Mark J. Mitchell, 2/23/2015

Former Occupation: Temporary Convention Staffer, Wine and Spirits Expert

Current Occupation: Tour Guide , San Francisco

Contact Information: Mark J. Mitchell studied writing at UC Santa Cruz under Raymond Carver, George Hitchcock and Barbara Hull. His work has appeared in various periodicals over the last thirty five years, as well as the anthologies Good Poems, American Places,Hunger Enough, and Line Drives. His chapbook, Three Visitors, has been published recently by Negative Capability Press .  Two chapbooks, “Lent, 1999” and “Artifacts and Relics” will coming out later in the year. His novel, “Knight Prisoner” is available from Vagabondage Press. Another novel, “A Book of Lost Songs” is going through the editorial process, on its way to publication by Wild Child Publishing. He lives in San Francisco with his wife, the activist, documentarian and film maker, Joan Juster.

 

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CONSTRUCTION ZONE

 

            It is constant, this play of noise

            across these streets. Someday it will

            be over. Until then, lanky boys

            are constantly toying with noise,

            choosing the perfect tool to employ

            for breaking up our sleep. It spills

            constantly, our own game of noise

            played on our street, against our will.

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MARXISM 1-A

 

                The fact of work

                steals art—minute

                by slow minute—

 

                That handful of dimes

                scattered on the table

                is never enough.