Kissing a Panther

HAVE YOU EVER KISSED A PANTHER
—Charles Bukowski

this woman thinks she's a panther
and sometimes when we are making love
she'll snarl and spit
and her hair comes down
and she looks out from the strands
and shows me her fangs
but I kiss her anyhow and continue to love.
have you ever kissed a panther?
have you ever seen a female panther enjoying
the act of love?
you haven't loved, friend.
you with your squirrels and chipmunks
and elephants and sheep.
you ought to sleep with a panther
you'll never again want
squirrels, chipmunks, elephants, sheep, fox,
wolverines,
never anything but the female panther
the female panther walking across the room
the female panther walking across your soul
all other love songs are lies
when that black smooth fur moves against you
and the sky falls down against your back,
the female panther is the dream arrived real
and there's no going back
or wanting to—
the fur up against you,
the search over
and you are locked against the eyes of a panther.

_______________________

Poetry in the area this weekend:

***Tonight at Luna's Cafe, 1414 16th St., Sac.: Poetry Unplugged presents Bill Gainer, Song Kowbell, Todd Cirillo, 8-ish. Info: 441-3931.

***Friday (11/18): The Jook Joynt 3: Ainsley Burrows at the Hard Rock Cafe, 545 7th St., Sac, $15. Info: malikspeaks@aol.com. Also Friday: The Nevada County Poetry Series: giant open mic to celebrate the release of their annual anthology. Off-Center Stage at the Center for the Arts, 314 W. Main St., Grass Valley. Info: 530-432-8196.

***Saturday (11/19) Underground Poetry Series features Flo-Real, Terry Moore, Rob Anthony and open mike in "Candlelight Love Poem Night", 7-9 pm at Underground Books, 35th & Broadway, $3. Info: 916-737-3333. Also Saturday: The Central California Art Association & the Mistlin Art Gallery announce a poetry reading at 4:00 pm in the gallery (10115 J Street, Modesto) featuring the writing group, Licensed Fools. Info: 523-8916 or gordonbp@sonnet.com.

______________________

CHILLED GREEN
—Charles Bukowski

what is it?
an old woman, fat, yellow dress,
torn stockings
sitting on the curbing
with a little boy.
98 degrees at 3 in the afternoon
it seems
obscene.
but look, they are calm,
almost happy,
they eat the green jello
and the red roses shine.

________________________

SHORT ORDER
—Charles Bukowski

I took my girlfriend to your last poetry reading,
she said.
yes, yes? I asked.
she's young and pretty, she said.
and? I asked.
she hated your
guts.

then she stretched out on the couch
and pulled off her
boots.

I don't have very good legs,
she said.

all right, I thought, I don't have very good
poetry; she doesn't have very good
legs.

scramble two.

_______________________

—Medusa

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. Previously-published poems are okay for Medusa’s Kitchen, as long as you own the rights. (Please cite publication.)