—Poetry and Photos by Taylor Graham,
Placerville, CA
—And then scroll down for
Form Fiddlers’ Friday, with poetry by
Placerville, CA
—And then scroll down for
Form Fiddlers’ Friday, with poetry by
Caschwa, Nolcha Fox, Lynn White,
and Stephen Kingsnorth
IMPROMPTU BIRD WALK
Passing the barnyard, I spotted a dove—
a Mourning Dove (she had no neck-ring)—
and then her mate, and they flew off together.
I kept walking, down toward the creek—
a Wild Turkey hen in the high grass.
She startled, and half a dozen chicks
emerged, and one ran off to the ranch gate
and four or five joined in a ragged flock
and the mother set off toward the gate—
I was trying to count babies, a baker’s dozen?
but three more appeared from nowhere
and the hen stepped between rails of the gate,
the whole bunch migrated out of sight.
So I walked the other way under a dark shadow,
a lone Turkey Vulture scouting for dead—
and happily none of the birds I saw qualified.
Passing the barnyard, I spotted a dove—
a Mourning Dove (she had no neck-ring)—
and then her mate, and they flew off together.
I kept walking, down toward the creek—
a Wild Turkey hen in the high grass.
She startled, and half a dozen chicks
emerged, and one ran off to the ranch gate
and four or five joined in a ragged flock
and the mother set off toward the gate—
I was trying to count babies, a baker’s dozen?
but three more appeared from nowhere
and the hen stepped between rails of the gate,
the whole bunch migrated out of sight.
So I walked the other way under a dark shadow,
a lone Turkey Vulture scouting for dead—
and happily none of the birds I saw qualified.
GREEN FENCE
Did it snow last night?
All this fluffy white upon the green strip,
Nature’s fence between grade school
and board of education.
A seasonal creek hides in summer
in this jungle of greens—live-oak leaning
over blackberry, buttonbush, a pear tree,
wild mustard, one dogwood, and look,
buckthorn pushes its stiff branches
thru berry bramble just now flowering.
All this green intertwined
with bushtit birdsong
and a bee buzzing pinkish-white blossoms.
And what about that snowy white
on the ground? Look up,
two great cottonwoods shedding seed-
fluff all over the path.
WHAT EXERCISE IS THIS?
On a Sunday morning at the high school
they walk two abreast—a young couple clad
in shorts, facing straight ahead to keep the
fixed line rigid though imaginary;
across painted lines of student parking
slots under solar panels, not looking
down, no word between them, not a glance, just
walking metronomically compass-
true, keeping the line taut between them—
if it looked like they were looking, I might
call this a search pattern on this sunny
but crisp-cool morning with fresh green playing-
fields that beckon and flowers in bloom out-
side classrooms, birds in the bushes singing.
On a Sunday morning at the high school
they walk two abreast—a young couple clad
in shorts, facing straight ahead to keep the
fixed line rigid though imaginary;
across painted lines of student parking
slots under solar panels, not looking
down, no word between them, not a glance, just
walking metronomically compass-
true, keeping the line taut between them—
if it looked like they were looking, I might
call this a search pattern on this sunny
but crisp-cool morning with fresh green playing-
fields that beckon and flowers in bloom out-
side classrooms, birds in the bushes singing.
TWINING PURPLE VETCH
It climbs fences with its intricate weave,
as if stockwire would never suffice
for keeping things in or else out
in this world where nothing keeps—
not spring green nor winter
floods, this vetch turning
dry, flammable
on field-fence—
pale-brown
lace.
OFF-TRAIL
The world’s gone crazy—
how to cope? breathe deep, relax
in private woods-chair.
LOST IN HIGH WEEDS
where
flew the
gizmo
off my
trimmer
motor
no mow
no mowed
today
where
flew the
gizmo
off my
trimmer
motor
no mow
no mowed
today
Today’s LittleNip:
IN THE BURN SCAR
—Taylor Graham
Deer brush is in full flower
white as wedding bouquets
and buzzing with countless bees.
