essayed

tbd

Bellow writing in the ‘60s about the well of literary estrangement running dry. Saul, that is.…
each man is a half-open door

I came to Chicago in 2007, the year of the Virginia Tech shooting. I’d been there,…
failing

This is the story of Francisco—pejoratively called Frankie, unbeknownst to him—the middle-aged, denim-jacketed, long-haired pseudo-revolutionary Executive…
in threes

There’s a thing I started writing a couple years ago and never finished. A thing about…
exit

Once I was six or five years old and did things kid backward like I do…
evident

And I see it’s all material, sure, that’s fine, again material, more material, immaterial and otherwise…
partake

We had two dogs when I was growing up, brothers they were, one called Sammy and…
some stuff beginning with i

I write under the name “Mischa” but that’s not my real name. Well, not anymore, usually,…
sufferance

Magritte was here, over two years ago now, and I visited him at The Museum on…
embroiled

I see children and I don’t want them but I’m glad someone does. They’re probably hungry…
illume

I read somewhere—on a museum plaque, I think—that, in essence, luminism was an effort to portray…
mistaken

Love did not help me find the words, infatuation did, infatuated impropriety, as always. Love let…
reaching / adaptation

Current content is meaningless and fast. I’ve read Knausgaard (slowly)—he thinks something’s off with my capacity…
what for

Why write. I have to, I suppose. That’s what I tell people, and it sounds pretty…
therapy

Broke my best spatula today, just snapped into three pieces. Was attempting to get under a…
imaginationland

Tired and irresponsible, plain not thinking. What is all this now? I love to think, but…
salaried

I see my salary as if it were a tangible thing, but I never see any…
encounterings

They meet, an encounter, chance, for there is no other kind, and they watch and listen…
nothing something

You were on pins and needles all day, waiting to hear from me—or so I assumed,…
difference

Sorry for your loss, hello, pleasure to meet you, sorry for your loss, pleasure, sorry it’s…
profiling

Well, here goes. I’m a thirty-something Capricorn (textbook), Christmas Eve baby, six-foot-five, 220-ish pounds, 100-ish kilos,…
somerset drive

Canoeing with my dad on the Shenandoah. The smooth river winding along, trees leaning in, sitting…
burning

“You hear about the fire?” ? “There was a fire—a fairly big one, I think, in…
nice / love letter

I could write you a love letter right now, and I don’t know why, or why…
painting

We all go through it, we’ve all been there, that’s life, it is what it is,…
cold

A train horn in the distance tonight, long and low, makes me think of home. We…
letting, going

Something, someone keeps saying you’ll always be here. I can still hear it, and it sounds…
birthday/look who bought a couch

My eighth birthday in this city, a week ago, in my eighth year here. What did…
why

Well hello new, you don’t know the first fucking thing about me, do you. No question…
what’s new

When this year began I was busy saying the city might be my salvation because I…
recovery

Life gets ugly, we know that, it’s right as rain and true as glue and clear…
dreaming

I saw my daughter in a dream last night, only I don’t have a daughter. I…
facts

I have a new job. It’s better than my old one, and the one before that…
away

This is personal. I’ve been away, again, and I left right at the moment of swearing…
New

Dec 31 Cleaning my stove and refrigerator on new year’s eve is perfect because it doesn’t…
fitness

Contrary to what my employers seem to believe, I am extraordinarily unfit for my day job which…
publications & major awards

When I was a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed part-time grad student and full-time, spectacularly underpaid university office staffer,…
kerouac face

It is a little-known fact that Jack Kerouac was the first howler monkey to break into…
re-enchanted

Sorry, buddy. I was gone for a while and I owe you some kind of explanation.…
morning

Morning is the time to let thoughts think. That’s the thing about it. I think. Just…
real

None of this is real, right? I’m just making it up as I go, imagining? Monday.…
time

Time flows like a rain-swollen river, carrying the detritus of hopes, dreams, regrets, certainties and uncertainties,…
cover letter

Dear Sir or Madam or Mr. or Mrs. or Whomever, Whatever, You, Person, I’m writing this…
traces, empty spaces

I wander around crowded places looking for empty spaces, traces of life and activity. This predilection to…
leave me alone

Where does Thesaurus.com get off suggesting I “meet Chinese lady?” I came for a synonym and…
closer

Seeing this makes me feel closer, just closer, no matter how far away I may be…
inspiration

Very inspiring. I always thought this was a one-man job but maybe I should swallow some…
enough!

This is what happens when I’m trying to write but nothing seems to make any sense,…