Write No Cliches ... Pull No Punches ... And Keep Going All Night

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Josh Baker

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About Josh Baker

Josh Baker

Bio: I am a teacher, a volunteer firefighter, a hiker, a family man, a dabbler in Taoism, Buddhism, and a lover of music of almost all genres. I like drinking ice water on a hot day and I like arm wrestling my demons.

Genres: Poetry--nature, contemplative, political, language
Short stories-- contemporary morose
Screenplays- supernatural westerns

Publishing Credits: Publisher of multiple zines, including Surgical Raisin, Lifting Eye, Freudian Shrimp.

Journalism: Edgeworks, Chicane, PDXS, East County Gazette

Poetry: Rain City Review, Plazm, Eye Rhyme, Adirondack Review, The Alembic, Portland Review, Northwest Literary Forum, Slam! and more.

Two Poetry Chapbooks: This Bright World Not Mine, and Snowteeth

Awards: Some second and third places back in the stone age whose prestigious details wiped clean my memory.

Influences: Cormac McCarthy, Roddy Doyle, Samuel Beckett, Ray Carver, J.D. Salinger, classic science fiction, the vast, lonely landscapes of the American West, and my amazing wife Denise.

Favourite Books: The Barrytown Trilogy, The Last American Man, Blink, Suttree, The Catcher in the Rye, Ham on Rye, more....

On a different day, a completely different list.

Writer, Prizefighter, Or Caffeine Inspired All Nighter?: Prizefighter of the mind, tho I believe in the art of peace

Josh Baker's Groups

Prose Arose: (8 members)
Created by Paul Grimsley

Forum

What Are You Listening To?

Added a post Oct. 22, 2008

I enjoy listening to Pandora radio on the net to get turned on to new music. Mogwai is one of my current favorites, even though I don't own anything by them. Also like our Portland boys the Shins a... Read More »

Ask A Question

Added a reply Aug. 31, 2008

Who knows who among todays authors will be considered classic 50 years from now. Jonathan Lethem? Mark Leyner? Wendy Grimsley or Amanda Walczesky? Only kidding a little. I mean, I am teaching high ... Read More »

Tips: Getting the most out of your WPCIAN experience

Added a post Aug. 31, 2008

Thanks, I needed this! I'll refer back to it often, I am sure. Read More »

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Just Brewed

chimmy chimmy coco puffs left a comment for Josh Baker May 4

Josh Baker's profile changed Mar 5

Josh Baker commented on be there at 8 honey. promise. Feb 23

Josh Baker commented on i work in a shit stained hospital that wins awards for patient care. Feb 23

Josh Baker commented on Humankind Feb 23

Josh Baker left a comment for chimmy chimmy coco puffs Feb 23

Josh Baker commented on For Future Rainy Days Feb 23

Josh Baker commented on A New Migration Feb 23

Josh Baker's Friends

Josh Baker's Writing

A New Migration

Miles pass without words, the vaguely shifting horizon my only beacon.

After briefly gnashing and wheezing like a man with a pulmonary disorder, my old pickup’s transmission dies on a minor highway, twenty miles from the last town. Mountains twice the size of anything I’d seen before loom in all directions, the details of their snow decked upper ridges losi…

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Posted by Josh Baker on February 22nd, 2009 at 7:23pm — 3 Comments (Add)

Snapshot, Highway 95 North

It was Highway 95, north of McDermitt.

The end of a long spring break, rolling,

praying gas would take us to Burns Junction.

For once I’m not driving, so I turn, fidget,

watch twilight rise like a desert tide

over southeast Oregon, clutching my camera.

The hills are draped in golden light.…

Continue Reading…

Posted by Josh Baker on August 14th, 2008 at 1:20pm — 5 Comments (Add)

Translating The Muse

The hardest task in the world

is telling the truth on paper

What is so easy inside the heart

words vein running, bursting with static—

There were no choices then, only reactions

Now each word weighted, balanced

Too, in each line grow implicat…

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Posted by Josh Baker on August 13th, 2008 at 2:56am — 2 Comments (Add)

Comment Wall (10 comments)

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At 5:58pm on May 4th, 2009, chimmy chimmy coco puffs said…: Haven't been on this site in ages... Will check out your goodies. Hope all is finally warming up for you on the mtn. Please, take some of our heat. Looking forward to a possible hook-up. Keep us posted & we'll see if the camp is available. We sold it to relatives, but still have use of it. Happy trails, old buddy.

At 8:02pm on December 25th, 2008, chimmy chimmy coco puffs said…: Merry Christmas to you & all on the Mountain.
We're at about 80 degree weather with mosquitoes big enough to carry away dogs.
Doesn't feel at all like Christmas.
BUT just a week ago, we had snow. Maybe up to 8 inches in a single morning.
That's was lovely.

At 5:38pm on October 24th, 2008, chimmy chimmy coco puffs said…: How goes the world On the Mountain???

Doing pretty good here now that fall has decided to stay most nights, giving me the treat of upper 50s.

Whatcha doing for Samhain/Halloween? Kate's going to visit P-town & the Staubers with a free ticket & i'll stay home with the Mutts. Sorry, but no handmade Halloween cards again this year. I still don't quite feel right enough for them. Maybe for this Solstice! I'll try.

Have you seen Vera Drake? Very good movie by Mike Leigh. Saw it last night. Or W.? I want to see that one.

Happy tails & sweet dreams to all y'guys!!!

At 6:08pm on September 24th, 2008, chimmy chimmy coco puffs said…: Thanks for the vote of companionship. It's so easy to get caught on the reef & drown therein when being an indie writer of no real fame, only one's belief in one's work. Glad you're full speed ahead. We MUST write, MUST read... Hell, with so few books being bought, newspapers & zines being sold, we have to keep up the traditon of reading going or else books won't be burnt, they'll just not be printed.

At 2:43pm on September 5th, 2008, Lynn said…: Hello, Josh. Nice to meet you over here. Maybe we can talk zines sometime. I am not here on Prizefighters as much but I am familiar with the ning set up from other networks so if you need any help, holler.

At 5:29pm on August 31st, 2008, Josh Baker said…: There is so much I do not know about how to best use this site! Oh well.

Jimmy, I'm thinking of you. Strange our last chat was about Katrina. Good luck with Gustav, my curly haired friend.

At 6:37pm on August 22nd, 2008, chimmy chimmy coco puffs said…: Hey, buddy, I hope you didn't think i was address y'guys in my comment about the lack of interest of our fair nation in rebuiliding the Crescent City. It was an overall thrust, having nothing to do with my dear pals living On the Mountain.

By the way, i really like that bio-pic of you. I'm assuming that's Mt. Hood behind you. Is that right? Or some other great, northwestern boulder.

At 4:27pm on August 14th, 2008, Paul Grimsley said…: welcome on board, good to have you here!

At 1:49pm on August 13th, 2008, chimmy chimmy coco puffs said…: Hip-pip-Hurrah! Glad you're here, Freudian Shrimp. Look forward to reading your freshly baked Goodies! "Hey" from
the sweatland to you & yours On The Mountain.