On the Road in Maui:
(Been there, sure miss it...)
“THESE STONY HILLS”
—Taylor Graham, Placerville
Feel that my literary labors are drawing to a close.
—Elihu Burritt’s journal, 1856
Do morning glories purple the fence
like memories of childhood as you walk,
early morning, to the hill? Forty-six
years old in December. It’s only June,
but long before evening, you’re lame
and sore from holding the plough
to a furrow, and wrestling with stones.
You had to borrow five dollars to pay
horse and carriage to bring you home,
to this rocky parcel with its small patch
of corn, the sum of your crop this year.
Yet that’s a better harvest than comes
of sowing words in rows across blank
paper. Today the Democrats name
their choice for President. What hope
they’ll beat their political swords into
ploughshares? Peace is such hard work.
Today, do you feel yourself a fool
for any sort of labor, which only makes
you older by the year, the sweaty
hour, the season’s empty bins?
__________________
Thanks to Taylor Graham for the poem about diligence! Write us a poem about The Seven Deadly Virtues (according to the song, they're courage, purity, humility, honesty, diligence, charity and fidelity) and I'll send you a free copy of Danyen Powell's new rattlechap, Blue Sky Flies Out. Unlike for SOWs, there is a deadline for this: Monday, Jan. 19 at midnight. E-mail 'em to kathykieth@hotmail.com or snail to P.O. Box 762, Pollock Pines, CA 95726.
Here are two poems by Tom Goff. He says the first is "With a tip of the cap to Kate Asche, who read this week at SPC," and the second one "just writ in the mood of the day, which I'd call light blue and hazy. The word "litten" comes from Nora May French, whom I'm starting to profile [for the next issue of Rattlesnake Review in his capacity as Historian-in-Residence]. Watch for a rattlechap from Tom Goff in May!
HAND, DANCING
—Tom Goff, Carmichael
…what would that be, to hear a hand, singing?
—Kate Asche
Long before Marie Taglioni’s heavy darns
on shoetoes, long before Chaplin
speared a fork apiece into a pair
of rolls and strutted them showgirl feet,
it was hands that must lead the dance,
hands in Giotto’s fresco, Donatello’s bronze
that must conduct the always moving, moveless
ballet, the ceaseless pantomime of caress,
be astonished, display spite, signal a hesitant
accepting of sin’s first and sweetest apple,
embody fear, or worship. Say grace at any time
outside or prior to language, require the grace
of hand language if your ears and tongue won’t serve,
and you again prove hands do dance…Expressive
hands on my pastor’s wrists last Sunday:
accompaniments to speech, yes, but better:
the right hand circling again and again around
what he was uttering on Buddhist
structures of admittance to enlightenment,
each system an anteroom larger than the last,
this circling hand again and again describing one
speech act, always the same celestial
benevolence, the heaven-policeman’s reassurance:
yes, come ahead, come ahead, a marked
intersection, yes, but all clear, don’t stop now,
come on through, come ahead. And all the while
it circled, that fair hand finger-blossomed and withered
easily back into half-fist, bloomed and shrank, bloomed
and shrank through forty lives of the one hand-flower,
that whole vast phenomenon reincarnation
manifest in the opening, dancing, yes, singing
circulatory as blood in the one solemn hand…
__________________
PINE POINTS, OAK CROWNS, HILL SLOPES
—Tom Goff
A warm January.
Out the window, pine-points, oak crowns, hill-slopes.
To the panorama comes a tinge, a haze blueness,
pines, oaks, even red-tile roofs touched by it:
the litten blue afternoon of a faun napping, sexually
dreaming in the grass graying under the dust
light winds raise in the road as it winds by grape leaves,
that kind of a blue. A cooked-in-the-pot
oatmeal rise toward puffing-over-the-lip
sort of haze in the day, where the green-blue-gray
bubble that looms highest threatens
to sag and sigh back hot. Even the house faces
winking amid the arisen scrub, miniature
Cezanne geometries, adobe, white, cream
pieces vagabond from their puzzles, or perhaps
trying like pixels to coalesce, resolve and dominate,
blither under in the lazy surrender to a bliss.
