This past weekend, I was sitting on the Jersey City Pier taking in some sun. I stared out onto the water and wrote down these words:

Shimmering suncaps, flecks of gold.
Ceaseless currents, constant motion.
Swelling, sinking, undulating, rising.
Dusting, bursting, then disappearing.

2017 Alfred C. Martino

​#shortpoems #water #songlyrics #alfredcmartino

Yesterday afternoon, my Daisy crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

I remember fondly, fifteen years ago, when I was considering adopting my very first dog, visiting the home of a foster family taking care of a trio of adorable German Shepherd three-month-olds. As I kneeled down to get an eye-level view of the pups, the female--a spindly and delicate, tan brindle girl--crawled under me for a reprieve from her larger, more rambunctious brothers. And like the guy who suddenly has the prettiest girl in the bar saying hello to him, I melted. I named her Daisy, after the character Daisy Buchanan of my favorite novel, The Great Gatsby.
​
She (along with her canine sister Sara) went to work with me every day thereafter and lied down at my feet at night when I was writing or watching TV. She was athletic and intelligent, and as friendly a dog to humans and canines as I've ever come across.

Over the past year or so, it pained me greatly to see age break down her body. Now, she has joined my beloved Sara in a place where the two of them can play and bark and run free. Love ya my little ‘Mookie’… I miss you dearly…

Headlights dim until dawn.
Skin glistening, transient love.
In the glow of dashboard blue.
Forever memories, however true.

Kiss my ear, you offer a smile.
Close my eyes, for just a while.
I'm yours tonight, with a hush.
Tomorrow may come, now is us.

Feel of your warmth makes me shiver.
Sweet taste of your lips, a hint of quiver.
Linger inside your soft embrace.
Steal night moments, forgive by day.

2017 Alfred C. Martino

​I wish I could sing, but I can't. I wish I had musical ability, but I don't. Maybe some artist out there would love to make these the lyrics to their next fabulous single. I can only hope. 

Among the women who have protested against Trump’s supposed misogyny, I’d like to ask the ones who are older than, say, forty, if they did the same during Bill Clinton’s presidency? Did they rail against Clinton’s well-documented sex scandals by marching on college campuses, or on the streets of major cities, or rally in Washington, DC? Did they cheer when an entertainer-turned-agitator expressed thoughts of 'blowing up’ Clinton’s White House? Did they compel NOW, and other leading women’s groups, to make statements in support of Clinton's female victims? Did they feel a sense of unity when high profile feminists castigated Clinton for his boorish behavior?

The answers are, of course, no.

See, there weren’t any protests against Clinton. Not on any campus. Or in any city. Or in DC. Further, there weren’t any well-known feminists taking Clinton to task for his actions, nor were there any women’s organizations defending Clinton's victims.

In fact, Clinton’s sexual misconduct while Arkansas Governor and Attorney General were overlooked by female Democrat voters in the 1992 primaries and, later, in the presidential election. When a sexual harassment suit was filed against Clinton by Paula Jones--for which he would eventually pay an $850,000 settlement and be stripped of his law license--was there any backlash from women? Nope, only against the victim. Clinton enjoyed increased support from female voters--from a 7 point margin in 1992 to a 15 point margin in the 1996 presidential election.

In Clinton's second term, when it became public that he had received fellatio in the Oval Office from an intern fresh out of college (a similar age of many of Saturday's protesters)--the investigation of which led in part to Clinton’s impeachment--were there any recriminations from leading feminists or women's groups at all? Moreover, did women make their voices heard regarding the fact that Clinton had humiliated his wife in the most public of ways numerous times over the decades they were married?

Again, the answers are no.

On Saturday, as I watched protesters in their Pink Pussy hats--many clearly old enough to remember Clinton’s presidency--and read Facebook posts from female friends and graduate school classmates who were Clinton supporters and voters in the 1990s, I was taken aback by their hypocrisy, but not surprised. Back then, Clinton was seen as young, handsome and charismatic, and the prevailing opinion was that Clinton’s infidelities and misogyny made him more manly, exactly the virility we would expect--and want--from our president. Sadly, it was the ultimate “boys will be boys” excuse.

And, just in case you were wondering: No, this was not gross ignorance by women because our society hadn’t yet progressed enough to recognize the implications of sexual assault or harassment. These issues are, rightly, much less tolerated now because of our collective enlightenment in the 1990s when it was an often-discussed public issue (due, in part, to the Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill controversy of 1991).

So why did Clinton get a free pass for things he did, while Trump gets vilified for things he said?

It's not any more complicated than, back then, Clinton was 'their man.' Today, Trump is clearly the opposite.

