—Photos by Caschwa, Sacramento, CA
JOHNSON’S LAKE, ILLINOIS
—Kevin Jones, Elk Grove, CA
State couldn't
Open it as a park.
They'd found
Quicksand.
Uncle Eddie
Went to
Check it out.
Said it didn't
Meet his needs:
Was actually
Pretty slow.
—Kevin Jones, Elk Grove, CA
State couldn't
Open it as a park.
They'd found
Quicksand.
Uncle Eddie
Went to
Check it out.
Said it didn't
Meet his needs:
Was actually
Pretty slow.
SPIDER-PLANT BLOSSOM’S
ODE TO BEES
—Joseph Nolan, Stockton, CA
After a long winter’s dormancy,
Bursting out into heat,
My spider-plant is eager
To crawl up a wall.
“When shall we meet?”
Its flower says to bees.
“I am waiting here for you
And will be
My most Complete
When we do!
I’m waiting for your
Buzzing song,
A tune of Spring
That lively brings.
Please don’t be long.
Otherwise,
I’ll fear my fate:
To pollinate
Too late!”
__________________
THE BEAUTY OF SPRING
—Joseph Nolan
I see
Tiny, green leaves
Push flowers from trees;
Pink petals
Fall to the ground.
Cats come out
To sun themselves;
There are smiles
All around.
The sunlight falls
So gently,
Not strong enough
Yet, to burn,
We reach outside
Our orbits of fear,
Of cold
That shut us in,
Out into love,
Into joy and
Out into play,
And into rebirth,
My dear!
GROWING SO MUCH MORE,
DAY-TO-DAY
—Joseph Nolan
Maybe I’m fucked-up
But I don’t know why?
Maybe I’m lost to reason
And I shouldn’t try?
I see my own reflection
In windows,
As I pass by.
I wonder where I’m going,
And I wonder why?
In these days, is it easy,
To just simply be?
Or has it become
Complicated:
Too many nuts
Upon the tree?
Maybe we’re too sensitive?
Too easily in pain,
Too eager to be victims,
Too easy to cry, “Rain!”
Raining on our picnics
Raining on our parades
Raining on our sunglasses
We like to call our “shades”?
It seems we’re on the outside
Of our communities,
By the score:
Totally alienated
And growing so,
Much More
Day-to-day.
___________________
CASTLES ARE FOR KILLERS
—Joseph Nolan
I shun castles.
Castles are for killers:
Cold-blooded,
Bloodthirsty killers.
Talk about walls?
Castles are all
About walls.
How could you get
Any sleep at all
Inside an
Old, cold castle?
I think I’d
Rather wrestle
With a 'gator,
And tell the
Royals living there,
“See ya later!”
A BOX OF FITTING PIECES
—Caschwa
Where a large jigsaw puzzle is missing even
one piece, the hollow of the Grand Canyon
imposes its enormous emptiness, replete with
breathtaking descents of up to a mile, switchback
trails, reliance on sure-footed mules, the treasure
of one, small, sip of fresh, spring water.
And so it goes also when a speaker or writer
composes a thought where one key word is
locked out or blocked out, because the memory
just can’t retrieve all the names, vocabulary,
meanings, and correct spellings needed to
complete every thought.
Some people may have a box to harbor stray
jigsaw puzzle pieces. One can pair that with
the flashcard concept to concoct a “box” for
storing some of those terms that just disappear
when most needed. Here is mine, for example:
chaparral, Condoleezza, filibuster, actuary,
copasetic, electrolytes, gerrymander, parlay,
provincial, ricochet, silhouette, hyperbole, Don
Rickles, Tasmanian devil, 4-corners states
(Utah/Colorado/Arizona/New Mexico).
Each person’s own box of missing puzzle pieces
will likely look far different than mine or anyone
else’s. Try if you wish, and have fun!
SCORECARD
—Caschwa
Growth is essential for business
Good for mental acuity
Good for moral compass
Good for muscle fitness
Bad for toxic mold
Bad for cancer
Bad for tumors
Bad for crime statistics
Bad for rips in fabrics
Bad for debt balance
Bad for pollution
Bad for cataracts
Bad for structural fatigue
Bad for sink holes
Bad for strength of undertow
Bad for infestations
___________________
FIRST CHAIR
—Caschwa
A very tight ensemble, conducted by
Dr. Synchropath, eminent modulation
specialist known for losing his key
centers in odd places only to have them
light your fire when you least expect.
Sitting first chair trombone is none other
than Dorothy from the Land of Oz. One
day she mistakenly entered the set for the
Land of Uz, and was so overtaken by the
scenery she fell asleep on the Jōb.
The music opens with a fanfare for the
common denominator, melting like cheese
inside all those taco trucks on every corner.
Much thanks to our top-notch studio mixer,
which uses a somewhat different design than
the one your mother uses in the kitchen.
Wishing all’s well that ends, well, “I’m thinking
about it,” said Mr. Benny.
SO CLEAN
—Caschwa
We know what a problem it is getting
that perfect shine on dishware, flatware,
and cookware, so we resolved to only buy
the “Original Sin” line of products, since
each piece carries a lifetime guaranty
that perfect cleanliness is not possible,
so it is okay to just rinse and reuse, and
not sweat it.
___________________
Today’s LittleNip:
THE GREAT ESCAPE
—Caschwa
Haiku prisoner
desperately
tunneling
at last, a break-out!
____________________
Thanks and more thanks to today’s contributors; spring seems to be creeping through the doors, and windows, despite the rain!
Red Fox Underground will be reading in mid-June at Sac. Poetry Center. Some of you may remember founding member Brigit Truex, who moved far away several years ago. She has remained active in the arts, though, and sends a website address where we can keep up with all her projects, including a new book about our local Wakamatsu Farm, Sierra Silk. See booksandsuchbybrigittruex.wordpress.com/.
Poetry in our area begins tonight at 7:30pm at Sac. Poetry Center, with Brad Buchanan reading from his new book, The Scars Aligned, plus open mic. Then Tuesday, travel down to Modesto for Second Tuesday at the Barkin’ Dog, featuring readers from the 16 Rivers Poetry Collective plus open mic, starting at 6pm. On Wednesday, Poetry Off-the-Shelves meets at 5pm at the El Dorado County Library’s main branch in Placerville.
SPC workshops this week include Tuesday Night Workshop for critiquing of poems at the Hart Center (27th and J Sts.) on Tuesday, 7:30-9pm (call Danyen Powell at 530-681-0026 for info); and MarieWriters Generative Writing Workshop at SPC for writing poems, 6-8pm on both Wednesday and Friday nights through April. There will also be a Wellspring Women’s Workshop this Thursday at 11:30am at 3414 4th Av. in Sacramento.
Also on Thursday, Poetry Unplugged at Luna’s Cafe and Juice Bar will feature Chris Erickson plus open mic, 8pm. On Saturday, Sac. Poetry Center’s Second Sat. Art Reception will feature “Shift” with the artwork of Stephanie Smith, 5-8pm. And back to Modesto to the Barkin’ Dog on Sunday from 2-5pm for the MoSt (Modesto-Stanislaus Poetry Center) Annual Benefit. Info, including how the money will be allocated: www.mostpoetry.org/event/sixth-annual-benefit-gala/. 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 (Celebrate Poetry!)
Did someone say sex?
—Anonymous Photo
—Anonymous Photo
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