heidicuda's Blog

L.A. Girl/L.A. World

It’s been a spell since we’ve done an edition of L.A. Girl/L.A. World, but we’re back in the saddle tonight and dedicating this one to Iris Berry, who co-founded the Ringling Sisters—an all-female, rock ‘n’ roll, spoken-word group—and whose latest publication, “Sirens: Five Femme Fatale Poets,” is helping cement her status as a literary icon in heels.

Berry, who also authored the short story collection, "Two Blocks East of Vine," and the spoken-word CD, "Life on the Edge in Stilettos," is scheduled to read from "Sirens" this coming Sunday, Sept. 7, at 5 p.m. at Skylight Books (1818 N. Vermont Ave. in Los Feliz). She'll be joined by a posse of other Hollywood bad girls at a post-lit party (7 p.m.ish) at the nearby Edendale Grill & Mixville Bar (2838 Rowena Ave.). 

"'Sirens' is a full spectrum of 25 years of my writing," says Berry, who credits Raymond Chandler, James Ellroy, Damon Runyon and Charles Bukowski for inspiration. "My work tends to lean on the 'noir' side of life."

Below is a sneak peak from “Sirens” (Sisyphus Press):

"56 REASONS TO GO DOWNTOWN"

by Iris Berry

Johnny Thunders did it,
because Lenny Bruce did it.
Honey did it too.
Because Art Pepper did it,
he did it cause Charlie Parker did it.
Look at Keith Richards.
I'm a sensitive artist too.
Yeah, I'm a rebel
and the scenes really dead.
And I can't afford to go to
Europe this summer.
And I wanna buck the fitness kick.
And private property is really an out moded concept.
Because I like hanging out in pawn shops.
Because I like losing friends and meeting scum.
Anyway it's all society's fault
you know Darby Crash,
Sid and Nancy.
Look, your boyfriend does it
your girlfriend does it.
If I wanna sleep on the bathroom floor,
If I wanna sleep in my breakfast,
If I wanna sleep in my dinner,
If I wanna die watching TV,
it's my business,
and besides I've got it all under control.
I do it only twice a week at the most,
so quite hasseling me.
It's rock and roll,
it's the Rolling Stones
and didn't Edie Sedgwick look so cool in
Ciao Manhattan?
She was out on the edge
and I like being out on the edge
just like Burroughs
just like Thunders,
yeah, Johnny Thunders did it
Look, I know I'm propping up
3rd World dictatorships,
but I'm not hurting anyone else
and besides, I've been clean for a whole week
so quite hasseling me
I've got it under all control.

(photo credit Keirda Baruth)