Michael VanCalbergh

@mvcpoet

Poet, Writer, Incredible Hulk Enthusiast, Father, Comic Lover, Obsessive Reader, SRPR Reader, Trying to get 1st manuscript picked up. Monthly writing on books/reading/writing at:

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Michael VanCalbergh@mvcpoet· 12d

I made this beautiful flyer for the Poetry Open Mic I'm hosting next month (tonight is the one for July!). Can you tell that design and visual art are passions of mine?

A poster made for an open mic poetry night on August 26th. I will try to describe it from top to bottom moving left to right when appropriate.

Top reads: Like Wednesday, Poetry is central to your week!

Below it is a little calendar with Wednesday August 26th bigger than the other days and Poetry Open Mic 6PM! @NPL underneath it like a little reminder.

To the left of the calendar is says wow in hand drawn letters with a surprised face that looks more like a ghost than surprised.

To the right of the calendar is a smiley face and yes underneath. Also hand drawn.

There is a box underneath the calendar thing that reads: 6pm, August 26th at the Normal Public Library! Bring a poem! Read a poem! Listen to Poems! Make the rest of the week jealous of your Wednesday!

To the right of that it says 100% fresh. Hand drawn, obviously.

To the left, it says real poetry. All done by hand.

There's squiggles and a couple starts on the page too.

In the footnote it reads: Poetry and poster made by 100% human hands. Freshness not FDA or Rotten Tomatoes approved. All exclamation marks were necessary and sourced ethically.

It is all very chaotic and not made by GenAI. Some would call it "bad" but I would call it "glorious".

Michael VanCalbergh@mvcpoet· 28d

It took me a minute but heres my poem from Last Leaves Magazine! Like I said below, it was a hard one to write but one Im very proud of. Yay poetry publication!!

Image of a poem. Poem reads:

I Caught My Reflection

and wont let him go
until he calls us stunning.

Its a game we havent played
in many metal months. We start

touching our lips and eyelashes. Today,
we're expansive, so we embrace our chin, palms

down. When that dimple in our left shoulder
valleys and curves, we shudder. We run

our hands like tightening a bag
strap; the weight difficult

to carry. We want to go further but this mirror
doesn't go past our chest. He winks,

promises this day will be okay. We
step back. All the baggage hangs revealed and

we do not cry. I take my reflection by the chin,
run our knuckles from cheek to our side,

watch his disbelief as we cradle
our torso softly like old books.

He's grateful I've learned what I need
to carry me and goes to leave. So distracted

by the gentle graze of our hands against
a body we were told not to love,

I almost miss his victory, a short hot
breath against my ear; We're stunning.

Michael VanCalbergh@mvcpoet· Apr 25

The books I got!

Goodbye chunky rice by craig thompson

Blue cover with yellow spine. Author name at bottom. In middle a picture of a mouse and a turtle maybe on a beach looking upwards while building a sandcastle.

Incorrect merciful impulses by camille rankine.

White cover with a person wearing white. Just their mid chest to head.

The head is drawn apart or exploding into red paper that runs horizontally. Takes up about half the page

From unincorporated territory amot. The a has a small circle above it as accent and is in brackets. By craig santos perez

Top image is of a plant with small flowers coming out of it. Bottom image is a persons hand holding a stamp to play bingo with. Bingo card on the table. They are not closeish to bingo.

Michael VanCalbergh@mvcpoet· Jan 1

Back from the outside and found a couple records that need cleaning 😬 But was able to listen to some Journey which was pretty great.

Cover of a Journey album. I dont remember which one and Im already on the couch.

Snorlax stands like a proud daddy next to the album.

Snorlax is a literal tiny plush Snorlax. He smiles. He's a cool guy.

Michael VanCalbergh@mvcpoet· Dec 31

Taking a break to run to the grocery before it closes and play Pokemon Go but heres the album I just finished. I always forget how many songs I love from this band until they come on and Im like, Hey! I love this.

Steve Miller Band Fly Like an Eagle album cover.

Snorlax still lies in the bottom right enjoying the sweet tunes.

Michael VanCalbergh@mvcpoet· Dec 31

Oooo didnt know I had this on record (hence why Im playing every record I own lol) Really do love this. Might make me basic but I do not care.

Johnny Cash I Walk the Line record cover.

Snorlax is still very happy in the botom left corner. He looks lovingly at Cash.

Michael VanCalbergh@mvcpoet· Dec 31

Heres the first completed. Both played well and I enjoyed both a bit. Wasnt the best but will listen again.

