Abs and the Occult

Over the course of my life, I've developed a philosophy of the occult, based solely on what for me is a commonplace, something taken for granted: natal charts don't work that much. Turns out, Abby's natal chart (9-18-80) works better than most. Sun in Virgo, Mars rising in Scorp, and moon in Cappy are all pretty dead on accurate. The emendations I've made account for Abs' genius. I move Venus up to Virgo, to complete the stellium Sun-Jupiter-Saturn. Then, what busts a move is a desire to express something about Abby Heller-Burnham, to account for her formidable painting brain. Mercury, as is not strictly possible, but is if you happen to be interested in truth-telling, moves over to the eighth house and Gemini, squaring Sun-Venus-Jupiter-Saturn in Virgo. The Gemini-Virgo square tension, from the eighth to the eleventh house, accounts for Abby's penchant, which I share with her, for multiple meanings, tensions and ambiguities, and absolute thematic richness. Mercury in Gemini is her painting brain, hyped into incredible formal rigor by a surfeit of the Virgo stuff. 

from Poetry Daily (2005)

Season in Hell: White Arts Fest

A jaunt is a jaunt, right? Still, it seems likely that enough people have now seen Season in Hell: White Candle on P.F.S. Post to justify answering the simple query: what exactly were we doing, other than tantric exercises, in room 510 of the Atherton Hilton in lovely SC? The answer is simple. As of the 90s and back, every July aughts, State College would hold a town-wide Arts Fest, as it was called. Artisans, craftspeople, painters, potters, jewelers, would be encouraged to set up tents the length of various arcades on campus, and in the town, and offer their wares to a huge throng of locals, and interested parties from Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and NYC. We were there, at the Atherton Hilton, to attend the Arts Fest, which also included musical acts playing all over the place too.

Preceding this, Jen had come to stay with me and my family for several days in Gulph Mills (Philly 'burbs), and I had stayed for several days with the Strawsers in Liverpool, Pa. We had visited Center City, and South Street, just as I toured part of Central Pa. with Jen when stationed in Liverpool. Was I high as a kite the entire time these things were happening? I plead guilty, with an explanation. Ask my attorney.

Season in Hell: White Candle is also available as an individual mp3 file on PennSound.  

Dedication: Mary Walker Graham

State of Grace, sonnet from Miscellaneous, Something Solid, on P.F.S. Post.

State of Grace is also available as an individual mp3 file on PennSound. 

from Something Solid on PennSound

Seven pieces from Something Solid added to my PennSound Author Page. Many thanks to PennSound. 

Abby Heller-Burnham

 

The Lost Twins

There are a million things to say about The Lost Twins, here shown. The connection, on the one hand, to French Neo-Classicism, and on the other hand to Queer Studies, is right on the surface. However, at this point in time it is worth pointing out that The Lost Twins acts as its own Equation, as a reaction to what I've written about Abby, commenting on what I understand and do not understand, pointing out all the obvious vistas I missed, and making it clear that ultimately the most authoritative voice about Abby is her own. With a painter of Abby's caliber, this would seem to be inalienable. 

Meeting Halfway

 With the new piece filling in some deets.