I AM MY KITCHEN
where I shall create a filet
fit for God
and He shall smack His lips
and fall down on His knees to me
as I hoist a huge black skillet from the cabinet
set it on the stove
and stripe its interior with golden oil
straight from some Provence-ripened olive tree...
into these shining rivulets I'll
melt a pat of butter
its corners wisping to creamy drifts
float tender crackles of lavender-white shallots
to dance mindlessly in the sizzling fry
joined by inch-slick slabs of sleek filet
leaking crimson
rained upon by pepper grains, both sides,
pepper slathered, dug deep into aortic blood and host-white veins
more pepper to scar God's nostrils with smoking scent,
to roughen the tender cut, to sear to
a satanic crust that stuns the teeth
(God loves a good hot crunch)
lapped by amber liquid of Madeira and beefstock
pitched dark as Hell
as wine fraught as the Broth of Ancients
that long ago enchanted me...
I fall into a reverie
other kitchen, other steaks
á la Diane, á la Dijon, á la bourgimasque
a minuet of soldierly filets and maidenly mignonettes
crowned by queenly capers—
And voilà!
my sudden reflection in a shiny pot
cheeks smeared with beef grease
a curl of dried shallot dangling from
my lower lip reminds me
at this time in this place
I am the Goddess of Steak
and God (on his knees again)
gives thanks to me.
—Patricia Hickerson, Davis
__________________
Thanks, Pat, for the food poem, and thanks to Cynthia for the etheree! Last week's Seed of the Week is Thanksgiving, and it's still going on. Send me a Thanksgiving poem and I'll post it. But send me a Thanksgiving etheree, and I'll mail you Katy Brown's new 2009 calendar, Beyond the Hill. What's an etheree? See Cynthia Linville's fine example below; I think you can figure out the form from it. (Hint: count the syllables in each line.) This Seed of the Week has a deadline, though: to get your free calendar, your etheree(s) must be sent by midnight tonight (Monday, Nov. 24, e-mailed or postmarked). Addresses are below.
Also featured today are poems from Mabel Mello. I tried to get her to send me a pic and bio, but she's shy, so it's just the poems. Thanks, Mabel!
BLISS
Fridays
After work
A good novel
Hot peppermint tea
A raging storm outside
I’m tucked up in flannel sheets
Nothing to do, no one to see
A smile stretches across my face
Your name flashing on my caller ID
—Cynthia Linville, Sacramento
__________________
This week in NorCal poetry:
•••Mon. (11/24), 7:30 PM: Sacramento Poetry Center presents Janet Smith and Connie Post at HQ for the Arts, 1719 25th St., Sacramento. Open mic follows. [See last Friday's post for bios.]
•••Thurs. (11/27), 8 PM: Poetry Unplugged at Luna's Cafe will not have a reading, due to Thanksgiving.
•••Saturday (11/29), 2-6 PM: Rae Gouirand invites you to the trunk sale she and Amy Radbill are having: Amy will be selling her first line of precious metal clay and beaded jewelry, and Rae will be debuting her first line of hardback journals from Open Books. All profits from the sale of the journals become seed money for Rae’s new lit press. The materials for these books have been gathered from paper houses and bookbinding suppliers all over the world, and there are designs in every color of the rainbow. There are only 150 available, so it'd be a good idea to come early. All purchases include complimentary gift wrapping. The first fifty journals sold come with a complimentary, hand-sewn, stab-bound notebook covered in Thai momi papers. That’s 1111 Burr St., Davis. Cash and local checks (with ID) only.
•••Sunday (11/30): Deadline for the 2008 Soul-Making Literary Contest. Established in 1994, the Soul-Making Literary Competition (and its subsequent Awards Reading at the Koret Auditorium, San Francisco Main Library, Civic Center) is a community arts outreach program of the National League of American Pen Women, Nob Hill, SF Bay Area Branch. There are 11 categories, including one for poetry, one for prose poetry, and one for young adult poetry (grades 9-12). Cash prizes for each category are $100, $50, and $25. For complete details visit www.soulmakingcontest.us.
Coming up next week at Sacramento Poetry Center:
•••Monday (12/1), 7:30 PM: James DenBoer and Elyssa White
•••Wednesday (12/3), 6-8 PM: Annual SPC Benefit at the home of the Millers, featuring Pat Grizzell, James DenBoer, and Mary Mackey.
__________________
SNOOZING MUSE
—Mabel Mello, Sacramento
My muse is snoozing.
Let her rest.
She's done her best
to stimulate and fill my mind
with myriad thoughts
of every kind.
I'll just sit back awhile
until these new ideas form,
then pick up pen and paper
and finally write that poem.
___________________
DOUBLE TROUBLE
—Mabel Mello
She looked poorly and dehydrated.
I fed her and gave her water.
A well-meaning neighbor,
noticing her droopy condition,
gave her another generous drink
and waterlogged her.
I disposed of her today.
She was ten years old.
The empty corner near
my apartment door looks strange
without my lush dracaena.
__________________
GROWING OLD
—Mabel Mello
My hearing is fading,
eyesight's grown dim.
