Placerville, CA
—And then scroll down to
Form Fiddlers’ Friday, with poetry
by Nolcha Fox, Stephen Kingsnorth,
Caschwa, Jerome Berglund,
and Christina Chin
SLIPPING TOWARD EQUINOX
The dark falls sooner every day
as sun ignites its last gold ray
and birdsong drifts to forest sleep—
how did the hour so soundless creep & slip away?
Our light must keep inside the latch
till woodstove calls for kindling, match
and flame to warm a winter’s heart,
until the subtle fire—the art—of spirit catch.
The dark falls sooner every day
as sun ignites its last gold ray
and birdsong drifts to forest sleep—
how did the hour so soundless creep & slip away?
Our light must keep inside the latch
till woodstove calls for kindling, match
and flame to warm a winter’s heart,
until the subtle fire—the art—of spirit catch.
VECTORS
The moon rose above Stone Mountain
just loafing, casting a jovial grin
over our field— pasture gone to weed & seed,
nothing to take to market. It isn’t
parka weather yet, I’m out in shirt-sleeves
waiting for bats to swoop & dart
for dread mosquitos—a zigzag hunger sport.
The moon will soon enough be gone,
bound for its western port.
MOVING DAY
Isn’t every day a day to get moving?
Otis and I are finishing our morning walk.
There’s a young woman—eyes straight
ahead in a sour face that doesn’t glance
our way when I wish “good morning.”
Driving home, I see a young man in front
of Raley’s—is he waiting for a bus?
Big smile, he’s dancing in place
to a song on his lips, he’s conducting
with one hand and raising a can of pop
in the other. Isn’t walking or even waiting
on two good legs a joy, a reason to smile?
Isn’t every day a day to get moving?
Otis and I are finishing our morning walk.
There’s a young woman—eyes straight
ahead in a sour face that doesn’t glance
our way when I wish “good morning.”
Driving home, I see a young man in front
of Raley’s—is he waiting for a bus?
Big smile, he’s dancing in place
to a song on his lips, he’s conducting
with one hand and raising a can of pop
in the other. Isn’t walking or even waiting
on two good legs a joy, a reason to smile?
This is Shelby, Otis’s new pal, who TG and Otis
rescued from the shelter.
rescued from the shelter.
SCRATCHERS
Here’s a ticket on the ground, discarded
under a eucalyptus shedding its bark.
Enticingly iridescent, tempting as neon—
not a winner. How much
did somebody spend on hope?
Yesterday I spent a lot
for flea & tick protection for my dog.
According to the news,
there’s plague—the Black Death—
somewhere around Tahoe.
I’ve been reading a modern-day mystery
about plague in New Mexico.
Much too close on our shrinking world.
I watch my dog for scratching.
I pay the price for hope.
SUMMER CYCLE
Remember the old rickety barn,
barn full of swallows, an owl, bats—
bats swooping out at sunset—
sunset pink-orange as ripe melon.
Melon to savor while waiting.
Waiting for what? to remember.
Remember the old rickety barn,
barn full of swallows, an owl, bats—
bats swooping out at sunset—
sunset pink-orange as ripe melon.
Melon to savor while waiting.
Waiting for what? to remember.
TRIATOMA PROTRACTA
At dawn in my kitchen sink,
dark beetle—too much of the wild.
What message from the underworld
of drillers for human blood?
It comes by night through tiny chinks
and shares a body’s slumber.
I have a human way to help it travel
out the back door.
I have a mallet to ease it
into its own deep slumber.
At dawn in my kitchen sink,
dark beetle—too much of the wild.
What message from the underworld
of drillers for human blood?
It comes by night through tiny chinks
and shares a body’s slumber.
I have a human way to help it travel
out the back door.
I have a mallet to ease it
into its own deep slumber.
Today’s LittleNip:
EDGE OF TOWN
—Taylor Graham
blackberries shriveled,
gone—one bike rim in bramble—
summer travels on
____________________
Medusa’s Kitchen welcomes Shelby the Shepherd mix to the Graham family, a companion and playmate for Otis, and a new challenge for black cat Latches. As always, Taylor Graham will write about Shelby and about life in the Sierra foothills, and we thank her for that!
Forms TG has used this week include the Florette (“Slipping Toward Equinox”); a Word-Can Poem (“Vectors”); a Haiku (“Edge of Town”); a Daisy Chain (“Summer Cycle”); and a Just 15s (“Triatoma protracta”). “Moving Day” is a Response Poem to our Tuesday Seed of the Week (Moving Day), and the Daisy Chain and Florette were last week’s Triple-F Challenges.
