In Praise of Quickies

WINTER SCENE
—A.R. Ammons

There is now not a single
leaf on the cherry tree:

except when the jay
plummets in, lights, and,

in pure clarity, squalls:
then every branch

quivers and
breaks out in blue leaves.

_____________________

Poetry publications are always hungry, especially ones that appear frequently, like Joyce Odam's monthly Brevities (A Mini-Mag of Minimalist Poems). If you haven't seen this little charmer, pick one up for a buck, either from Joyce (choiceofwrds@aol.com) or at The Book Collector (1008 24th St., Sac.). Or you can send yer buck and one first-class stamp or SASE (39¢, don't forget!) to Joyce at 2432 48th Av., Sac. 95822. And send poems! The number and lines are limited, though, due to the small size, so check out an issue before you leap.

The January Brevities contains poems by Rattlechapper Elsie Feliz (Tea With Bunya), who will be reading at The Other Voice on Friday along with her husband, Don Feliz, who was the author of littlesnake broadside #12, Switchback Path. See yesterday's post for further info about the reading.


WHEN YOU'RE BROUGHT UP IN A HARBOR CITY
—Elsie Whitlow Feliz, Sacramento

Here is the thing about blue:
it has dominion. You can't

escape it. Sky and sea
smother us in blue vibration.

We are a blue planet, look
like a blue marble in distant

space. At the beach we plunge
into this great blueness, bask

and bake ourselves pink or
lobster red, smile at our blue veins.

(appeared in January 2006 Brevities)
_______________

MARATHON MADNESS
(after Dragonfly by Edna St. Vincent Millay)
—Elsie Whitlow Feliz

We find ourselves in a darkened bar, start dancing
all night long on the room's uneven floor,
measuring out our steps from one to four
counting them to the drums' mad beat. Advancing
pairs beside us—one pair drops out. We're sore,
call on an inner strength for faster dancing.

Holding ourselves upright in numbered madness,
never a thought to ending this crazy dance—
only for the money prize. With its silky chants
the music, a diamond of hard sadness.
Stepping heavy, making ourselves advance—
we fall asleep in a waltz of dizzy madness.

(appeared in January 2006 Brevities)

_____________________

TIME TRIP
—Don Feliz, Sacramento

Walking with you in your
old neighborhood is like
turning back to twenty one.

I waited for the local bus
by the condemned baseball
park and the Double Play bar,

engulfed in aroma from bread
factories and the commotion
of commerce at that corner.

The small bus climbed to this
hilltop where we watch stars
and walk again after forty years.

(appeared in Poets' Forum Magazine, Summer 2005)

_______________________________

SUMMER SWING
—Don Feliz, Sacramento

Danny Boy and Perfidia
get In the Mood to dance
to Juke Box Saturday Night.

Sharing his Little Brown Jug
they catch the next
Chattanooga Choo Choo

to Tuxedo Junction where
the American Patrol plays
Moonlight Serenade and

Star Dust all night long
until her String of Pearls
swings to Sunrise Serenade.

(appeared in Rattlesnake Review #2)

_______________________

Thanks, Don and Elsie, for the quickies! Elsie also alerts me to today's Bizarro, the comic strip in The Sacramento Bee, about Medusa.

—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.)