I've gained thirty pounds
and no longer slim.
My balance is off.
So I use a cane.
I still get around,
though sometimes there's pain.
My dentures fit well.
Chewing's sometimes a task,
but I still enjoy food,
what more can one ask?
Then there's the memory
that keeps me upset.
What I want to remember
I tend to forget.
Yes, things have grown different
from day to day,
but I wake up each morning,
what more can I say?
__________________
Today's LittleNip:
GRATITUDE
—Louise Glück
Do not think I am not grateful for your small
kindness to me.
I like small kindnesses.
In fact I actually prefer them to the more
substantial kindness, that is always eying you,
like a large animal on a rug,
until your whole life reduces
to nothing but waking up morning after morning
cramped, and the bright sun shining on its tusks.
__________________
—Medusa
SnakeWatch: What's New from Rattlesnake Press:
Rattlesnake Review: Deadline for the current issue (#20) has passed (it was Nov. 15); that issue is currently rattling around in the SnakePit and will be released at The Book Collector reading on December 10, then mailed to contributors and subscribers in mid-December. Next deadline is February 15: send 3-5 poems, smallish art pieces and/or photos (no bio, no cover letter, no simultaneous submissions or previously-published poems) to kathykieth@hotmail.com or P.O. Box 762, Pollock Pines, CA 95726. E-mail attachments are preferred, but be sure to include all contact info, including snail address. Meanwhile, the snakes of Medusa are always hungry!
New for November: Now available at The Book Collector, or from the authors, or through rattlesnakepress.com (or—heck—just write to me and I'll send 'em to you): a new rattlechap from Red Fox Underground Poet Wendy Patrice Williams (Some New Forgetting); a littlesnake broadside from South Lake Tahoe Poet Ray Hadley (Children's Games); our 2009 calendar from Katy Brown (Beyond the Hill: A Poet’s Calendar) as well as Conversations, Vol. 4 of B.L. Kennedy’s Rattlesnake Interview Series, featuring conversations with Luke Breit, Gail Rudd Entrekin, Traci Gourdine, Taylor Graham, Noel Kroeplin, Rob Lozano, Crawdad Nelson, Monika Rose, Will Staple, Mary Zeppa and nila northSun. And don't forget to pick up your copies of B.L. Kennedy's new SpiralChap of his poetry and art, Luna's House of Words, as well as the anthology of poets, art and photos, La Luna: Poetry Unplugged from Luna's Cafe, edited by frank andrick.
Also available (free): littlesnake broadside #46: Snake Secrets: Getting Your Poetry Published in Rattlesnake Press (and lots of other places, besides!): A compendium of ideas for brushing up on your submissions process so as to make editors everywhere more happy, thereby increasing the likelihood of getting your poetry published. Write to me and I'll send you one. Free!
Coming in December: Join us at The Book Collector on Wednesday, December 10, for the release of a new chapbook from Danyen Powell (Blue Sky Flies Out); a littlesnake broadside from Kevin Jones, and a brand-new issue of Rattlesnake Review (#20)! That's at 7:30, 1008 24th St., Sacramento. Refreshments and a read-around will follow; bring your own poems or somebody else's.
Medusa's Weekly Menu:
(Contributors are welcome to cook up something for any and all of these!)
Monday: Weekly NorCal poetry calendar
Tuesday: Seed of the Week: Tuesday is Medusa's day to post poetry triggers such as quotes, forms, photos, memories, jokes—whatever might tickle somebody's muse. Pick up the gauntlet and send in your poetic results; and don't be shy about sending in your own triggers, too! All poems will be posted and a few of them will go into Medusa's Corner of each Rattlesnake Review. Send your work to kathykieth@hotmail.com or P.O. Box 762, Pollock Pines, CA 95726. No deadline for SOWs; respond today, tomorrow, or whenever the muse arrives. (Print 'em out, maybe, save 'em for a dry spell?) When you send us work, though, just let us know which "seed" it was that inspired you.
Wednesday (sometimes): HandyStuff Quickies: Resources for the poet, including whatever helps ease the pain of writing and/or publishing: favorite journals to read and/or submit to; books, etc., about writing; organizational tools—you know—HandyStuff! Tell us about your favorite tools.
Thursday: B.L.'s Drive-Bys: Micro-reviews by our irreverent Reviewer-in-Residence, B.L. Kennedy. Send books, CDs, DVDs, etc. to him for possible review (either as a Drive-By or in future issues of Rattlesnake Review) at P.O. Box 160664, Sacramento, CA 95816.
Friday: NorCal weekend poetry calendar
Daily (except Sunday): LittleNips: SnakeFood for the Poetic Soul: Daily munchables for poetic thought, including short paragraphs, quotes, wonky words, silliness, little-known poetry/poet facts, and other inspiration—yet another way to feed our ravenous poetic souls.
And poetry! Every day, poetry from writers near and far and in-between! The Snakes of Medusa are always hungry.......!
_________________
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.) Medusa cannot vouch for the moral fiber of other publications, contests, etc. that she lists, however, so submit to them at your own risk. For more info about the Snake Empire, including guidelines for submitting to or obtaining our publications, click on the link to the right of this column: Rattlesnake Press (rattlesnakepress.com). And be sure to sign up for Snakebytes, our monthly e-newsletter that will keep you up-to-date on all our ophidian chicanery.
