From the Book That noise beat on my ears. A mad saxophone player filled the room with his insanity. My eyes got all crossed trying to keep up with the digital readout running across the clock's face like a flow of red water. I couldn't stand it anymore. That's when I noticed them. From the author: These poems and prose are meant to be a testimony to our honesty as humans. The poems might seem personal, but what is personal is also universal. I invite you to dive in and see my truth and find your story in the poems and stories. Rough Cuts seesaws between poignancy and humor. An elephant, the duckbill platypus, a plague of cicadas, as well as lust and longing rest between these electronic sheets. You'll laugh one minute and the next go, "hmm." 6 9 The world has secrets Behind secrets and Puppets ruled by puppets You think the game is sixty-nine But you're a dog, Dawg Chasing his rainbow tail. Round and round you go Until you wake too late. The catch is twenty-two Three strikes and you're out. # Happy My manhood rots in the garden of cabbage leaves. Where children once grew yellow fat drips and splatters my thighs. My hips are big as money bags and heavy with gold I am suffering. I am happy. # The poem Apocalypse from this book recently appeared on the blog site NEWVERSENEWS.

Introduction to Americana Poems can be reflective or reactionary. In a reflective mood, the poet comments on past events. His or her voice may be calm, wistful, and longing. They are preservers of the moment. When poets put on their reactionary mantle, they are more vocal and want to move themselves and others to action In this small collection, Harvey has both the reflective voice and the force of the reactionary. Viewing the Vietnam War, race relations, and the cultural renaissance of the 1960’s and 1970’s through the prism of a child’s eye shaped Harvey’s views and points of view. The poets Allen Ginsburg, Amiri Baraka, Langston Hughes, and Ai shaped his voice. Excerpt: New York! Herds of humanity Graze on street corner slop and ride in the bellies Of silver worms beneath city gutters Street people are ragged and unfashionably stinky. Everyone else is fashionably ragged. “Andy” sells me a beaded sweater off an old lady’s dead shoulders. A roguish Puerto Rican painter copies A Robert Colescott painting as his own black creation. Got all dressed up to go to the theatre in Harlem. Got there stinky and hot--Harlem, Who bombed it? Noise all night long in Brooklyn. No ugly people live in New York Everyone is Cafe' au lait. Tall boy with five inch hair Sits wide legged on the sub in baggy trousers. His throat is stiff with defiance, But his dark Eyes linger in mine for a moment. Everything is for sale in New York Even a hug from daddy long legs.

You may think with a name like Jethro, our story is a simple tale of a country bumpkin visiting New York City. It’s deeper than that. There’s a restlessness in Jethro’s soul. Plus, he has the quirky habit of barking when he’s nervous. It starts with a low growl when he’s mildly agitated, to a ferocious bark when he feels endangered. Jethro gets fed up with his wife and her cousin after being cooped up in the cousin's tiny apartment. He came to New York to see things, he declares and steps out to explore the city on his own. As he rides the subway he growls under his breath to keep the creeps away (just imagine). He catches the attention of Toni a crossdresser recently released from the army. It becomes a wild weekend of sex and self-discovery until a dangerous encounter with a gang of boys sends Jethro back to the arms of his wife, Eartha Pearl. Is Jethro a changed man? Only time will tell. "Harvey captures the flavor of New York with the best of them." Excerpt: I say, “Now wait a minute, Jethro, you ain’t gonna have no cultural experiences stuck scared here on this stoop. Suppose Columbus had just sat on a stoop all his life. Just suppose. Shit. A man must take action!” While I sit debating, this big white dude in chains and leather walks toward me. Now, these chains ain’t dainty little things you get from Spiegel’s catalog. These chains come from the Navy yard. I mean these chains can lift submarines. He wears three around his neck, five on each wrist, and two on each ankle. Now the chains do not bother me. The fact that he has on funky raw uncured leather does not bother me. Even the glass eye--I hope it’s glass--dangling from his left earlobe on a chain does not bother me. What bothers me is when he turns in my direction, and grabs his grapefruit sized crotch and smiles—that’s what bothers ol’ Jethro here. I say, “Uh oh Jethro, somebody wants you to swing a certain way. And I don’t swing that way.” I wonder why he pick on me? So what if I do have on these black high top sneakers, shorts with Texas bluebonnets all over them, and a pink tee-shirt that says, “I BRAKE FOR MOONERS--that don’t mean I’m gay. Shoot. I’m just a colorful dude. Well okay if you want to count that time when I was in the eighth grade and me and Johnny Scardino grabbed each other’s rods behind the gym bleachers. I wouldn’t have gone back there with him, but he told me he had two and he would show me if I showed him mine. Okay, it tickled and I got a hard-on when he grabbed me and I grabbed him out of reflexes, but I haven’t seen Johnny since the eighth grade. I dreamed about him once, since I been married to Eartha Pearl. But I woke up and made love to Eartha real quick. So anyway I hang my head and growl softly at the man in leather. He must think I’m calling him to dinner ‘cause he moves a little closer. When I see him step, I bark louder. And not yap yap like a poodle either. I’m Doberman and Great Dane combined. I rattle nearby windows. New York people stare at me as they walk by. And they tell me you’re doing something when you can get a New Yorker to stare at you eye-level on the street. The dude slinks away like he’s carrying a tail between his legs. First appeared in Soulfires and Shade.

