Placerville, CA
—And then scroll down for
Form Fiddlers' Friday, with poetry by
Nolcha Fox, Lynn White, Stephen Kingsnorth,
Joyce Odam and Caschwa
Nolcha Fox, Lynn White, Stephen Kingsnorth,
Joyce Odam and Caschwa
She’s a pest, leaping to greet
me, grabbing with gape-toothy
grin. A grown dog knows better,
he’s icon of calm.
Her rapturous rowdy brings
out the old uncle in him.
He lets her beat him up, and
then he stares her down.
They find room for each other
on the dog-hairy futon
once occupied by the cat.
It used to be mine.
IT SHALL BE
What told me “It shall be Shelbee?”
My dog needs a partner for play.
A homeless pup begged “Please take me.”
What told me “It shall be Shelbee?”
This pup who was found as a stray—
just look at her bright eyed esprit
that told me it shall be Shelbee.
My dog has a partner for play.
What told me “It shall be Shelbee?”
My dog needs a partner for play.
A homeless pup begged “Please take me.”
What told me “It shall be Shelbee?”
This pup who was found as a stray—
just look at her bright eyed esprit
that told me it shall be Shelbee.
My dog has a partner for play.
PINE BRIGADE
along the El Dorado Trail
A small army of non-alien beings
with tiny limbs the length or height
of their bodies—survivors
of the regime’s slaughter & burn
campaign in the name of fire safety—
they’re rank on rank now,
sworn to take back their rightful
home, their birthplace from pine-nuts
fallen from above.
They know the lie of the land.
And they’re going to win this war.
along the El Dorado Trail
A small army of non-alien beings
with tiny limbs the length or height
of their bodies—survivors
of the regime’s slaughter & burn
campaign in the name of fire safety—
they’re rank on rank now,
sworn to take back their rightful
home, their birthplace from pine-nuts
fallen from above.
They know the lie of the land.
And they’re going to win this war.
THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN
House, Bridge, Fountain, Gate
Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings
This Day
Pity the Beautiful
Delights & Shadows
Picnic, Lightning
The Making of a Poem
Hungry Ghosts
Fooling with Words
Above the River
House, Bridge, Fountain, Gate
Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings
This Day
Pity the Beautiful
Delights & Shadows
Picnic, Lightning
The Making of a Poem
Hungry Ghosts
Fooling with Words
Above the River
MAILBOX & STONE
I count my steps by crunch of gravel.
No one knows the heart living inside a stone
or what awaits me at the bottom.
A message in the mailbox illuminates my step,
I count my steps by crunch of gravel.
No one knows the heart living inside a stone
or what awaits me at the bottom.
A message in the mailbox illuminates my step,
my breath as I was instructed
is boxed for opening & closing & between.
Then comes the return which is harder.
No one will see me come & go in the dark
as the stones give witness.
After “Stone” by Immanuel Mifsud, translated
from Maltese by Ruth Ward
_______________
IMAGINATION LIES OR FLIES
One white dove, where I’ve seen
a flock of iridescent gray pigeons circling
as if homing-in on gray pavement
of a car lot where a tall man
is fidgeting with a small aperture
on a broken-down trailer.
A single white dove is in flight today.
I take this as the bird of peace,
our hope for the future,
released from dark confines to free sky
before it’s called back home.
After “Stone” by Immanuel Mifsud, translated
from Maltese by Ruth Ward
_______________
IMAGINATION LIES OR FLIES
One white dove, where I’ve seen
a flock of iridescent gray pigeons circling
as if homing-in on gray pavement
of a car lot where a tall man
is fidgeting with a small aperture
on a broken-down trailer.
A single white dove is in flight today.
I take this as the bird of peace,
our hope for the future,
released from dark confines to free sky
before it’s called back home.
Today’s LittleNip:
WINCO PARKING LOT
—Taylor Graham
New dog’s transfixed watching wild geese thru
glass.
Wild old dog’s been-there watched-that,
learned to leave them alone.