_________________
Many thanks to Taylor Graham for her poetic-photographs (and real photographs) of the season! Forms she used this week include a List Poem (“Impromptu Bird Walk”); a Blank Verse Sonnet (?What Exercise Is This?”); a Reverse Etheree that is also a Response to our Tuesday Seed of the Week, Fences (“Twining Purple Vetch”); a Senryu that is a Response to its photo (“Off-Trail”); an Atom (“Lost in High Weeds”); and an American 767 (“In the Burn Scar”). “Green Fence” is also a Response to the Fences SOW. The Atom and the American 767 were last week’s Triple-F Challenges.
In El Dorado Country poetry this week, El Dorado County Poet Laureate Stephen Meadows will read (plus open mic) at Placerville Library tomorrow afternoon (Sat. 6/7), 1pm; and Poetic License meets in Placerville next Monday, 6/9, at 10:30am. (Suggested topic is “better late’, but any topic is welcome.) El Dorado County’s regular workshops are listed on Medusa’s calendar (if you scroll down on http://medusaskitchen.blogspot.com/p/wtf.html/). For more news about such events and about EDC poetry—past (photos!) and future—see Taylor Graham’s Western Slope El Dorado Poetry on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ElDoradoCountyPoetry. Or see Lara Gularte’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/382234029968077/. And you can always click on Medusa's UPCOMING NORCAL EVENTS (http://medusaskitchen.blogspot.com/p/wtf.html). Poetry is Gold in El Dorado County!
And now it’s time for…
FORM FIDDLERS’ FRIDAY!
Check out our recently-refurbed page at the top of Medusa’s Kitchen called, “FORMS! OMG!!!” which expresses some of my (take ‘em or leave 'em) opinions about the use of forms in poetry writing, as well as listing some more resources to help you navigate through Form Quicksand and other ways of poetry. Got any more resources to add to our list? Send them to kathykieth@hotmail.com for the benefit of all man/woman/poetkind!
* * *
Poets who sent responses to last week’s Ekphrastic photo were Caschwa, Nolcha Fox, Lynn White, and Stephen Kingsnorth:
ALLERGY SEASON
—Caschwa, Sacramento, CA
time to hide inside, can’t abide by tears cried
so in you go, vertigo your continuo
ho-hum, forego the awesome but bothersome
blossom
wheezing and teasing is not pleasing
a chair too close will impair and overdose,
comments verbose
can’t rely on Big Ben, this is when you whip out
your Epi pen
a filtered AC will shield you from a field determined
to wield
sinus distress, an undress rehearsal to put you to
the test
make a wish, from Amish to flourish, spoken in
tongues or English
look out the window, invent your own innuendo
* * *
SUNFLOWERS IN MY HAIR
—Nolcha Fox, Buffalo, WY
I can’t untangle flowers
from the memories of youth.
They are the knots I can’t brush out
until the withering winter.
* * *
SUNFLOWERS
—Lynn White, Blaenau Ffestiniog, North Wales
Even though the sky was blue
and the clouds like mini Magrittes,
even though the sunflowers bloomed
unmolested, uncut and bright with colour,
even though such beauty was all around him
Vincent knew his sadness would last forever.
He knew because it always had,
for him forever was now.
* * *
BORDERS
—Stephen Kingsnorth, Coedpoeth, Wrexham, Wales
Thatch and shutters, window panes
the cottage garden, picket fence,
but blue hydrangea, sunflower whorl,
what strange bedfellows share this soil?
I could compare acidities,
ask after stunted growth of tall,
wax lyrical on sunflower power,
but is this ground, ekphrastic verse?
The picket stands for fences theme,
cedes recent sow to contemplate;
the garden growth to Greenman leans,
but so well ordered, plot so bound
I suspect Greenman hibernates.
leaves mix, unlikely, this estate.
Maybe hydrangea not at all,
this bloomin’ garden all AI?
I sense these scents attract no bees,
when what we see, created scene;
which borders on the unreal seen,
deceiving eye, my pheromones?
It’s crazy, paving, greenwood seats,
if no one sits and no one sees;
more likely picture, jigsaw box,
where borders straight and corners, four.