In El Dorado County poetry this week, Poetic License meets in Placerville on Monday, 10:30am. And 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!
It’s time for more contributions from Form Fiddlers, in addition to those sent to us by Taylor Graham! Each Friday, there will be poems posted here from our readers using forms—either ones which were sent to Medusa during the previous week, or whatever else floats through the Kitchen and the perpetually stoned mind of Medusa. If these instructions are vague, it's because they're meant to be. Just fiddle around with some challenges— Whaddaya got to lose… ? If you send ‘em, I’ll post ‘em! (See Medusa’s Form Finder at the end of this post for resources and for links to poetry terms used in today’s post.)
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, Stephen Kingsnorth, and Caschwa:
I HAD TO EAT VEGETABLES
AFTER YOU DIED
—Nolcha Fox, Buffalo, WY
Vegetables. You always worried about me eating enough vegetables. I eat them now, I promise. I salt them with my tears.
I eat all vegetables except broccoli. Broccoli is grief, green corrugated cardboard I choke on. It tastes awful raw. It clogs up the garbage disposal. It doesn’t fit in the trash. I’m substituting Brussel sprouts instead. But I still find broccoli in the refrigerator.
I tried to stuff my life into the microwave, since it’s zapped without you. But it didn’t fit. I steam my vegetables in the microwave instead.
I don’t bread or fry my vegetables. My brain is fried, so I eat my head.
My head is a Brussel sprout. I eat it salted.
* * *
STOCK MARKET
—Stephen Kingsnorth, Coedpoeth, Wrexham, Wales
So much displayed is as expect;
distinctive mark will be the taste.
No middleman to take his cut
(but do not females do the same?),
just crop from farm to trestle top
and thus to cook and kitchen pot.
The chalk board, Wales, more syllables,
as Farmer’s Market claims their name—
and citrus unknown hereabouts,
so oranges would have appeal.
Are these crown jewels within gloved hands—
though rubber far from delicate?
Potatoes in an orange box—
an irony when thinking on—
what fun our etymology,
the usage and its story trail,
some sorry tales of misheard, spoke,
like Chinese whispers, kiwi fruit.
But eyesight poor—need carrot juice,
an orange cocktail, root on tap;
indigenous share wisdom’s care
sufficient only from the snare,
respect for land, sky, sea and air—
as nearby stalls stock market share.
On small producers of our fare,
so rarely fair, conglomerates,
as locals spared the air-mile fares,
serve only what the weather yields;
when will we eat what season bears,
picked for our table from the fields?
* * *
THANK YOU
—Caschwa, Sacramento, CA
This kind, considerate individual
vending wonderful produce is
thoughtfully wearing gloves so
all those particles that the fingers
keep in store don’t migrate to the
consumer’s plate
compare to a fellow on TV they
call the produce guy, who handles
all with bare fingers
no gloves
no photo op of him
washing his
hands
no concern for sharing germs
I’ll be enjoying salads today
made by conscientious employees
who put on a fresh pair of gloves
each time they prepare a meal
* * *
Today we also have an Ars Poetica from Caschwa (Carl Schwartz):
BURYING HISTORY
—Caschwa
It is two in the morning
page has turned
August is history
new calendar entries
to enlighten my path
Can’t sleep. The fare
on TV is abysmal trash
triggering a quick “Off”
on the remote
Hit the books for
fresher thoughts
“Sleeping with Love”
(by Wesli Court)
prompts the mind with
heroic couplets
that are coyly not
meant to refer to
people who are
sleeping together
“From under us,
Our winding sheets
are torn.” “Death
must sleep with
Love when we are
born”
* * *
—Caschwa
It is two in the morning
page has turned
August is history
new calendar entries
to enlighten my path
Can’t sleep. The fare
on TV is abysmal trash
triggering a quick “Off”
on the remote
Hit the books for
fresher thoughts
“Sleeping with Love”
(by Wesli Court)
prompts the mind with
heroic couplets
that are coyly not
meant to refer to
people who are
sleeping together
“From under us,
Our winding sheets
are torn.” “Death
must sleep with
Love when we are
born”
* * *
Jerome Bergund and Christina Chin are frequent Tan-Renga partners and visitors to the Kitchen, and we have some more from them today. Jerome is Editor of Heterodox Haiku Journal, and he (with Nun Prophet Press) has released the new book, Heterodox Haiku: Contrarians: Dissent in Japanese Inspired Micropoetics,
an anthology of short-form poetry from 81 writers around the globe,
and, according to Amazon, “essays exploring how sociopolitical critique
remains an instrumental part of and factors significantly into
contemporary Japanese-inspired theory and composition with verses of our
day.” See more info at https://www.amazon.com/Contrarians-Dissent-Japanese-Inspired-Micropoetics/dp/B0FM41XFMS/. Here are some Tan-Renga from Jerome and Christina:
THE SIGNED BOOK
—Jerome Berglund, Minneapolis, MN (italics)
and Christina Chin, Malaysia (plain text):
private island
house sparrows
of the new world
even the tunes
change
~ ~ ~
Saint Valentine
patron of epileptics
clobbered with clubs
the toddler’s stacks
block the gate
~ ~ ~
one who got away . . .