___________________
This weekend in NorCal poetry (busy night tonight!):
•••Friday (1/16), 7:30 PM: The Other Voice in Davis presents two poets who teach at local universities: Brad Buchanan (CSUS) and Brad Henderson (UCD). The reading will be held in the library of the UU Church located at 27074 Patwin Road, Davis. Refreshments and Open Mike follow. Brad Buchanan teaches British and world literature as well as creative writing. His first book of poetry, The Miracle Shirker, was published in 2005 by Poets Corner Press and his new book, Swimming the Mirror: Poems For My Daughter, appeared under Roan Press, an imprint he co-founded in 2008. He is a board member of the Sacramento Poetry Center, editor for The Tule Review, runs an annual high school poetry contest, and is a visiting poet and judge for the national Poetry Out Loud contest.
Brad Henderson, also known as Beau Hamel, has deep roots in Davis. His great-great-grandfather, Henry Hartman Hamel, was one of the original settlers of Davisville. Both his father and paternal grandfather are emeritus professors from UCD's college of Engineering. Henderson/Hamel is the author of a dual chapbook of poetry, Split Rock, published by Natsoulas Press, 2006. As Beau Hamel, the originator of "neo-cowboy-ism", he has been called "a ten-gallon hat nod to Seamus Heaney". Henderson co-hosts (with Andy Jones) a reading series at Bistro 33.
•••Friday (1/16), 7 PM: Poetry at Raven's Tale in Placerville features Cleo Fellers Kocol and Phil Weidman. A short poetry open-mic follows (signup before the featured readers). Raven's Tale Bookstore is located at 352 Main Street, Placerville. There is no charge. [For more info on each poet, go to Medusa's archives: March 22, 2007 for Phil, and Sept. 12, 2008 for Cleo.]
•••Friday (1/16), 8 PM: Junkyard Burlesque will perform at Luna's Cafe, 1414 16th St., Sacramento. Joining Brady McKay (vocals, guitar, percussion), Steve Bird (upright bass and show-stealing vocals!) and Patrick Grizzell (vocals, guitar and harmonica) will be Daryl VanDruff on drums. Luna's, well known for its contribution to the poetry and music scene in Sacramento, serves great Mexican food, beer, wine, sangria, and their trademark licuados all evening. We recommend getting there early, having a nice meal and claiming a good seat. The place can fill up fast. Admission to the event is $6, American. The phone number for Luna's is 916-441-3931. (And speaking of rattlechapper Pat Grizzell, be sure to catch him reading his poetry with B.L. Kennedy at the new Time-Tested Books reading series on Sunday at 6:30 PM. See below.)
•••Saturday (1/17), 8-9:30 PM: An Evening of Poetry Connected to California's Landscape and Flora, presented by the California Native Plant Society at its 2009 Conservation Conference: Strategies and Solutions. Poets Linda Niel, Kirk Lumpkin and Susan Kelly-DeWitt will read, followed by an open mic for original nature poems. Sacramento Sheraton Grand Hotel, 1230 J St., Sacramento. Free. Info: CNPS.org or 916-477-2677.
•••Sunday (1/18), 6:30 PM: Time Tested Books opens its new reading series by featuring B.L. Kennedy and Patrick Grizzell. $5.00. That’s at 1114 21st St., Sacramento. Info: 916-447-5696 or www.timetestedbooks.net/. [For more info on Kennedy and Grizzell, go to their rattlechaps pages on rattlesnakepress.com/.]