* * *
Caschwa (Carl Schwartz) is making up forms these days. He’s calling this Nonce, “When Common Sense Will Not Suffice”: First 2 words start with “a”, then next 2 words with “b” etc. all through the alphabet. Good heavens—that’s a brain-buster!
BOUNCING BEARS
—Caschwa
about any bouncing bears choose cozy during
daily exercise efforts, finding food (Galloping
Gourmet) holds higher importance in judging
joyous kingly kebabs, luscious love, more meat
nice nutrition, open oven, pull pieces quickly
quieting rumble roar, silencing serious tummy
tantrums, unveiling umpteen vital victuals with
wholesome X-rated xerography, youthful
yearnings, zany zoophytes
* * *
This is Cashwa’s rhymy-take on government:
—Caschwa
about any bouncing bears choose cozy during
daily exercise efforts, finding food (Galloping
Gourmet) holds higher importance in judging
joyous kingly kebabs, luscious love, more meat
nice nutrition, open oven, pull pieces quickly
quieting rumble roar, silencing serious tummy
tantrums, unveiling umpteen vital victuals with
wholesome X-rated xerography, youthful
yearnings, zany zoophytes
* * *
This is Cashwa’s rhymy-take on government:
NURSERY NONSENSE
—Caschwa
Hump-day dump-day sat on a wall
reception was lousy so couldn’t get a call
all the king’s bone spurs and kissers of his tush
tried all the wrong ways to give our economy
a push
he got people to vote for the least qualified folks
you can’t trust the government, it’s all a big hoax
all that truth and justice and values we hold dear
fall far short of those lies we would much rather
get to hear
he’ll fling cheap paper towels to avert a disaster
and laugh at a weakness, this Devil is the Master
there’s no sign of honor to just having a dollar
it’s for merit of work that we make chef hats taller
* * *
And here is Stephen Kingsnorth’s Ode to the lowly-but-necessary bookmark:
—Caschwa
Hump-day dump-day sat on a wall
reception was lousy so couldn’t get a call
all the king’s bone spurs and kissers of his tush
tried all the wrong ways to give our economy
a push
he got people to vote for the least qualified folks
you can’t trust the government, it’s all a big hoax
all that truth and justice and values we hold dear
fall far short of those lies we would much rather
get to hear
he’ll fling cheap paper towels to avert a disaster
and laugh at a weakness, this Devil is the Master
there’s no sign of honor to just having a dollar
it’s for merit of work that we make chef hats taller
* * *
And here is Stephen Kingsnorth’s Ode to the lowly-but-necessary bookmark:
STAMEN STATEMENTS
—Stephen Kingsnorth
Hard pressed for bookmarks, who first thought
to lay blooms down between the leaves?
Both diaries and garden books
a trove of treasured memories,
forensic observations mixed
with fading skeletons of loves.
Each chapter of that love recalled,
knelt moments when those plants retrieved
to freeze in time, thus desiccate.
That freesia, sweet pea, foxglove, rose,
heartsease and pansy, primula,
reminders, floriography,
are past their blooming usefulness,
along with species named for art,
devotion held in secrecy.
Now bouquet, petrol station bought,
past best, from bucket of reduced,
with perfume of four star imbued,
pre-packaged plastic for romance.
—Stephen Kingsnorth
Hard pressed for bookmarks, who first thought
to lay blooms down between the leaves?
Both diaries and garden books
a trove of treasured memories,
forensic observations mixed
with fading skeletons of loves.
Each chapter of that love recalled,
knelt moments when those plants retrieved
to freeze in time, thus desiccate.
That freesia, sweet pea, foxglove, rose,
heartsease and pansy, primula,
reminders, floriography,
are past their blooming usefulness,
along with species named for art,
devotion held in secrecy.
Now bouquet, petrol station bought,
past best, from bucket of reduced,
with perfume of four star imbued,
pre-packaged plastic for romance.
__________________
Many thanks to today’s writers for their lively contributions! Wouldn’t you like to join them? All you have to do is send poetry—forms or not—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!
