Danyen, Kimberly, and the Cleos

Sacramento poet Danyen Powell and International Poet Bei Dao were involved in a serious traffic accident on the Causeway Tuesday night, but fortunately they're both okay. They were on their way to the weekly Sacramento Poetry Center Tuesday night workshop, where Danyen serves as Facilitator. Danyen is the author of Rattlechap #1—a courageous poet, he is, who had the nerve to sign on with the then-totally-unknown Rattlesnake Press. Well, okay, everybody who signs on with the Snake has to be courageous...

In cheerier news, Robbie Grossklaus encourages everyone to check out his blog: xanga.com/dphunkt6.

And Sacramento Poet Kimberly White will be reading at The Book Collector, 1008 24th Street, Sac., this Saturday at 8pm. Kimberly has several chapbooks out; see Snake 5 for Kimi Julian's review of Kimberly's Penelope. Here is a sample of her poetry:


In her house, without her
—Kimberly White, Sacramento

The house itself stands uncertain
inadequate and somehow naked
without her to wear it
with all her other accessories
The house itself, so skillfully arranged
it takes a long time to notice
almost everything is red

inside, her grip is everywhere
the red of her obsessions
and the echoes of her fights
hang in tandem
from early american hooks
on split-beam rafters
in antique baskets
red rugs red linens
red dishes red spoons
I even found a red colander
in the kitchen
and a red gazing ball
in her garden
Without her, the red overflows
uncontained

I found other things too
searching her house for the things
obsessive grandmothers hide away
wanting to be the first
to find my old letters
filled with gossip that was
just between us
She kept every birthday card,
Christmas card, Mother's Day card
in the same boxes
with her divorce papers
her second marriage license
her high school yearbook,
class of 1935,
and the telegram announcing my birth
The only things she didn't keep
were letters

In her hands, the house
was obsessively ruled
In my hands, it already goes to pot
Here, where no speck of dust
dared settle in her day,
I leave dirty dishes in the sink
my insomniac bed is unmade
blues and reggae fill the house
with noise it's never heard
to drown out the lack of her voice
while I sift through her overdue bills
and hand out telephone updates
with my feet in a chair
no one's ever been allowed to sit on

Late at night in her kitchen
I count the ghosts
Ruby-red in their robes
of kitchen night-light,
they are all her
Clutching at the red candles
she has hoarded
to light her way
out of this life
but she can't leave
from so many opposing directions,
shattered bits of herself
still awake
clawing bits of herself
still fighting
cringing bits fearing Jesus
and wandering bits forever lost
Here is the woman
who asked my grandpa to dance
refusing to hear that he couldn't
Here is the woman
terrified of the devil
whose voice toys with her at night
Here is the woman
who bowed to her migraines
like a slave
Here is the girl
who would have been a poet
had she not married before she grew up
Here is the woman who never sleeps
stalking God for promises
still unfulfilled
Here is the one
with the crush on Little Joe
from Bonanza
the woman so contentious
some scars never healed
the woman more beloved
than she knows
the one who only aged
on the inside

alone in her house
I trip on the stairs
watch fireflies blink
from her porch
eventually get around
to washing the dishes
pretend I don't hear the phone
stroll the hallways of her museum
pretend she'll be coming home to it
Already, the house has let go
without the force of her will
to contain it
and I start to do the same
boxing her up with her things
collating garage sale piles
of ruffled curtains and red silk flowers
the awful dismantling of a life
that is not quite dead.

_________________________

Thanks, Kimberly!

It's not too late to sign up for the "A Summer Showcase" to be held August 6 at Sun City in Roseville, sponsored by the "Society of Cleo Poets", Cleo Griffith (of Salida) and Cleo Kocol (of Sacramento). The program will feature Gail Rudd Entrekin (Professor/poet Sierra College, Editor of Hip Pocket Press), Sam Pierstorff (Poet Laureate of Modesto and Editor of Quercus Review) and Cynthia L. Bryant (Poet Laureate of Pleasanton and Editor of Poet's Lane—remember the e-mail service she provides, announcing Nor-Cal readings?). Also reading will be a variety of other poets, including Taylor Graham, Pearl Stein Selinsky, Karen Baker (all rattlechappers), JoAn Osborne (see yesterday's posting), Elizabeth Bernstein, the two Cleos, Kathy Kieth, Lynn Hansen, Marnelle White, nancee maya, Gordon Durham. Registration for those not on the program is $5. Poets may also sign up at the door for about ten open-mic slots, and soft drinks and snacks will be provided. Info: cleor36@yahoo.com. We're looking forward to meeting some new people in a new venue in a part of town that rarely holds such events—thanks, Cleos!

—Medusa