Atomic Heart

157 - This is it. About to check out of my place on Paterson Street. Whatever’s next is left in the open. Today I read my own stuff and a piece by someone I really admire. The soundtrack is longer because I’m not as brisk as I pretend to be. On Sunday June 14th, 3pm at Broadway Cinametheque, I'll be sharing poems in an intimate event moderated by my friend Polly. Not sure if I can recap my las...

156 - Define home. Say, your current one. How does it match with the way you intend to live? How does it respond to the new ways you intend to live? And if you had to leave it, say, in two weeks, how difficult would it be, or not at all? June 14. No book launch. No farewell. Just poems. Pieces of home to be housed in books yet to be birthed. Stay tuned to Kubrick Poetry for details and updates. I...

155 - This home stretch, on a personal level, is incredible. But I suppress it by walking slow, hugging the side of the pavement while fellow pedestrians pass me by. A crispy breeze even in May is priceless. Today I read my own stuff. A new set of prose poems on the notion of home plus something from my forthcoming poetry collection Forty-One Frames to be published by Musical Stone. A solid piece...

154 - A bit of breeze even towards the end of April is enough to make the streets all the more temptatious. The opposite of sweet. Sunlight filters through the leaves and into a shrine. The soundtrack is accessible via ⁠⁠Mixcloud⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.atomicheart.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Atomic Heart is cur...

153 - You can interpret it as a stolen city, or a city stolen. It's also the kind of poem I want to be able to compose. Apparently, the bench I refer to is an example of 'hostile architecture'. Makes you wonder who stole what. A bit from my local indie queen can be accessed via ⁠Mixcloud⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.atomicheart.fm⁠⁠⁠...

152 - It was only after I left last night that I realized he was my current age when he left. Today I start with a poem I had written this time five years ago, followed by a much more mature and refined poem by Louise Gluck in part two of our feature. A sort of piece I'd love to be able to compose one day. I talk like this though I'm a lot more confident than back then. So far away from Ho...

151 - Is there a name you think of from time to time, someone you met at a party, an event, got their contact but never really kept in touch? In addition to a poem I wrote Tuesday morning dedicated to those who sat in a circle with me, I also read from Faithful and Virtuous Night by Louise Gluck. I love prose poems, especially those where nothing really happens. Website: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

150 - It was the book cover that got me and so I picked it up. I read it in a cafe while mumbling the words wanting so hard to say them out loud, to articulate the urgency of operating within a given body, next to a given clock. The clock is my own projection. I speak only for myself. Today we read from the poetry chapbook, dream girl, loading by Adeline Loh. Website: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

149 - One day. I will let go. Of this perceived incompletion. My plights relative to the city. Words that may or may not be enough to earn a place in a sentence I don't even want to complete. That word. Prison. It also means. Website: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.atomicheart.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Also available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Mixcloud⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

148 - After reading I realized a few of my lines might have touched the concept of commitment and how one may fear it for its foundation seem to be built on fear itself. I also read a poem from a friend's latest book. Detached as I may appear, you can always pull me back. Website: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.atomicheart.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ A...

147 - Trying to spin out of this solitary doldrum. If friends can make my process less rigid, I'm all for collaboration. That, and more nimble ways of living with loss. Not in any mood to celebrate. Website: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.atomicheart.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Also available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Mixcloud⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Curated and presented by Atom Al...

146 - Two interviews. Thirty years apart. Each in a building equally complex. States of mind. Variations of floating. Website: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.atomicheart.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Also available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Mixcloud⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Curated and presented by Atom Alicia

145 - On the verge of leaving a dream job to interview for a dream job that isn't so much a dream anynore but an 'I owe it to myself'. But this isn't about that. Not when those you dine with turn out to be part of the establishment. Website: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.atomicheart.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Also available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Mixcloud⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Curated an...