Perhaps Mick Jagger said it best in his iconic song "I Can't Get No Satisfaction." Edgar an aging transvestite can't get any satisfaction. A warm summer night finds him lonely and in the mood for love. He picks up a young man at a bar, but sex doesn't calm the malice lurking in Edgar's heart. Edgar is torn between jealousy of the guy's youthfulness and yearning to possess the young man forever. This poem is quirky, strange, and speaks to gay men's deep aloneness in today's app-filled quickie love society. The epistle, We Are Here is included. Celebrate what is strange, beautiful, and also what is great about our lives.

For those who love short stories. This collection, Odd Voices in Love, includes the short works of prize-winning author Charles W. Harvey. The title bears witness to love in lust and trouble. Unlike romance novels and stories, these epistles attempt to paint a candid picture of love and the yearning for love. You will note that unrequited or one-sided love weaves a subtle thread through these stories. Sometimes the object of the gushing affection barely acknowledges the bearer of the gift of love. The minister in Minister Q sees Sister Gloria as someone who merely vacuums the carpets. Cheeseburger, a young gang member in the story Cheeseburger, is unaware of Della and the life she's created for him in her head. She loves him, and he unwittingly breaks her heart. Indulge in the World of Unconventional Love with "Odd Voices in Love" In this captivating collection, award-winning author Charles W. Harvey unveils a mosaic of short stories that daringly explore the multifaceted realm of love. Beyond the clichés of traditional romance, "Odd Voices in Love" delves into the complex, heart-rending, and often unexpected facets of human connection. The tales within bear witness to love in all its hues – from the tumultuous depths of desire to the painful grip of unrequited affection. In every story, a subtle thread of one-sided love weaves through the tapestry, depicting how love can be both intoxicating and disheartening. In "Minister Q," Sister Gloria is seen by the minister as one who merely vacuums the rug--emblematic of love's unacknowledged gestures. Meanwhile, "Cheeseburger" paints a poignant picture of Della's unwavering love for the oblivious young gang member, Cheeseburger, who unknowingly shatters her heart. Love, in all its shades, is presented as a beguiling enigma. It transcends conventional boundaries and expectations, occasionally venturing into the obscure and even the sinister. In the chilling tale of "It Began With Drawers," the serial killer Moses seeks to preserve the essence of his victims by hoarding their underwear. Love is unveiled as a violent and eerie force, while other stories delve into the raw and explicit expressions of affection, offering readers a voyeuristic glimpse into intimate moments that redefine desire. Many of these stories have graced the pages of esteemed anthologies and literary magazines, including "When Dogs Bark," "Cheeseburger," and "It Began With Drawers." The collection also introduces "Minister Q" for the first time, enriching the tapestry of unconventional love. As you immerse yourself in these stories, set aside the notions of knights in shining armor and damsels in distress, for, in the realm of love, everyone is bound to encounter their own unique distress. In the end, "Odd Voices in Love" invites you to embark on a thought-provoking and emotionally charged reading journey. We hope that the stories contained within will inspire you to reflect, and perhaps even compel you to share your own voice in the form of a review.

