Swanee Astrid

Sending creative juju and fighting spirit to the loves at the for the first official day of 2026 The Metabolic Thrum. Especially — May this Blue Moon bring you many blessings in this rare and exceptional community of artists.
Feels strange not to be the eye of the storm for the first time in twelve years (TWELVE), whether as a student, Anne’s assistant, or as the logistical master-mind/troubleshooter/shadoweater/bodhisattva warrior. Every era has its ending, but that doesn’t mean i can’t visit. See you in week 3 while the Ginsberg Centenary celebrations continue in the month of Gemini!! will bring q***r shoulder (of course).

Thinking about the lineage of armed service in my family and ancestors. This was my Grandpa Martin’s flight cap. He was in Germany for the last year of the war, and later flew spy missions. My other grandpa, Richard, is buried in Arlington. Also a pilot. I think my paternal great grandfather was in WWI, and had ancestors on both sides of the civil war. How far back do the warriors go? Where does the instinct for violence come from? Where the drive to protect?

Both of my parents are also retired officers.

I often wonder where we would be if it were not for armed conflict in the world. What marriages would never have happened? What babies unborn?

The best thing my dad told me was, “I was a soldier so you could be a poet”.

What greater vow than that to serve and protect?

Hey Beat Babes, Braveheart’s, & Bodhisattvas in the BAY!

Come join these Centennial events celebrating Allen Ginsberg’s 100th Birthday. Monday night at the Chapel, Tuesday night at Bird & Becket books and records. I’m excited to see these friends of Summer in my new habitat, where HOWL came to life and so many other classics like my personal fave, Sunflower Sutra. This is the living archive in loving action.

Admission is ticketed for Monday night: https://www.eventim.us/event/allen-ginsberg-centennial-in-sf/687765

Rainy day reading : at the local posh caffeine dispensery : Jaffa : beautiful Americano : then found some classics : insisted on reading a poem : Icarus Falling : to the baristas : who were busy working : i’m sorry for the intrusion : but there are bombs : falling : children dying : the world being torn apart : for King of the Green

Trying to remember which of my wonderful friends gifted me this hazel stick—

Was it you?

My first big accomplishment of the year is finishing this book. Very good. Very dense. My mother read it many years ago so I got the story second hand, and we enjoyed the glossary so much i decided to take latin in college. Last year i was looking for a series that would last me a long time and not be a breeze to read. Something that would be a break from fantasy, and not work related. Something that i could learn from.
The author does an incredible job of setting the scene and personages leading up to the rise and fall of the Julius Caesar who made that name (in)famous. Book 1 here follows Gaius Marius, the military general who made it possible for Rome to reach father into Europe, who delivered a stunning defeat to the Germanic nomads of the time.
I wish i had given myself more space to research while i read. The accuracy and richness with which McCollough writes is truly laudable. In future, it would be fun to use this series as core text to teach history, poetry, language, politics of that era.
Specifically useful now is understanding the lare stage of that Republic. The people’s live for Caesar and the collective hate of the senate.

Chester modeling his holiday spirit under this year’s tree. It is so sweet how he loves looking up at the lights in the tree. Its almost as if he knows all the gifts under it are for him. And by gifts we mean treats. We don’t have an exact birthday/year, but 19 Yule Tides is a solid guestimate. Tree topper is from my mom’s collection. Feels good to have her with us for the holidays too.

Wrapping up my birthday with some Emily Dickinson who says:
We introduce ourselves / To Planets and to Flowers / But with ourselves / have etiquettes / Embarrassments / And awes
Seems like very good wisdom. May this next year be more full of the latter than the former, and of course the very AWESome people who help the light come through, even if we have to break some windows to do so. Even if it means you come sit through Swanee’s cut of Extended Lord if the Rings with me— y’all are the real heroes of Middle Earth!!
Thank you for all of your love and kind wishes today!
Come celebrate and eat cake with me, for Emily 12/11 6pm where I will be reading some poems inspired and by Emily D. Feed two birds with one hand.
See previous post for more details!!

It’s her party and you can come if you want to!
On June 12th, approached me after the convo I had with on Emily Dickinson and the Q***r Epiphany of Susan. I am so glad she did, and that 6 months following that conversation we will be celebrating Emily D’s 196th Birthday! Minus one day.
Join us Dec. 11 for a dual reading with myself and the stunning for a reading of work inspired by and our favorite(s) from Emily D. There will be cake! & a screening of Wild Nights With Emily, directed by starring Molly Shannon
We will be celebrating not just 196 years of Emily Dickinson, but her enduring figure beyond the binary and her poetry as q***r erotic JOY!
“flowers & clover & death & bees!” — CAConrad
***rsforEmilyD +Poets

Democracy is an exercise in many things, Luck being one of them. You have to actually use it in order for it to perpetuate. Pretty small s**t on the ballot for here, but wishing other places lots of LUCK— both it and your participation are necessary.
Don’t forget to cast your ballot!