HardDrive/SoftWear - by Dianne Borsenik (CC#2)

HardDrive/SoftWear is a chapbook by Elyria/Cleveland poet Dianne Borsenik, published 10 March 2009 by Crisis Chronicles Press. Refreshing as a mint julep, it features some of Borsenik's tastiest early poems.  

HardDrive/SoftWear is 30 pages, 8.5" x 5.5", inkjet printed on cool mint green paper, saddle staple bound using speckled cream card stock.  Design and cover photo by editor John Burroughs.  Approximately 250 copies in print (we've lost count).

Here's a sample:  

    Muse
             
   She has been with you again,
   I can tell.
   You have that furtive look
   about you, and you have the smell
   of ink on your breath.
   I know that she has taken you
   by your thin white wrist,
   and caressed the fine hair
   that furs your arm.  I imagine
   her guiding your hand
   to her lap, you touching her,
   her touching you. 
   I close my eyes, and I can see
   her moving closer to you, whispering
   in your ear, her exhalations
   hot on your stubbled cheek.
   I know
   you took her
   in your arms, opened your lips
   for her kiss; I know you let her
   explore your teeth, the roof of your
   mouth, your tongue.

   And I am quite certain
   that when you wake up
   in the morning, the indentation
   of her wanton form
   will be reflected in the crumpled sheets
   of your poetry.  
 

Poet's biography (as of 2009, from the chapbook):

Dianne Borsenik, former flower child, current redhead, and Ohioan born and bred, lives in a temple of happiness with her husband James.  She is active in the Cleveland poetry scene and attends as many local readings as possible.  She has been the featured reader at Mac's Backs in Coventry, Borders in Akron, the Collingwood Arts Center in Toledo, Bela Dubby in Lakewood, the Poet’s Haven podcast at Phoenix Coffee in South Euclid, and was the "house poet" at Northrops Books in Olmsted Falls, Ohio.  Her signature poem "Lovechild" was chosen by the RTA "Moving Minds" Project to ride the buses and trains of Cleveland in 2008, and her poem "HardDrive/SoftWear" was chosen for inclusion in the 2009 Cleveland RTA project.  She is also co-founder of the Lix and Kix poetry series.

Her poems, haiku, and lyrics have appeared in a number of publications, including: the Voices of Cleveland anthology, The New Haiku anthology (Great Britain), Slipstream, Nerve Cowboy, Ship Of Fools, Blue Unicorn, iota (Great Britain), Modern Haiku, Frogpond, Haiku World: An International Poetry Almanac, Ko (Japan), Lyricist Review, The Magnetic Poetry Book Of Poetry, The City Poetry, Zygote In My Coffee (online), The Cartier Street Review, and Naturally magazine.  Actor Jonathan Frid, who played "Barnabas" on Dark Shadows, used three of her poems in his one-man performance Genesis Of Evil.

Find Dianne Borsenik at www.dianneborsenik.com and www.nightballet.com.

Click here to read the title poem from HardDrive/SoftWear in Mnemosyne.
Click here to read "Greenheart" and here to read "Blue Moon" in the Crisis Chronicles.
Click here to see reviews of HardDrive/SoftWear at Goodreads.