Case No. 6-nyc-08232011 NUMBNESS

Life in the city

has its perks

and inverted, valleys

when sharply jutting

we regret the jumps from above

but still the excitement of falling

into darkness

electrifies , it's an upper 

but those mediocre 

middle grounds,

the gaps between stimuli

in those we suffer ourselves

aging. 

i would take a 

hockey puck to the face

over the monotony of

that same flirtation on repeat 

a line of ladies

in their most subtle 

angle of seduction

there is a right angle

the spokes of my flyer

the nubs of my ears and nose

the grace of my knuckles

wheeling by,

where, where was I between

it wasn't sex and work

there wasn't that rush to get away from one to another, in either direction

must have been home and home

alone, alone

when I grow up, I want to be

a speeding train driven by a lion on ice

i rob a line from the swell season

we all long to steal

my body's uninspired 

by your love

DIS-EASE:  NUMBNESS

REMEDY:   ITAL STEW

The familiar phenomenon we call boredom may be the cause of sluggish bodily function and vice versa. Excitement is experienced in every living cell. In the same way, boredom permeates from skin to bones. Solutions are available to address both the mental and physical causes. Nourish the body to improve function and in so doing, improve sensory enjoyment OR have an attitude change, get excited and the body comes alive. Our subject experiences numbness in his extremities and a general disinterest in his experiential world. Nourishment to increase blood volume may remedy his blasé attitude and his numbness from the inside out. A well balanced spiced root vegetable stew jump starts blood production.


On a winter visit to the Blue Mountains of Jamaica our hosts cracked fresh coconuts and picked chocho off the vine. Yam, thyme, squash and scotch bonnets. All went into a giant cast iron over the fire. The pot simmered for hours while we sipped home grown coffee.

Ital Stew

Fresh young coconuts, butternut squash, yam, kidney beans, yucca, 

green plantains, curry powder, chile, cinnamon, scotch bonnet or jalapeno pepper, 

green onions, thyme, black pepper, salt

Soak beans overnight. Crack coconuts, pour water and scoop flesh into blender. Process until smooth.

Peel and cut squash, yam, plantains and yucca into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Combine all ingredients in a soup pot. Add water if necessary to cover the veggies. Simmer over medium low heat until everything's soft.  Adjust seasoning to taste.

Squash, kidney beans, coconut, and scallions all contain varied levels of three building blocks for blood production: iron, C and B vitamins.