WD Snodgrass has a dog with my name

WD Snodgrass has a dog with my name

Not properly attired in shorts and a football jersey

at Hollywood and Highland, I arrive early

to read poetry at the International Society

of Poetry Convention, not waking, poets forgot

the 7am early morning reading, my hunger

an unquenched poetic thirst, I enter the Renaissance

Hotel restaurant, breakfast is good, but not

for 12 dollars, the matter de sat me

in the corner, no one could see me, I could see

everyone.  Jesse James said never sit

with your back to the door, you may get shot,

As I start to eat my Cascadia

WD Snodgrass is seated next to me

Like a crazed stalker fan, I jump to his table

to give him a copy of my book.  WD

said I don’t want to be your teacher or your mentor

 I just will say one thing, thank you.

I signed my book I love your poetry, Howard Yosha.

I sat down excited unable to swallow, moth full of glue,

WD Snodgrass got up came to my table to bother me.

He asked what is the derivation of your name?

Yosha is Hebrew for Joshua, Yashua

He said I named my dog Yosha from a character

from Dostoyevsky’s book Brothers Karamazov

his life patted my bowed head protected by a glove,

So, dumbfound, my claim to fame,

 WD Snodgrass has a dog with my name