______________________
WINCO PARKING LOT
—Taylor Graham
New dog’s transfixed watching wild geese thru
glass.
Wild old dog’s been-there watched-that,
learned to leave them alone.
______________________
Taylor Graham is having fun with her new rescue dog, Otis's new pal, Shelby, and TG has written about them this week—thanks, TG, and thanks for the photos, too!
Forms she has used today include the Kimo (“WinCo Parking Lot”); a Triolet (“It Shall Be”); two Response Poems to our Tuesday Seed of the Week (“Pine Brigade”; “Imagination Lies or Flies”); a Dodoitsu chain (“The New Rescue”); a Book Spine Poem (“The Art of Racing in the Rain”); and a Borrow-&-Give-Back (“Mailbox & Stone”). The Book Spine Poem and the Borrow-&-Give-Back were two of last week’s Triple-F Challenges.
In case you missed my correction yesterday, the Tuesday Seed of the Week needs to be cooler mornings, longer nights, not shorter ones. Argh.
In El Dorado County poetry this week, the Ripe Area: The Art of Native Plants Festival takes place this Sunday at Wakamatsu Farm in Placerville, with a poetry presentation by Lara Gularte; and on Thursday, Lara will present her “Writing Words to Light the Way” workshop in El Dorado Hills, 5:30pm. For info about EDC’s regular workshops, scroll down to Medusa’s Kitchen’s 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!
Forms she has used today include the Kimo (“WinCo Parking Lot”); a Triolet (“It Shall Be”); two Response Poems to our Tuesday Seed of the Week (“Pine Brigade”; “Imagination Lies or Flies”); a Dodoitsu chain (“The New Rescue”); a Book Spine Poem (“The Art of Racing in the Rain”); and a Borrow-&-Give-Back (“Mailbox & Stone”). The Book Spine Poem and the Borrow-&-Give-Back were two of last week’s Triple-F Challenges.
In case you missed my correction yesterday, the Tuesday Seed of the Week needs to be cooler mornings, longer nights, not shorter ones. Argh.
In El Dorado County poetry this week, the Ripe Area: The Art of Native Plants Festival takes place this Sunday at Wakamatsu Farm in Placerville, with a poetry presentation by Lara Gularte; and on Thursday, Lara will present her “Writing Words to Light the Way” workshop in El Dorado Hills, 5:30pm. For info about EDC’s regular workshops, scroll down to Medusa’s Kitchen’s 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!
* * *
Last Week’s Ekphrastic Photo
Poets who sent responses to last week’s Ekphrastic photo were Nolcha Fox, Lynn White, and Stephen Kingsnorth:
LETTUCE, PLEASE
—Nolcha Fox, Buffalo, WY
Lettuce have summer
with sun brightly shining
and hot to enjoy one
more splash in the pool.
Lettuce have salad
that’s fresh from the market,
before it’s trucked in here
from two states away.
* * *
AT THE HEART OF THINGS
—Lynn White, Blaenau Ffestiniog, North Wales
She felt as hard-headed
and multi-layered as a cabbage,
layer after layer
reaching into depths
unknown even to everyone,
even herself.
She began to peel off the outer leaves
to find what lay hidden beneath,
but it looked much the same
as the outer leaf,
a little less battered and crinkled
but fundamentally the same
especially through dark glasses.
Now she’s ready for the next layer.
Perhaps there’ll be a drop of water
shining full of light
and she’ll really need
the dark glasses then.
But she thinks it may be something darker,
the leavings of some hidden creature
lying between the layers.
And another layer reveals the holes
made by a sleepy caterpillar
and its leavings.
If she peels off layer after layer
she knows she’ll get to the heart,
where she'll put the pieces together,
make sense of the cabbage
and come to see the brightness
at her heart..
* * *
PITCH FOR PATCH
—Stephen Kingsnorth, Coedpoeth, Wrexham, Wales
With sunshades framed in green I see—
what else would cabbage wear indeed—
but leave these leaves untanned for they
did photosynthesis in field,
and skin unscreened degenerates.
