Sarah Anne by Jason Baldinger

Sarah Anne, your eyes are a bend in the creek
from which we can see all the way to Charleston.
Sarah Anne, for you I want nothing more than to buy a parcel of land
settle into a quiet life riding tractors in circles.
Sarah Anne, the years are nothing more than your grandma's plastic trinkets
my father's cuff links and wedding rings.
Sarah Anne, on Saturday nights we'll build a church
just to burn it down.
Sarah Anne, on Sunday morning we can worship
in the corner bar of our choice.
Sarah Anne, when the supermarket folds
we can live on fish our children catch in their teeth.
Sarah Anne, the post office is a trailer park
our mail is pony express.
Sarah Anne will you sign my disability checks
dotting yr i's with little suns, hearts and flowers.
Sarah Anne, in the light of tipples
we'll see their blinking, a shield to keep planes away.
Sarah Anne, with the sun nested in your hair, your wrist brace
and your can of Diet Coke you will be forever nineteen.
Sarah Anne, on summer nights we can move the T.V. to the front porch
and watch till well after dark.
Sarah Anne, the dog is dead
we buried him at the side of the road.
Sarah Anne, God is dead.
We move like locust through here.

- Jason Baldinger

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jason Baldinger has been writing for over 20 years, but only recently got around to performing it. His work has been published in The New Yinzer and Shattered Wig Press. He is author of two books of poetry "The Whiskey Rebellion" (with Jerome Crooks) published in 2011 by Six Gallery Press and the forthcoming "The Lady Pittsburgh" out in the spring on Speed and Briscoe Press. You can catch him touring the country starting in April.

The Whiskey Rebellion Publication Party At Normal's Books and Records

Normal's Books and Records is hosting a book release party for out-of-towners' Jerome Crooks and Jason Baldinger's The Whiskey Rebellion, just out on Six Gallery Press. It's shaping up to be a great little show that will also feature music by local group The Daily Lion and solo guitarist MacGregor Burns.

The show takes place Saturday, September 17th at Normal's Books and Records, 425 E. 31st St. It starts at 8pm and there is a suggested donation at the door of between $3 to $5 that will go towards the poets and musicians.


Jerome Crooks began writing poetry 20 years ago this September. "i've been a mess and i feel fine" (Speed and Briscoe) was released in 2001. "The Whiskey Rebellion" (Six Gallery Press) with Jason Baldinger, was released this year to be followed by "The Moment I Feared" (Low Ghost Press). Jerome has served as the active head of the Speed and Briscoe writer's collective since its inception in 1998. His work has appeared in the City Paper, Natural Language, The New Yinzer, and Open Thread's regional review. His journalism has appeared in Magazino and Islas. He is the son of Mary Anne and Jerry Crooks, brother to Theresa, brother in law to John Leonard, and proud uncle of young Aeden.

Kristofer Collins is publisher and editor-in-chief of Low Ghost Press.
He is the book reviewer for Pittsburgh Magazine. He is the manager of
Caliban Bookshop and owner of Desolation Row Records & CDs. His latest
collection of poems, Last Call was published by Speed & Briscoe in
2010.

Jason Baldinger has been writing for over twenty years, he just recently got around to performing it publicly. He's been published in The New Yinzer and has a split book of poetry with Jerome Crooks available now from Six Gallery Press. You can catch his bands House of Assassins and the Skirt Tasters at irregular intervals around Pittsburgh.

On The Whiskey Rebellion: Outlaws & revolutionaries, crooked cops & patsies, ghost towns and superheroes come out to play in this collection inspired by the Whiskey Rebellion, Wordsworth & Coleridge's Lyrical Ballads, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, and Lord Byron's Don Juan.