May's Songs of the Day

5/1/2013	Natalie Walker	Waking Dream
5/2/2013	Tori Amos	Silent All These Years
5/3/2013	Jerry Douglas	TV Doctor
5/4/2013	Jars of Clay	This Road
5/5/2013	Kris Kristofferson	Help Me Make It Through the Night
5/6/2013	Yes	The Clap
5/7/2013	Frank Zappa	Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?
5/8/2013	Jewel	Have a Little Faith in Me
5/9/2013	Ulali	All my Relations
5/10/2013	Boy	This is the Beginning
5/11/2013	Cry! Cry! Cry!	Cold Missouri Waters
5/12/2013	Dust	Pull Away/So Many Times
5/13/2013	Porter Wagner	Rubber Room
5/14/2013	Less Than Jake feat. Billy Bragg	The Brightest Bulb Has Burned Out
5/15/2013	Glambilly	Bite the Bed
5/15/2013	Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds	Hiding All Away
5/16/2013	The Flaming Lips	Thank You Jack White (for That Fiber Optic Jesus That You Gave Me)
5/17/2013	The Steve Miller Band	Babes in the Wood
5/18/2013	Bottle Rockets	Radar Gun
5/19/2013	Styx	Miss America
5/20/2013	Howlin' Wolf	Spoonful
5/21/2013	Kronos Quartet and Foday Musa Suso	Tillimoyo (Sunset)
5/22/2013	Monty Python	Bruce's Philosophers Song
5/23/2013	Benny Benassi/The Biz	Satisfaction
5/24/2013	The Moondoggies	Keep Her on the Line
5/25/2013	Crosby Stills and Nash	49 Bye-Byes
5/26/2013	Jefferson Airplane	Lather
5/27/2013	David Bowie	Kooks
5/28/2013	Primitive Radio Gods	Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in my Hand
5/28/2013	Dave Matthews Band	Where Are You Going?
5/29/2013	Dum Dum Girls	Rest of Our Lives
5/30/2013	Grand Funk Railroad	I'm Your Captain
5/31/2013	Indigo Girls	Closer to Fine

Overheard at the Counter: The Weepies "All That I Want"

Verble says, you know, it's never too early for Christmas Carols!   I've been listening to these guys for years and I can't believe I never realised that this is a Christmas Carol.

It goes on this year's compilation.   In fact, I'm gonna go to Cali and beg these two to play the Z&T this year


All That I Want

Out in the harbor
The ships come in, it's Christmastime
The kids all holler carols 'cross the water
Stars that shine

All that I want, all that I want

Above the rooftops
The full moon dips its golden spoon
I wait on clip-clops, deer might fly
Why not? I met you

All that I want, all that I want

And when the night is falling
Down the sky at midnight
Another year is stalling
Far away a good bye, good night

All that I want., all that I want, all that I want

So small a turning
The world grows older every day
An ache, a yearning
Soften when I hear you say

All that I want, all that I want

And when the cold wind's blowing
Snow drifts through the pine trees
In houses lights are glowing
Likewise in your eyes that find me here

With all that I want.

Out in the harbor
The ships come in, it's Christmastime
It's Christmastime
It's Christmastime.

Overheard at Table 4: Movie Stars

We are so desirous of being the stars in the movie of our own lives that we refuse to see that, most of the time, we are only minor characters in the badly-plotted novels of the lives of others.

 

 

Overread at Booth One:

a poem doesn't grow legs,
take up arms,
march off to war.

a poem doesn build a table,
cook a meal,
invite enemies to dine with enemies
until all become friends, but

a poem can breath this energy
into those who read it.

to achieve this, a poem must be read,

thus, it is our eyes
that give a poem its breath.

Overread at Table 4: Muffin of Sunsets by Elaine Equi

Muffin of Sunsets by Elaine Equi   The sky is melting. Me too. Who hasn't seen it this way? Pink between the castlework of buildings. Pensive syrup drizzled over clouds. It is almost catastrophic how heavenly. A million poets, at least, have stood in this very spot, groceries in hand, wondering: "Can I witness the Rapture and still make it home in time for dinner?"

 

Copyright © 2013 by Elaine Equi. Used with permission of the author.

(actually this was cut and pasted from a daily email sent by the American Academy of Poets, so they technically were using it by permission of the author.   It's here just because it made it into the café, and whatever is in the café, is for all to appreciate and enjoy!)

Overheard at Table 3: Baby You

"Baby, when I first met you I knew you were either gonna rock my world or kick my ass.   I so thank you for not kicking my ass!"

Overheard at Table Two: So-called Scandals

What's up with these so called "scandals"?   Seriously, Benghazi is about a load of BS as Fast and furious, the IRS was just doing their job, and the AP was pretty much business as usual.

The only scandal here is that we the public aren't demanding these guys get real and focus their attention on serious shit, like fracking our water supply and droning more terrorists into existence.

