Up to My Ass in Poets

I met with Jim Jobe last night at Java City; we bent our heads over his rattlechap which will be coming out two days after my 60th birthday in February. Jim has been one of the mainstays of our poetry community over the past xxxx years, and it's always a pleasure to read his work, and to hear him read it, which he does with much legerdemain. (He will be reading in Davis on both 9/9 and 9/10, by the way—more about that later.)

Pouring over poets' work with them is definitely the best thing about this job; every day I thank the cosmos that I'm able to meet as many fine poets in person as I am, living where I do. Jim was one of those who carried on the phenomenon of publishing Northern Calif. poets, noticing the value thereof; Ben Hiatt was another. I am humbly trying to stumble along in their footsteps, thanks to all of you and your faith in Medusa and her wee Snakes.

Musings from William Carlos Williams:


A CORONAL
—William Carlos Williams

New books of poetry will be written
New books and unheard of manuscripts
will come wrapped in brown paper
and many and many a time
the postman will bow
and sidle down the leaf-plastered steps
thumbing over other men's business.

But we ran ahead of it all.
One coming after
could have seen her footprints
in the wet and followed us
among the stark chestnuts.

Anemones sprang where she pressed
and cresses
stood green in the slender source—
And new books of poetry
will be written, leather-colored oakleaves
many and many a time.

______________________

And thank God for it, I say!

Todd Cirillo's broadside, Another Heart Dancing in the Flames, will be released at the special reading being held next Wednesday, August 31 at The Book Collector, 1008 24th St., Sacramento, 7:30pm. Here's a taste:


MUSE
—Todd Cirillo, Grass Valley

Reading the poems
of my past
to her
she says
“I had to go through a lot of pain for those.”

“I know,” I said.

Me too.

_________________________

Thanks, Todd! Todd will be reading at Luna's in November, and a rattlechap next spring.

—Medusa (who is happily up to her substantial ass in poets)

Medusa encourages poets of all ilk and ages to send their poetry and announcements of Northern California poetry events to kathykieth@hotmail.com for posting on this daily Snake blog. Rights remain with the poets.