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See YouTube video of the 6/20/15 Janet Kuypers show “Poetic Shades of Chocolate” in 10 Shades of Chocolate in 10 Shades of Chocolate in Chicago, w/ the poems Under his Bed, oxygen to flame the fire, Fuming in the Morning, PDQ in Tin Foil 2015, melted marshmallow 2015, grandmother charged with murder 2015, Before Taking Over the Controls 2015, and Empty Chocolate Counter (this video was filmed from a Canon fs200 camera; posted on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr). #janetkuypers #janetkuyperspoetryshow

See YouTube video of the 6/20/15 Janet Kuypers show “Poetic Shades of Chocolate” in 10 Shades of Chocolate in 10 Shades of Chocolate in Chicago, w/ the poems Under his Bed, oxygen to flame the fire, Fuming in the Morning, PDQ in Tin Foil 2015, melted marshmallow 2015, grandmother charged with murder 2015, Before Taking Over the Controls 2015, and Empty Chocolate Counter (this video was filmed from a Canon Power Shot camera; posted on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr). #janetkuyperspoetryshow

Download these poems in the free chapbook Poetic Shades of Chocolate w/ poems read 6/20/15 at 10 Shades of Chocolate show in Chicago

See YouTube video from 5/3/17 of Janet Kuypers’ May 2017 Book Release Reading at Half Price Books, reading her haiku “uphill” then read her prose “Driving by his House” in “Hands that Hurt”, then her poems “Medication” and “Empty Chocolate Counter” in “Things Found in Books” (Sony camera; on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr). #janetkuypers #janetkuyperspoetry #janetkuypersbookreading

See YouTube video from 5/3/17 of Janet Kuypers’ May 2017 Book Release Reading at Half Price Books, reading her haiku “uphill” then read her prose “Driving by his House” in “Hands that Hurt”, then her poems “Medication” and “Empty Chocolate Counter” in “Things Found in Books” (Lumix camera; on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr). #janetkuypers #janetkuyperspoetry #janetkuypersbookreading

See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her “Love” show poem “Electricity”, then her “Poetic Shades of Chocolate” show poem “Empty Chocolate Counter”, and then her “Love” show poem “Jihadists and Astrophysics”, all read from her 2014-2015 Chicago poetry performance art book “a year long Journey” at the “Spoken and Heard” open mic @ Kick Butt Coffee 11/4/18 (filmed from a Panasonic Lumix T56 camera).

See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her “Love” show poem “Electricity”, then her “Poetic Shades of Chocolate” show poem “Empty Chocolate Counter”, and then her “Love” show poem “Jihadists and Astrophysics”, all read from her 2014-2015 Chicago poetry performance art book “a year long Journey” at the “Spoken and Heard” open mic @ Kick Butt Coffee 11/4/18 (filmed from a Panasonic Lumix 2500 camera).

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.

Empty Chocolate Counter Janet Kuypers 5/21/15, edited for 6/20/15 show 5/31/15 I used to save what change I could when I was little and I’d ride my bike to the Plush Horse ice cream parlour to get a scoop of their chocolate chocolate chip ice cream (that’s chocolate ice cream with chocolate chips)... But once I got a job there, only boys were allowed to scoop ice cream there. But it was under new management — the brother of the owner of Dove chocolates took it over, and I was hired to work for their brand-new candy counter. So now, for the first time, this ice cream parlour was open year round, and I was there to sell chocolates. So, in the winter it’s safe to say it wasn’t very busy. I was there in the winter to sell chocolates to no one along side the designated male ice cream scooper... Now, I couldn’t get away with eating the individual chocolates for sale there, they’d keep track of their inventory, but their ice cream, made in the back room, was harder to keep track of. So, every time I worked in the winter I’d make myself a twenty-for ounce chocolate chocolate chip shake out of chocolate ice cream with chocolate chips (and added fudge, of course). But one Tuesday night in February, I was sitting in a chair behind my counter, with my precious chocolate ice cream and chocolate chip shake, with fudge — my shake was in my hand as the side door opened, right in front of my counter. And that’s when the owner, came through the door. So I stashed my shake under the counter and stood at attention. “Hello, how are you sir?” I asked, and he just grumbled, mumbled he was fine and he walked to the back office. Whew... But another day at work with the boss, when deliveries were dropped off, I picked up a larger box and the owner then stopped me. “Wait, that’s heavy — you shouldn’t carry that.” And I laughed, explaining that I carry fifty pound salt blocks for our water softener, that I’m fine. I think maybe him seeing that women can stand up for themselves made it okay, in the heat of summer when the lines are out the door for ice cream, for me to leave the empty chocolate counter and be the first girl there to ever scoop ice cream with the big boys. # Looking back, you may say I’m a feminist pioneer by being the first female to scoop ice cream there, but when I look back I don’t see it that way. I just remember home-made chocolate ice cream with chocolate chips, molasses bits and added fudge, and that, my friends, was whipped into the perfect shake — no matter which gender did the work.