Overheard at Table 2: Marriages and Love Letters

I had heard a great idea yesterday, about writing love letters to your wife.  It was all like, rekindle what you used to do to get her, and all about how after years of marriage we husbands slack off and don't treat our wives like the queens we used to treat them. 

So I got this card and I went home and I was going to write a something in it about how much I love her and how wonderful she is, and wouldn't you know it, just as I got into the office to start writing, she's suddenly all yelling, "Who left these cookie crumbs in here after I spent all day cleaning this whole house and who spilled the tea and nobody has ANY respect for how hard I work and I'm just sick of everybody" and

it was me who had spilled the crumbs and I suddenly remembered why I don't write love letters to her any more.

January's Songs of the Day

1/1/2013	Bob Schneider	Round and Round
1/2/2013	Led Zeppelin	Bron Yr-Aur
1/3/2013	Gotan Project	La Viguela
1/4/2013	Little Willie John	Need Your Love So Bad
1/5/2013	The Temptations	Can't Get Next to You
1/6/2013	John Denver	Poems Prayers and Promises
1/7/2013	Of Monsters and Men	Little Talks
1/8/2013	Sonia Dada	Lester's Methodone Clinic
1/9/2013	Buffalo Springfield	For What It's Worth
1/10/2013	Eric Clapton	Give Me Strength
1/11/2013	Karnak	Comendo Uva Na Chuva
1/12/2013	David Gray	Tidal Wave (from Lost Songs)
1/13/2013	Emmylou Harris feat. Daniel Lanois	May This Be Love
1/14/2013	Slaid Cleaves	Broke Down
1/15/2013	Marisa Monte	Ensaboa
1/16/2013	Ray Charles	I Got a Woman
1/16/2013	Gordon Lightfoot	Carefree Highway
1/17/2013	Zero 7	Give It Away
1/18/2013	Miram Makeba	Unhome
1/18/2013	Bob Dylan	Shooting Star
1/19/2013	Al di Meola	Perpetual Emotion
1/20/2013	Darol Anger and the American Fiddle Ensemble	Andre de Sabato Nuovo
1/21/2013	U2	MLK
1/21/2013	U2	Beat on the Brat
1/22/2013	Project Trio	Sweet Pea
1/23/2013	Elwood	Sundown
1/24/2013	Robert Earl Keen	Lo Mein
1/25/2013	Box Car Racer	Cat Like Thief
1/26/2013	Bell Book and Candle	Rescue Me
1/27/2012	Bela Fleck	First Light
1/28/2013	The Decembrists	Don't Carry It All
1/29/2013	Timo Maas	To Get Down (Fatboy Slim remix)
1/30/2013	Rufus Cohen and Wade Patterson	So Long: Go
1/31/2013	Badly Drawn Boy	A Minor Incident

February's Songs of the Day

2/1/2013	Ladysmith Black Mambazo	Golgotha
2/2/2013	The Smiths	Ask
2/3/2013	The Weepies	Can't Go Back Now
2/4/2013	Gillian Welch	Hard Times
2/5/2013	Smog	Cold Blooded Old Times
2/6/2013	The New Amsterdams	Turn Out the Light
2/7/2013	Marcy Playground	America
2/8/2013	Cake	Love You Madly
2/9/2013	Richard Thompson	1953 Vincent Black Lightning
2/10/2013	Adriene Young and Little Sadie	Plow to the End of the Row
2/11/2013	Toufic Faroukh	Lili s'En Fout
2/12/2013	Neko Case	Magpie to the Morning
2/13/2013	Black Landlord	Dear God
2/14/2013	Tanita Tikaram	Valentine Heart
2/14/2013	Peter Mulvey	You Meet the Nicest People in Your Dreams
2/15/2013	Florence and the Machine	Kiss with a Fist
2/16/2013	Dressy Bessy	The Things You Say You Do
2/17/2013	A Fine Frenzy	Almost Lover
2/18/2013	Liz Phair	Baby Got Going
2/19/2013	White Rabbits	Percussion Gun
2/20/2013	AA Bondy	Killed Myself When I Was Young
2/21/2013	Tom Petty	Wildflowers
2/22/2013	Lucinda Williams and Elvis Costello	Kiss Like Your Kiss
2/23/2013	God Help the Girl	Come Monday Night
2/24/2013	Archive	Nothing Else
2/25/2013	Sufjan Stevens	Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
2/26/2013	A Fine Frenzy	Last of Days
2/26/2013	Muddy Waters	Mannish Boy
2/27/2013	Wailin Jennys	One Voice
2/28/2013	The Lemonheads	Waiting Around to Die

the first four months of songs of the day

Verble put the playlists down, laminated, on top of the counter, for all to see.

The Barista thinks that's a little weird, even for Verble.

John Steppenwolf wants to know why he doesn't yet have any Motorhead on any of these playlists.

Verble's wife thinks it's a waste of money.

Lucky Moran is going through each song, remembering where he was the first time he heard each.

Niall Carter just wants another cappy, dammit!