Record cover. Reads

The Who

Magic Bus and My Generation

Images from the original album cover.

A Snorlax peaks out from underneath a black cloth on the bottom left.

Michael VanCalbergh@mvcpoet· Nov 17

Im going to be in Des Plaines, IL in 6 days at WarriorCon where my kid will be slinging some excellent art and Ill have some comics and AD&D books for sale!! If youre in the area, its for a good cause and encourages my kid to try out more art.

Image advertising WarriorCon

Nov. 22nd from 10am to 5pm

Maine West High School in Des Plaines IL

$5 entry thT supports their fine arts department.

Michael VanCalbergh@mvcpoet· Apr 24

I have so many issues with pants and belts that Im thinking of starting a project where me telling belts and pants to f off is at thrme center. Anyway. Fuck you belt.

A belt head that has detached itself from the belt body in my hand. Silver belt head. Black belt body. Still a little piece of shit.

Michael VanCalbergh@mvcpoet· Nov 23

Here supporting my kid at Maine West in Des Plaines! So excited.

A table with various drawing and art pieces.

Michael VanCalbergh@mvcpoet· Nov 18

Sneaking in some writing b4 my kid leaves therapy but I dunno what to write. Maybe gonna write about this art?

Photo of a painting that has gold clouds then white then gold then whiteish black the gold then a thin line of white then gold.

They may not be clouds?

Theres a lamp and a flower setup underneath. Fake flowers that look like fally sunflowers.

Michael VanCalbergh@mvcpoet· Sep 17

Got in just under the first mil.

Image saying i was 977,963rd person to join BlueSky

Michael VanCalbergh@mvcpoet· Jun 21

Last two art doodles I did last night. Couldnt post because the kid would stop drawing to go to bed. Each kid is unique ya know?

Picture of a poorly drawn robo cat head. Maybe there are arms or those electric things coming out of its head. Its unclear.

It reads:

I am not AI RoboCat

Image of an island in the distance with water and birds. Honestly? This one is pretty dope. Obviously its not like super realistic but its got a charm to it. Like an old pirate video game load screen.

Michael VanCalbergh@mvcpoet· Jun 21

I only make art to amuse my child. This amused them. Let me know if you want it. Ill sign it if you pay postage. Note: there is a hidden message inside the paper towel roll not pictured. A lil surprise for you. Art time with the kid rules.

Paper towel roll that reads:

This is Peace (peace sign)

This is Money (money sign)

A shadow lays of the peace part suggesting something more. A hand hold the paper towel toll. There is more art stuff in the background.

End of paper towel roll that says:

Dont Look Here! (stupid)

The "o" in dont has a line through it.

You cant really read the word stupid.

Paper towel roll at an angle, longways. The end closest says:

Look!! See your future.

The "o"'s in look are eyes.

Again, a hand holds it. There is blurry stuff used for art time in the background.

Michael VanCalbergh@mvcpoet· Mar 30

Finished Out of Your Mind by Alan Watts yesterday. While most of it was absolutely wonderful and interesting and felt like an intro to Buddhism/ideas around it, I often felt myself just listening and becoming one with the road as I listened. I think that was the point? At least I hope it was.

Image of Out of Your Mind by Alan Watts from the Hoopla App

Cover is a series of green and yellow circles, alternating, that start small on the bottom right and get bigger as they go out.

Theres a little swoopy circle thing on the bottom left thats black. Alan watts name is bigger than anything else.

Michael VanCalbergh@mvcpoet· Mar 21

Just finished reading @anandalima.bsky.social Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil and, honestly, if you are a writer or do anything that requires a serious consideration of craft (however you define it), these stories are for you. Stunning opening story and "Idle Hands" is so so brilliant.

Image of Ananda Lima's Craft: Stories I wrote for the devil.

Cover is beige and has a visual effect of looking into infinite mirrors or smaller books inside cutout parts of the larger books. Like nesting dolls almost. Its legit.

Michael VanCalbergh@mvcpoet· Mar 6

On my drive to work I finished Essays of E.B. White today on my Hoopla! I was surprised by how much I enjoyed his writing about nature and his humor. Genuinely something I wished went on a little longer. My access to Hoopla is through my local library Normal Public! Woot libraries!!

Cover of essays by e b white on the Hoopla app

Michael VanCalbergh@mvcpoet· Mar 4

Just finished reading Jeannine Hall Gailey's "Becoming the Villianness" which was wonderful. So many poems about myth and comics and the poem "Remembering Philomel" made me stop breathing. I dont remember where I got it but it is signed to someone else. My fav kind of book to own. #poetry