Prepare to dive into a world of enigmatic intrigue, where the lines between reality and absurdity blur, and where truth is stranger than fiction. If you've ever questioned who's really in control—the government or the citizens—this book is your thought-provoking journey. In these pages, you'll encounter a cast of unforgettable characters, each with a story as unique as their names: Mabel Sanger, who ran out of time; Gusta, who died from the generosity of others; and Thomas Jefferson Roosevelt, desperate to send an unusual clock to a Senator. As you navigate this surreal landscape, you'll find yourself pondering the ultimate showdown between Civillains and Psyclopians, a conflict that will challenge your understanding of power, identity, and society itself. In a narrative that seamlessly blends the ordinary with the extraordinary, you'll uncover tales that will have you scratching your head and wondering if the author might have been on to something. Imagination is a powerful force, and within these pages, it's unleashed to its fullest potential. Can you decipher the hidden truths that lie beneath the surface of these bizarre stories? Join us on a mind-bending journey where the unexpected becomes the norm, and where every page holds the potential to make you question the world as you know it. Are you ready to explore a world where imagination knows no bounds and the quest for understanding never truly ends? If you are a fan of George Orwell, you will love this book. Excerpt: As Mabel Marie bounced through the smoky doors of the LaSalle Building, a cicada landed in the uppermost region of her tall hair. And when I say tall hair, I mean Texas-sized hair with blond locks where the bees get lightheaded flying in and around the hive. A mute in a tattered coat and missing his fingers on his right hand, except his middle finger, pointed and sputtered at her head. He sprinkled Mabel Marie's blue suit coat with spittle. She reciprocated with a rude gesture. His face turned purple, and he stabbed at her furiously with his one finger. "You too, buddy," Mabel Marie said as she continued down New Hampshire Avenue. She dug in her handbag found a wad of Kleenex and dabbed her sleeve. She looked around as she crossed Constitution Avenue. The man stared at her. Mabel Marie kept on down the street. She wondered whether the Director was somehow mixed up in this nuttiness. He was the kind of man who would stoop as low as a Texas rattlesnake, Mabel Marie thought. Excerpt: As Mabel Marie bounced through the smoky doors of the LaSalle Building, a cicada landed in the uppermost region of her tall hair. And when I say tall hair, I mean Texas-sized hair with blond locks where the bees get lightheaded flying in and around the hive. A mute in a tattered coat and missing his fingers on his right hand, except his middle finger, pointed and sputtered at her head. He sprinkled Mabel Marie's blue suit coat with spittle. She reciprocated with a rude gesture. His face turned purple, and he stabbed at her furiously with his one finger. "You too, buddy," Mabel Marie said as she continued down New Hampshire Avenue. She dug in her handbag and found a wad of Kleenex and dabbed her sleeve. She looked around as she crossed Constitution. The man stared at her. Mabel Marie kept on down the street. She wondered whether the Director was somehow mixed up in this nuttiness. He was the kind of man who would stoop as low as a Texas rattlesnake, Mabel Marie thought.

Urban Tales are about us, at least some of us. They are about us being funny and about us loving, lusting, and sexing. Only us could have "Dozens" players in our Christmas story. Only us know how to tip over on the down-low. These stories are streetwise, but yet will make you think and won't shortchange you. These are long and short stories. They are gritty and heart touching. Characters speak in elegant voices and raw urban tongues. The raw truth can make you uncomfortable, and maybe make you cry. But the truth will never bore you. After you've read this book, feel free to check out the big books: Maura and Her Two Husbands, Minister Q, Ebenezer Jenkins' Christmas in Chicago, and much more to come.