Tag Archives: Roanoke

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Three of my poems published in Lothlorien Poetry Journal Volume 33: Vortex Voyagers.

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Things are looking up a bit in stormswept Roanoke.  First, a break in the rainy weather allowed a sojurn today to Benny Marconi’s for pizza.  Second, the mailman brought me my copy of Lothlorien Poetry Journal Volume 33: Vortex Voyagers.

It is a wonderful 237-page tome of outstanding work, and it is just the after-midnight reading that I need right now.  (Insomnia strikes again.)

If you want to enjoy it too, you can order your copy right here.  (And if you do happen to purchase a copy, I hope you peruse the three poems of mine there — “school shooter,” “This Windy Morning” and “The Rough Violet Stone.”  These were published online by Lothlorien in February.)

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“Starry Night in Roanoke”

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An art teacher at Roanoke Catholic School painted the city in the style of Vincent Van Gogh, and it’s pretty neat.  You can see here at the website for WFXR (Fox).

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“Global Harmony” sculpture in Roanoke, Virginia, September 11, 2024

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Corner of Williamson Road and Wells Avenue.  In the background, you can see Wells Fargo Tower downtown.  At right is the fountain in Entranceway Park.

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Construction at the site of the old bus station is looking pretty auspicious.

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Campbell Avenue, Roanoke, Virginia. September 2024.

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“I survived a nail trim.”

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This item at a Roanoke pastry shop reads “I survived a nail trim.”

There’s a lesson here for writers, though – if you’re unsure of your font or word spacing, ass a friend.

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Some cool artwork inside Benny Marconi’s.

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Campbell Avenue, Roanoke, Virginia.

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Move over, pineapple pizza. It’s time for OCTOPUS PIZZA.

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I am a man who is loathe to tamper with a classic.  And every slice of pizza from Benny Marconi’s in Roanoke, Virginia is a damned artwork.

Still … they did not offer octopus as a topping.  (I searched their website pretty thoroughly.)  And then I realized that I had NEVER seen the most sublime of foods offered as a pizza topping.

Innovation built this country, and I have a flair for the culinary.  So I went home and concocted the brilliance you see below.

Update — Damn.  I just realized I wrote this whole post ignoring the potential for an “octupie” pun.

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Sign outside downtown Roanoke restaurant: “NEAT DRESS REQUIRED.”

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I don’t own ANY dresses.

Seriously, though — I actually stood there for a second pondering what sort of sort of slovenly dresses women had worn in order to prompt management to make the rule. (Was it a wild Saturday night?) Because I am slow on the uptake.

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Shine On, You Crazy Mountain.

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One of those moments when clouds cast shadows over the valley while the mountain remains sunlit.  It looks so surreal when that happens.  (This picture doesn’t really do it justice.)

Roanoke, Virginia.

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The Hancock Building on 1st Street in Roanoke has what looks like an art deco facade.

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I guess I never noticed how cool it looked until I stopped and really looked at it.