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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 5, 2010)
4 street roots F‘é b.5,2010 Writer, artist, vendor; a contemporary classic STAFF REPORTS arren Alexander moved back to Portland in 2003 after two years * away. Only it wasn’t the same town he left It was, as he said, a little bit meaner. There had been the murder of a homeless woman on the Steel Bridge. There had been A t right, one o f the death of Kendra James at the hands of Darren Alexander’s . police, and a feeling that things were simply Print images. Below less friendly than when he had left just two is one o f his works years before. Published in Write So Darren works bn his own world, the Around Portland’s world of an artist and a writer, a volunteer 2008 anthology. in his community, and an avid reader and student of his surroundings. And, when he’s not doing all of the above, you’ll find him selling Street Roots at NE 15th and Alberta at the Alberta Coop. But the arts are his first love. “I’m still working on artwork, taking art classes on Tuesday mornings and Thursday nights,” Darren says. T v é dabbled in it for years. When I was growing up, I wanted to < be an architect, of all things. I drew buildings.” Several of Darren’s works were featured' in a 2008 exhibit at Warner Pacific College from artists at Julia West House, the homeless day and counseling center where Darren volunteers monitoring the shower schedule and computer usé. It’s also where, he takes his art courses. Some of the work sold, but what he’d really like to do is make money off of his writing — television scree nplaysfor dark comedies and dramas. And he diligently keeps a daily journal. “Most of it is what’s going1 on in my mind, a a n d some.-iV-ft r,1ay,r,;n g - fol- t h é d ay, f o r t t ie month; future plans like attending film production classes. I want to worlcbehind the scenes.” This past October, Darren joined a group of volùnteers with the Presbyterian Disaster Resistance and traveled to New Orleans to help in the ongoing recovery of the , neighborhoods there. He worked with a crew helping replace a roof on a resident’s' home. “Five years after the disaster, people are still trying to get things together,” says Darren, who used to live in New Orleans and found the return rewarding. “It was starting to look better, it’s still a work in progress, obviously.” ’ Times are tough here, too, as Darren has experienced firsthand. Temporary work and selling the paper help get him by, but there, are nights outside as well, And there are always the new faces at Julia West iiouse and Street Roots. 'Not long ago, Darren attended the Humanity in Perspective program, run by Oregon Humanities and Reed College. It’s a full academic year studying the Greek classics in the fall and contemporary American figures in the spring. “One of my favorite pieces we did in the fall was read “Antigone,” plus I watched the play at Reed College’s Cerf Amphitheatre. I came away learning that I could do my part to help make things better, and also have a better appreciation of the classics.” N ew Street Roots T-shirts are here! Venice on the Scioto - 2010 version BY DARREN W. ALEXANDER osa holds her accordion high above Bicentennial Park, From where I sit, it looks like it levitates over the Columbia Gas of Ohio building. The accordion looks like one of those cigar, boxes I have at home, the one with the Plymouth Indians smoking Cuban cigars. 1 stare at her as--she plays. Suddenly, I’m in a trance, and in this trance-induced world, I’m on a gondola. Perhaps I’m in Venice, though in the distance, I see the Lincoln-Leveque tower and the Santa Maria replica by the Broad Street Bridge. As we pass trie Santa Maria, Rosa sings this beautiful aria, and even though she sings in . English, I hear these love Songs in Italian. In the midst of this dream, I’m transported to Gdansk,.Poland, except in . the city center are Cleveland’s Terminal and Key Bank towers. Polka music blares, and it’ reminds me of that much-hated Rotary Club in Parma, where, my. parents forced us to go every weekend during our youth. The dancers wore plastered smiles, and the conductor looked like Lawrence Welk made in Satan’s image. I dance along, even though I hate polka with a passion. As I dance, water from Lake Erie, and the Cuyahoga River flood the room. I’m 10 feet R underwater and drowning even further. Gondolas swim overhead while I sink further to the lake floor as I sway to this stupid Frank Yankovic music. . “Rosa, stop this crazy music,” I scream, but she keeps segueing into Drew Carey’s “Moon over Parma.” Rosa finally stops, and I awaken from this dream. ' “Iz)ve it?” she inquires “It was lovely,” I tell her as I stifle a sigh. “ShqlH play.ippre?” ; | y<No,”Tsav.asJjrisfcnp..Iigive.h.^r^ peck on the cheek, then walk north, on Civic Center Drive, past the 50 state flags, to Broad Street At the bridge, I look north toward the confluence, where the Scioto and Olentangy meet. Gondolas race past the Long Street Bridge toward the Santa Maria. On one of them, the accordion player sings, though I can’t tell whether he’s singing Italian stanzas or paying homage to Cleveland’s answer to the late John Candy’s polka-playing character, Yosh Shmenge. Reprinted from the Write around Portland sum m er 2007 anthology, “Unexpected Metaphors” © 2007, by Darren W, Alexander, A ll Rights Reserved. avoices.net $15 each Plus $4 shipping and handling Allow 2 to 4 weeks for delivery. Please sefid this order form along with a check or money order to: Name Address Size: S L XL XXL Street Roots Attn: T-Shirts 211 NW Davis St. Portland, OR 97209 Bulk orders of 10 or more receive 50 percent off. Write to streetroots@hotmail.com for details. Multnomah County Health Department syring e e xchange & d is p o s a l. c o n d o m s & su pp lie s • referrals • hea h in fo • so m e on e to ta lk to Call fo r tim es and locations. 503-280-1611 Engl i sh • 503 -9 88 - 6 333 E spa fto i
