Love, Three (Not-so-Old Guys)

LEANING INTO THE AFTERNOONS...
—Pablo Neruda

Leaning into the afternoons I cast my sad nets
towards your oceanic eyes.

There in the highest blaze my solitude lengthens and flames,
its arms turning like a drowning man's.

I send out red signals across your absent eyes
that wave like the sea or the beach by a lighthouse.

You keep only darkness, my distant female,
from your regard sometimes the coast of dread emerges.

Leaning into the afternoons I fling my sad nets
to that sea that is thrashed by your oceanic eyes.

The birds of night peck at the first stars
that flash like my soul when I love you.

The night gallops on its shadowy mare
shedding blue tassels over the land.

(Translated by W.S. Merwin)

_______________________________

This week's po-events in this area (that I know about—send me more, if you have 'em):

•••Tonight (Monday, 2/13): Tim Kahl and Jeff Knorr read at the Sacramento Poetry Center, 25th & R Sts., Sac., 7:30 pm.

•••Wednesday (2/15): Kel Munger and Bill Gainer read at the South Natomas Library, 2901 Truxel Rd., Sac., 6:30 pm, as part of the Urban Voices poetry series.

•••Also Wednesday: 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.

•••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.

•••Also Thursday: An Evening Of Poetry With Ms. La-Rue is back on, at Gwen's Caribbean Cuisine, 2355 Arden Way at Bell St. (next to Leatherbee’s). Doors open at 7 pm, show starts at 8 pm. Featured poet will be He Spits Fire. Open Mic, Dinner and Drink Specials and DJ Barney B will be in the house! $5.00.

•••Also Thursday: Poetry Unplugged at Luna's Cafe presents LOB Instigon and G. Murray Thomas, 8 pm. 1414 16th St., Sac. Free. Info: 916-441-3931.

•••Friday (2/17): Our House Defines Art poetry reading at the Our House Art and Framing Gallery in the El Dorado Town Center of El Dorado Hills features Brigit Truex, Jim Nolt & Moira Magneson. Raffle, refreshments, open mic. 7 pm.

•••Saturday (2/18): The Central California Art Association & Mistlin Art Gallery announces a reading by the members of the Johansen High School Poetry Club at the gallery, 1015 J St., downtown Modesto, 4 pm. There will be an open mic, so bring your creativity. Contact Alana at AlanaCayabyab@hotmail.com.

•••Also Saturday: Laketa Stanley and Others at Underground Books, 2814 35th St., Sac.. Info: 916-737-3333.

•••Also Saturday: Valentine erotique reading and art show with Molly Fisk, Steve Sanfield, others, North Columbia Schoolhouse Cultural Center, 17894 Tyler Foote Rd., Nevada City. $8, $10. Info: 530-265-2826

And Molly Fisk writes: The February Boot Camp begins in just over a week: Sunday the 19th through Friday the 24th. I'd love to have you join us if you're ready to write some new poems—or tired of not being able to write and looking for structure to help get you going. As many of you know, Poetry Boot Camp is a fun, intense six days of writing poems and exchanging them via e-mail. You can find out all about it, including the dates for the rest of 2006, at http://www.poetrybootcamp.com.

_____________________

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
—e.e. cummings

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go, my dear;and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

____________________

WILL NOT COME BACK
(after Becquer)
—Robert Lowell

Dark swallows will doubtless come back killing
the injudicious nightflies with a clack of the beak;
but these that stopped full flight to see your beauty
and my good fortune...as if they knew our names—
they'll not come back. The thick lemony honeysuckle,
climbing from the earthroot to your window,
will open more beautiful blossoms to the evening;
but these...like dewdrops, trembling, shining, falling,
the tears of day—they'll not come back...
Some other love will sound his fireword for you
and wake your heart, perhaps, from its cool sleep;
but silent, absorbed, and on his knees,
as men adore God at the altar, as I love you—
don't blind yourself, you'll not be loved like that.

______________________

—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.)