Port Townsend Poem

This is a new poem I began during my creative residency last Fall in Port Townsend, WA. Think I'm ready to craft it into something, or at least try. Check back often for progress!
original impulse
deletion
new text


Why dDo bBeaches iInspire pPoets?

Can I see only p Purple-black crows pecking at bones,
at carcasses of coastal pine polished white
by the shore's persistent appetite of the shore.?.
But this is only the opening metaphor, of course.
Imaginative reasoning, at best.
Or Aat worst, a newsflash from the interior.

Farther up the beach, I find a bullwhip of sea carrot
lassoeds back around itself, encircling
an unlikely pile a pyramid
of rose quartz. A An unlikely
miracle of nature? Or merely the yet
another ghost
of human thought
hovering in the landscape?

Clouds dart, and a sudden sunbridge
throws offers an invitation to crossover the ocean
to explore a farther, unseen shore.
But that is tT Is that alsoT But that is too great a leap
of faith?. AOnto a tenuous layer of sunflakes?
Glimmersings on a watery surface, golden ephemera
that offer no sure foundation?
Only more metaphor?.
No human ever walks on water.

Where a drainage pipe juts
from a descending hill
I hear singing, an unexpected
polyphonic chorus of
monks intoning OM, shifting, layered timbres
of wind echoing through an open pipe,
a kind of Genius that fades
to a whisper and then silence, almost telling me:
Time does not start here.

Kneeling down, Awed Inspired, nonetheless, I kneel down
I to reposition a clam shell
to its best advantage.

How Battlestar Galactica Should Have Ended, by Frederick Mead

With humanity reduced to only 39,000 refugees--a barely sufficient gene pool to ensure survival of our species--a new solution is required. Constant war upon ourselves and with our Cylon creations prove that neither species, human nor Cylon, can overcome our inherent limitations. We are doomed to mutual annihilation. Humanity barely exists. Cylon regeneration is destroyed. At this critical juncture, intervention is required. This intervention comes from the future.
Seraph "Ship of Light" from the original 1978 series.

SERAPHS
The pursuit of Cylon technology is a pursuit for perfection, in a word, God. Cylons understand this better than humans. However, neither species alone can achieve perfection. Only by combining human and machine can physical endurance, unlimited memory-capacity, and instantaneous recall coexist with compassion, curiosity, and creativity.

In the future, a new, blended species, Seraphs, will be capable of both procreation of the species and reincarnation of consciousness. Eventually, Seraphs will even learn to network their minds into a single, unified consciousness akin to God.

PROPHECY
Future Seraphs will develop Cylon projection technology to its peak--using nutrino particles to transmit images and to stimulate experiences in other minds. Because nutrinos are unaffected by electromagnetism, these particles can be projected backwards in time.

Using Cylon projection, Seraphs sent nutrino messages back in time to the original Lords of Cobol, who interpreted these messages as prophecies from their tribal gods, and thus humans developed a polytheistic religion. Similar messages were sent to Cylons, but their positronic nets were able to perceive the unity of Seraph consciousness, and therefore Cylons developed a monotheistic religion. President Roslyn and other characters also received these "prophecies" from future Seraphs.

WHAT IS THAT FRAKKIN SONG?
The intent of the Seraphs is to bring humanity and Cylons together, at the fulcrum point in history when survival of both species is at greatest risk. The song that numerous characters hear is a complex message from the Seraphs that serves multiple purposes, but most importantly to provide the key to combining the species. What looks like ordinary musical notes on sheet music, when lifted off the page and shown in 3 dimensions, is actually Seraph DNA, highlighting genetic markers necessary for a combined species.

This is why Gaius Baltar, humanity's greatest geneticist, "will write the last chapter of humanity." He will understand the message. As an act of contrition, Gaius begins the work of unifiying the species. He uses himself and Caprica 6 in his early experiments, and thus, those 2 become archetypes for future Seraph models. This is the reason another Caprica appears in his mind. She is a highly-focused Seraph projection sent back in time to guide him.

THE FINAL 5
Just as President Roslyn was chosen to lead humanity, the Final 5 were chosen to lead the Cylons. They are like Moses leading the children of Israel through the desert to the Promised Land. Seraphs selected the Final 5 from the 13th colony, the only colony to develop a pure Cylon civilization. Ordinary Centurion models would be insufficient for genetic combination with humans. Only the Final 5 and the 7 models they created are evolved enough for this combination.

