Hot Days & Hot Stuff (Po-Events 6/19-25)

CLUTTER
—Margaret Ellis Hill, Wilton

Plants, fences, trees, asphalt
pasture grasses, dark earth
a orderly clutter of nature blends
together.
My desk presents a clutter
of paper, pens, calendars,
radio, vases, books
and scraps of my mind.

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Thanks, Peggy! Send me a poem of yours about things—ANY Thing(s)—by midnight tomorrow (Tuesday, 6/20), and I'll send you a free copy of B.L. Kennedy's new rattlechap, The Setich Manor Poems. (Or, if you have that, another rattlechap of your choosing.) Send them to kathykieth@hotmail.com, or P.O. Box 1647, Orangevale, CA 95662.

Workshops

Ellen Hopkins of Carson City writes: Hi Kathy, I'm hoping you might spread the word about our upcoming Juniper Creek Writers Conference, July 14-16, in Carson City, NV. We offer workshops for all levels of writers of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, screenplay and children's lit. Our poetry track is especially strong. This is a fun, affordable 2.5 day event. Info: www.junipercreekpubs.com/events. Because it is such late notice, we will extend the early registration discount to you and any writers who mention you sent them. Critiques, however, need to be sent ASAP!

City of Pleasanton Civic Arts and Pleasanton Poet Laureate Cynthia Bryant will host an all-day poetry workshop by Poetry Slam Champion Tshaka Campbell on Saturday, July 8. This workshop, appropriate for adults and older teens, will be held at the Pleasanton Sr. Center, 5353 Sunol Blvd., Pleasanton, from 9:30 AM to 4 PM. Tshaka Campbell, a writer/poet who was the 2005 San Francisco Grand Slam Champion, will represent Hollywood/LA at the national poetry championships in Austin, Texas this August. Pleasanton Poet Laureate Cynthia Bryant says: Tshaka Campbell’s poetry workshop is $50 per person and will include a continental breakfast and box lunch. To find out more about Tshaka Campbell, go to www.naturalkink.com. This workshop is filling up fast; please make your reservations soon! Reservations must be made in advance with Michelle Russo at 925-931-5350 or mrusso@ci.pleasanton.ca.

This Week's Po-Parties:

•••Tonight (6/19), David Humphreys, Sacramento Poet Laureate Julia Connor, and Nancy Wahl will be reading at the Sacramento Poetry Center, Headquarters for the Arts, 25th & R Sts., Sac., at 7:30 PM.

•••Wednesday (6/21), Urban Voices presents Ann Menebroker and D.R. Wagner at the South Natomas Library, 2901 Truxel Rd., Sac., 6:30 PM. Free. Info: 916-264-2920. (Yesterday's Bee says Viola Weinberg, but it's D.R. Wagner.)

•••Thursday (6/22), Gary Snyder will read from and sign copies of his Left Out in the Rain (Journeys from 1947-1985) at St. Joseph's Cultural Center, 410 S. Church St., Grass Valley. Free. Info: 530-272-2131.

•••Also Thursday (6/22), Poetry Unplugged at Luna's Cafe, 1414 16th St., Sac., presents Julie Valin and Dan Hoagland, two poets who are active in the Grass Valley poetry community. 8 PM. Info: 916-441-3931.

•••Friday (6/23), Writers of the New Sun/Escritores del Nuevo Sol presents Dynamic Women in a Double Feature: Come to hear Las Manas, a group of Bay Area women of varied ages and ethnicities who will treat us to their dynamic performance poetry. At the same evening, featured Escritores poet Be Herrera will lead a Circle of Friends poetry reading. Hosted by Felicia Martinez, open mic follows. Location: La Raza Galeria Posada, 1421 ‘R’ St., Sac., 7:30 PM. Cost: $5 or as you can afford. Info: Graciela, 916-456-5323, or www.escritoresdelnuevosol.com.

•••Saturday (6/24), The Freedom Equity Group presents "The Show" Poetry Series, featuring Brett "B-Free" Freeman, Twa'Lea Randolph, Heather Christian, Mia Sousa—plus a very special drop-in guest, JUDAH 1, from the 2005 LA Slam Team, and a visit from Fort Worth Texas Slam Team member Michael Guinn. Plus, Single Fathers’ Appreciation Night: 20 single fathers will be given free gifts, and the first five will be admitted free! Wo'se Community Center (Off 35th and Broadway), 2863 35th St., Sac., 7-9 PM. $5. Info: 916-455-POET. "The Show" Poetry Series is co-sponsored by the Freedom Equity Group and Gatdula’s King Eagles Karate.

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OF ALL WORKS
—Bertold Brecht

Of all works I prefer
Those used and worn.
Copper vessels with dents and with flattened rims
Knives and forks whose wooden handles
Many hands have grooved: such shapes
Seemed the noblest to me. So too the flagstones around
Old houses, trodden by many feet and ground down,
With clumps of grass in the cracks, these too
Are happy works.

Absorbed into the use of the many
Frequently changed, they improve their appearance, growing enjoyable
Because often enjoyed.
Even the remnants of broken sculptures
With lopped-off hands I love. They also
Lived with me. If they were dropped at least they must have been carried.
If men knocked them over they cannot have stood too high up.
Buildings half dilapidated
Revert to the look of buildings not yet completed
Generously designed: their fine proportions
Can already be guessed; yet they still make demands
On our understanding. At the same time
They have served already, indeed have been left behind. All this
Makes me glad.

(Translated from the German by Michael Hamburger)

_______________________

—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.)