Eating the Earth, Drinking the Rain

FOURTH NIGHT AWAKE
—James Lee Jobe, Davis


The subtle changes of light

whisper that night is easing

back into morning again.

We live on a wheel.

Outside, beads of dew

form in the garden, on

the long leaves of the corn

and on the sticky fuzz

of the fast growing peach tree.


My wife's little snores float

across our home, she and our sons

are lost in a land of dreams.

The shadows fade from black to gray

and in the neighbors' Mulberry tree

the Magpies begin to stir.

There. Night is past.

_____________________

James Lee Jobe will be reading next Wednesday, February 1, at The Book Collector, 1008 24th St., Sac., at 7:30 pm. JLJ has been published in Manzanita, Tule Review, Pearl, and many other periodicals. His poems are also included in The Sacramento Anthology: 100 Poems; Jewel of the Valley: A California Anthology, and How to Be This Man: The Walter Pavlich Memorial Anthology. He edited and published the poetry journals, Clan of the Dog and One Dog Press. He is a producer of radio commercials in Sacramento and lives in Davis, California with his wife and children. What God Said When She Finally Answered Me (Rattlesnake Press) is his fourth chapbook. (Please note that this month’s Rattle-read has been moved from the 2nd Weds. to the first one.)

Speaking of the top of the state, as we were yesterday, Berkeley poet Richard Silberg will be this month's featured reader in the Writers Read series at Colored Horse Studio in Ukiah tomorrow night (Thurs., 1/26) from 7:30-9 pm. Richard is associate editor of Poetry Flash and is the author of a volume of criticism, Reading the Sphere, and two volumes of poetry: Doubleness, and the recently-published Deconstruction of the Blues. Featured reader will be followed by an open mic session, with a six-minute time limit per reader. Refreshments available. Donation requested. Colored Horse Studio is located at 780 Waugh Lane, between Gobbi Street and Talmage Road. Info: 275-9010, 463-6989 or 468-9488.

Sandra McPherson writes: Poetry will miss Charlie Macdonald, young (49) and witty, much published, humble, a sonneteer, student of Thom Gunn’s, and a teacher of the art he knew deeply and originally. A memorial for Charlie will be held on Feb. 11, 2006 at 2 p.m. at Wiscombe’s Davis Funeral Chapel, 116 D Street, Davis, CA. Read more about Charlie in the Davis Enterprise obituary at http://www.davisenterprise.com/articles/2006/01/23/obituaries/344obit1.txt

Tonight (1/25), attend the Hidden Passage Poetry Reading from 6 to 7 p.m. at Hidden Passage Books, 352 Main St. in Placerville. It's an open-mike read-around, so bring your own poems or those of a favorite poet to share, or just come to listen.


THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF MIDNIGHT SOUNDS
—James Lee Jobe, Davis


I could just lie still in so

overtake me and feeling each moment. I could wait, as still as trees,

as quiet as night. The forest eats the earth, and drinks the rain.


The night is a thought of simplicity that I long for, each tree

is a friend who speaks my secret language of midnight sounds.


Lay down close with me in leaves, on the forest floor.

By light of day we’ll go, each to our own wanderings.

_______________________

—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.)