On Earth a thousand years prior, guided by Seraph messages, Ellen Tigh experienced the "intuitive leap" necessary to rediscovery Cylon regeneration, which proves to be a bargaining chip for peace, but is also a fundamental technology for genetic combination to work.

WHAT IS KARA THRACE?
Kara Thrace is an ordinary human who received prophetic messages from the Seraphs as a child. Her father also received messages in the form of a song that he taught her. Kara is called the "harbinger of death" because she leads Galactica to a dead world, and to the death of their faith in Earth. This is a necessary death. Earth is not the final destination for humanity, but instead serves as an object lesson of our destruction.

Kara arrived on Earth by traveling through what appears to be a collapsing supernova, but is actually highly-sophisticated Seraph technology--a complex, self-executing program that stimulates subatomic particles, initiating a chain of reactions that results in a stable singularity. The singularity functions as both a gateway to Earth and an enormous turbine, with the energetic potential to perform the most advanced Seraph miracle of all--the imitation of life. Kara Thrace dies on Earth as a result of her hazardous journey. The Kara Thrace who returns to Galactica is a living copy. When she passed thru the singularity, the Seraph program duplicated Kara in such detail that her copy is essentially the same woman, who can complete her mission.

Kara arrived on Earth by traveling through a quantum singularity. She dies on Earth. The Kara Thrace who returns to Galactica is the same woman, but from a different timeline. When she passed thru the singularity, the timelines shattered, and a Kara from an alternate timeline entered ours.

WHAT IS HERA?
The daughter of a Cylon and a human, Hera is evidence that genetic combination is possible. She is a template. Because Hera wrote down the song, Gaius Baltar will use her DNA samples to confirm his hunch about Seraph DNA.

Hera will still be alive far into the future, by downloading her consciousness into Seraph bodies. She will provide future Seraph generations with detailed information about Galactica, its time, and its heroes.

Return of BUTCH

At the Big Easy Theatre Awards tonight, I am nominated in the category "Best Actor in a Comedy" for the one-man show Out Comes Butch. If you missed the original 7-week run last year, you have another chance to witness the madness.

"Insanely involving. When you're not laughing, you're watching with your mouth agape." David Cuthbert, Times-Picayune

"A whale of a performance!" Al Shea, WYES TV

I'm putting up 2 nights only at the Marigny Theatre, in a couple weeks:

7pm Fri/Sat April 10/11
$10
504 452 5515 for info

Marigny Theatre
corner of St Claude and Marigny
http://marignytheatre.org/

"If you haven't seen it, do so...a knock-out audience winner with an astonishing performance by Frederick Mead." Patrick Shannon, Ambush Magazine

JERKER Delayed

I'll take the time it takes to properly present a work of art. Some projects require more effort to come together. Some cakes need to bake longer in the oven. Some directors need more time to cast.

Schedule has dogged me constantly with Jerker. One minute, I'd have an actor interested, then the discussion would break down over schedule. Time and again. I talked to every male actor I could, but the closer we got to Opening Night, actors became committed to other projects, and the door snapped shut. Also, I felt I was going farther and farther afield from the types that I really wanted, considering men with some-but-not-all of the attributes I need, solely for the sake of putting up the show. Of course, everyone I talked to was a quality actor, but not always exactly the types I wanted. In a nutshell: a Bear and a Twink who can act.

I'll get Jerker up soon, likely early June, but this first attempt is not a waste. Along the way, I talked with New Orleans theater heavies, "names" who took me very seriously. Deeply-experienced, award-winning directors who were willing to be directed by ME, for the pittance I could afford to pay, if not for those pesky schedule conflicts. I reached out to knowledgeable resources in the theater community and found encouragement, great advice, and referrals. And a lot of good will. After only 2 1/2 years of doing theater in New Orleans, it's nice to feel accepted as part of a vigorous, creative community. Especially to have been nominated for a theater award along the way.

So I feel optimistic about Jerker. In the meantime, I'd like to put up a reprise of Out Comes Butch. This is the one-man show for which I was recently nominated for a Big Easy Theatre Award, in the category "Best Actor in a Comedy". At the awards gala next week, I hope there will be sufficient curiosity about Butch that I'll be able to promote it easily. "We're doing a reprise in a couple weeks. 3 shows only. Don't miss it." Lots of details to work out (like the rights). But we have this great opportunity right now to fill a gap and keep things on good terms with the venue. And to sell a show that I personally enjoy doing.