 

(long version) Empty Chocolate Counter Janet Kuypers 5/21/15 So when I was in high school, my first job was at the Plush Horse ice cream parlour — now, it’s been around for years in the same historic building with the same classic ice cream recipes... And the added bonus was that it was five blocks away from my house. I used to save what change I could when I was little and I’d ride my bike to the Plush Horse ice cream parlour to get a scoop of their chocolate chocolate chip ice cream... Once I got a job there, I discovered they were still old-fashioned there — only males were hired to scoop ice cream. (You see, that’s because us girls aren’t strong enough to wield an ice cream scooper for all those customers.) But the ice cream parlour was under new management — the brother of the owner of Dove chocolates took it over, and I was hired to work for their brand-new candy counter. So now, unlike years past, this ice cream parlour was no longer seasonal, and I got to sell chocolates all winter long. So, for the first time, the historic Plush Horse was selling chocolates at their ice cream parlour that was never open in the dead of winter. So, it’s fair to say that in the winter it wasn’t very busy. So, I always had shifts on dark winter nights, selling chocolates to no one along side the designated male ice cream scooper. And without customers we’d screw around or do our homework, or listen to music or read a book. Now, I couldn’t get away with eating the individual chocolates for sale there, they would keep track of their inventory, but when it came to the ice cream, they made it in the back room, and that was harder to keep track of. So, there’d be too many nights where I’d get to make myself a twenty-for ounce chocolate chocolate chip shake (with added fudge, of course). But one night, it was probably on a Tuesday night in February, I was sitting in a low chair behind my counter, I had a paperback book in my left hand, and my precious chocolate chocolate chip shake (with added fudge, of course) in my right hand. I was leaning back with my shake in my hand and before I got a chance to open my book the side door opened, right in front of my counter. I was expecting a customer coming in for ice cream at the other side of the store — but I saw the owner, the brother of mister Dove chocolates, the brother of mister Dove Bar himself, I saw the owner pushing open the door. My brain went into instant panic mode. So in one sweeping gesture I stashed my book and my shake under the counter and stood at attention, hiding the chair behind my wide skirt. The store was empty, but like a good soldier I asked, “Hello sir, how are you?” (wondering if he would scream that I wasn’t standing at attention in the dead of winter when there were no customers in the store), and he just grumbled (probably because he’s such a busy businessman), he said that he was fine while he walked to the back office. Whew. Just move the chair and the chocolate chocolate chip shake (with added fudge, of course) out of sight... Another day at work with the boss, when deliveries were dropped off, I picked up a larger box to bring to the back and the owner protested. “Wait, those packages are heavy — you couldn’t carry that.” And I laughed, explaining that we carried fifty pound salt blocks for our water softener, that I’m fine. I think maybe him seeing that women can stand up for themselves made it okay, in the heat of summer when the lines are out the door for ice cream, for me to leave the empty chocolate counter and be the first girl there to ever scoop ice cream with the big boys. # I always liked that chocolate chocolate chip shake (with added fudge, of course), and now I go back every few years to try a scoop of chocolate chocolate chip ice cream. The thing that made it so great was that it also included small molasses chunks, so there were extremely tiny candy treats in almost every lick. The last time or two I’ve been to the Plush Horse ice cream parlour, there were next to no molasses pieces in it. I know there’s a new owner again, and I am afraid that cutting corners means the classic recipes are forever lost. So I’m afraid that now I have one less place to satiate my sweet tooth and get my chocolate fix again.

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