David J Bauman

My dad turns 90 years old tomorrow and we are planning a surprise party, well, we’re going for mild surprise. Nobody will be jumping out from behind furniture and shouting “SURPRISE!” We don’t want it to be his last birthday. He and I haven’t always gotten along. When I was 16 I ran away from home.

But instead of telling you about all of that, I’d rather direct you to a poem that was just published (talk about timing!) in volume 15.1 of Blood Orange Review. Follow this link to read “Noriega Dies the Morning I Visit Dad.” And if you’d like, you can push the play button and listen to me read it while you follow along.

Thanks so much! And thanks to the editors of Blood Orange Review for giving this important poem an excellent home. You really should treat yourself to the entire issue. There’s so much meaty work in there.