Whee-Haw!

SHOPPING THOUGHTS
—Michelle Kunert, Sacramento

Going to the overstock outlet
Did any customer who bought there say,
"God bless the Guatemalans who sewed this T-shirt.
‘Cause they are making pennies a day
with no garment workers’ union.
It's their children on ads for Christian Children's Fund,
and I'm sorry for not sending my monthly support check.
Look,
all these designer labels representing the world God made
as well does my whole closet too—
but without fair trade.
Which is why I pray for each nation on the tags.

Blessed be those hands who reap too little for what they sew
for rich Americans to wear,

and everybody needs to know."

_______________________

Thanks, Michelle!

Plenty to do This Weekend:

•••Tonight (Friday, 8/18), 7 PM: Our House Defines Art poetry reading features Sacramentans (and Rattlechappers) Susan Kelly-DeWitt and Shawn Pittard. Free; an open mic follows. Our House Defines Art Gallery & Framing is located at 4510 Post St. in El Dorado Hills Town Center; from Sac., take the Latrobe exit off to the right (south), then turn left into the shopping center.

•••This weekend (Friday-Sunday, 8/18-20): Sacramento State Writers Conference features Gail Tsukiyama, John Lescroart, Jim Dodge, Dan Melzer, Jeff Vasseur, Sands Hall, Robin Burcell, David Bianculli, Marcos Breton, Lynn Ferrin, Albert Garcia, Josh McKinney, more. www.cce.csus.edu/cts06/WritersConference

•••Saturday (8/19), 7-9 PM: Underground Poetry Series presents Taylor Williams and Black Men Expressing Tour plus open mic. 7-9pm, $3.00. Underground Books, 2814 35th Street (35th and Broadway). Mother Rose is the bookstore manager and La-Rue’ is the series host. If you would like to be a featured poet please contact Terry Moore at 455-POET.

•••Also Saturday (8/19): Nevada County Poetry Series presents Cowboy Poets Daryl Knight, Dave Fisher, and Tony Argento. $5 general, $1 for under 18. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $5 general, seniors and students, and $1 for those under 18. Refreshments and open-mic included. On Monday's post, I said the show will be in Off Center Stage (the Black Box theater, enter from Richardson Street), but actually I think it's around the corner in the Main Stage at the Center for the Arts, 314 W. Main St., Grass Valley, CA. Info: 530-432-8196 or 530-274-8384. Refreshments and open-mic included. www.thecenterforthearts.org

•••Sunday (8/20), 2:30-4 PM: Take a trip to Paradise for an Open Mic at Juice & Java, 7067 Skyway, Paradise. All ages are invited to read their poems at this monthly poetry series. Info: 530-872-9633. Hosted by Lara Gularte.

More Cowboy Poetry!

Two cowboy poetry events this weekend! In addition to Nevada City's line-up on Saturday, this year's annual Wild Horse Sanctuary Open House Benefit is also being held this Saturday (8/19), from 1-6 PM at the Wild Horse Sanctuary, 5768 Wilson Hill Rd., Shingletown, CA. Bring your family and friends to the Wild Horse Sanctuary to tour the property and attend events such as the Barn Dance and BBQ, free horse rides for children 10 and under, drawings and a silent auction, and entertainment which includes music and cowboy poetry. In addition to demonstrations on mule and horse packing, sheep shearing, horseshoeing, grooming and saddling, there will be Cowboy Poetry by Randy Rainwater, Larry Brockmeyer and Bill Hooten from Red Bluff; Thomas Wiedal from Corning; Keith Trent from Redding; Rattlechapper/Snake Pal Patricia Wellingham-Jones from Tehama; Jim Cardwell from Oroville; and Susan Parker from Benicia. Some good ole' cowboy music will be provided by Bruce Barron, who plays the guitar and harmonica. Info: 530-335-2241 or www.wildhorsesanctuary.org.

The Sanctuary also welcomes any items for the silent auction. Suggestions would be: cowboy poetry CD's and books; pictures or paintings; craft items; anything that is related to horses or nature. Or anything that you would like to donate would be more than welcome. Last year, enough funds were raised to feed hay to the wild horses when the pickings were slim. Contact Susan Parker at 707-745-3768 or email 4sgalparker1298@comcast.net. Or send items to Susan Parker, PO Box 865 Benicia, Ca 94510.

The Wild Horse Sanctuary, located on 5,000 acres near the Shasta County line in the Cascade foothills northeast of Red Bluff, California, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving America's Wild Horses. The sanctuary, co-founded in 1978 by Dianne Nelson, is one of the few places of refuge where mustangs rescued from public lands run free and wild. The sanctuary offers overnight weekend and midweek rides to view the wild horses during the months of May, June, July, September and October. To learn more about mustang sponsorship and adoption opportunities, or about goals of the sanctuary, go to www.wildhorsesanctuary.org.

_______________________

I'm a fan of cowboy poetry (and wild horses!), and hope to get over to Elko some year for the big annual Doin's up there. (Annie Menebroker tells me a relative of hers helped found that event, in fact. Small world...) If you want to read a high-fallutin' approach to cowboy poetry, read Cowboy Poets & Cowboy Poetry, a collection of analytical articles edited by David Stanley & Elaine Thatcher (University of Illinois, 2000). Actually there are lots of books and anthologies out there; more modern approaches use free verse and have more to do with the subject matter of living on the range than they do the rhyming ballad style of the past—though I do love a good story well-told! I especially like some of the books of cowboy poetry from women, such as Graining the Mare: The Poetry of Ranch Women, ed. by Teresa Jordan (Gibbs-Smith, 1994).

_______________________

In the Small World department, Patricia Wellingham-Jones (who will read at the Sanctuary Saturday) took heed of yesterday's post about publishing—who needs it? and writes: Don't know how I really feel about getting published, Kathy, except that it's fun—and I realize full well it's also an ego trip. But since the point of writing (other than self-indulgence or self-healing, both valid) is to communicate, reading in public and getting published seem to be the waysto do that.

Anybody else have an opinion?

Oh—and check out the cover of the newest Song of the San Joaquin; the cover has a photograph by PW-Jones.

_______________________

Here's some cowboy poetry from Arloa Walter of Lincoln. Arloa and some other (non-cowboy) poets of Lincoln will be featured in Snake 11, due out in September.

ON THE TRAIL
—Arloa Walter, Lincoln

Lopin' right along singin' a favrit song
With my horse named True and my dog named Blue
On the trail on the trail
After workin' night and day, finally got myself away
Headin' into town, to spread my loot around
On the trail on the trail
The earth is hot an' dry, the wind will make ya cry
As it stings your eyes, storm's acomin' you surmise
On the trail on the trail
Comes some drops of rain now, hittin' like a train
I got soakin' wet and drippin' are the pets
On the trail on the trail
Gotta find some shelter, run now helter skelter
Found a big old tree to protect my horse and me
On the trail on the trail
A great big lightnin' bolt gave us all a jolt
And threw us back, my horse and me
With dog and gear and all his fleas
And soakin' wet now if you please
On the trail on the trail

________________________

COWLICK
—Arloa Walter, Lincoln

There is nothing like a cowlick
On the back of your head
No matter how you comb it
It's a sight you have to dread

It's got its own idea
Of how the hair should lie
Impossible to manage
The strands just go awry

You try to cover over
With brush and comb and spray
But when you check it out
You find it's gone its stubborn way

What on earth is one to do
To make it settle down?
There is only one procedure
Anyone has found

You must let it have its way
Give in to its direction
Just comb your hair in circles
Forget about perfection

______________________

Thanks, Arloa! See you at the bunkhouse!

—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.)