[the Writing of Kuypers] [JanetKuypers.com] [Bio] [Poems] [Prose]
Look, over here, in my living room.
Why did you have to go. Why
Okay, look here, the remote for the
Why did you do this to me. Why
There’s still some of your messages
When you left me, why did you
Watch the YouTube video
from the show Stop. live 09/10/02 in Chicago
Or see the full “Stop” show
including the performance of this piece, as a .mov file, an .mp4 file, or as a raw .ogv file, from the Internet Archive
Watch the YouTube video
of a 10 minute portion of the 09/10/02 poetry show Stop, including this piece
Listen live 
from the 03/03/02 CD
& the Chicago 09/10/02 performance
art show Stop. Look. Listen.
Watch the YouTube video
(2:24) 03/16/08 live, WordSlingers radio feature, WLUW Chicago radio 88.9FM
Listen: (2:52)
to this recording from Fusion
And order this track, or ANY track, off the cd Fusion available at iTunes.
Watch this YouTube video
read live 09/06/11, at the Café open mike she hosts in Chicago
Watch this Complete feature video of Kuypers live 09/06/11, at the Café open mike in Chicago, performing readings (including this writing) from the book Contents Under Pressure
Watch the YouTube video
of Kuypers reading this poem 5/9/12 at Gallery Cabaret’s the Café Gallery in Chicago (read with the U.K. poet Oz Hardwick, plus w/ recorded music from Francois Le Roux) from the Sony
See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her poems “The State of the Nation (2016 edit)” (because it was Constitution Day), “All These Reminders” & “And I’m Wondering” 9/18/16 at the Austin music open mic Kick Butt Poetry (this video was filmed with a Canon Power Shot camera).
See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her poems “The State of the Nation (2016 edit)” (because it was Constitution Day), “All These Reminders” & “And I’m Wondering” 9/18/16 at the Austin music open mic Kick Butt Poetry (this video was filmed with a Sony camera).
See a 36+ minute YouTube video of Janet Kuypers and Thom Woodruff going back and forth with poetry; where Janet Kuypers read her poems “Helping Men in Public Places”, “I Want”, and “Last Before Extinction”, then John Yotko read a poem he just wrote the day before, then Janet Kuypers read her poems “Warren Stories” and “Kurt Irons”, then Thom spoke, then Janet Kuypers read her poems “Never Did the Same”, “All These Reminders”, “Who You Tell Your Dreams To”, and “You and Me and Your Girlfriend”, then Thom spoke, then Janet Kuypers read her poems “My Mother My Mother My Mother”, then her prose “NASA Project”. and finally her poem “Moonlight”, all read from her performance art collection book “Chapter 38 v1” 4/29/18 at Austin’s the 2018 Poetry Bomb at the Baylor Street Art Wall (this video was filmed from a Panasonic Lumix T56 camera; posted on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr). #janetkuypers #janetkuyperspoetry #janetkuypersbookreading #janetkuyperspoetrybomb
See a 36+ minute YouTube video of Janet Kuypers and Thom Woodruff going back and forth with poetry; where Janet Kuypers read her poems “Helping Men in Public Places”, “I Want”, and “Last Before Extinction”, then John Yotko read a poem he just wrote the day before, then Janet Kuypers read her poems “Warren Stories” and “Kurt Irons”, then Thom spoke, then Janet Kuypers read her poems “Never Did the Same”, “All These Reminders”, “Who You Tell Your Dreams To”, and “You and Me and Your Girlfriend”, then Thom spoke, then Janet Kuypers read her poems “My Mother My Mother My Mother”, then her prose “NASA Project”. and finally her poem “Moonlight”, all read from her performance art collection book “Chapter 38 v1” 4/29/18 at Austin’s the 2018 Poetry Bomb at the Baylor Street Art Wall (this video was filmed from a Panasonic Lumix 2500 camera; posted on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr). #janetkuypers #janetkuyperspoetry #janetkuypersbookreading #janetkuyperspoetrybomb
