Let's Rhumba!

NEW BACK FENCE
—David Humphreys, Stockton

Honeysuckle, red and white geraniums, pink pygmy
roses, a lavender herb explosion beside a lurid bougainvillea
sherbet Betty Boop lipstick full bloom off the front step,
still morning air, yesterday's warm delta wind tossed trees
new grown lime green June leaves a shimmering rustle
of a satin ballroom dress swishing around the floor.

Started first week in May, chain sawed the old
rotted west and south sides. Turned June 5 days ago
and it's pretty close to finished. A post hole digger
tells all you need to know about it with the whine of
a worm drive, mixing concrete with a hoe, drill and screw
gun boards cinched solid. Enough of that. Sweat is good
burning fat in the hot sun smelling sweet suntan lotion.

Good fences make fair impediments but let us not
to the marriage of mild conjecture admit anything other
than that the one on the south side is a little tight and won't
help pay for anything even though he's getting a brand new
beautiful red fence. You watch though, he'll be chummy
as hell when you put out the flags for 4th of July.

_______________________

Thanks, David!

Readings tonight:

•••Tonight (Thursday, 6/8): Poetry Unplugged at Luna's Cafe, 1414 16th St., Sac. presents an entire night of Open Mic (plus surprises, for sure), hosted by Geoffrey Neill (his hosting debut!), 8 PM. Info: 916-441-3931.

•••Also tonight (6/8): Vibe Sessions Neo-Soul Lounge features Miss Heather Christian-Arlington, a former member of Sac Slam who is getting ready to release her album. Flo Real hosting, and the good soul food cookin’ in the back at The Cobbler Inn Restaurant (next to Colonial Theatre), 3520 Stockton Blvd., Sac, $5.

Ellen Bass's Summer 2006 Workshops and Conferences:

•••July 2-7: White Lotus Poetry & Prose Workshop at the Hollyhock Retreat Center, Cortes Island, British Columbia. Info/register 800-933-6339.

•••July 7-11: Foothill Writers Conference, Los Altos. Info/register: www.foothill.edu or email robbinsdoren@foothill.edu.

•••July 15-22: Summer Poetry in Idyllwild, CA. Info/register: www.idyllwildarts.org or email summer@idyllwildarts.org.

•••August 20-25: Writing & Knowing, Esalen, Big Sur. Workshop taught by Ellen Bass, Dorianne Laux, and Joe Millar. Info/register: www.esalen.org or call 831-667-3005.

Coming up next week:

•••The Annual General Meeting of the Sacramento Poetry Center Board will be happening on Monday, June 12 at HQ (25th & R Sts., Sac.) from 5:45-7:45 PM; please plan to attend this important meeting in order to elect our new Board and to provide much-needed feedback about the year ahead. This is a first-time opportunity to elect our own Board! Be there!

•••On Wednesday, June 14 (Flag Day), Rattlesnake Press will be releasing two B.L. Kennedy publications: his newest rattlechap, The Setich Manor Poems, and a free littlesnake broadside, A Conversation with B.L. Kennedy, brought to us by Gene "Gizmo" Avery. All this at The Book Collector, 1008 24th St., Sac., 7:30 pm.

Also that night: the escape of Rattlesnake Review #10! This issue features 'way lots of Nor-Cal poetry, including a rhumba (did you know a "rhumba of rattlesnakes" is a herd of 'em?) of poems from Lake Tahoe and another from Australia; an article about Vietnamese poetry written by Sinh Quang Le, President of the Vietnamese International Poetry Society (with info about the International Poetry Convention to be held in Sacramento in September of this year); an interview of Staajabu by Interviewer-in-Residence JoAnn Anglin; another rhumba of double-dactyls; and articles and reviews by our In-Residence folks and others, including B.L. Kennedy, Charlene Ungstad, Shawn Pittard, Joyce Odam, Taylor Graham, Katy Brown—plus the incomparable art of Sam The Snake Man Kieth! All of this—and more—coming to you next Wednesday at The Book Collector for FREE! Put on your rhumba shoes and be there!

________________________

right handed
—Dawn DiBartolo, Sacramento

cursive, sex
and cigarettes,
trails of smoke
that follow beauty
to the left
of what lingers
of self.
and tomorrows
always enter
from the right.

_______________________

demons of a different sort
—Dawn DiBartolo, Sacramento

i don't know
how the demon
knows me,
but he does,
fits over me
like skin,
a living flesh
capable of decision.
and because
it is part of me,
all of me, self
gives in to his destruction,
branded hell's whore
for the satisfaction
of the moment;
living with what follows
is a~whole~nother demon.

________________________

Thanks, Dawn! Medusa (hell's whore!—been there, done that) mightily appreciates those who take the time to send her the occasional wee pome...

—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.)