The Memory of Stars

Tractor, near Ripon, CA

—Poems and Photos by James Lee Jobe, Davis, CA

Like the green of the pine trees in the rain.
Like finches outside the closed window.
Or watching the moon wax larger,
A little more every night until she is full.
Like the owls hooting in the darkness.
Life in my valley is lovely,
To both the eye and the heart.
And soon tomorrow will become today
Again. Rest well, friend.

 Tractor, near Knights Landing, CA

My old house is framed with color
As the bright orange leaves drift down
In the light wind and soft rain.
A wet afternoon on November,
Looking up in the drizzle.

 Tractor, near Walnut Grove, CA

In their world, I suppose am a poor man, but not in my world; in my world I am wealthy. I have my life, my family, and a home. People love me and I love them. Money is nothing.

__________________

I was a basket of whiskers,
A ball of regret. The Dharma,
When I found it, was a fresh shave
And a long toss of the ball.
(I never looked for that ball again;
Perhaps a fine young dog found it.)

 Tractor, near Winters, CA

It’s a ghost, it comes and goes at random times,
You cannot predict, and you cannot request.
Something will happen and I just know it is there.

It might be with me when I sleep
Or when I take a walk where tall pines grow.
I am glad for the company.

The ghost of my son, checking in on me.

 Tractor, restored 1948 John Deere, Sacramento, CA

 

They say when you see starlight,
That those stars are already dead,
And have been for millions of years.
2:30 am, the Sacramento Valley,
The night air is smokey, murky.
A forest fire rages 100 miles to the north
And the smoke has blanketed my valley.
Looking up, I can see the memory
Of a couple of determined stars
Peek out at me. The universe goes on.
Stars can die out and forests can burn
But we do go on. Being alive
Is like turning the pages in a book.
Just keep on reading, friend.
The end will come soon enough.

______________________

Today’s LittleNip:

The day is beautiful, it gives us a place to enter the light. Likewise with the night and the darkness. In the balance of this cycle, we grow and we love.

—James Lee Jobe

______________________

Thank you, James Lee Jobe, for your fine wake-up call here in the Kitchen this morning!

A reminder that this Sunday, Apr. 14, midnight, is the deadline for the 10th annual Art Where Wild Things Are contest for nature-themed works in all visual art media: paintings, drawings, sculpture, fiber art and photography, hosted by Sacramento Fine Arts Center. Info and to enter online: www.sacfinearts.org and click on the “Art Show Entry” link on the right, then on the "Prospectus" link in the center, under the drawing.

The 15th Annual Voices of Lincoln Poetry Contest is now open for submissions, deadline July 20. Entry forms/contest rules are available at www.libraryatlincoln.org; see Voices of Lincoln Poetry Contest in the blue box on the right; for questions, contact Alan Lowe at slolowe@icloud.com.

While you’re thinking of submissions, it has been announced that the deadline for Sac. Poetry Center’s 2020 issue of their annual journal, Tule Review, is July 31. Go to spcsacramentopoetrycenter.submittable.com/submit/.

Tonight from 5-8pm, Sac. Poetry Center presents the Second Sat. Art Reception for “Shift”, the work of Stephanie Smith. Scroll down to the blue column (under the green column at the right) for info about this and other upcoming poetry events in our area—and note that more may be added at the last minute.

And Bethanie Humphreys’ new chapbook, Dendrochronology, is available for pre-orders at Finishing Line Press: go to www.finishinglinepress.com/product/dendrochronology-by-bethanie-humphreys/.

—Medusa (Celebrate Poetry!)

 —Anonymous Photo

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