Enough about Love, Already...

APPRECIATING GRAPES
—William S. Gainer, Grass Valley

One by one—
she ate the grapes
from the center of the bunch,
until finally it looked like
a cartoon sketch
of a discarded
fish
carcass.
I ate the head,
then the tail
and hid the bones
from the cat.

_________________

THE ARSONIST
—William S. Gainer, Grass Valley

There’s that feeling
when sipping bourbon—
the heat
when breathing
slow
out the nose—
the burn
from just a push
of air.
Then, pulling in
deep,
the warm
filling you
like the sun
eating at
a shadow—
just a hint
of flame...

_________________

Thanks, Bill! Bill Gainer and Kel Munger will be reading at the South Natomas Library tonight for the Urban Voices series. 6:30 pm, 2901 Truxel Rd., Sac.

frank andrick writes: A HUGE shoutout to all who attended, enjoyed, made possible, took part in, and supported the night of "GOLDVARG ... What Makes Bones Talk" in celebration of the life of Sacramento poet activist Phil Goldvarg. Very happy to report the evening/event was a smash success!!—the venue was crowded, and the performances of poetry and stories concerning Phil were stunning. Books sold like wildfire, with enough copies sold to cover all expenses in just one night, so now ALL the funds go straight to the Zapatistas!! AND PHIL FIGHTS ON!!

Also today: deadline for poetry submissions to Rattlesnake Review #9. Send 3-5 poems (no bio, no cover, no simul-subs, no previous-pubs) to Kathy Kieth, 4708 Tree Shadow Place, Fair Oaks, CA 95628 or e-mail to kathykieth@hotmail.com. It's not too late!

Thursday at Poetry Unplugged, Luna’s Café, 1414 16th St., Sac., 8 pm: Featured Poet/performers LOB Instigon and Poet/Publisher G. Murray Thomas. Hosted by frank andrick, who writes: LOB recently celebrated his first year as part of the Sacramento Poetic community, and fronts the ever-changing musical and noise ensemble, Instigon, a band that has played over 400 shows, with a different line-up for each engagement. His poetry has Magick, street creds., & humor. Murray, who is traveling up from the LA area for this show, edited and published NEXT Magazine, a publication promoting the written arts by review, interview, and calendar information. He is an accomplished poetic presence also known for his spoken and word and musical combos. This will be one rockin’ night of poetry, sound, and improv. There will be a poetry program that includes examples of their work given away gratis to the first 50 people who come to the show.

Also tomorrow (Thursday, 2/16): Nevada County Poetry Series presents Indigo Moor, Kathy Kieth and Kate Stewart. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $5 general, seniors and students, and $1 for those under 18. Refreshments and open-mic included. The show will be in Off Center Stage (the Black Box theater, enter from Richardson Street) at the Center for the Arts, 314 W. Main St., Grass Valley, CA. For more information call (530) 432-8196 or (530) 274-8384. Here’s a sample of Indigo:

HARVEST
—Indigo Moor, Sacramento

I worship these women of salt.
Backs curved, Kente-tied locks thick.
Hard beauty slow jackknifing in fields.
Under a harvest moon fat-perigeed.
Full crazy enough to kill them all.

Backs curved, Kente-tied locks thick.
They speak harvest songs in tongues.
Stretch moan-hide across a drum voice.
Under a harvest moon fat-perigeed.
Full crazy enough to kill them all.

Hard beauty slow jackknifing in fields.
Scythe swing! Quails spring in trout-leap.
Dark muscles swim through golden waves.
Under a harvest moon fat-perigeed.
Full crazy enough to kill them all.

____________________

Thanks, Indigo! At Thursday night's Grass Valley reading, Indigo will be reading from his new chapbook, In the Room of Thirsts and Hungers, and come pick up one of his littlesnake broadsides, too (Nomads).

—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.)