Wailing in Unison

EVERYDAY
—Abd al-Rahim Salih al-Rahim

The stubborn donkey
rises up with the rooster at daybreak
to follow exactly the same route.

At nightfall, the stubborn donkey
returns with his heavy load,
exhausted, saturated with sorrows.

The stubborn donkey,
after the usual vicissitudes of life,
stretches his limbs in the dark
and caresses his thoughts
and jumps among the stars
like a distant dream,
ethereal and alone.

______________________

Here are this week's poetry activities in our area; let me know if I've left any out:

•••Tonight, Sacramento Poetry Center, 7:30 pm: A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. presented by Dr. Tchaka Muhammed: an open mic to share MLK-inspired poetry. Also featuring the film, Mighty Times. HQ for the Arts, 25th & R Sts., Sac. Info: 451-5569.

•••Wednesday (1/18): Urban Voices presents Sacramento Poet Laureate Julia Connor, 6:30-8 pm, South Natomas Library, 2901 Truxel Rd., Sac. Free. Also that night: Mahogany Urban Poetry Series, 9 pm, Sweet Fingers Jamaican Restaurant, 1704 Broadway, Sac., $5 cover. Info: 492-9336.

•••Thursday (1/19): Poetry Unplugged features Poet/Painter David Wiley and poet/journalist Rachel Savage as they perform vision-driven tag-team poetry and prose from the Luna stage. Luna's Cafe, 1414 16th St., Sac. 8 pm, free. Info: 441-3931. Also that night: Poetic Light Open Mic, 8-10pm at the Personal Style Salon, 2540 Cottage Way, Sac., Info: 470-2317; or Evening of Poetry, 7 pm, Gwen's Caribbean Cuisine, 2355 Arden Way, Sac. Info: 284-7831.

•••Todd Cirillo, who will be releasing a rattlechap this spring, informs me that he and Matt Amott are starting a small press up in Grass Valley. There will be a reading Friday (1/20) to celebrate the start of their Six Ft. Swells Press with the first chapbook release in their Cheap Shots Poetry Series, Tonight, You're Coming Home With Us. The reading is at 7 pm at Odyssey Books, 989 Sutton Way, Grass Valley. Info: 530-477-2856. You can order any Six Ft. Swells release from sixftswells@yahoo.com, beathearts@hotmail.com or call 530-271-0662.

•••Also Friday (1/20), 7:30 pm: Los Escritores Poetry reading featuring Anthony Martin, guitarista & poet, and Jim Michael, bilingual poet extraordinario! Followed by open mic. $5 or as you can afford. La Raza Galeria Posada/Bookstore; 1421 R St., Sac. Info: Graciela Ramirez 916-456-5323. http://escritoresdelnuevosol.com. All events of the Escritores are open to all.

•••Saturday (1/21): Open Mic, Peace Poem Theme, Art Gallery Poetry Readings 05-06, Mistlin Art Gallery 1015 J St., Modesto (Home of the Central California Art Association), 4 pm.

______________________

THE ROAD
—Abd al-Rahim Salih al-Rahim

We have lost our way back home
a sudden dread seized us
we may never find our way back
because we are getting further and further away.
We sat on a mound in the wilderness
staring at each other
while the evening bled cold into the sky
and a hollow weeping echoed through our souls:
Why have we lost our way home?
Why have we lost the way?

____________________

WAILING
—Abd al-Rahim Salih al-Rahim

At midnight
An owl flies from my breast
hooting harshly
the wind snatches up the call
and carries it over highway, track, roof
At once there's an answering call
tearing the night's mute robe
moaning in pain.
At once the two cries join up
wailing in unison
at the soul's gates.

_____________________

Today's poetry is from Iraq: Poetry Today, edited by Daniel Weissbort. The al-Rahim poems were translated by Saadi A Simawe, with Ralph Savarese, and with Daniel Weissbort. Medusa offers them on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in hopes that we will be able to hear each other from across the room, across the country, across the globe.

—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.)