Those Noisy, Nosy Neighbors

 —Public Domain Photo Courtesy of Joe Nolan
* * *
—Poetry by Nolcha Fox, Caschwa,
Stephen Kingsnorth, and Joe Nolan
—Public Domain Photos Courtesy
of Joe Nolan, Stephen Kingsnorth
and Medusa

 

 

 NOISY NEIGHBORS
—Nolcha Fox, Buffalo, WY

My new neighbors
moved in yesterday,
in the lot the city bought.

They’re big and loud.
They’re deaf and blind.
But they sure get work done.

They wake me up too
early when they
wander off to work.

But I don’t mind.
They’re very kind.
They help me when they can.

They plow the snow,
dig holes for trees,
rescue cats from roofs.

Life is so much better
with my heavy
equipment friends.

 

 

 

 —Public Domain Photo 

Courtesy of Medusa

BACK AT YOU
—Caschwa, Sacramento, CA

more than a half-century of my life
rolled by before cell phones had
become commonplace

so don’t look at me like I am dominated
with some kind of dementia if I’m not
on the same page with younger folk who
were born with cell phone technology
already installed in their brains

yes, I have to check with my son to
figure out some labyrinths that seem to
trap my gray matter with no solutions in
sight

Social Security had already become active
about a generation ahead of me, and I was
OK with the old normal of spending some
time to visit them in person. today they are
requiring adept usage of tricky authentication
platforms, hoping to never again see us
bothersome seniors in person

I’m retired, so I can make an appointment
to visit in person, as long as they can work
it around my heavy nap schedule. but no,
they insist I use a computer like a sharp
shooter uses his weapon, and hit the bullseye
every time. 

 

* * *

 

The next two photos are of Denise Kingsnorth and 

others of the Methodist faith community expressing 

support for the Palestinian people:

 

 

 

 

NEW NEIGHBOURS
—Stephen Kingsnorth, Coedpoeth, Wrexham, Wales

I used to think they those next door
until the news brought refugees.
Those of Ukraine found sanctuary
amongst our faith community;
then Gazans, tented, rubble-strewn,
evacuated time again,
gained place, heart solidarity,
as past had seen LGBT.
For humankind seeks humans, kind,
as we ourselves are thirsty too.

My newest neighbours found next door,
those birds and bees who would be free
with fellow creatures, folk like me;
too underground and in the seas,
whatever species, plant to stone,
even as creation groans.
Indigenous have opened eyes
to see perspectives known from past,
to live in uncorrupted globe,
where humans move from dominance.

 

 

 

 

TRASH TO TREASURE
—Stephen Kingsnorth

First High for me were dreaded daze,
selective school, old-fashioned ways,
one minnow in rapacious pond,
a raggamuffin, London town.
Set bully boys of corporal,
mete punishment as then allowed,
by staff, the rod, me easy mark,
less thrashed as terrified within.

In daily train, suburban class,
delivered to once upper crust,
now urban jungle, Kray dismay,
new ballad there in Peckham Rye.
Academy where others thrived,
I bowed, belittled, without pride,
as trashed by fear of woe betides,
gowned masters, prefects, ill-defined.

But grace translated father’s work
and I reset in rural climes,
that second school of gentler ways,
where shattered confidence rebuilt.
I saw no slippers, swagger sticks,
no canes displayed, nor ridicule,
but learning as new concentrate
while drama moved from desk to stage.

So fifty-on, still celebrate
that gold unknown in days before;
I do not judge those Peckham lads
before the bar, in prison cells,
where I would be if not translate
by gracious fate to rural rides.
I learnt that learning so depends,
self-confidence, mutual respect.

 

 

 

 Well, french fries are a vegetable, aren’t they?

And catsup is made from tomatoes, after all . . .
—Public Domain Photo Courtesy of Medusa, who

probably could eat six cups of french fries.a day~

SIX CUPS A DAY
—Joe Nolan, Stockton, CA

It’s hard to eat all your vegetables—
At least six cups a day,
Of assorted colors—
Green, orange,
Purple, red and yellow
Without having to move your out-house
At least six meters a month.

Who has time
For all the chewing
Six cups a day
Requires?

And how should you explain
To your nosy neighbors
That your peripatetic outhouse
Is a sign of good health to come?

 

 

 

 —Public Domain Photo Courtesy of Medusa

MORNING RUSH
—Joe Nolan

Rush hour in the kitchen
Between the sink and stove
Busy in the morning
Almost time to go

Busy in the morning
Ready for the road
Get in line
All the engines running
Frustrated—things too slow.

Hope there’s not a break-down
Or accident or flares
Nothing that prevents you
From getting there
On time.

 

 

 

 Klaus Corpuscles
—Public Domain Illustration Courtesy of Medusa

LOTTERY OF CHANCE
(With a nod to W.W.)
—Joe Nolan

In an infinite
Lottery of chance,
We might watch
Corpuscles dance,
Red blood cells form
From inorganic sludge
Or all deform
Back into the basic
Sludge from which
They came.

Entropy and
Enthalpy,
Order out of chaos,
Back into reverse.

Which way,
Oh! Captain, our Captain?
Shall we
Summon, thee, a hearse?   

 

 

 

 —Public Domain Photo Courtesy of Joe Nolan

INTO EVENING’S FLOWER
—Joe Nolan                                                 

Plucked!
A little feather
From a falcon’s wing

Dropping into
Evening’s flower
When the owls
Sing

Dipping tunes
By talons led,
Grabbing mice,
To thus be fed.

Who counts
The souls that go?
Skipping thus
From frame to frame
Known by this
And other name
Depending on the frame?

Of which dream, woke
And which dream, came,
To harbor dreams
Of strong and lame,
From lifetime to lifetime—
Depending on which frame?

____________________

Today’s LittleNip:

SO MANY SCORES
—Caschwa

(Overflowing)

Conductor’s score
Score order
Keep score
Score points
Score board
Credit score
Grade score
Four score…
Test score
Score a date
Score (a scratch mark)

_______________________

Many thanks to today’s contributors, riffing on our Seed of the Week, New Neighbors, and a note that the Spring Equinox Canary is available now at https://www.canarylitmag.org/.

_______________________

—Medusa

 

 

 

 —Public Domain Poster Courtesy of Joe Nolan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A reminder that
Indran Amirthanayagam
and G. Murray Thomas will read
at Sacramento Poetry Center
tonight, 7:30pm.
For more info about this and
other future poetry happenings in
Northern California and otherwheres,
click on
UPCOMING NORCAL EVENTS
(http://medusaskitchen.blogspot.com/p/wtf.html)
in the links at the top of this page—
and keep an eye on this link and on
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