—Anonymous Photo
BLANK PAGE BEATDOWN
—David Wright, Sacramento, CA
Blank page, this is confrontational.
I don't really want to be here.
You bring me down because
We used to be so good together.
We drank together, smoked and did lines together.
Now we sit awkwardly facing each other.
Waiting for the other or someone or something to
Light some match.
And every time I begin, a menacing voice
Says yet again,
It's all been said before,
It's all been said before.
—Anonymous Photo
NEW YEAR'S MELTDOWN
—David Wright
As near as I can figure
It happened like this:
It was New Year’s and I stepped into my
Backyard and fired a shot from my .22 revolver, aimed
Straight up.
Blood fell into my eyes.
The angel my bullet killed was about to
Save our world.
It would be the end of pain and heartache.
No more strays on the streets: dogs, cats, or persons.
But I killed the angel and the whole world knows it.
Everyone turns towards me with eyes of hate.
—Photo by Maria Rosales
When he wants to check in
God does not
send his son any more.
(Look how that turned out.)
He takes the shape
of a dragonfly or a bumblebee.
Can you spot a dragonfly
without a gasp of awe?
Or a bumblebee,
aerodynamic joke that should not fly,
without believing?
—Maria Rosales, Paradise, CA
—Anonymous Photo
GO BACK, MAGA STYLE
—Caschwa, Sacramento, CA
In the days of our celebrated pioneers this great young nation of ours was a vast, new frontier to be explored and settled. Now every square foot of land and even the air above it is tied up as public or private property, subject to all kinds of property rights.
So where in the world will the homeless go?
Their only choice is to go back in time.
Will hard work and clean living get them there?
Surely that, divine intervention, and loans at sub-prime.
—Anonymous Photo
Today’s LittleNip:
BE IT RESOLVED
—Caschwa
Help shall be given
To those truly in need
Consequences aplenty
For lives built on greed
When doubling dilemmas
Have over-filled your plate
Welcome good ideas
And leave out the hate
All those tears that
You have spilt
Do not transfer ownership
Of any bit of guilt
_________________
Our thanks to today’s contributors for their fine start to 2018! One of the ways to start your new year is with Manzanita Writers Press up in Angels Camp: see www.manzapress.com/. The Manzanita Writers Press and Arts Emporium on Main Street has regular classes, workshops, website support, publishing assistance, and reading and open mics—plus art and music and all kinds of events. Chrys Mollett, for example will be presenting Voices of Wisdom Free Writing Classes for Seniors 55-Plus. Check it all out—It might be worth the little road trip for you!
And of course our area, from Placerville to Winters and everything in between, has plenty going on to keep you busy. Keep an eye on Medusa’s green box and blue box as the year rolls on.
No word from Sac. Poetry Center as to whether they have a reading tonight; I’m guessing not, in the absence of announcements thereof. But Poetry Off-the-Shelves read-around meets tomorrow (Jan. 2) in El Dorado Hills, 5-7pm, at the library. And on Friday (Jan. 5), The Good Earth Movement Poetry Night in Placerville presents Winters Poet Gary Kruse, 6:30pm. Scroll down to the blue column (under the green column at the right) for info about these and other upcoming poetry events in our area—and note that more may be added at the last minute.
For a list of the Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions, see www.couriermail.com.au/lifestyle/health/new-years-resolution-queensland-mums-stunning-weight-loss/news-story/4c58293c76690f7f9cca22724595a180/. Medusa, however, has her own version:
1. Write more poetry.
2. Submit more poetry to Medusa’s Kitchen. (And photos?)
3. Submit more poetry to other places.
4. Read more poetry.
5. Write more poetry.
6. Go to more poetry readings in our area.
7. Go to some poetry events in other areas.
8. Write more poetry.
9. Read more poetry.
10. Write more poetry!
—Medusa, wishing all of us another interesting year filled with surprises as we face the blank page that is 2018! Reboot, restore, renew!
—Anonymous Photo
Celebrate poetry for the year to come!
Photos in this column can be enlarged by clicking on them once,
then click on the X in the top right corner to come back
to Medusa.