See YouTube video live 10/19/19 at Austin’s “Open Mic Showcase”, where Janet Kuypers read poems from a variety of books in multiple rounds to the live audience at the bookstore. In round 1, Janet Kuypers reads her poem “On This Day” from her poetry book “Every Event of the Year (Volume one: January-June)”, then her poem “Eight to Sixteen” (for her “Nerves of a Poet” feature) from her poetry book “a year long Journey”, and then her Periodic Table poem “Einsteinium” from The Cafe Gallery poetry book “the Chosen Few”. In round 2, Janet Kuypers reads her poem “Empty Chocolate Counter” from her poetry book “Every Event of the Year (Volume one: January-June)”, then her poem “Lord have Mercy” (for her “Nerves of a Poet” feature) from her poetry book “a year long Journey”, and then her poem “Andrew Hettinger” from the cc&d 2019 re-release of the May 2008 v184 book “That was the Time”, In round 3, Janet Kuypers reads her poem “Vatican Turned into a Whorehouse” from her poetry book “Every Event of the Year (Volume one: January-June)”, then her poem “Star Trek, Star Wars, and Storm Troopers” from her poetry book “a year long Journey”, and then her poem “Chess Game Again” from the cc&d 2019 re-release of the May 2008 v184 book “That was the Time”, then her bonus poem “Every Day is Sweetest Day”, written that morning, on Sweetest Day, 10/19/19. In round 4, Janet Kuypers reads her poem “Vanquished by the Sleeping Giant” from her poetry book “Every Event of the Year (Volume one: January-June)”, then her poem “Young Dreams from a Potential Legend” (for her “Bases Loaded” feature) from her poetry book “a year long Journey”, and then her poem “All These Reminders” from the cc&d 2019 re-release of the May 2008 v184 book “That was the Time”. In round 5, Janet Kuypers reads her poem “Uphill Battles lead to Changing It Up” from her poetry book “Every Event of the Year (Volume one: January-June)”, then her poem “Violent Affair” (for her “Nerves of a Poet” feature) from her poetry book “a year long Journey”, and then her poem “She Told Me Her Dreams (one)” from the cc&d 2019 re-release of the May 2008 v184 book “That was the Time”. In round 6, Janet Kuypers reads her poem “Knowing Panic Becomes a Picnic” from her poetry book “Every Event of the Year (Volume one: January-June)”, then her poems “People’s Rights Misunderstood”, and “New Vacuum Cleaner” from the cc&d 2019 re-release of the May 1996 v79 book “Poetry and Prose” (this video was filmed from a Panasonic Lumix 2500 camera); on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram & Tumblr.
See YouTube video live 10/19/19 at Austin’s “Open Mic Showcase”, where Janet Kuypers read poems from a variety of books in multiple rounds to the live audience at the bookstore. In round 1, Janet Kuypers reads her poem “On This Day” from her poetry book “Every Event of the Year (Volume one: January-June)”, then her poem “Eight to Sixteen” (for her “Nerves of a Poet” feature) from her poetry book “a year long Journey”, and then her Periodic Table poem “Einsteinium” from The Cafe Gallery poetry book “the Chosen Few”. In round 2, Janet Kuypers reads her poem “Empty Chocolate Counter” from her poetry book “Every Event of the Year (Volume one: January-June)”, then her poem “Lord have Mercy” (for her “Nerves of a Poet” feature) from her poetry book “a year long Journey”, and then her poem “Andrew Hettinger” from the cc&d 2019 re-release of the May 2008 v184 book “That was the Time”, In round 3, Janet Kuypers reads her poem “Vatican Turned into a Whorehouse” from her poetry book “Every Event of the Year (Volume one: January-June)”, then her poem “Star Trek, Star Wars, and Storm Troopers” from her poetry book “a year long Journey”, and then her poem “Chess Game Again” from the cc&d 2019 re-release of the May 2008 v184 book “That was the Time”, then her bonus poem “Every Day is Sweetest Day”, written that morning, on Sweetest Day, 10/19/19. In round 4, Janet Kuypers reads her poem “Vanquished by the Sleeping Giant” from her poetry book “Every Event of the Year (Volume one: January-June)”, then her poem “Young Dreams from a Potential Legend” (for her “Bases Loaded” feature) from her poetry book “a year long Journey”, and then her poem “All These Reminders” from the cc&d 2019 re-release of the May 2008 v184 book “That was the Time”. In round 5, Janet Kuypers reads her poem “Uphill Battles lead to Changing It Up” from her poetry book “Every Event of the Year (Volume one: January-June)”, then her poem “Violent Affair” (for her “Nerves of a Poet” feature) from her poetry book “a year long Journey”, and then her poem “She Told Me Her Dreams (one)” from the cc&d 2019 re-release of the May 2008 v184 book “That was the Time”. In round 6, Janet Kuypers reads her poem “Knowing Panic Becomes a Picnic” from her poetry book “Every Event of the Year (Volume one: January-June)”, then her poems “People’s Rights Misunderstood”, and “New Vacuum Cleaner” from the cc&d 2019 re-release of the May 1996 v79 book “Poetry and Prose” (this video was filmed from a Panasonic Lumix T56 camera); on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram & Tumblr.
