Peter's Press
Photo by Katy Brown, Davis
Photo by Katy Brown, Davis
WORKING
—James Lee Jobe, Davis
The hammer doesn't give a damn
about the nail. A cut is related
to the blade, not to the flesh.
James, who are you to write poems
about what is, or is not? A poem
is a loaf of bread to turn stale.
A poem is that shining dream
that you want to remember,
but you forget more of it
with each moment that passes.
James, you have to work
with the tools that you have.
_______________________
decoding the dawn
—dawn dibartolo, sacramento
i write...
because i feel,
antiquated soul
with eyes that do not age
because the moon
seduced me
and put an emotive pen
in my hand
because time
slips away
like sand
thru my fingers,
and i desperately need
something to hold on to
because tomorrows fade
before each sunrise
and i must decode
each cycle
before the next.
*~*
unoriginal
—dawn dibartolo
how many times
can the sunset
be written, painted ~
sullen pink, melancholy indigo,
cumulus clouds of pure emotion ~
before all attempts fail it justice
and the sky, as canvas or paper,
crumples to the quietness of night?
______________________
Hear Barks read Rumi in Chico this Saturday night:
Thirty-one years ago, Coleman Barks, who is a poet himself, undertook the work of translating Rumi at the request of another poet, Robert Bly. Bly allegedly handed Barks a collection of literal translations of Rumi and told him, "Release these from their scholarly cages." Barks set to work, and since then his translations have become immensely popular. Barks will present Rumi's poetry at the Spiritual Enrichment Center at 8 PM Saturday. The center is at 2565 California Park Drive in Chico. Tickets are $30. For reservations, call the center at 530-895-8395. Info: http://www.chicoer.com/ci_5510509?source=rss
Poets on the Roof:
Donald Anderson of Stockton writes: Poets on the Roof, the Stockton Poetry Workshop hosted by Shonda Renee, now has a place on the web! Shonda started a myspace page, http://www.myspace.com/poetsontheroof and I started a domain that refers to it http://www.poetsontheroof.com. We meet every third Saturday of the month, from 3-5 PM at Acacia Street Cafe, corner of Acacia and Yosemite Ave., Stockton. See March 23's post for a picture and poems from Shonda.
Want to do poetry outside?
Two opportunities coming up this spring to attend poetry outdoors in the Bay Area:
•••5/5/07, 10AM-3PM: POETRY IN THE PARK FESTIVAL 2007, Fairfield Civic Center Library, 1150 Kentucky St., Fairfield, CA (in the rear park area by the lake). Hosted by Juanita J. Martin. Featuring Poet Laureates Cynthia Bryant (Pleasanton) & Geri Digiorno (Petaluma), plus book signings, open mike poetry, light refreshments & more... For more info: call Juanita @ (707) 435-1807 or Martha Evans @ (707) 421-6500. Sponsored by Fairfield Library and Valley Writers Group.
•••6/3/07, San Francisco: POETS WITH TREES - Sutro Heights Park (west end of Geary Street overlooking the ocean), total open mic, featuring you and all your friends, contact Clara Hsu (soullesswoman@gmail.com) or Dan Brady (creative1@creativeideasforyou.com) or Don Brennan (brennan.don@gmail.com).
—James Lee Jobe, Davis
The hammer doesn't give a damn
about the nail. A cut is related
to the blade, not to the flesh.
James, who are you to write poems
about what is, or is not? A poem
is a loaf of bread to turn stale.
A poem is that shining dream
that you want to remember,
but you forget more of it
with each moment that passes.
James, you have to work
with the tools that you have.
_______________________
decoding the dawn
—dawn dibartolo, sacramento
i write...
because i feel,
antiquated soul
with eyes that do not age
because the moon
seduced me
and put an emotive pen
in my hand
because time
slips away
like sand
thru my fingers,
and i desperately need
something to hold on to
because tomorrows fade
before each sunrise
and i must decode
each cycle
before the next.
*~*
unoriginal
—dawn dibartolo
how many times
can the sunset
be written, painted ~
sullen pink, melancholy indigo,
cumulus clouds of pure emotion ~
before all attempts fail it justice
and the sky, as canvas or paper,
crumples to the quietness of night?
______________________
Hear Barks read Rumi in Chico this Saturday night:
Thirty-one years ago, Coleman Barks, who is a poet himself, undertook the work of translating Rumi at the request of another poet, Robert Bly. Bly allegedly handed Barks a collection of literal translations of Rumi and told him, "Release these from their scholarly cages." Barks set to work, and since then his translations have become immensely popular. Barks will present Rumi's poetry at the Spiritual Enrichment Center at 8 PM Saturday. The center is at 2565 California Park Drive in Chico. Tickets are $30. For reservations, call the center at 530-895-8395. Info: http://www.chicoer.com/ci_5510509?source=rss
Poets on the Roof:
Donald Anderson of Stockton writes: Poets on the Roof, the Stockton Poetry Workshop hosted by Shonda Renee, now has a place on the web! Shonda started a myspace page, http://www.myspace.com/poetsontheroof and I started a domain that refers to it http://www.poetsontheroof.com. We meet every third Saturday of the month, from 3-5 PM at Acacia Street Cafe, corner of Acacia and Yosemite Ave., Stockton. See March 23's post for a picture and poems from Shonda.
