and thus unaware of moi sense of humor, of course I was joking anyway), I turned everyone's attention again to Michael's achievement -- his first publication as an artist!

In so doing, I turned to the copyright page where Michael's name was featured..."Right next," Moi-the-Proud-Mama proclaimed, "to where it said 'pen on ink', the art's medium!"

Pause. The hubby turned to me with a rising eyebrow and repeated, "Pen on ink?"

Aw shitski. Did I state "Pen on ink" instead of "...on paper"? Yes, I did! And, groaning, I acknowledged the typo to the hubby who wouldn't let it go: "Would that be like pencil on lead?

"Did all that fame leach something from your head?"

So, okay: if you'd like to order a copy of MOI BRAIN'S HOLIDAY, do go HERE (scroll down). That typo, of course, will make the chap ever more valuable someday on E-bay.

*****

I gave away nine poetry books for holiday presents. I -- of all people, that be I -- got not a single poetry book for a holiday present. I just don't get this pattern. I got a variety of books, but not a single poetry book! What be that about?

Anyway, here's my latest BOUGHT POETRY list:

ROMAN HOLIDAY by Eileen Tabios (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED-grin)

1,000 VIEWS OF GIRL SINGING, Ed. by John Bloomberg-Rissman (HIGHLY RECOM...etcetera)

TRANSCENDENTAL STUDIES: A TRILOGY by Keith Waldrop

WORLD BALL NOTEBOOK by Sesshu Foster

KA-CHING! by Denise Duhamel

CHRISTMAS POEM (book & CD) by Maya Angelou

FRAGILE REPLACEMENTS by William Allegrezza

KALI'S BLADE by Michelle Bautista

It's 11 p.m. as I finish this post. Have you supported a poetry press today?