The Devil’s Workshop

by Kim Stafford, Oregon Poet Laureate, 2018-2020



To torture your neighbors, some devil said,

I give you my multi-tool that hits so many irritants at once: 

it deafens workers so their ears ring, it kicks up killing dust to sicken children,

it spews more poisons to taint the sky in a mere half hour than a truck driving

from the Texas plains to Alaska, and all to hustle leaves from yard to bin.



Have you seen one such contraption chase a single leaf to pirouette

in the blue plume that’s killing us? Have you gritted your teeth

and hated the neighbor you recently enjoyed? Have you missed

your meditative hour with rake and rain, as you walked your way

from summer into fall? My friend, the bar is low. We can do better.

Kim Stafford - Leaf Blower Poem

A song I submitted to Shady Pines Radio which was played on air 1.22.23

Albert Kaufman, Thanks For Playing My Song

Happy birthday by Kieran

Here's one of my made-up songs for this year's Retreat. Enjoy!

Photo from Burning Man 2005 or 2008

Songwriter Soiree Retreat 2023 Albert Kaufman, 7.28.23

Ben Sings  Go See Bert and Debris

Matt Burns interviews Albert Kaufman at the close of Beloved festival #11 - about life, the universe and everything. Enjoy

Albert Beloved Interview 8-13-18

Here's Ben Bochner singing some of his great songs. He passed in May of 2018.

Albert Kaufman

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