Stephen Kalmar II

CONTACT:
Email: skalmar@wi.rr.com
Phone: 262-308-2892 (txt best)
Websites: www.spectrumschoolandgallery.org (See Artery or Events)
https://krpoetslaureate.wordpress.com/about/previous-poets-laureate/

BIO:
stephen kalmar II grew biggest north of Toronto, Canada. Began writing and publishing while a teen. In 1977 after a disappointing move to Wisconsin (whatdeya mean no hockey) he joined the Root River Poets writers consortium; current byline of moderator. After a shortened Military service (and a refusal to attend West Point Military Academy), he returned to Racine to study Philosophy, Creative Writing, Speling and web design at The UW Parkside.

Has worked as editor of poetry anthologies, published handfuls of his work in newsprint, on-line, books, academic and listing journals. Also continues as a local and regional judge of Poetry Contests; (rubric available upon request). Has given hundreds of publics readings, many invited. Had a jag as the WFOP Museletter Poetry page editor, that did not end well. With his children has acted in theater on stage, radio and television commercial. In 2011, was named a Racine Poets Laureate. Spends his time judging poetry contests, providing writing workshops and now annoying his juniors. Created the artists collaborative series, Artery, with Spectrum Gallery in Racine, which has celebrated more than 40 years of good works. Most of all, knows a good piece of writing when he sees it (know poetics, know poems). Like any serious writer, does not believe his press or open mic introductions (except Linneman's Poets Mondays).

He also produces, shows and less often sells, photographs and multi-media arts, under the family name billie morrow, a nod to his creative mother, who never got the chance.

If you are a poet in the SE Wisconsin area (or willing to travel here) and are interested in participating, learning more about Artery or the Root River Poets; critiquing meets, please contact above.

Poetry

The Dangers of Chicken

My brother was born later after the rest of us
were pretty much cultivated, A canadian birth
residual like our mom.
He had the advent of being birthed
with fetal alcohol syndrome (BUT
more on that later).

The picture of my very preg nant mother
running about on the ineven ground of our
just about built ontario home
with no grass, shrubs or trees
but loads of mud veins from the higher
elevation to the frontspiece forming
on every part of her lower mass.

He was born at some point that
I didn't notice 'cause it was a couple of weeks
shy of my birthday, being planned sans adults
as if by magik.

My brother didn't know shit
when he was born, well
not true he did actually know shit
intimately as it turned out.

He was blond
no one else in the family
had that chrome dome.

We took turn reading books
into a recording machine
complete with; “Turn the page Scott, at the beep”
beeeeeeeeep (he generally complied).

The little shit grew up.
Fell out of the metal play structure
“Just jump, I'll catch you” we were
making a theater piece about war
that included death scenes and non
religious resurrection.
Scott believed until the day that he died
that I was on top of the structure and accidentally
bumped him down, which removed
most of his teeth (baby)
and truth told
scarred me as well until
after the day that he died.

They said he had an IQ of 134
turns out he never felt it necessary
to use most of it, replaced by kindness
drinking guitar solos under lights that
gobbelled his waist length hair, drugs
in and out veined
homeless rehab poor firearm choices
prison and on the lamb from fld
until Wisconsin.

Family rehab that didn't take
but produced some comic scenes of
when he saw that, nobody else did.

Worked at about a half dozen paranoid
CHEF positions b u t
when he was fired from the last one for drinking
many fingers of Cooking Sherry
and the burning of three hundred and one pieces
of brunch chicken
Left.

He tried for 2.5 years to get me to visit him in
Asheville NC, he kept telling me about all
of the non-using he was doing
And how much I would appreciate
the cultured brooks and
Shirley Templed Mint Juleps.

Mother died, he didn't make it back
to central florida
until he was dead, as well.
I contacted the local NC sheriff
who said he knew my brother
well and was the one that was called to
roll his body out of the mud where his
oversized heart, gave ou T.

He was spittin pissed that
scott's extended family
had snuck down to his apartment
cleaned it out
left the fridge door open
and the AC off.

I assured him that we were not it
but my younger sister had the
means and motive
(another storytime as well)

He spent much of his wondering time
telling me just how much of a
dissapoint ment I was to him
for getting the Fuck out of
Dodge, as they say.

I often wander, as today
what were his last thoughts
as he was headed into the muck
and if it had to do with family
dead or alive
canada and tape machines
his favorite guitar
or my frequent attempts
at getting him to jump.

Three Stooges

i am on the side of plan B -
Jesus told me when we stopped for
an IPA on that saturday night
where my youngest was with her mother
i am always the designated driver, so
the lord can get wasted -
after the third or fourth pint they started
laughing to themselves muttering about
pronouns and birth control closets, catholics
who didn't invent the great scope of buggering
but take it to a Bishop level
that papal crowdsourcing
worship
checkmate

knew when father trinity titters, i had to ask what
they were thinking -
in this case, after a few twirls of the barstool
and their removal of a sticky hand from under
the barkeeps till, head thrown back
a guffaw that woke the cynics-
where are Texas, Mississippi, Florida and Wisconsin gonna
send the nuns that priests get knocked up?
what are they gonna do with all
those unused prepaid abortion punchcards?

 when i didn't respond with my usual, i don't give a damn
about your stories, he said – what do you want from a
mythmaking bastard, a single child at that?
before he sent me home and
took an invitation from a local Mary, he reminded me
that when he and Renee had that conversation about being
the real quote was,

 I think
therefore

I don't
believe
in you

 I am