•••Sunday (1/18), 6-8 PM: The Pomo Literati on KUSF 90.3 FM in San Francisco, hosted by frank andrick. Live, in-studio poetry performances and short interviews with/by Bill Gainer, Todd Cirillo and DJ Fari. Pre-recorded works and rarities from Frank O’Hara, Joey Ramone, Michelle Tea, Chi Cheng (Deftones), Kayden Kross, Edie Lambert, Patti Smith, Lee Ranaldo, frank andrick, Jack Foley, Steven Gray, Jim ‘the germ’ Smith, and some “real” Surrealist readings by real DaDa/Surrealist poets Tristan Tzara, Kurt Schwitters, & Antonin Artaud. Bill Gainer and Todd Cirillo are poets who publish other poets via their respective imprints and will present their own works and submit to questioning from the listening audience. Farinaz Agharabi (aka DJ Fari) is well known to KUSF listeners; she writes, does wonderful production work, creates sound collages for spoken works and reads/writes poetry in at least 3 languages. Jim 'the germ' Smith likewise creates amazing sounds as an alt. composer and sound engineer.
PLEASE NOTE: The KUSF Spotlight Series, hence The Pomo Literati, now airs at a new time: 6-8 PM.
•••Monday (1/19): NO READING at Sacramento Poetry Center.
Next Tuesday: Our House is back:
•••Tues. (1/20), 6-8:30 PM: Our House Gallery in El Dorado Hills is officially back! You are invited to attend the Our House Poetry Night at their newly completed suite in Montaño de El Dorado (El Dorado Hills). Read—Sing—Perform—Enjoy! Everyone is welcome, readers and listeners alike, to join John Donnelly every 3rd Tuesday, 6-8:30 PM. (Sign up by 6 PM to read that night.) This is a FREE event (although donations to the featured poet are never discouraged). That’s Our house Gallery & Framing, 1004 White Rock Road, Suite 400 (Corner of Latrobe & White Rock Roads—at the waterfall), El Dorado Hills. Info: (916) 933-4278 (4ART) and www.OurHouseGallery.com/. For pictures and info on the renovation, go to www.ourhousegallery.com/New_Location.html/. [Note: This event is no longer sponsored by Red Fox Underground, which has moved to Raven’s Tale books in Placerville. It is now sponsored solely by the gallery, bless them!.]
___________________
MENU
—Michael Cluff, Highlands
Switching out for Swiss steak
the diner is not ready
for knives without prongs
or filets heavy with bones
The crutches are too slippery
in Spokane soppy weather
the minstrel isn't singing
her voice is too staccato
Bassets eat the livers
of disturbed diamond makers
they only work for profit
and tomatoes with pimentos
___________________
Today's LittleNip:
SIN?
—Mitz Sackman, Murphys
Sin
To lack
Skillful Behavior
Sin no social grace
Wanting for just me now
Not realizing need
For others in the scheme of things
All of us need love and company
None of us is an island alone
___________________
—Medusa
SnakeWatch: What's New from Rattlesnake Press:
Rattlesnake Review: The latest issue (#20) is currently available at The Book Collector, or send me two bux and I'll mail you one. The last of contributors' copies has gone into the mail. Deadline for RR21 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!
Coming in January: Other than the ever-restless Medusa, 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 (free) quarterly will primarily showcase the talents of readers at Poetry Unplugged at Luna’s Café, but anyone over 18 is welcome to submit. Deadline is Jan. 15 for a Feb. 19 premiere at Luna’s. Submission guidelines are the same as for the Snake, but please send three poems (each one page or less in length), 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.
Also available now (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. Pick up a copy at TBC or write to me and I'll send you one. Free!
Coming February 11: A new rattlechap from Sacramento's Poet Laureate, Julia Connor (Oar); a littlesnake broadside from Josh Fernandez (In The End, It’s A Worthless Machine); and the premiere of our new Rattlesnake Reprints, featuring The Dimensions of the Morning by D.R. Wagner, which was first published by Black Rabbit Press in 1969. That’s February 11 at The Book Collector, 1008 24th St., Sacramento, 7:30 PM. 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.