Is green for envy, or naïve,
environmental, no, for sure
unless to mock hypocrisy,
a change in climate of debate,
from hate for those who disagree.
Could by this pool sprout brassicas—
where’s broccoli, kale, cauliflower—
except those lazing without sight.
A towel-booked space instead of bed,
what factor would this patch doll wear?
But manage damage at its core,
where tanning hides is leather work,
a velum inked, though not tattoos.
More natural, as flit by, leaves,
egg caterpillars, cabbage whites.
I leave the sun-fried spectacles,
ingredients for bubble, squeak,
a British dish for leftovers;
rare dish for Burns of turnip, swede,
exotic rocket garnish, topped.
No rhyme or reason to this scene,
which leads to wordplay in my mind;
computing Babbage having fun,
those Savage actors everywhere—
but that must mean my package done.
* * *
Some of you read on Tuesday that master poet Joyce Odam passed away last Sunday night. Here is a poem of hers in a form which she has outlined below the poem. Suddenly death comes in—
KOMM, SÜSSER TOD
—Joyce Odam, Sacramento, CA
Suddenly death comes in—
sets up his music stand and begins
to play his tiny violin.
Death, I knew you were vain,
but talented, too? The hours wane;
your music sounds like winter rain—
like little drops of notes
that turn into little ferry boats
on which my life serenely floats.
Oh! I think I see shore.
I feel like I’ve seen all this before.
I am so sleepy. Play some more.
(prev. pub. in Medusa’s Kitchen, 3/8/11)
Mono Rhyme:
A poem, or section of a poem, in which
all the rhymes have the same end rhyme.
Triplet / Tercet:
A three-line stanza, or poem, rhyming aaa.
Mono-Rhymed Syllabics:
Syllables: 698 698 698 etc.
Rhymed: aaa bbb ccc etc.
* * *
Here are two Haibun from Caschwa (Carl Schwartz):
(prev. pub. in Medusa’s Kitchen, 3/8/11)
Mono Rhyme:
A poem, or section of a poem, in which
all the rhymes have the same end rhyme.
Triplet / Tercet:
A three-line stanza, or poem, rhyming aaa.
Mono-Rhymed Syllabics:
Syllables: 698 698 698 etc.
Rhymed: aaa bbb ccc etc.
* * *
Here are two Haibun from Caschwa (Carl Schwartz):
BOOMER CALCULUS
—Caschwa, Sacramento, CA
Already 4 more generations have
come along since my birth, and it’s
time to name yet another. Should
the next be Differential or Integral?
Now that our Pillars of Democracy
show major cracks and faults, many
social restraints are in place keeping
us from roaring like in the ’20’s, or
being gay like in the ’90’s. We’ll need
some novel concepts that won’t offend
anybody, sounds favorable or positive,
and are readily understandable for those
of us who are not top-notch scholars.
Try clips borrowed from comic books?
Let he who does not
have a calculator throw
the very first stone
* * *
CLUELESS GPS
—Caschwa
driving my car today going to
an eatery I had visited many
times before, but this time traffic
denied me access to my usual
route, and so I was compelled to
travel in a path of concentric
circles, getting closer, but not
assured of ever getting there.
