That time my poem “Christmas is Over” was published in Andrei Codrescu’s Exquisite Corpse, No. 50 1994/95. This was my second appearance in the journal. Very bummed it doesn’t exist anymore. I love the closing image of Santa Claus jumping up and down in a chimney on fire. That’s what happens when you’re in the zone.
That time Chiron Review published one of my poems, “Thought He Had the Skinny,” in Issue #46-47, Spring/Summer 1996. Looking at this now, it’s funny how it has that Bukowski type horse racing thing going on, which is possibly why it got accepted. I definitely was reading a lot of Bukowski back then, but I’ve never been to a horse track. Ridiculously amazing issue, though (see cover below).
That time Paper Salad Poetry Journal published two of my poems, “One-a-Day’s Revenge” and “Fast Pace of USA.” Issue #6, 1996.
That time my poem “Reclaim the Streets” was published in the Washington Review, Volume 26, Number 1, from June/July 2000.
That time Articulate published a big two page spread with all five of my “circus poems” in Vol. 2, Issue 1, March 1996: “The Last Scarecrow,” “Fall of the House of Usher,” “Under the Big Top,” “Neomi Said ‘Love, Who Are You” (the correct title), and “Operation Clean Sweep.” The journal must have retyped my original manuscript, introducing the errors in the title and body of the fourth poem. I’d have to check my originals to see who misspelled “you’re” in the last poem.
All the poems were based on my experiences as an usher for the Cirque de Soleil’s run of Saltimbanco at the mall parking lot in Tyson’s Corner, VA. This was their Washington, DC, performance, running from Oct 14, 1993 to Nov 7, 1993. David Craig and I signed up together; I’m not sure I would have stuck it out if it wasn’t for him. As I recall, the best part was the free meals, which were actually very good.
That time two of my poems were published in Andrei Codrescu’s Exquisite Corpse literary magazine. Issue 49, from 1994.
jeff bagato 