A Night of Dark Intent

ACQUAINTED WITH THE NIGHT
—Robert Frost

I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain—and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.

I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.

I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,

But not to call me back or say good-by;
And further still at an unearthly height,
One luminary clock against the sky

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.

_______________________

Colette Jonopulos of Tiger's Eye: A Journal of Poetry writes: We are printing Songs of Love by Robert Schuler on Valentine's Day (or thereabouts) and would like to give a few copies away. We'll choose three of your poems about love. Preferably the non-sappy type. It can be about your dog (or bird) or your favorite television show. Or about the love of your life, for those who have such things. Send your poems to tigerseyetracks@yahoo.com by the 14th of February.

Debra J. Harmes-Kurth, Owner/Editor of Art With Words writes: I am working on getting a tribute together for the families of the 12 miners lost in the Sago mine explosion in my home state of West Virginia. I am currently accepting submissions. All submissions must include name, address, telephone number and email. Poems or prose accepted, writers must keep in mind this is for the families....first. (djharmeskurth@hotmail.com)

Cleo Griffith writes: Hi Poets...I want to urge you all to continue to submit to Song of the San Joaquin. If you have any questions, please e-mail me: ssjq03psj@yahoo.com. Also, a call for submissions from BlackWidows' Web of Poetry. No e-mail submissions, but questions may be sent to Janine Margiotta, sunris2set@aol.com. She wants poems of 3-30 lines, line count on the top corner of the page, up to five poems per submission, a "personal" bio, not just a list of credits, SASE (!!!—don't forget), no special theme. Send to Janine Margiotta, Editor and Publisher, BlackWidow's Web, 87788 Blek Dr., Veneta, OR 97487. Her website: http://www.geocities.com/blackwidowswebofpoetry1/BlackWidowsMagazine.index.html
(Medusa did not see any deadlines on either of these submissions, so you'll have to check that out yourself...)

Poet Cleo Kocol of Roseville and John Doyle from Chico will be the featured poets at a Special Event sponsored by the Lincoln Library and Lincoln Arts Poetry Open Mic, Sunday, January 15, 3-5 pm at the Scout Hall (behind the Lincoln Library) in Lincoln. Free to the public.

Don't forget the memorial for Sacramento Poet Anatole Lubovich which will be held tomorrow (Sunday, 1/8) at HQ For the Arts, 25th & R Streets, Sac. at 2 pm. Then tomorrow evening, Poemspirits features Brad Buchanan at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento, 2425 Sierra Blvd., Sac., 6 pm (classrooms in the back). Refreshments, open mic, and Nora Staklis will do a brief presentation on Basho. Info: 916-481-3312. Or head over to Stockton: Poet's Corner Presents Eileen Malone, Barnes & Noble in Weberstown Mall, 7 pm. Info: 209-951-7014.

And Monday (1/9), Sacramento Poetry Center presents Terry Moore at HQ, 25th & R Sts., Sac, 7:30 pm. Terry is a huge contributor to the Sac. poetry scene, both with his own prize-winning poetry, and with all the events he sponsors. Do remember, though, to bundle up—HQ can be chilly this time of year!


ONCE BY THE PACIFIC
—Robert Frost

The shattered water made a misty din.
Great waves looked over others coming in,
And thought of doing something to the shore
That water never did to land before.
The clouds were low and hairy in the skies,
Like locks blown forward in the gleam of eyes.
You could not tell, and yet it looked as if
The shore was lucky in being backed by cliff,
The cliff in being backed by continent;
It looked as if a night of dark intent
Was coming, and not only a night, an age.
Someone had better be prepared for rage.
There would be more than ocean-water broken
Before God's last Put out the Light was spoken.

___________________

—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.)