See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her poems “Gift of Motherhood 1”, “Thank You, Women Who Work I”, “Coslow’s”, “Chicago, West Side”, “All These Reminders”, “She Told Me Her Dreams I”, “Childhood Memories I”, “Christmas Eve”, “Flooded War Memories”, and “There I Sit”, in this “Slinging the Word” WLUW Chicago 88/3 FM Radio supplement from the cc&d July-December 2018 expanded issue collection book “Among the Debris” live 8/11/20 in her Tuesday night “Buidlers Book Club” reading (Panasonic Lumix 2500 camera; posted on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Tumblr).
See a Facebook live video stream of Janet Kuypers reading her poems “Gift of Motherhood 1”, “Thank You, Women Who Work I”, “Coslow’s”, “Chicago, West Side”, “All These Reminders”, “She Told Me Her Dreams I”, “Childhood Memories I”, “Christmas Eve”, “Flooded War Memories”, and “There I Sit”, in this “Slinging the Word” WLUW Chicago 88/3 FM Radio supplement from the cc&d July-December 2018 expanded issue collection book “Among the Debris” live 8/11/20 in her Tuesday night “Buidlers Book Club” reading (video filmed & streamed from a Samsung S9 camera).
See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her poems “Being God”, “I’m Thinking About Myself Too Much”, and “All These Reminders” from the the cyberwit.net 137-page 5½" x 8½" poetry book “Eternal Never Ending Now” to close the “Poetic License virtual open mic 4/4/21” she hosted through a Zoom meeting and a Facebook event page (this video was filmed from a Panasonic Lumix 2500 camera; on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram and Tumblr). #janetkuypers #janetkuyperspoetry #janetkuypersbookreading #janetkuyperspoeticlicense
See a Facebook live video stream of Janet Kuypers reading her poems “Being God”, “I’m Thinking About Myself Too Much”, and “All These Reminders” from the the cyberwit.net 137-page 5½" x 8½" poetry book “Eternal Never Ending Now” to close the “Poetic License virtual open mic 4/4/21” she hosted w/ a Zoom meeting & a Facebook event page (filmed & streamed w/ a Samsung S9 camera). #janetkuypers #janetkuyperspoetry #janetkuypersbookreading #janetkuyperspoeticlicense
All These Reminders
You left an empty bottle of beer
on the end table. The cap, too.
And come here, follow me, over here,
in the kitchen, look in here, see,
you left some of your food in the pantry.
A box of spaghetti, some canned
tomatoes. And come here, in the bathroom,
I know you probably won’t notice this,
but here, this towel, it smells like
you, is smells like your shaving cream.
And I could swear my crumpled bed
sheets are still warm from you.
does this have to seem so hard.
television is on the arm of the chair,
where you always leave it. And the cocktail
table, it’s pushed forward on one side
because you’d always rest your feet
on it. Everywhere I look around me,
I see something that you affected.
I look in the kitchen. I look in the
dining room. I look in the mirror.
couldn’t you have made a clean break.
scribbled on scraps of paper next to
the phone in the kitchen. And look,
the pillow on the couch is bunched
up because you could never get
comfortable with it. And over here,
the phone books are out on the
kitchen counter, you never put them
away, and here they are, still sitting
out, I’ll have to put them back in the
cabinet. and look here, why do I
still have all of your love letters
stuffed into a drawer in my desk.
have to leave me all these reminders.
Copyright Janet Kuypers.
All rights reserved. No material
may be reprinted without express permission.
