Sticky Fingers from Grass Valley

Today I'm typing the Grass Valley/Nevada City feature of Snake 6, thanks to Bill Gainer's hard work in writing his article—plus hogtying some of the wonderful writers up in that area and getting them to send in their poetry. Here are a couple of sneak peaks from the Gainer-man himself. (I like the part about licking fingers...)

RITUALS
—Bill Gainer

Drinks stirred
with keepsake-swizzle-sticks,
the joint's name pressed
into every stem:
The Horns of the Hunter,
the Pirate's Cove,
Crow's Nest,
the Top Hat,
the Silk Stocking,
the Paradise Lounge,
Pete's Hideout.
There's a ruby fingernail
bouncing an ice cube
in a bourbon-seven,
sweetened fingers
get licked.
The bartender holds a cocktail glass
to the neon,
looking for traces
of last night's lipstick.
Phone numbers
get scribbled
in forgotten matchbooks.
A note gets left
under a windshield wiper,
"Call me."
The phone, left to ring
in an empty room.
The message light flashes,
you sit in the dark,
press the play button,
a soft voice whispers,
"yeah, it's been awhile."
you push the button, two,
maybe three more times,
think to yourself,
"yeah it has."


THE CONTENDER
—Bill Gainer

When I was a kid
you had to be
a contender –
the chances of becoming
a champ
were always slim –
but if you stayed in the fight
long enough
a few
would leave you
alone –
it was always a surprise
who they'd be.

Til tomorrow—and as Bill would say, Be Safe.

Medusa (still Wrangling)