Want to do poetry outside?
Two opportunities coming up this spring to attend poetry outdoors in the Bay Area:
•••5/5/07, 10AM-3PM: POETRY IN THE PARK FESTIVAL 2007, Fairfield Civic Center Library, 1150 Kentucky St., Fairfield, CA (in the rear park area by the lake). Hosted by Juanita J. Martin. Featuring Poet Laureates Cynthia Bryant (Pleasanton) & Geri Digiorno (Petaluma), plus book signings, open mike poetry, light refreshments & more... For more info: call Juanita @ (707) 435-1807 or Martha Evans @ (707) 421-6500. Sponsored by Fairfield Library and Valley Writers Group.
•••6/3/07, San Francisco: POETS WITH TREES - Sutro Heights Park (west end of Geary Street overlooking the ocean), total open mic, featuring you and all your friends, contact Clara Hsu (soullesswoman@gmail.com) or Dan Brady (creative1@creativeideasforyou.com) or Don Brennan (brennan.don@gmail.com).
Tonight:
•••Thursday (4/5), 8 PM: Poetry Unplugged at Luna's Cafe (1414 16th St., Sac.) presents Sacramento Poet Laureate Julia Connor. Info: 916-441-3931 or www.lunascafe.com. Open mic before/after.
_______________________
IF YOU WRITE
—Stephani Schaefer, Los Molinos
if you write
and if both your parents were writers
and if in their house it was war
because one was famous and one was not
and if it was the kind of war where one
ranted and the other kept silent
it will take you a long time to write
and every word will be secret
because silence seems the better choice
_______________________
Some poems
insist on having things their way
then fade back into the trees
leaving you, poor scribe,
to answer for them.
—Stephani Schaefer
_______________________
Poor supplicant poems
—how many have I turned down
over the years?
That's the trouble
when the person doing the hiring
is younger than the applicant.
—Stephani Schaefer
_______________________
Medusa shakes her snakes in gratitude to all the poets who have sent poems and pix this week about The Writing Life. By the way, if you caught the "early edition" (before 11 AM) of the Kitchen yesterday, you might've seen a poem I posted, called "The Peacock of Alderton". Due to a communication mix-up, I listed the poem as being written by Marie Riepenhoff-Talty, when actually it wasn't hers; she sent it to me to make a point about something else. I'm setting the record straight here because, of course, Marie doesn't want to be known as a plagiarist and a scoundrel. Sorry, Marie!
Here is one more poem that is, sort of, about The Writing Life. Mine, at least (and thanks, Steph!):
MEDUSA'S BEDSIDE JOURNAL
—Stephani Schaefer
after reading the People's Press
and listening to "Democracy Now"
Medusa can't sleep
she writhes on her pillow
then rises on one elbow
uncoils the handiest serpent
and writes in venom
on the stone tablet by her bed
she writes out her feelings
of fury and frustration
that come from repeated bad news
in the morning cool-headed
she forms words that coil and loop
to hold those nightime rantings
to some poetic form that demands
at least a little control
so she won't be dismissed
as some vituperative old witch
_______________________
—Medusa
Medusa encourages poets of all ilk and ages to send their POETRY, PHOTOS and ART, as well as announcements of Northern California poetry events to kathykieth@hotmail.com (or snail ‘em to P.O. Box 762, Pollock Pines, CA 95726) 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.)
SnakeWatch: Up-to-the-minute Snake news:
Journals: Rattlesnake Review #13 is available at The Book Collector; next deadline is May 15. The new VYPER #6 (for youth 13-19) will be out April 11. Snakelets 10 (for kids-12) is available; next deadline is May 1.
Books/broadsides: Current releases are Skin Stretched Around the Hollow by Steve Williams and littlesnake broadside #32 by Brad Buchanan: Ultrasound. Next release: April 11, 7:30 PM, at the Snake’s Third Annual Birthday Bash and Buffet at The Book Collector: SnakeRings SpiralChap #7 from D.R. Wagner: Where The Stars Are Kept, and littlesnake broadside #33: Swallowed By This Whale Of Time by Ann Menebroker.
Something new: Rattlesnake Interview Series with B.L. Kennedy also premieres April 11; #1 is Ann Menebroker.
