Wishing You Poverty and Chastity this Christmas
By Amber W.
“Thank you for putting together such a great package, Class,” my teacher said.
I had taken several cans of corn and green beans from our pantry to add to the adopt-a-family donation my high school class put together. Some family, right here in our own town, was going to have a brighter Christmas. The bell rang and I was officially on Winter Break. I left through the double doors and walked the half-block home.
I walked slowly, in no hurry to make it back to the house. It had undergone a horrifying transformation in the previous month. Like a beacon to spacemen, the house was lit up on all sides. Several mechanical reindeer bobbed their heads up and down in the snow. The crabapple tree boasted about a million twinkling lights. Santa, complete with motion detector, waited at the door to greet me with an ass-shaking rendition of a song telling me he was coming to town. I stood in the driveway amazed at the work my dad had done and amazed at how much I hated it.
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Gift
By Diane Boisvert
Wrapped in emotions
Colorful feelings
Tied with anxiety
High expectations
That beg not to be disappointed
Uncover with fervor
Feverishly tearing or
Neatly unfolding and
Saving the outer adornment
The inside is irrelevant
What counts is that it looks nice
My advice would be to...
Leave it as it is.
VITAMINS
By Nicole Kuwik
These past few
days have been
made of secondhand teeth and
three-year-old, full-flavored cigarettes
"they're harder to find,"
he says to me,
"so I smoke less of them."
We discuss the black spots
in my vitamins
and the drugs
in his tracking number, and
while planting forget-me-nots
in pinedirt
at midnight,
he says something
along the lines of
kissing my forehead
I chase strays
around the dumpster before
lacing his rough fingers
again
well, I've discovered
the expiration date on the
bottom of the bottle, it's
six
of oh, nine.
Worse Date Ever
By Diane Boisvert
It had promised to be a time in heaven - unsurpassed.
It was blind. I didn't mind. It was a date, alas!
I was assured the guy was great. I couldn't wait at all.
Turns out, though, this charming Joe was with himself enthralled.
He talked and talked and talked. When he was done he talked some more.
Tales of scoring with the ladies was a captivating bore.
Well groomed he was. I'll give him that, but then he couldn't miss.
The mirror was his best friend, which I'm sure he often kissed.
When all is said and done the date was not a total waste.
I gained a bit of wisdom. Narcissism has a face.
Fall of New York
By Steven Marty Grant
Fifth Avenue:
Umbrellas bob
down the sidewalk
like drunken
Chinese lanterns
and a cool wind
has invaded in
from the north.
Summer's anger
still seethes
below street level
but today refused
to bare its teeth,
opting to stay dry
in the warm refuge
of the train tunnels.
A week ago,
I was a stick of butter
greasing 23rd Street
on my walk to work,
and this morning
I was treated to a
coming-attractions reel
for Fall of New York.
What Is A Saint-The Making Of The Michelle Mangione Video-Pt 2
As the production date for the filming of the What Is A Saint video grows near, life at the Michelle Mangione camp has begun to heat up at an ever-increasing pace. A boost in the numbers of phone calls, meetings, interviews and rehearsals have forced their way into the already busy schedules and numerous summer gigs of Mangione and her band.
Recently Flask and Pen was invited to a walk through/production meeting at a very cool and very gritty second hand store located a few miles south of Los Angeles.
To say that the location of the shoot has character would be to grossly understate the timeless yet historic feel the store's presence will emote in the video. One step in and you’re taken back to what a second hand store truly is. This place isn’t some wanna be cool retro shop on Melrose with items hanging from shiny racks, worn once or twice but are now, so last year.
Not at all, this shop is full of rows and isles of beat up old racks loaded down with clothes that have some miles on them. Stacks of old ‘70’s electronic equipment, vinyl records, old furniture, appliances your grandmother owned, poor lighting, a bad intercom system and everything else that you’d expect to experience in places like this.
We watched as the production crew, Mangione and members of the band walked throughout the location and discuss angles lighting and marks. We were able to meet and get to know some of the players involved with this project. One of the people we got to know was Peter Chang, one of the Directors of Photography.
F&P: What is your job on the video?
Chang: I am the co-DP along with Daniele Colombera.
F&P: How long have you been involved with this type of work?
Chang: I've been working in various aspects of film and television production for about 8 years, but I mostly work as a production coordinator and editor. As far as shooting, I also own a side business as a photographer and videographer, so I've got some experience in the field.
F&P: Is this your first music video?
Chang: I did a couple in college, but that's hardly anything to write home about.
F&P: How did you become attached to the What Is A Saint Project?
Chang: Lori (Cerasoli) had called asking if I knew anyone who would be interested in helping out, and as she described the project to me, I rattled off a few ideas, and she said "wow, do YOU want to shoot this?" It was flattering, but I didn't think I was ready for such an undertaking, so I offered support as a DP.
F&P: Anything you want to add?
Chang: Visually, I think this project is going to be pretty cool. Being able to shoot this project in HD at a fraction of what it would've cost even 2-3 years ago is amazing.
Chang, as well as everyone else we met, is truly a professional and dedicated to the What Is A Saint Project. With filming scheduled to occur on Labor Day weekend all of the final pieces are beginning to fall into place and the excitement throughout the team is very apparent.
Momentum for the song and video received a huge boost recently when Mangione was invited to join co-writer Grace Slick for what was a wonderful interview on legendary rock and roll DJ, Los Angeles icon Jim Ladd's radio show. Mangione and Slick covered a myriad of issues, which included exposing their varied taste in music, the history of their friendship, and the writing of What Is A Saint.
We will continue keep you informed as to the progress of the What Is A Saint Production.
Flask and Pen will be following the progress of the What Is A Saint video throughout the process until completion.
THIS IS NOT YOURS
By Nicole Kuwik
How the fuck
do you tell when
a mango is ripe? and
why do I have to do this
alone?
Unsure and fed up,
I cut it open
and decide that it
tastes something
like gumdrops.
Is this how things were
supposed to play out?!
Later, I listen to songs
about hot wind
in the western sky
and watch the cat
get stuck in the blinds.
Art
By Diane Boisvert
Design - creative discovery. Uncovering ideas and forms that have been transplanted from the heart. Yours for the beating repetative pleading.
Anger has its own colors. Red is the most advertised hue of rage, but there are others, too. They don't fight as vehemently to be known. Blue and white are not always clean and serene. Beneath the face of peace and purity hides another side.
The alter ego of art wears a coat of many colors.
Tread lightly on the fragile branches of the tree of art. Much screams to be revealed.
The unknown begs to be known. The known wants to hide. The astute student of art sees it all. Taking a few steps back gives perspective and lacks dominance.
I look at paintings in a new light. Now I can see the darkness as well as the light. shadows can't escape my trained eye. The eye that was taught
by life.
There was a time when I could have been deceived. Sharpness has relieved my quandry. Sceptical I have become, abandonning dumbness and
naivity.
Art calls to me often, but I don't answer right away. You call yourself art? Show me!