left sad and alone
a kidnapper
the ants keep
marching
~ ~ ~
reaching for
the nearest book
he ponders determinism
a clock's hand
ticking sound
~ ~ ~
microphone
with foam cover
obelisks
whether harmful
or neutral
~ ~ ~
rouge about
cheeks simulates health
cardinal sin
the mirror
cracks
~ ~ ~
signed book
dedicated to someone else
rakish feeling
a dog-eared page
marks the paused
—Jerome Berglund, Minneapolis, MN (italics)
and Christina Chin, Malaysia (plain text):
private island
house sparrows
of the new world
even the tunes
change
~ ~ ~
Saint Valentine
patron of epileptics
clobbered with clubs
the toddler’s stacks
block the gate
~ ~ ~
one who got away . . .
left sad and alone
a kidnapper
the ants keep
marching
~ ~ ~
reaching for
the nearest book
he ponders determinism
a clock's hand
ticking sound
~ ~ ~
microphone
with foam cover
obelisks
whether harmful
or neutral
~ ~ ~
rouge about
cheeks simulates health
cardinal sin
the mirror
cracks
~ ~ ~
signed book
dedicated to someone else
rakish feeling
a dog-eared page
marks the paused
__________________
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!
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!
•••Bina: https://poetscollective.org/poetryforms/bina
•••AND/OR the Atom, relative of the Haiku:
•••Atom: https://poetscollectivepoetryforms.wordpress.com/2014/12/22/atom-2
•••AND/OR something more complicated that should shine a ray of light into our lives, the Beacon of Hope:
•••Beacon of Hope: https://poetryforms7.wordpress.com/2014/11/17/beacon-of-hope
•••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 “Exasperation”.
____________________
MEDUSA’S FORM FINDER: Links to poetry terms mentioned today:
•••Ars Poetica: www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/ars-poetica
•••Beacon of Hope: https://poetryforms7.wordpress.com/2014/11/17/beacon-of-hope
•••Bina: https://poetscollective.org/poetryforms/bina
•••Daisy Chain: poetscollective.org/poetryforms/daisy-chain
•••Ekphrastic Poem: notesofoak.com/discover-literature/ekphrastic-poetry
•••Florette: www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/essence.html
•••Haiku: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/haiku-or-hokku AND/OR www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/haiku/haiku.html
•••Just 15s (devised by Sarah Harding): poem or stanza of 15 syllables
•••Response Poem: creativetalentsunleashed.com/2015/11/18/writing-tip-response-poems
•••Tan-Renga: https://www.graceguts.com/essays/an-introduction-to-tan-renga
•••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/.
•••Word-Can Poem: putting random words on slips of paper into a can, then drawing out a few and making a poem out of them
__________________
—Medusa
•••Daisy Chain: poetscollective.org/poetryforms/daisy-chain
•••Ekphrastic Poem: notesofoak.com/discover-literature/ekphrastic-poetry
•••Florette: www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/essence.html
•••Haiku: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/haiku-or-hokku AND/OR www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/haiku/haiku.html
•••Just 15s (devised by Sarah Harding): poem or stanza of 15 syllables
•••Response Poem: creativetalentsunleashed.com/2015/11/18/writing-tip-response-poems
•••Tan-Renga: https://www.graceguts.com/essays/an-introduction-to-tan-renga
•••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/.
•••Word-Can Poem: putting random words on slips of paper into a can, then drawing out a few and making a poem out of them
__________________
—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
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
a new reading series premieres tonight
at Two Rivers Cider Co. in Sacramento,
6-9pm; and
Micah Bournes & Jazmarie LaTour
will be reading in Stockton tonight
with others, 7pm.
For info about these 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!
Micah Bournes & Jazmarie LaTour
will be reading in Stockton tonight
with others, 7pm.
For info about these 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!
