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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” (video 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” (video filmed from a Panasonic Lumix T56 camera); on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram & Tumblr.

See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her cc&d 5/20 “Imagination” book poems “Vexing”, “Just Names”, “Vatican Turned into a Whorehouse”, and “Journals Extinguished” during the “Poetic License open mic 5/3/20 home edition” she hosted in Austin, but globally through a Facebook event page (filmed from a Panasonic Lumix 2500 camera; posted on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Tumblr).

See Facebook live video of Janet Kuypers reading her cc&d 5/20 “Imagination” book poems “Vexing”, “Just Names”, “Vatican Turned into a Whorehouse”, and “Journals Extinguished” during the “Poetic License open mic 5/3/20 home edition” she hosted in Austin, but globally through a Facebook event page (from a Samsung S9 camera).

See a YouTube video of Janet Kuypers reading her poems “Vexing”, “Just Names”, “Vatican Turned into a Whorehouse”, and “Journals Extinguished” from the v297 “Imagination” section of the cc&d 5-8 2020 collection book “One with the Mountain” live 8/5/20 (from a Panasonic Lumix 2500 camera; posted on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Tumblr).

See a Facebook live video stream of Janet Kuypers reading her poems “Vexing”, “Just Names”, “Vatican Turned into a Whorehouse”, and “Journals Extinguished” from the v297 “Imagination” section of the cc&d 5-8 2020 collection book “One with the Mountain” live 8/5/20 (video filmed & streamed from a Samsung S9 camera).

Vatican Turned into           a Whorehouse Janet Kuypers 5/16/19 (written on the Day Pope John XII died) When you think of the religiously pious, you might think of someone like the Pope — a pillar of piety, faith, chastity, self-sacrifice and devotion that millions of followers admire. But people who don’t know their history might not know Pope John XII, who died some one thousand fifty years ago in May. He became the Holy Father only as a teen because Octavianus’ father, the self-styled prince of Rome, made the Roman Nobles swear that his son would be Pope when the living Pope died. When he did, Octavianus became John XII, all when he was less than eighteen years old. Becoming Pope John XII didn’t change Octavianus, since he preferred living like a Chicago mob kingpin versus someone selflessly sacrificing in sacrament. For a few ideas of what made Pope John XII stand out, let’s start with the fact that he turned the papal palace into a whorehouse, he fornicated with concubines, widows, and even his own niece. Living his whole life in vanity and adultery, he even castrated and murdered a cardinal. Then again, he blinded and murdered his confessor. He took money for ordaining bishops (hey, that sounds kind of like an ex-governor of mine in Illinois) — he even ordained a 10-year-old as a bishop, and once ordained a deacon in a stable. This is the kind of Pope that refused to make the sign of the cross, he toasted to the Devil and invoked the names of Pagan Gods while playing dice games (and when he lost, not unlike how many now think of the church, he would use papal funds to pay off his debts). When he first became Pope, he worried about his enemies, so he formed an alliance with Otto I, the king of Germany. But under Otto’s new title as the Roman Emperor, Otto realized that John was unreliable, immoral and a crook (those aren’t my words, but the words of a historian and professor). So Otto deposed John from the papacy and put in a puppet Pope (you know, a “puppet Pope”), but John, while in exile, recruited an army so he could go back and reclaim his throne. Otto charged back to Rome to get rid of John once and for all, but by the time Otto got there, Pope John XII was already dead, at age twenty-nine. There are no accounts of how Pope John XII actually died... Some wonder if an enraged husband exacted his revenge after catching John in bed with his wife. But Otto’s historian postulated that the Devil himself wanted one of his most faithful servants back at his side again. Either way, for his nine years this one man could truly be called the most wicked of popes. Now, most may say Pope John XII was a robber and a murderer, but most forget that he actually worked for reform in the church — and considering some of the improprieties ascribed to men of the cloth now, maybe that’s not such a bad idea. Even if there is no salvation for Pope John XII, he’s good to keep in mind when you think you may have morally strayed.

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