going down the drain
a rather wasteful process
that leaves one stranded
* * *
Carl also sent a List poem:
RX WARNING LABELS
—Caschwa
Makes you ugly
Too expensive
Saps energy
Tastes awful
Ruins your social life
Like a car out of warranty
Fumbles your best basses
Derails your train
Locks you out of your car
Robs you of good dreams
Cuts your kite string
Sabotages your parachute
Lowers your earnings bracket
Seats a giant in front of you at the movies
Spits in your popcorn
Names you as foster parent for a colony of fire ants
* * *
A First-Letter Acrostic:
—Caschwa
Makes you ugly
Too expensive
Saps energy
Tastes awful
Ruins your social life
Like a car out of warranty
Fumbles your best basses
Derails your train
Locks you out of your car
Robs you of good dreams
Cuts your kite string
Sabotages your parachute
Lowers your earnings bracket
Seats a giant in front of you at the movies
Spits in your popcorn
Names you as foster parent for a colony of fire ants
* * *
A First-Letter Acrostic:
FRUITFUL
—Caschwa
Apple
Cider
Coolers
Easily
Negotiate
The
Ultimate
Answer
To
Everything
Take
Hearty
Eccentric
Portions
Or
Sips
It
Tastes
Inviting
Very
Edible
* * *
—Caschwa
Apple
Cider
Coolers
Easily
Negotiate
The
Ultimate
Answer
To
Everything
Take
Hearty
Eccentric
Portions
Or
Sips
It
Tastes
Inviting
Very
Edible
* * *
This is a poem that is a combination EIEIO and First-Word Acrostic. Carl devised this form, Carl’s Crazy Quilt, which is several different forms used to treat the same subject:
HOPEFUL
—Caschwa
Elizabeth graduated high school with honors, but
is struggling to choose the perfect college
enrolled at one but she didn’t make the cut
in time, which has really put her on edge
Oxford then offered her a spot without the pledge
* * *
And a Haiku:
—Caschwa
Elizabeth graduated high school with honors, but
is struggling to choose the perfect college
enrolled at one but she didn’t make the cut
in time, which has really put her on edge
Oxford then offered her a spot without the pledge
* * *
And a Haiku:
THE ULTIMATE DARE
—Caschwa
“Guns Don’t Kill People”
try waving that flag over
war veterans’ graves
—Caschwa
“Guns Don’t Kill People”
try waving that flag over
war veterans’ graves
__________________
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!
•••Dixdeux: https://poetscollective.org/poetryforms/dixdeux
•••AND/OR something else with ten, the Dizain:
•••Dizain: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/dizain-poetic-form
•••AND/OR maybe a Tribute Poem:
•••Tribute Poem: https://allpoetry.com/poems/about/Tribute
•••See also the bottom of this post for another challenge, this one an Ekphrastic one.
•••And don’t forget each Tuesday Seed of the Week! This week it’s “Cooler mornings, longer nights”.
____________________
MEDUSA’S FORM FINDER: Links to poetry terms mentioned today:
•••Acrostic Poem types: https://studybay.com/blog/how-to-write-an-acrostic-poem
•••Book Spine Poem: law.marquette.edu/facultyblog/2020/04/national-poetry-month-create-book-spine-poetry
•••Borrow-&-Give-Back: Take someone else's poem, write it out then remove even-numbered lines and write your own in their place; then remove odd-numbered lines and write your own.
•••Carl’s Crazy Quilt (devised by Carl Schwartz): several different forms used to treat the same subject; see medusaskitchen.blogspot.com/2020/11/thanksgiven-and-many-more-in-return.html
•••Dixdeux: https://poetscollective.org/poetryforms/dixdeux
•••Dizain: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/dizain-poetic-form
•••Dodoitsu: www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/dodoitsu-poetic-forms
•••EIO (or EIEIO) (devised by Carol Louise Moon): a five-line poem where the ends of lines rhyme in the scheme of A,B,A,B,B. The beginning words of each line begin with E,I,E,I,O.
•••Ekphrastic Poem: notesofoak.com/discover-literature/ekphrastic-poetry
•••Haibun: www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/haibun-poems-poetic-form
•••Haiku: AND/OR www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/haiku/haiku.html
•••List Poem: clpe.org.uk/poetryline/poeticforms/list-poem
•••Response Poem: creativetalentsunleashed.com/2015/11/18/writing-tip-response-poems
•••Tribute Poem: https://allpoetry.com/poems/about/Tribute
•••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
Today's Ekphrastic Challenge!
Make what you can of today's
picture, and send your poetic results to
kathykieth@hotmail.com/. (No deadline.)
* * *
—Artwork Courtesy of Public Domain
A reminder that the
Fran Herndon & Jack Spicer Centennial
begins today in the Bay Area.
For 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
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!
Fran Herndon & Jack Spicer Centennial
begins today in the Bay Area.
For 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
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!