It's hypocritical and offensive.

And they have the gall to wonder why the country is divided?

#donaldtrump #billclinton #pinkpussy #protests #monicalewinsky #paulajones

On Nov. 4, 2008, when Obama won the first term of his presidency, he rode a second consecutive wave of voter support for Democrats (after the Dems’ successful 2006 midterms). As a result, the Senate stood at D 59 - R 41; the House at D 257 - R 179; governorships at D 29 - R 21; and state legislature control at D 27 - R 14 (with 8 states splitting).

TODAY, Repubs hold the presidency; hold the Senate at R 52 - D 47; the House at R 240 - D 193; governorships at R 34 - D 15; and state legislatures at R 32 - D 13 (with 3 states splitting control).

In other words, after voting in Obama and his agenda in a landslide, American voters have completely repudiated him and his policies eight years later. His presidency has been a disaster for the Democrat Party, and undoubtedly dragged down Clinton, but you will never hear anyone in the media point out what is so numerically obvious.

#2016elections #PresidentTrump #HillaryClinton #RepublicansWin

It's just one week until the debut performance of my play, “Waiting For A Friend,” on September 7th at the Elektra Theatre at 43rd Street and 8th Avenue, near Times Square, as part of the New York New Works Theatre Festival.

Veteran NY/NJ stage actor, Bill Vysotsky, is directing and playing the lead. He is joined on stage by Lou Pipon.

Bill Vysotsky has generated a local and international fan following from his dozens of performances in Tri-State area, as well as, Ukraine and Russia. His significant roles include the leads in A View From The Bridge (Studio Playhouse), Arsenic & Old Lace (SVP), Rumors (Pax Amicus Theater), As You Like It (Yalta Theater) and Voice Of The Turtle (DLT).

Lou Pipon recently graduated from Montclair State University with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Studies.  His latest role was in True Westwhere he played Saul at MSU.  Lou has performed in various shows for Teaneck New Theatre including roles in Spamalot (Sir Lancelot/Others), andAll Shook Up (Dean).  He has performed in one-act plays at the Manhattan Repertory Theatre in the past, along with the Union County Performing Arts Center.  Lou has also featured in numerous short films at Montclair State University.

Here are some nice articles about the play and me!

NorthJersey.com

NJ.com

​TheHudsonReporter.com

#NYNWTheatreFest

Alone among people,
Invisible in a crowd.
Just one of many,
Only one of billions.
A machine switched on,
Go here, go there.
Programmed for life,
But not for living.
I speak,
But what do I say?
I think,
But what do I believe?
I like,
But what do I love?
I feel,
But what do I embrace?
Birds circle above,
Birds of prey.
The earth below,
Warm soil awaits.
Why am I here?
What am I doing?

Alfred C. Martino, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 2016 
 
LOCAL PLAYWRIGHT HAS HIS PLAY BEEN ACCEPTED INTO NEW YORK NEW WORKS THEATRE FESTIVAL

Jersey City, NJ – Longtime Jersey City resident, Alfred C. Martino, has had his play, “Waiting For A Friend,” accepted into this September’s New York New Works Theatre Festival (http://www.nynwtheatrefestival.com/).

The debut performance is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 7th, at the Elektra Theatre (43rd Street/8th Avenue) near Times Square. Veteran New York and New Jersey stage actors, Bill Vysotsky and Lou Pipon, will play the leads. Vysotsky will also direct.

"Waiting For A Friend” is about a middle-aged man confronted by the unexpected visit of his best friend who died tragically when they were in high school. The man must come to terms with lost innocence, a life cut short, and the unstoppable passage of time.

A resident of Jersey City since 1998, Mr. Martino is the author of three highly-acclaimed novels, Pinned, Over The End Line, and Perfected by Girls. Mr. Martino grew up in Short Hills and graduated from Millburn High School, Duke University, and the Marshall Graduate School of Business at the University of Southern California.

Bill Vysotsky has generated a local and international fan following from his dozens of performances in Tri-State area, as well as, Ukraine and Russia. His significant roles include the leads in A View From The Bridge (Studio Playhouse), Rumors (Pax Amicus Theater), and As You Like It (Yalta Theater).

Lou Pipon has performed on stage at theaters in New York and New Jersey, including  Teaneck New Theatre (“Spamalot”), the Manhattan Repertory Theatre, and the Union County Performing Arts Center.

For additional information, please contact Melissa Gordon, Marketing Director, New York New Works Theatre Festival at nynwmarketing@gmail.com. Mr. Martino can be reached at 201-747-0577 or acm7673@msn.com.

​#NYNWTheatreFest