News:
  • Portola Valley First Graders: "Woodland Poem"
  • Abigale Wee: "Growing Home"
  • Hailee Smalley: "Vibrant Petals"
  • Itzel Sanchez: "Untitled"
  • Kaia Glafkides: "America Today"
  • Ana Johnston: "Safer"
  • Contact us
  • About
    • What is Cultural Weekly?
    • Advertise
    • Contributors
    • Masthead
    • Subscribe
    • Submissions: Write for us
    • Cultural Weekly Style & Formatting Guide
  • Contact us
  • About
    • What is Cultural Weekly?
    • Advertise
    • Contributors
    • Masthead
    • Subscribe
    • Submissions: Write for us
    • Cultural Weekly Style & Formatting Guide
Cultural Weekly logo
  • Film
  • TV + Web
  • Poetry
  • Art
  • Architecture
  • Literature
  • Theatre
  • Music
  • Dance
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Film
  • TV + Web
  • Poetry
  • Art
  • Architecture
  • Literature
  • Theatre
  • Music
  • Dance
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
Poetry

CLS Ferguson: Three Poems

By CLS Ferguson on September 17, 2014 in Poetry

2

Click Here To View Comments

CLS Ferguson, PhD is a communication professor at Mt. San Antonio College and California State University, Northridge and a Mary Kay Sales Director. CLS (Crystal Lane Swift) has published poetry in Shangri-La Shack, Still Points Quarterly, PQLeer, and other places. Her poetry collection, God Bless Paul, is out on Rosedog Books and her chapbook, The Way We Were, as well as her “Fourplay,” Still Learning to Let Go, is out on Writing Knights Press.

*****

Art is His Religion

I’m going to do something
I have never done before,
he tells me.

I made you something.
It’s made of wood,
so it’s durable,
but easy to destroy.

It’s good for a year.
I put our address on it.

After a year,
it could be replaced by a metal one,
or simply destroyed.

***

Upon Seeing 8 Mile in the Theatre with My Family

The credits roll,
as do my sister’s eyes.

Me,
I can’t get the first sex scene out of my head;
dirty and uncomfortable.

My family stands at the same time.
I need a shower, my mother exclaims.
My grandmother says:

Well, I think that was a pretty accurate depiction of Detroit.

***

Extra Work

Two clerical workers are absolutely gushing over a waitress’s new ‘gig’ at Denny’s. They all complement each other’s hair and top each other’s stories about their last extra work.

A black woman, full-time (background) actress confesses to a white LDS former Bishop that all of her exes are dead to her. He says he stays friends with his exes. She correctly guesses that he is still a virgin.

A part-time video game tester named Tan explains to an amateur body builder that he never uses his American name, Douglas, because Tan is easier to spell.

A former college basketball player strikes some kind of deal on his hands free device, while the woman sitting across from him texts someone.

The second assistant director approaches the group, and all of these second-ago immensely important conversations ice to a pause.

“We need the seven extras we pulled aside earlier.”

Seven people pop up like their name was just announced at the Oscars, and a frenzy of hair smoothing, teeth-picking, and general primping commences.

But we all get the same $50 at the end of the day.

IMG_1952

Photo of CLS Ferguson, by Alexis Rhone Fancher

Click Here To View Comments

Tagscal state northridgecls fergusonpoetryPQLeerrich fergusonshangri-la shackstill points quarterly

Previous Story

Life After Birth tries to beat the heat

Next Story



Bristol: Europe’s Street Art Hub

About the author

CLS Ferguson

CLS Ferguson

CLS Ferguson, PhD is a communication professor at Mt. San Antonio College and California State University, Northridge and a Mary Kay Sales Director. She paints, sings, acts, models, produces independent films, and has published many academic articles and two academic books. CLS (Crystal Lane Swift) has published poetry in Shangri-La Shack, Still Points Quarterly, PQLeer, and other places. Her poetry collection, God Bless Paul, is out on Rosedog Books and her chapbook, The Way We Were, as well as her “Fourplay,” Still Learning to Let Go, is out on Writing Knights Press. She has a dog, Sadie, with her husband, Rich Ferguson.

Related Posts

  • Portola Valley First Graders: “Woodland Poem”

    By Portola Valley First Graders
    Woodland Poem You can put anything on the...
  • Abigale Wee: “Growing Home”

    By Abigale Wee
    Growing Home There’s a certain...
  • Hailee Smalley: “Vibrant Petals”

    By Hailee Smalley
    Vibrant Petals The Moon is just a big pile...
  • Itzel Sanchez: “Untitled”

    By Itzel Sanchez
    Untitled He must persevere is this what it...

Support Our Friends

Follow Us

Join Our Mailing List

Latest Tweets

Tweets by @CulturalWeekly

Comments

  • maurice amiel maurice amiel
    Jack Reads “Pronto, Professore“
    In my last architectural history paper, back in...
    1/22/2021
  • Bambi Here Bambi Here
    Support the Jack Grapes Poetry Prize
    Yes – poetry! Thank you, Jack.
    1/21/2021
  • Bambi Here Bambi Here
    Jack Reads “Pronto, Professore“
    Wow! That poem and reading was extraordinary - the...
    1/21/2021

New

  • World Cyber Games 2020
  • What mental attributes do you need to be successful playing casino games and how can you boost them?
  • Web Design That Makes Your “About Us” Page Pop
  • Ways to Find Out Which City is the Most Disabled-Friendly
  • New Year, New Love: Dating Tips for a Fresh Start

Tags

art dance film Los Angeles music photography poem poems poetry tomorrow's voices today

Like us

Please Help

Donate

Who are we?

Cultural Weekly is a place to talk about our creative culture with passion, perspective and analysis – and more words than “thumbs up” or “thumbs down.” Our mission is to draw attention to our cultural environment, illuminate it, and make it ... read more

Site map

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact us
  • Contributors
  • Cultural Weekly Style & Formatting Guide
  • Food
  • Home
  • Masthead
  • Privacy Policy/Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Submission Form
  • Submissions: Write for us
  • Subscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Thank You

Links

Adam Leipzig
Entertainment Media Partners
This Is Crowd
CreativeFuture
Plastic Oceans Foundation
Arts & Letters Daily
Alltop
Alexis Rhone Fancher
Jack Grapes
Ethan Bearman
Writ Large Press

Mailing List

* indicates required


  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy/Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Contact us
Cultural Weekly is the digital magazine and public platform of Next Echo Foundation. DONATE HERE.
Copyright © 2010-2020 by Adam Leipzig. All Rights Reserved.