—Anonymous Photo
A VALENTINE MALFUNCTION
—Michael Brownstein, Chicago, IL
What day is best
to send a valentine card
to yourself,
deliver a bouquet of roses,
a box of macadam nuts
wrapped in chocolate?
the sun,
the sky,
a wind warm and wise.
Where is Cupid
hiding
his arrows?
—Photo by Ann Privateer, Davis, CA
WASHING
—Ann Privateer
I wash my clothes
every two or three months
soak them in a tub
with lye to purify
trample them
after rinsing in dirty water
then rinse again
wring them out
leave them to dry
on a bush or a tree limb
with fine-grains of earth
still clinging in places.
—Photo by Ann Privateer
my cave
—Ann Privateer
swept clean
of decomposing
solids, volcanic crystals
rubbed away
from my view
as I commence
to dream of a swim
in summer.
—Anonymous Photo
GLASSES
—Carol Louise Moon, Placerville, CA
Google eyes they called them. His
glasses a thick frame of light-
green. He bought them to match his
girlfriend’s thick pair, looked more like
goggles—aviator style,
gray lens to keep the sun’s
glare in check. Both looked goofy.
__________________
HULA
—Carol Louise Moon
Her blue dress, her hands, even
her lei expressed love and joy
had made the old man’s heavy
heart rejoice. The man had lost
his wife, but now this raven
haired girl swaying to island
hula—his small granddaughter.
__________________
CATAMOUNT
—Carol Louise Moon
Cougar name in Canada;
California: Puma. He
Cannot roar—gives a bird-like
Call. Rumbles his purr toward you.
Considers you the smaller
Cat creature—not as good a
Climber. He sits, calculates.
Barkley
—Photo by Carol Louis Moon
BARKLEY
—Carol Louise Moon
Barking less in the house he
Begins to whine, thinking he
Belongs with the dog next door…
Border collie he noticed
By the white fence. A recent
Bonding on a daily walk,
Barkley yearns for his new friend.
________________
ZEBRINUS
—Carol Louise Moon
Zebra grass grows six feet in
Zones five to nine. From A to
Z this green and yellow striped
Zingy grass grows on my ranch.
Zinfandel on trellis or
Zigzag fence in foreground, with
Zebrinus hedge for backdrop.
BlackButterfly4
—Photo by Christopher Kildow Moon
BLACK
—Carol Louise Moon
After photograph, “BlackButterfly4”
by Christopher Kildow Moon
butterflies flit around the
botanical garden here—
beautiful only a word,
but the reality goes
beyond. They fly through the air
black as night, fair as fairies—
bedazzlingly gorgeous.
—Anonymous Photo
SPECIAL MEANINGS FOR
EACH DAY OF THE WEEK
—Caschwa, Sacramento, CA
Sunday – married to my soul-mate
Monday – son was born
Tuesday – fateful attack on Twin Towers, etc.
Wednesday – Humps, bumps, lumps, tables, and undulations
Thursday – missed band practice due to punctured lip, due to
being rear-ended by driver who was sleeping
Friday – I was born, found out about it much later
Saturday – Catch-all, catch-up, rainy day fund; if it didn’t get done
yet, do it on this day
_________________
BEFORE WE DEAL WITH MATH
—Caschwa
It is a family of four
Husband, wife
Son, daughter
One is an alcoholic
One is lost to opioids
One has the mind of a child
One is smart beyond her years
Solve for X
__________________
Today’s LittleNip(s):
PURE AND NOT SO SIMPLE
—Caschwa
Flies love stuff that people disown
While bees give wings to pollen
Sacrifice, compromise, do it for the kids
Now we’ve had our little talk
Any questions?
_________________
A Valentine’s-Week thank-you to today’s fine potpourri of poets and photographers!
Busy week in our area, reading-wise, starting tonight at Sac. Poetry Center with Shelly Blanton-Stroud and Ann Michaels, plus open mic, 7:30pm. On Wednesday, Poetry-Off-the-Shelves read-around takes place from 5-7pm at the El Dorado County Library, 345 Fair Lane, Placerville.
Start your Thursday off in downtown Sacramento with Third Thursdays at the Central Library, 828 I St., 12 noon. Then on Thursday evening, Poetry Unplugged at Luna’s Cafe in Sacramento features Angela Davis, Aurelius the Saint, and Chris Fellix, plus open mic, 8pm. Or travel to Davis to hear Susan Kolodny and Susanne Dyckman, plus open mic, John Natsoulas Gallery, 8pm. On Friday, The Other Voice in Davis will present The Poets Quartet, plus open mic, at the Unitarian Universalist Church on Patwin Rd. in Davis, 7:30pm. And on Saturday, 2-4pm, Poetic License read-around meets in Placerville at the Sr. Center lobby, 937 Spring St., Placerville.
Next Sunday from 1-3pm, Poetry in Placerville will feature Bill Gainer at Love Birds Coffee & Tea on Broadway in Placerville. Then, from 5-6pm, Straight Out Scribes will perform and discuss poetry at the Conversation with Artists Open House at the new Celebration Arts Theater, 2727 B St., Sacramento. 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.
—Medusa
—Anonymous Photo
Celebrate poetry!
Celebrate poetry!
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.
