Large Things (including the new Snake)

THE LARGE THING
—Russell Edson

A large thing comes in.

Go out, Large Thing, says someone.

The Large Thing goes out, and comes in again.

Go out, Large Thing, and stay out, says someone.

The Large Thing goes out, and stays out.

Then that same someone who has been ordering the Large Thing out begins to be lonely, and say, come in, Large Thing.

But when the Large Thing is in, that same someone decides it would be better if the Large Thing would go out.

Go out, Large Thing, says this same someone.

The Large Thing goes out.

Oh, why did I say that? says the someone, who begins to be lonely again.

But meanwhile the Large Thing has come back in anyway.

Good, I was just about to call you back, says the same someone to the Large Thing.

____________________

In the links column to the right of this >>>>>>
note the new SPC Blog (check it out!) and a link to Poet's Corner Press, which has just awarded Medusa a gold medal for "consistent blog excellence and special inspiration". Thanks, David! See yesterday's post for one of David's poems, as well as the latest Snake..........which is done! Snake 9 will appear around town and in mailboxes this week and next.

Tonight (3/22) is the monthly Hidden Passage Poetry Reading from 6 to 7 p.m. at Hidden Passage Books, 352 Main St. in Placerville. It's an open-mic read-around, so bring your own poems or those of a favorite poet to share, or just come to listen.

Also tonight (3/22), after you get back from Placerville, there will be a Poems-For-All Poets Reading at 8 pm, HQ (25th & R Sts., Sac.) featuring Ann Menebroker, Crawdad Nelson, S.V. Taylor, Do Gentry, Rachel Hansen, Rhony Bhopla, Kimberly White, Susan Kelly-DeWitt, and readings of poems by Kenneth Patchen, Anatole Lubovich, and Charlie Macdonald. Info: 916-442-9295.

Speaking of Charlie Macdonald, Snake 9 contains a nice selection of his poems, including his well-known "Why We Anthropomorphize the Penis". Coincidentally, Billy Marshall Stoneking sent us a penis poem, all the way from Australia! To wit:

VENTRILOQUIST
—Billy Marshall Stoneking, Australia

I remember that summer
when she’d pull out Charlie—
which was what she affectionately
called my prick—
& being an artist,
she’d draw a face on it.
Then, without moving her lips,
she’d go to work:
"Hello, how’re you?
My name’s Charlie."

The first time, I laughed.
It was like meeting a stranger.
We stared at each other.
"What do you do?
What’s your name?"
I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

After a while,
Charlie started taking over.
He was the center of attention,
the life of the party.
He’d stay up all night.
Next morning, she’d ring me:
"How’s Charlie?
"Are you looking after him?"
Sure... sure, I’d say,
giving him a reassuring pat.
He was the picture of confidence.
He gave me a helluva time.

One day, inexplicably,
she added eyelashes, a beauty spot
& bright-red lipstick.
The transformation was remarkable.
Charlie had changed into a woman.
It called me "big boy" in a squeaky voice;
it pouted & pulled faces.
I blushed.
The rest of me was speechless.

Then it became political.
Overnight I became a total shit;
a chauvinist pig.
It wanted to know
what kind of relationship is this, anyway?
It chastised me for not being able
to see beyond the end of my dick.

Later, the ventriloquist split,
taking her paints, her pens,
her mandolin & clothes.
"You never talk to me anymore,"
she said.
"So long."

She left Charlie behind.
He slept all day;
the old eloquence was gone.
I couldn’t put words in his mouth.
Then his face disappeared
entirely.
It was a shock at first, but
I survived.

Now, taking a piss, sometimes,
I actually smile, remembering
those days & nights of indelible lust
when love was neither deaf nor dumb
nor altogether blind.

___________________

Thanks, Billy! See more of Billy in Snake 10, coming in June. Strange: right now he's getting ready to go to bed, and it's yesterday (or is it tomorrow?). Billy found Medusa in cyberspace; turns out he's related (by ex-marriage) to one of our rattlechappers.....!

—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.)