144 - On handwriting and crushes, and the presense of a song that tells me I ought to look far and away and outside of myself. Website: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.atomicheart.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Also available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mixcloud⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Curated and presented by Atom Alicia

143 - It's been cold. I went out in my thickest coat and was still shivering. Today I bring you a piece I wrote just before Christmas, plus a poem by John Ashbery. People are still trying to figure him out. Website: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.atomicheart.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Also available on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mixcloud⁠⁠⁠⁠ Curated and presented by Atom Alicia

142 - Just so I don't fall through a well to end the year. Here I'd like to share two prose poems, one of which I wrote very recently as part of a book manuscript I'm working on. I'll continue to use this platform to process my creative struggles in the coming year. Thank you for listening. Website: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.atomicheart.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

141 - A walk through the park. A ravine. A pond. A poem by Kevin Irie. And a bit of reflection on the baseball. Straight to you once again from 105.9 The Region, broadcasting from Toronto, Canada. Let's go Blue Jays!!!!!!! Access to ⁠⁠the mixtape⁠⁠ Playlist: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.atomicheart.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Atomic Heart airs weekly on CFMS 105.9...

140 - At the library I pick out my outfit. I wear it on the bus and on my way to the studio. Thoughts on writing and wilderness from the former Canadian poet laureate John Steffler. Straight to you once again from 105.9 The Region, broadcasting from Toronto, Canada. Access to ⁠radio cut⁠ Playlist: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.atomicheart.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Atom...

139 - Straight to you from the studio of 105.9 The Region broadcasting from Toronto, Canada. Cheers to poetry from Chinese-Canadian poets Isabella Wang and Natalie Lim. In your words I found the kind of solace I didn't know I needed. Access to radio cut Playlist: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.atomicheart.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Atomic Heart airs weekly on CFMS 105....

138 - Pre-flight and other postponements. From my tiny room I bring you a quartet of Hong Kong poets with a mix of works in English and Canto. Three of them have a Canadian connection. Florence Ng and Nicole Lam are my fellow contributors to ⁠⁠⁠Canto Cutie Vol. 9⁠⁠⁠ . HK-Canadian poet 不清 presented his poetry at a recent concert (which I had to miss). HK storyteller 雄仔叔叔 once again reminded m...

137 - And so we go for a ride on Alternative Bus Routes in a City Long Gone , Portia Yu's micro-chap published by Ghost City Press as part of their 2025 Summer Series. Portia is a fellow Hong Kong poet and I was quite taken by her latest work so here you go~ Please enjoy a copy of ⁠⁠Canto Cutie Vol. 9⁠⁠ which contains three poems on nature by yours truly Radio version archived on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mi...

136 - The seed of competition. Who planted it? Following a conversation over the topic of what we leave behind and how much time we really have, I bring you two poems by the same poet. One written near the end of life, the other in young adulthood. Today's poems: 大尾篤冬景 / 梁秉鈞 with English translation by Shiu-pang Almberg 'Winter Scene from Tai Mei Tuk' by Leung Ping-kwan + 茶 /...

135 - I revisit my early years of living in Hong Kong when I tried to present myself as a poet who writes in Chinese (!?) plus a light-hearted moment I shared with the late great poet Leung Ping-kwan. Fresh from the oven (!!) I've got five poems being published at this time through two of my favourite publications: Voice & Verse and Canto Cutie . Today's poems: 鴛鴦 / 梁秉鈞 with Engli...

134 - Long poem alert. But seriously, when was the last time you had to start life in a new country while feeling young and ambitious and missing home a little? Those bits of home you brought with you... How did they serve you in your new surroundings and aspirations? Today's poems: 樂海崖的月亮 / 梁秉鈞 with English translation by Gordon T. Osing: 'The Moon in La Jolla' by Leung Ping-...

133 - Speaking from my tiny room in Causeway Bay for the first time since May. A home is remembered by the way we move within it. And this feels like home. At least for now. Poems from Bill Holm and our recent Hong Kong feature Lawrence Pun Radio version archived on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mixcloud⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Playlist: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.atomicheart.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Atomic Heart airs...