Photo by Katy Brown, Davis
POETS ON A NATURE WALK
—Claire J. Baker, Pinole
Climbing through mustard weed,
poppies, tall grass, we follow
the ranger up Wild Cat Peak.
Suddenly he stops,
points out excrement
dried hard & gray—
bones & hair protruding.
He explains: they analyze
droppings to learn what
wild animals eat, where they
wander & if they are healthy.
We poets glance at our notebooks,
wonder what people learn
about us from our writings.
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Thanks to Claire Baker for the poem and Today's LittleNip, and to Katy Brown for the poppies! To learn a whole lot more about Katy, go to the archives at the right of this column, click on March 2007, and scroll down to March 24. Below are some beautiful examples of Katy's poetry, as well. (Don't forget to check out her "Snake Eyes" column in each issue of Rattlesnake Review!)
And in case you haven't heard... this coming Wednesday, April 8, Katy will be presenting the third volume of her Musings series; this time it's entitled An English Affair. Join us at 7:30 PM at The Book Collector for our Birthday Bash/Buffet, including Katy's new blank journal of photos and prompts, as well as a SpiralChap of poetry and photos from Laverne Frith (Celebrations: Images and Texts), and a littlesnake broadside from Taylor Graham (Edge of Wildwood). Be there!
While you're at The Book Collector, check out Sacramento Poetry Center's new anthology, Sometimes in the Open, edited by Bob Stanley. It's a gorgeous collection of poetry from 65 of the present and previous poets laureate from around the state, some of whom will be reading at SPC's release party this Monday night at California Stage, 2509 R St., Sacramento. Nicely done, Bob and SPC!—A great contribution, not only to our community, but to the state as well!
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ARPEGGIO
—Katy Brown
The vineyard’s strung like a giant harp
with wires that sing in the wind.
Grapes add a burgundy chord
when vines mature in the fall: a composition
of greens and reds playing across the hills.
This vineyard’s strung like a massive harp
waiting for harmony of sun and rain
to draw slumbering vines from the stony land.
The grapes will add a burgundy chord
to the melody unfolding among the hills.
So much depends on the slender wires
strung like a giant harp in the drowsy vineyard.
Rusting poles and silver wires can’t be seen
looking down the rows of harvest vines where
the arpeggio of burgundy waits for fall.
Birdsong and the whisper of bees fills grapes
with melody that sings like summer wine.
The grapes add a burgundy chord
in the vineyard strung like a living harp.
(Dancing Poetry contest winner, 2008)
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MOON IN MOON'S ARMS
—Katy Brown
A veil of clouds parts for
this sliver of light
escorted by the evening star.
Venus, diamond-brilliant,
paces westward with
the ghostly old moon resting
in the new moon's arms.
Soon they will go together
beyond the distant hills.
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LOST IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD
—Katy Brown
The Sheriff found him walking:
his wife died in December.
Alone, now, he remembered
the sound of her voice talking,
her soft touch, always tender.
The Sheriff found him walking.
His wife died in December.
The neighbors came out gawking:
not seen him since September.
In the shadows, death came stalking.
The Sheriff found him walking.
His wife died in December.
Alone, now, he remembered.
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FLIGHT OF PELICANS
—Katy Brown
In the hazy morning light
a ragged line of pelicans struggles up
from the rice field in the bypass—
bird by silver bird
pulling into a perfect wedge,
the sides of which are both as straight
and even as an engineer’s compass.
And as they pull into
absolutely even lines, their wings
begin to bet in unison:
through feathered intelligence
they know about aerodynamics and
the exponential power of drafting.
Commuter traffic on the causeway
slows as the birds turn
and arrow over the roadway.
They are as arresting
as any precision flying team:
graceful as dancers,
prehistoric as pterodactyls.
They are the sum of science,
and nature, and wonder
lifting like a prayer in the haze.
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ADDING SULFUR TO MERLOT
—Katy Brown
A little bit of brimstone in the wine
keeps the vinegar at bay:
it’s really basic chemistry.
Merlot’s sweetness draws bacteria
as well as drawing bees; but
a little bit of brimstone in the wine
retards harmful growth
and lets the flavors harmonize.
It’s about balancing the chemistry.
Communion wine is sanctified
to cleanse the body and the spirit from
just a little bit of brimstone in the blood.
In the balance of good and evil,
the spirit must resolve in harmony:
it’s elementary chemistry in the end.
Just a dash of naughtiness,
in all that sea of good:
this basic chemistry resolves with
just a little bit of brimstone in the wine.
Bubbles in the wine
Photo by Katy Brown
Today's LittleNip:
Let us remember that in the end we go to poetry [and photography, and all other arts] for one reason, so that we might more fully inhabit our lives and the world in which we live them, and that if we more fully inhabit these things, we might be less apt to destroy both.
—Christian Wiman, Editor, Poetry (Chicago).
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—Medusa
SnakeWatch: What's New from Rattlesnake Press:
Rattlesnake Review: The latest Snake (RR21) is now available (free) at The Book Collector, or send me four bux and I'll mail you one. Next deadline is May 15 for RR22: 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; let us know if your submission is for the Review or for Medusa, or for either one, and please—only one submission per issue.
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. Pick up a copy at The Book Collector or write to me and I'll send you one. Free!
COMING IN APRIL: Wednesday, April 8 will be our FIFTH ANNUAL BIRTHDAY PARTY/BUFFET at The Book Collector, featuring a SpiralChap of poetry and photos from Laverne Frith (Celebrations: Images and Texts), a littlesnake broadside from Taylor Graham (Edge of Wildwood), and Musings3: An English Affair, a new blank journal of photos and writing prompts from Katy Brown. That’s at The Book Collector, 1008 24th St., Sacramento, 7:30 PM.
And April 15 is the deadline for the second issue of WTF, the free quarterly journal from Poetry Unplugged at Luna's Cafe that is edited by frank andrick. 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 is for adults only, so you must be over 18 years of age to submit. Copies of the first issue are at The Book Collector, or send me two bux and I'll mail you one.
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, or any other day!): 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.......!
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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.