JERKER

I'm directing a New Orleans production of the play Jerker, by San Francisco playwright Robert Chesley. Jerker is the third San Francisco work I've helped to premier in New Orleans. Set in the Castro in 1985, Jerker concerns 2 lonely men terrified by "the gay cancer" who develop a significant connection via phone sex. It's a naughty, nasty play with redeeming social value. Baptists will picket.

I saw a 20th anniversary production of Jerker on videotape when I lived in San Francisco. For me personally, the play helped to lift a dark cloud from my head, the same dark cloud that hovers over the heads of the 2 characters in Jerker. I also responded to the emotional charge of the play, ignited by the sexual language.

Casting is my challenge now. I had 2 remarkable, weighty actors in the hopper, but for various reasons, mostly scheduling, they are not available, although both love the script. Not only am I looking for certain types, both with acting chops, but also for chemistry between the pair. Fortunately, it's only 2 roles. Or maybe unfortunately. Ah well, it's my current challenge and my joy.

Found the right venue for this show and signed the contract this week. As soon as I secure the cast we start promoting. Got a couple months lead-up time until Opening Night, so we can build momentum. April 8-25.

Black Nativity

Busy. I told myself I would not get busy so soon after my return to New Orleans, but there ya have it! Last week I did 6 shows, wrote a freelance project, taught a software class, and hosted an out-of-town guest. I also hosted the Radical Faerie potluck and put lights on a tree. Luckily I managed to visit a sauna in there too. Never too busy to sauna.

Five of the 6 performances were as John James Audubon. This is a yearly gig with the Louisiana Living History Project, in which each actor researches and portrays a historical person of Louisiana. This year we have 15 characters. I'm Audubon, and also the Stage Manager.

The 6th performance was a staged reading of Black Nativity by poet Langston Hughes. We presented dance, drumming, Gospel singing, and readings. I gave an impassioned sermon-ette. The next day, 2 other actors said to me, "Frederick, you can really preach it!"

"Oh," I replied, "I've been around some Baptist folk." Why do you think the blog is called Kung Fu Evangelist?

The New Digs

My first day-after-Thanksgiving carb-hangover in the new apartment. Feels like home. This is my first apartment in umm...6 years? I've been "the roommate" or "the housesitter" for the past 6 years, most of that time really living on the road. For the past 2 years, I've been settled in New Orleans, renting the big room from Miss Gloria in the Bywater. Now I'm ready to move on to my own apartment.

Day-after-Thanksgiving in my new digs. I'm avoiding the refrigerator. Instead, I walked to Cafe Flora, which is close to my apartment and open, to buy incense and a coffee. Sidewalks are wet from an early morning storm. The few folks outside have the same bleary looks as me. Carb-hangover. Must find coffee.

I moved in 2 weekends ago, but "officially" occupied the place 2 nights ago, when I cooked. I made the oyster dressing for the T Day table, a Southern tradition made with paper-light baguettes. My kitchen is bright with a LOT of counter space and a window that overlooks rooftops.

The whole apartment is called the Camel Back of a Shotgun. A Shotgun house is long and narrow, with no hallways, just one room behind the next. If you open all the doors, you can shoot a shotgun straight through. The Camel Back is a second story that extends only half the length of the Shotgun. A half-story, I guess. The Camel Back was popular in New Orleans because home owners could avoid tax on second stories by only building half a second story. Imagine me in my upper half-story, relaxing on my elevated wooden deck, drinking beer at sunset.

The Mississippi River is only a block away, but except for the sky my view is obstructed by wharf warehouses. I see smoke stacks on passing ships, and the peaks of the Crescent City Bridge lit up at night. My view is rather industrial on the river side. I'm glad the river is there, but prefer the kitchen view and the deck.

I live on Marigny Street, which also lends its name to the entire neighborhood. The Marigny (pronounced merry-knee) is the 3rd oldest neighborhood in New Orleans, directly adjacent to the French Quarter. I walk 3 blocks from my apartment to the Quarter. Named after the Baron de Marigny, who parceled out his estate to pay gambling debts and to house his numerous mistresses, the Faubourg (faux town) Marigny is historic, quaint, quite Gay, relatively middle class, and liberal. Bed-and-breakfast abounds, and KEE-YOOT cottages side-by-side, up and down the blocks, painted bright colors with filigree millwork. Balcony gardens, sweet olive trees, the occasional cobblestone sidewalk, decay.

You could say I moved on up to a deluxe apartment in the sky.