__________________
TRIPLE-F CHALLENGES!
•••Barzelleta: https://poetscollectivepoetryforms.wordpress.com/2014/11/17/barzelletta
•••AND/OR another bow to the season with a Butterfly Cinquain:
•••Butterfly Cinquain: https://poetscollectivepoetryforms.wordpress.com/2014/02/21/butterfly-cinquain
•••See also the bottom of this post for another challenge, this one an Ekphrastic one.
•••And don’t forget each Tuesday’s Seed of the Week! This week it’s “Serenity”.
____________________
MEDUSA’S FORM FINDER: Links to poetry terms mentioned today:
•••Atom: https://poetscollectivepoetryforms.wordpress.com/2014/12/22/atom-2
•••American 767: https://poetscollective.org/poetryforms/3223
•••Barzelleta: https://poetscollectivepoetryforms.wordpress.com/2014/11/17/barzelletta
•••Blank Verse Sonnet: www.poetrymagnumopus.com/topic/1051-blank-verse-sonnet
•••Butterfly Cinquain: https://poetscollectivepoetryforms.wordpress.com/2014/02/21/butterfly-cinquain
•••Ekphrastic Poem: notesofoak.com/discover-literature/ekphrastic-poetry
•••Etheree: http://www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/etheree.html
•••List Poem: clpe.org.uk/poetryline/poeticforms/list-poem
•••Nonce Poetry Forms: www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/poetic-asides/nonce-forms-what-they-are-and-how-to-write-them
•••Ode: www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/ode
•••Response Poem: creativetalentsunleashed.com/2015/11/18/writing-tip-response-poems
•••Senryu: www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-senryu-poems#quiz-0
•••Tuesday Seed of the Week: a prompt listed in Medusa’s Kitchen every Tuesday; poems may be any shape or size, form or no form. No deadlines; past ones are listed at http://medusaskitchen.blogspot.com/p/calliopes-closet.html/. Send results to kathykieth#hotmail.com/.
__________________
—Medusa
,%20and%20the%20artist%20is%20E%CC%81mile%20Vernet-Lecomte%201821-1900.jpg)
Today's Ekphrastic Challenge!
Make what you can of today's
picture, and send your poetic results to
kathykieth@hotmail.com/. (No deadline.)
* * *
—Photo Courtesy of Public Domain
Make what you can of today's
picture, and send your poetic results to
kathykieth@hotmail.com/. (No deadline.)
* * *
—Photo Courtesy of Public Domain
For info about
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
the daily Kitchen for happenings
that might pop up
—or get changed!—
during the week.
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.
Poets’ bios appear on their first MK visit.
To find previous posts, type the name
of the poet (or poem) into the little
beige box at the top left-hand side
of this column. See also
Medusa’s Rapsheet at the bottom
of the blue column on the right
side of this column to find
any date you want.
Miss a post?
You can find our most recent ones by
scrolling down under this daily one.
Or there's an "Older Posts" button
at the bottom of this column.
(Please excuse typos in older posts!
Blogspot has been through a lot of
incarnations in 20 years!)
Would you like to be a SnakePal?
Guidelines are at the top of this page
at the Placating the Gorgon link;
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—
and collaborations are welcome.
Just remember:
the snakes of Medusa are always hungry—
for poetry, of course!
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
the daily Kitchen for happenings
that might pop up
—or get changed!—
during the week.
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.
Poets’ bios appear on their first MK visit.
To find previous posts, type the name
of the poet (or poem) into the little
beige box at the top left-hand side
of this column. See also
Medusa’s Rapsheet at the bottom
of the blue column on the right
side of this column to find
any date you want.
Miss a post?
You can find our most recent ones by
scrolling down under this daily one.
Or there's an "Older Posts" button
at the bottom of this column.
(Please excuse typos in older posts!
Blogspot has been through a lot of
incarnations in 20 years!)
Would you like to be a SnakePal?
Guidelines are at the top of this page
at the Placating the Gorgon link;
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—
and collaborations are welcome.
Just remember:
the snakes of Medusa are always hungry—
for poetry, of course!
