#FLOP #OBOP featuring authors from OBOP past. Can you name the authors? Theee of them past CCP guests! 
Monthly Archives: January 2017
Bye, Bye, My America Died
An Inaugural Poem, err, Song?
“Bye, Bye, My America Died”
(Sung to the tune of “American Pie”. Don McLean, forgive me.)
A long, long time ago
I can still remember how my country
used to make me smile…
And I know if I had my wish
Bernie Sanders would be the big fish
and maybe we’d be happy for a while…
But November ballots made me shiver
with every return CNN delivered:
A psycho at our doorstep.
Hillary hadn’t cinched it.
And I can’t remember if I cried
when I read about Trump’s third child bride.
But something touched me deep inside
The day America died.
So bye, bye, my America’s died.
Shoved my country to a cliffside
and that cliffside is high.
Trump’s good ole boys are drinking whiskey ‘n rye
Singing “This’ll be the day that they die!
Ground beneath his heels and his pride!”
Now did you write the book of hate
And would you help Putin masturbate
if the Russians told you to?
Now does Trump believe in rock ‘n roll?
The Boss ain’t gonna save his greedy soul.
Still gonna build his wall… just real slow…
Yes, I know we’re not in love with him,
40% approval ain’t a goddam win.
So don’t kick off your shoes.
Man, I got the Obama blues!
I’m just a lonely teenage broncin’ buck
With student debt and a beat-up truck
And I know my friends are all real f*cked.
Today, my America dies.
We’ve started singing
bye, bye, our America died.
Shoved our country to a cliffside
and that cliffside is high.
Trump’s good ole boys are drinking whiskey ‘n rye,
singing “This’ll pave the way for our ride!
This’ll be the day the Left dies!”
–Kelly McQuain
#WritersResist #WritersResistPHL #Trump #BernieSanders #Trump
WE CAN’T GIVE UP!
WE HAVE VERSES IN US STILL LEFT TO WRITE. RESIST!
Also, whoever baked the Cthulhu pie, I love you.
Writers Resist in Philly.com
Sunday’s event received some wonderful attention in the Philadelphia Inquirer/Philly.com. I was grateful to be a part of it, reading from Elie Wiesel’s “The Perils of Indifference”. More to come!
#WritersResist #WritersResistPHL
Save the ACA in 2 min. TODAY!
#WritersResist 4 (R) reps are on the fence about opposing ACA. Call them today: Takes only 2 min. Charlie Dent,PA, 202-225-6411
Adam Kinzinger, Illinois, 202 225-3635
Fred Upton, Michigan, 202-225-3761
Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Washington, 202-225-2006
“Hi this is ____ from the state of __, encouraging you to oppose the repeal of the ACA. My friends and family that you represent need this coverage to stay healthy…”
#LouderTogether
#WritersResistPHL this Sunday! Update!
Update from the organizers: Dear friend:When we fill the Dell Auditorium of the National Museum of American Jewish History on Sunday we’ll be part of a national chorus of resistance: in more than 50 cities in the U.S. and around the world writers will stand up for free expression, truth, and dignity. The President-elect has already made clear he will violate these central tenants of American life.
The national #writersresist movement is spreading, as LitHub reports this week; in Philadelphia, the Inquirer and WHYY-Newsworks will be there to report on our gathering—a critical moment to demonstrate the power of being (as PEN America says) #loudertogether.
We in Philadelphia have a special role to play in this day of protest, as we describe HERE, in an essay in the Inquirer. On Sunday, about 33 of our colleagues will get up on the podium to read poems, letters, passages from essays and novels, speeches and pronouncements on freedom (and various freedoms), many of them legacies of Philadelphia.
Our event will also include a public school student from Mighty Writers, the inspiring service organization which will be on hand to talk about volunteering. On Sunday, you’ll be able to talk to immigrant rights and free expression advocates. Metro Philly has a terrific description of our plans, HERE.
If you haven’t already, please register for the event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/424262767905244/
You can follow us on Twitter: @ResistPHL
Check in on our blog, where you can find our press release and other info and where we will publish Sunday’s readings: https://writersresistphl.tumblr.com/
Register your email with us HERE, so that we can continue to work together as a literary community.
Event details
Sunday, January 15, 2017
2-5 PM; FREE and open to the public (no museum entrance needed, but you will have to go through security)
National Museum of American Jewish History (@NMAJH), SE corner 5th and Market
If you would like to help out at the event and haven’t already told us that you’ll be available to do so, please let us know. We’re also looking for someone willing to video Philadelphia Writers Resist. If you are willing or know someone who might be, let us know.
Many thanks to all the wonderful people who have already donated hours of time to this endeavor.
Spread the word!
Nathaniel, Alicia, and Stephanie
—
Nathaniel Popkin
nathanielpopkin.net
@NathanielPopkin
Philly Writers Resist!
#writersresist January 15 is the date for Philadelphia Writers Resist: United for Liberty. The event is part of PEN America’s country-wide mobilization to let the Trump administration know that we writers will not back down or backtrack when it comes to human rights and civil liberties. I’ll be reading alongside many Philly friends from works that speak to empathy and justice. Nathaniel Popkin, one of the organizers, writes, “We chose the word united because this event is meant to bring us together as a literary community with abundant shared interests. We are poets, novelists, filmmakers, artists, publishers, readers, promoters, journalists, essayists, narrative non-fiction and experimental writers, editors, scholars, and translators, all to say, loudly, that we will stand for the freedoms written right here.”
The event will happen on Independence Mall at the location of the Centennial Religious Freedom sculpture, the National Museum of American Jewish History, and in sight of Independence Hall.
This event is co-facilitated by Nathaniel’s fellow organizers Alicia Askenase and Stephanie Feldman.
Philadelphia #WritersResist: United for Liberty
Sunday January 15, 2017
National Museum of American Jewish History Dell Auditorium
5th and Market Streets
2:00-5PM
The Museum is generously donating the auditorium for our event.
More on ways you can #WriteOurDemocracy at this link.
Here’s to us: a look back, a look forward, and the top ten most read pieces of 2016
Glad to see my #graphics based essay was a top ten draw @CleaverMagazine for 2016. Click through if you are curious. #empathy #poetry #comics #art
Image Courtesy of Brigitte Tohm via Unsplash.com
It is now an hour past midnight, 2017. The bottle of champagne popped to celebrate this new year sits half empty on my coffee table. Cheers is on the tube, and Cleaver is on my mind. Looking back, I see that 2016 was a complicated year for our country, but a productive year for Cleaver Magazine.
First, there is the fact that we made it to Issue 16. So exciting! This was a major accomplishment for us, possible only because of our talented editors, interns, and contributors, as well as, our dedicated readers and donors. Thwacks! to your support, we hope to build on this success and to continue publishing innovative, introspective work that positively influences the literary community.
Second, we not only put out four killer quarterly lit issues—12 through 16—but we also opened four new daily feature categories: Ask…
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Kelly McQuain 