Otis Redwing thinks the list, overall, is representative of American music, even though, if pressed, he would have to admit that it is just a little "too white"

"Well, then y'all can go ahead and make your own songs of the day, then!" Verble says, huffily.
" and where's that supposed poet!   Didn't he say he was going to write at least a three-liner for each song?"

Lucky says, "I think he's hunkered down in the back booth, scribbling furiously."

Verble walks back to booth five, shouting, "OY! . . .

March's Songs of the Day

3/1/2013	The Blasters	Samson and Delilah
3/2/2013	Van Halen	Could This Be Magic?
3/3/2013	Harvey Danger	Private Helicopter
3/4/2013	Fotheringay	The Way I Feel
3/5/2013	The Hush Sound	Hurricane
3/6/2013	Deering and Down	Whatcha Thinkin' Of
3/7/2013	Be-Bop Deluxe	Crystal Gazing
3/8/2013	Modest Mouse	Wild Pack of Family Dogs
3/8/2013	The Future Sound of London	Spineless Jelly
3/9/2013	Catie Curtis	Troubled Mind
3/10/2013	The Byrds	Take a Whiff on ME
3/11/2013	Tom Morello and the Nightwatchmen	St Isabelle
3/12/2013	Gregory and the Hawk	A Wish
3/13/2013	Nickel Creek	Smoothie Song
3/13/2013	The Crystal Method	PHD
3/15/2013	Kak	Flowing By
3/16/2013	The Doors	When the Music's Over
3/18/2013	Dan Bern	Cure for AIDS
3/19/2013	Percussao Celamar	RNB
3/20/2013	Jimmy Buffet	Bank of Bad Habits
3/21/2013	Bauhaus	She's in Parties
3/18/2013	Eric Johnson	12 to 12 vibe
3/19/2013	David Hamburger	Bryant on Six
3/20/2013	Mind of a Squid	The Bridge III
3/21/2013	Los Bacilos	El Edificio
3/22/2013	Bruce Springsteen	One Step Up
3/23/2013	Third Eye Blind	Motorcycle Drive-By
3/24/2013	The Lumineers	Dead Sea
3/25/2013	Kirsty MacColl	England 2 Columbia 0
3/26/2013	Fly Ashtray	The Girl from the Chinese Restaurant
3/27/2013	Ten Years After	Circles
3/28/2013	They Might Be Giants	Birdhouse in Your Soul
3/29/2013	Zane Campbell	Post Mortem Bar
3/30/2013	Alejandro Escovedo	Sally Was a Cop
3/31/2013	The Briefs	Move Too Slow

April's Songs of the Day

4/1/2013	Queen	39
4/2/2013	John Wesley Harding	The Little Musgrave
4/3/2013	Wilco	Dream of the Mountain Bed
4/4/2013	Trout Fishing in America	Back When I Could Fly
4/5/2013	The Clash	Spanish Bombs
4/6/2013	Iron Maiden	The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
4/7/2013	Jars of Clay	This Road
4/8/2013	Caravan	Golf Girl
4/9/2013	The Alan Parsons Project	A Cask of Amontillado
4/10/2013	Don Sanders	Heavy Word User
4/11/2013	Prince	Sometimes It Snows in April
4/12/2013	Still Corners	The White Season
4/12/2013	Benjamin Gifford and Jay Farrar	California Zephyr
4/13/2013	Randy Newman	Sail Away
4/14/2013	Hungry Ghosts (Australia)	I Don't Think About You Anymore, but I Don't Think About You Anyless
4/15/2013	Kansas	Cheyenne Anthem
4/16/2013	Johnnette Napolitano	All Tomorrow's Parties
4/17/2013	Gogol Bordello	Tribal Connection
4/18/2013	Air	J'ai dormi sous l'eau
4/19/2013	Big Bad Voodoo Daddy	Next Week Sometime
4/20/2013	The Doves	Hit the Ground Running
4/21/2013	The Velvet Underground	I'm Sticking With You
4/22/2013	The Whitest Boy Alive	Keep a Secret
4/22/2013	Marina and the Diamonds	Obsessions
4/23/2013	Richie Havens	The Parable of Ramon
4/24/2013	Nat King Cole	The First Baseball Game
4/25/2013	Quicksilver Messenger Service	Fire Brothers
4/26/2013	Bullet for my Valentine	The Last to Know
4/27/2013	Tycho	A Walk
4/28/2013	Kris Kristofferson	The Winner
4/29/2013	Rodney Crowell	Highway 17
4/30/2013	Emily and the Woods	Steal His Heart

Poem for the Day

2013-0507

 

After looking at ruins

sandwiched between tourist towns with

handpainted bricabracs and ballcaps emblazoned with the bandera de méxico,
we walk hand in hand under the Yucatan sun,
looking for a place that serves cold beer yet not that populated with
too many snaggletooths staring at your pale tourist legs,

and we talk about the stones we walked(in

reverent tones), slightly hushed, as though
ashamed to speak of the ghosts

of those so quite like our own.