All I can think of is that Borders Books’ holiday slogan, “open up a season of surprises” reminds me of “open up a can of whoop-ass.”

Lynne Cheney, the vice president’s wife (who, strangely enough, authored a [lesbian Western novel](http://www.whitehouse.org/administration/sisters.asp)) likes to recount the story of how she and Dick first met at a Wyoming dance in the 1950’s and, in order to preserve Lynne’s modesty as well as his own self-respect, Dick refused to do The Twist on the dance floor. The Twist, it seems, was all the rage in Wyoming in the 50’s, but Dick was having nothing of it.

This story produced a lot of good-natured guffaws from the audience when I watched it told at the last Republican national convention. But, sitting at home, I couldn’t help thinking, “You fucking bastard, Dick Cheney, why won’t you twist?!” I pictured a young Dick, arms folded, tight-lipped, staring straight ahead while a crestfallen Lynne, trying to make the most of bad situation, stood by Dick’s side. Dick, so controlling of his own self-image and distrustful of “race music,” sat it out.

For me, Dick Cheney not twisting represents everything that’s wrong with the moneyed right wing, a portrait of elitism in miniature. Here is Dick, so careful of his public persona, so domineering, so dogmatic and intent on maintaining order, so skeptical of sensual pleasure, unwilling to mix it up with the lower classes, sneering from the bench of some Wyoming auditorium. It probably took a lot not to twist back then. He had to summon up a lot of evil power.

Of course, nowadays he’s tricking the American public into going to war and pushing for torture and such so I guess not twisting isn’t so bad.

But still…

If you’re like most Americans, your tastes generally run toward contemporary, experimental poetry.

Which is why I’m pleased to direct you toward my brother’s newly improved and expanded web site, which highlights the poetry journal and publishing house he edits and runs.

Much like my girlfriend, my brother Mike is highly intelligent. He’s a poet, professor, theorist and proponent of Flarf, Sox fan, family man, and all around great guy.

If you have any interest in poetry at all, you should definitely subscribe to his journal, Combo.

Yeah, Mike!