—Poetry Recipes by Caschwa (Carl Schwartz),
Michael Ceraolo, and Joseph Nolan
—Public Domain Photos Courtesy of Joseph Nolan
TELL ME YOU’RE READY
—Caschwa, Sacramento, CA
I can barely contain myself!
the warmth of you beckons
my every sensual receptor
it has been far too long
missing your delicate kiss
on my lips and on my tongue,
awakening a whole, wonderful
world of peace and happiness
you have made it very clear
that I can’t just rush in and
enjoy all you have to offer, as
enticing as that may be, I will
heed your repeated, sharp
warnings to wait for your
signal….
finally, it is safe to lift the
handle and retrieve my
cup of coffee
—Caschwa, Sacramento, CA
I can barely contain myself!
the warmth of you beckons
my every sensual receptor
it has been far too long
missing your delicate kiss
on my lips and on my tongue,
awakening a whole, wonderful
world of peace and happiness
you have made it very clear
that I can’t just rush in and
enjoy all you have to offer, as
enticing as that may be, I will
heed your repeated, sharp
warnings to wait for your
signal….
finally, it is safe to lift the
handle and retrieve my
cup of coffee
WISDOM WASTELAND
—Caschwa
after the youngster hooks
a fish, virtually everyone
around him, including some
who have never fished a day
in their life, will bullhorn their
foolproof ideas regarding the
choice, timing, order, and
intensity of each of the next
several steps necessary to
land the fish
yes, that Little League mom
is also in the crowd hovering
close enough to share her
spirited suggestions
boy, doesn’t that jury really
need some help now, after
the presentation of evidence
has been wrapped up and the
attorneys for both parties have
said their closing arguments?
if only one could get their foot
in the door to offer some golden
insights that the court’s jury
instructions may have missed
I can see clearly
now, the crowd is gone, I can
see all obstacles
THREE POEMS FROM DUGOUT ANTHOLOGY
A Collection of Poetry by Michael Ceraolo
Connie Mack
I should have retired a decade earlier than I did,
but I still had the dream of another championship team,
hoping to find another Eddie or Robert to build around
Unfortunately, for baseball purposes,
players like Eddie and Robert are rare
Fortunately, for a manager's sanity, the same
* * *
Robert "Lefty" Grove
I was a mean and arrogant SOB
during the early and middle parts of my career
There had always been
something about losing that set me off,
that caused me to take out my anger
on inanimate objects
Fortunately, for team and ballpark property,
I didn't lose very often
After I lost my fastball I mellowed a bit:
inanimate objects were safer
And because I knew how to pitch,
I still didn't lose very often
* * *
Mickey Cochrane
I got knocked out once in football,
then went right back in the game
I got beaned a few times, same thing
Not to mention taking foul tips of the mask
I was hyper-competitive,
putting so much pressure on myself
that I had a nervous breakdown
the year after we won the Series in '35
The year after that
Bump Hadley's pitch almost killed me,
and that was the end of my playing career
And it was the end of my success as a manager:
once I could no longer lead by example
or direct things from behind the plate,
I wasn't very effective
A Collection of Poetry by Michael Ceraolo
Connie Mack
I should have retired a decade earlier than I did,
but I still had the dream of another championship team,
hoping to find another Eddie or Robert to build around
Unfortunately, for baseball purposes,
players like Eddie and Robert are rare
Fortunately, for a manager's sanity, the same
* * *
Robert "Lefty" Grove
I was a mean and arrogant SOB
during the early and middle parts of my career
There had always been
something about losing that set me off,
that caused me to take out my anger
on inanimate objects
Fortunately, for team and ballpark property,
I didn't lose very often
After I lost my fastball I mellowed a bit:
inanimate objects were safer
And because I knew how to pitch,
I still didn't lose very often
* * *
Mickey Cochrane
I got knocked out once in football,
then went right back in the game
I got beaned a few times, same thing
Not to mention taking foul tips of the mask
I was hyper-competitive,
putting so much pressure on myself
that I had a nervous breakdown
the year after we won the Series in '35
The year after that
Bump Hadley's pitch almost killed me,
and that was the end of my playing career
And it was the end of my success as a manager:
once I could no longer lead by example
or direct things from behind the plate,
I wasn't very effective
Today’s MediumNip:
DIAMOND SONGS
—Joseph Nolan, Stockton, CA
We could sing our songs in diamonds,
But we write them all in clay.
We could coat our cheeks
In crystals,
When our tears had
Dried away.
We could watch our hours disappear,
Like rain that
Washes down
Our windowpanes,
To let in
Light of day.
April,
Come will,
Spring,
Fulfilling our imaginings,
As days
Grow slowly warm,
We’ll take our walks
In meadows,
Well-past our winter storms.
__________________________
Good Monday morning and many thanks to today’s contributors, as July 1 lurks right around the corner!
Tonight, Mon. (6/28), 7:30pm: Sac. Poetry Center’s Socially Distant Verse features Eileen Malone and Kathleen McClung online at us04web.zoom.us/j/7638733462; Password: r3trnofsd. Host: Angela James. Facebook: sacpoetrycenter.org/event/socially-distant-verse-with-eileen-malone-kathleen-mcclung/?fbclid=IwAR0l-OWGfWhRjX6F6Hkz_VhjSIJ_DbT_Llz9eAdNLxJVpuE7hNHSoWo4ttI/.
Speaking of July 1, this Thursday night (7/1) at 8pm, Poetry Night in Davis will present Emily Hughes. Host: Andy Jones. Stay tuned for more details.
_________________________
—Medusa
Photos in this column can be enlarged by
clicking on them once, then clicking on the x
in the top right corner to come back to Medusa.
Would you like to be a SnakePal?
All you have to do is send poetry and/or
photos and artwork to
kathykieth@hotmail.com. We post
work from all over the world, including
that which was previously-published.
Just remember:
the snakes of Medusa are always hungry—
for poetry, of course!
clicking on them once, then clicking on the x
in the top right corner to come back to Medusa.
Would you like to be a SnakePal?
All you have to do is send poetry and/or
photos and artwork to
kathykieth@hotmail.com. We post
work from all over the world, including
that which was previously-published.
Just remember:
the snakes of Medusa are always hungry—
for poetry, of course!
