Can You Taste the Snowflakes?

SILENCE
—Bella Akhmadulina, Russia

Who was it that took away my voice?
The black wound he left in my throat
Can't even cry.

March is at work under the snow
And the birds of my throat are dead,
Their gardens turning into dictionaries.

I beg my lips to sing.
I beg the lips of the snowfall,
Of the cliff and the bush to sing.

Between my lips, the round shape
Of the air in my mouth.
Because I can say nothing.

I'll try anything
For the trees in the snow.
I breathe. I swing my arms. I lie.

From this sudden silence,
Like death, that loved
The names of all words,
You raise me now in song.

(translated by Daniel Halpern)

______________________

Sunday night (3/5), attend an exhibition and readings to mark the 5th anniversary of the Poems-For-All Miniature chapbooks series! March 1-31, in cooperation with HQ partner Asylum Gallery, the Gallery will hold an exhibition of the over 500 miniature booklets published in the series in the last five years. You can view the tiny chapbooks during regular gallery hours, or while attending readings at HQ: Headquarters for the Arts, located at 1719 25th Street (25th & R Streets), Sac. This Sunday (3/5) at 8 pm at HQ, for example, attend a reading of poems by poets in the Poems-For-All Series along with a series of short films. Readers will feature Arthur Winfield Knight, Kit Knight, frank andrick, Joan Kruger, Rachel Savage and Richard Lopez. Also: Films from Levyfest: A Celebration of d.a. levy. Additional details: www.poems-for-all.com.

Also Sunday: At 6 pm, before the Poems-For-All celebration, go hear Jeanine Stevens, whose rattlechap, The Keeping Room, was recently issued by Rattlesnake Press, at PoemSpirits in Room 11 at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento, 2425 Sierra Blvd. (1 block north of Fair Oaks Blvd, between Howe and Fulton Avenues). In addition, co-host JoAnn Anglin will present a brief overview of the work of Lucia Perillo, McArthur Award-winning poet who writes on nature and illness. There is no charge to attend this monthly series. Snacks available. As always, bring a favorite poem or two, your own or by another, to read. Info: JoAnn, 916-451-1372, or Tom Goff or Nora Staklis, 916-481-3312.

Bill Gainer, from Grass Valley, has sent Medusa a couple of poems about the recent snows up there. Bill's rattlechap, To Run With the Savages, is available at The Book Collector, 1008 24th St., Sac.

CLEANING SNOW
—William S. Gainer, Grass Valley

To clean snow,

take it from the top

of the pile.

Place in warm water,

allow to melt.

Filter through a clean

paper towel,

pour the remains

in a shallow ice tray,

freeze.

Put the cubes in the blender

add Margarita

mix,

grind and pour.

Ask her

if she can still taste

the snowflakes.

If she answers no,

you’ve done a good job.

If she says yes,

you’ve done better.

In either case,

gather more

snow.

_______________________


THE TRICK TO CLEARING SNOW
—William S. Gainer, Grass Valley

The trick to clearing snow

from the parking lot

is to get there

early,

before the cars

do.

Too late

and it’s packed solid—

feels like

you’re moving bricks,

one wall at a time.

Before that

it’s just work.

_________________________

Thanks, Bill! As for the rest of you—want to see your poems posted here? Send 'em to kathykieth@hotmail.com. The snakes of Medusa need their daily feeding...

—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.)