GRATITUDE
—Louise Glück
Do not think I am not grateful for your small
kindness to me.
I like small kindnesses.
In fact I actually prefer them to the more
substantial kindness, that is always eying you,
like a large animal on a rug,
until your whole life reduces
to nothing but waking up morning after morning
cramped, and the bright sun shining on its tusks.
__________________
—Medusa
SnakeWatch: What's New from Rattlesnake Press:
Rattlesnake Review: Deadline for the current issue (#20) has passed (it was Nov. 15); that issue is currently rattling around in the SnakePit and will be released at The Book Collector reading on December 10, then mailed to contributors and subscribers in mid-December. Next deadline is February 15: send 3-5 poems, smallish art pieces and/or photos (no bio, no cover letter, no simultaneous submissions or previously-published poems) to kathykieth@hotmail.com or P.O. Box 762, Pollock Pines, CA 95726. E-mail attachments are preferred, but be sure to include all contact info, including snail address. Meanwhile, the snakes of Medusa are always hungry!
New for November: Now available at The Book Collector, or from the authors, or through rattlesnakepress.com (or—heck—just write to me and I'll send 'em to you): a new rattlechap from Red Fox Underground Poet Wendy Patrice Williams (Some New Forgetting); a littlesnake broadside from South Lake Tahoe Poet Ray Hadley (Children's Games); our 2009 calendar from Katy Brown (Beyond the Hill: A Poet’s Calendar) as well as Conversations, Vol. 4 of B.L. Kennedy’s Rattlesnake Interview Series, featuring conversations with Luke Breit, Gail Rudd Entrekin, Traci Gourdine, Taylor Graham, Noel Kroeplin, Rob Lozano, Crawdad Nelson, Monika Rose, Will Staple, Mary Zeppa and nila northSun. And don't forget to pick up your copies of B.L. Kennedy's new SpiralChap of his poetry and art, Luna's House of Words, as well as the anthology of poets, art and photos, La Luna: Poetry Unplugged from Luna's Cafe, edited by frank andrick.
Also available (free): littlesnake broadside #46: Snake Secrets: Getting Your Poetry Published in Rattlesnake Press (and lots of other places, besides!): A compendium of ideas for brushing up on your submissions process so as to make editors everywhere more happy, thereby increasing the likelihood of getting your poetry published. Write to me and I'll send you one. Free!
Coming in December: Join us at The Book Collector on Wednesday, December 10, for the release of a new chapbook from Danyen Powell (Blue Sky Flies Out); a littlesnake broadside from Kevin Jones, and a brand-new issue of Rattlesnake Review (#20)! That's at 7:30, 1008 24th St., Sacramento. Refreshments and a read-around will follow; bring your own poems or somebody else's.
Medusa's Weekly Menu:
(Contributors are welcome to cook up something for any and all of these!)
Monday: Weekly NorCal poetry calendar
Tuesday: Seed of the Week: Tuesday is Medusa's day to post poetry triggers such as quotes, forms, photos, memories, jokes—whatever might tickle somebody's muse. Pick up the gauntlet and send in your poetic results; and don't be shy about sending in your own triggers, too! All poems will be posted and a few of them will go into Medusa's Corner of each Rattlesnake Review. Send your work to kathykieth@hotmail.com or P.O. Box 762, Pollock Pines, CA 95726. No deadline for SOWs; respond today, tomorrow, or whenever the muse arrives. (Print 'em out, maybe, save 'em for a dry spell?) When you send us work, though, just let us know which "seed" it was that inspired you.
Wednesday (sometimes): HandyStuff Quickies: Resources for the poet, including whatever helps ease the pain of writing and/or publishing: favorite journals to read and/or submit to; books, etc., about writing; organizational tools—you know—HandyStuff! Tell us about your favorite tools.
Thursday: B.L.'s Drive-Bys: Micro-reviews by our irreverent Reviewer-in-Residence, B.L. Kennedy. Send books, CDs, DVDs, etc. to him for possible review (either as a Drive-By or in future issues of Rattlesnake Review) at P.O. Box 160664, Sacramento, CA 95816.
Friday: NorCal weekend poetry calendar
Daily (except Sunday): LittleNips: SnakeFood for the Poetic Soul: Daily munchables for poetic thought, including short paragraphs, quotes, wonky words, silliness, little-known poetry/poet facts, and other inspiration—yet another way to feed our ravenous poetic souls.
And poetry! Every day, poetry from writers near and far and in-between! The Snakes of Medusa are always hungry.......!
_________________
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.) Medusa cannot vouch for the moral fiber of other publications, contests, etc. that she lists, however, so submit to them at your own risk. For more info about the Snake Empire, including guidelines for submitting to or obtaining our publications, click on the link to the right of this column: Rattlesnake Press (rattlesnakepress.com). And be sure to sign up for Snakebytes, our monthly e-newsletter that will keep you up-to-date on all our ophidian chicanery.
