Starlings at Stonehenge
photo by Katy Brown, Davis
STARLINGS AT DUSK
—Tom Goff, Carmichael
Starlings brood on phone cables, as if
sunset were to hatch: an easy dozen, two
dozen of these black wire-sitters: then,
to some silent vibration, neither weathervane
nor tuning fork, flutter up! Gregorian, stark
unison. A few yards’ bursting-forth flight
in the late light, then the resettle: as if dusk
in a few mute and moody stanzas of hurdy-gurdy
ground out a round of musical chairs: only
this I notice, O birds: never does your
pantomime pop-go-the-weasel reveal one
less wire, one starling excluded—never does
your star chamber blacklist, foreclose on, proclaim
life’s loser, even one lone circler angling,
amid rushing and bustling wings, for available space.
—Tom Goff, Carmichael
Starlings brood on phone cables, as if
sunset were to hatch: an easy dozen, two
dozen of these black wire-sitters: then,
to some silent vibration, neither weathervane
nor tuning fork, flutter up! Gregorian, stark
unison. A few yards’ bursting-forth flight
in the late light, then the resettle: as if dusk
in a few mute and moody stanzas of hurdy-gurdy
ground out a round of musical chairs: only
this I notice, O birds: never does your
pantomime pop-go-the-weasel reveal one
less wire, one starling excluded—never does
your star chamber blacklist, foreclose on, proclaim
life’s loser, even one lone circler angling,
amid rushing and bustling wings, for available space.
Thanks to both Tom and Katy for the starlings! Katy Brown has brought back a passle of pix from her trip across the pond; watch for them in forthcoming publications. And Historian-in-Residence Tom Goff has written us a fine article about California poet-from-the-past George Sterling, which will appear in Snake 20, due out—eek!—next week!
Marie J. Ross and Donald R. Anderson of Stockton co-wrote a poem which inspired this week's Seed of the Week: Oh, Those Appetites. See below for that poem and for others about appetite. But first, a poem by Marie that was "set off" by last week's set of poems about stones:
A STONE'S THROW
—Marie J. Ross, Stockton
Stone takes form of flight;
how often do siblings throw
that small grey rock from tight
fisted hands.
The danger zone;
words in an unthinking and
unkind manner voiced rapidly,
like a slingshot hurled through
a tornado.
He slung anyway,
missing his brother's forehead, who
ducked just in time.
A sigh of relief;
no sign of bruising for mom to see,
no questions of explanation.
He cooled, affection source of reason,
the small gray rock a sapphire blue on
the flight path of his mind.
___________________
PLACATING L’APPÉTIT
—Marie J. Ross and Donald R. Anderson
He lived among the vines, serpents and fig trees;
quiet, serene, lonely and forsaken.
His love lived in the well, stroking her golden hair
by the pale moonlight that filtered down on jeweled mists.
And when the wind blew wildly, he pictured her dancing
in a vermillion skirt. On wooden bucket he fed her,
and she returned the pail with a plaintive wail. Having a
gourmet’s appetite, the wooden bucket was filled with food
she abhorred. One night she sprinkled fairy dust on herself
and, becoming light, hoisted herself onto the bucket to be returned.
He was absorbed by her lightness, grace and tendency to exercise
her freedom of decision. She took the bucket firmly between her two
hands, and with a smile of freedom, took the leftovers and flung
them at him. How dare you! she explained, I live in a garden filled with
fruit trees and magnificent foliage, a kingdom of heavenly furnishings.
A serpent twined, twisted, and twirled a path towards them,
and suggestively curled itself around an apple for her to see.
She gazed at it with interest, it was so shiny, so ruby red and glistened
like a silk cloth. Better yet, her gourmet instinct could tell that it would
go well with some cinnamon, orange peel, nutmeg, cloves, and other spices
...but when she realized she hadn’t a container to smash the apples in,
in despair she looked at the apple, grabbed it and stared at it. She found
a large rock lodged between two branches, proceeding to pound
and pound the apple until its luscious juice flowed into a flask
she hid for holding water. He looked at her and the now-pulped apple
imploringly, as if he had not eaten for weeks, his throat dry and his body
weakened as he waited for her to decide if he would drink,
or run from her in disgust. She smiled with crocodile tears for him,
and knowing she wanted the cider all for herself, she threw him an apple.
He began to see the vermillion silk unravel, whirl around her beauteous
body, her eyes looking at him softly. His hand in hers, they raised a toast,
her the cider, he the apple, and ate... er... drank... er... both.
___________________
WILD RIDE
—Virginia Hamilton Adair
Tearing along the Kentucky River road
in a rumble seat, your mouth on mine,
your Swanee College friend, our drunken driver,
and his languid New Orleans girlfriend.
Her soft hand into his thigh, I guessed,
so the car jerked off the road and back on again,
and the wind somehow indecent and unkind
disheveled me and my clothing
or was that your hand that I loved gentle
but now as a paw of this nighttime madness
in the back seat of a roadster that threw us about
like a tin can in surf and I thought,
caught between desire and despair
was it for this was it only for this?
__________________
JUICING AN ORANGE
—Kathy Kieth, Pollock Pines
Treacle spills over
the cutting board: sweet
medicine from a single
orange. . . Bergamot
incense seeps from
this small sun in my
hand: leaks down
my fingers onto my
arm: dark ochre
marmalade-to-be.
Fruity confection drips
into the embrace
of a glass: sweet, sugary
preview of ambrosia. . .
__________________
Today's LittleNip:
Confuses what he desires with what he is owed.
—Stephen Dobyns
__________________
—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 (Low-Rent Dojo), and a brand-new issue of Rattlesnake Review (#20)! That's at 7:30 PM, 1008 24th St., Sacramento. Refreshments and a read-around will follow; bring your own poems or somebody else's.
Coming in January: The Snake will be snoozing during January; no releases or readings. But our October road trips inspired a new Rattlesnake publication, WTF, to be edited by frank andrick. This 30-page, chapbook-style quarterly journal will primarily showcase the talents of readers at Poetry Unplugged at Luna’s Café. Deadline is Jan. 15 for a Feb. 19 premiere at Luna’s. Submission guidelines are the same as for the Snake, but send your poems, photos, smallish art or prose pieces (500 words or less) to fandrickfabpub@hotmail.com (attachments preferred) or, if you’re snailing, to P.O. Box 762, Pollock Pines, CA 95726. And be forewarned: this publication will be for adults only! so you must be over 18 years of age to submit.
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.
