Ed Baker on Albert Huffstickler

Please click art to enlarge

In response to last week's posting on Albert Huffstickler, poet/artist Ed Baker sent along a rendition of one of Huff's "Cafe Poems," with a haiga-like presentation. In the interest of truth or history or some such cultural folderol, Ed sent along an original drawing from 2003, entitled "Sophie's Song #123"; he added Huff's poem, a black dress, lipstick, and a discerning eye, resulting in the above rendition. Below is the original.

Sophie's Song #123

It's not often you come along a true original. Huff, certainly, is one of a kind. Ed is also as unique as they come. John Martone, Cid Corman, Diane Di Prima, Charlie Mehrhoff, Miriam Sagan ... these are just a few poets I've had the privilege to work with whose work is beyond comparison.

This go round, my appreciation to Ed, whose forthcoming broadside will be one of the 4 new issues of Lilliput Review that will start rolling out early in June. Stay tuned.

Here's another poem from the informal Cafe series Huff was always working on. It was first published in the one and only "long line" edition of Lillie (#32, June 1992) - yes, sometimes the length of lines is as problematic as the number in this tiny little mag. Enjoy.

Cafe Poem

That little old lady has a purpose.
She's a cartographer completing the map of her life.
It's there on her face,
as contained, as exact as the will that lies
deep in that small, shrunken breast.
She looks around her, laughs.
Another line forms,
another move toward the completion she already envisions.
There's nothing more for us here.
Let's leave her to her work.

Albert Huffstickler

to the old woman
doing laundry, the evening
willow bows

Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue

best,
Don