—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
Nolcha Fox, Lynn White,
Stephen Kingsnorth, and Caschwa
MISTY MORNING
Waking.
It’s a dark sky misty at morning,
a frightfully blazing lamp.
Nobody knows what’s coming.
What about logic?
Should I run with go-bag?
Or is day promising illumination?
I’ll walk out anyway,
light out of dark
so much possibility—
summits and sloughs, portals, vistas.
Down with walls that block my passing.
Mind ajar,
I’ll follow inklings, instincts,
my imagination roving.
Waking.
It’s a dark sky misty at morning,
a frightfully blazing lamp.
Nobody knows what’s coming.
What about logic?
Should I run with go-bag?
Or is day promising illumination?
I’ll walk out anyway,
light out of dark
so much possibility—
summits and sloughs, portals, vistas.
Down with walls that block my passing.
Mind ajar,
I’ll follow inklings, instincts,
my imagination roving.
STRANDED
in my own driveway, car idling while I
close our gate. Back to car. Door won’t open.
Locked, windows up. Dog in the car with key in
ignition, engine running. Spare key up
hill in house. House locked tight after reports
of some crazy woman knocking on doors,
trying to get in. Phone in pocket. Call
AAA. Iffy reception but I
have a tow truck coming. Watch dog in car
trying to bust through driver’s window to
chase neighbor’s free-range chickens in our field.
Dog locked me out. Nice guy from AAA
opens car door. All is well. He goes his
way. In driver’s seat, I reach for seatbelt.
It’s bitten through. I must contain Otis
more securely in his hatchback quarters.
in my own driveway, car idling while I
close our gate. Back to car. Door won’t open.
Locked, windows up. Dog in the car with key in
ignition, engine running. Spare key up
hill in house. House locked tight after reports
of some crazy woman knocking on doors,
trying to get in. Phone in pocket. Call
AAA. Iffy reception but I
have a tow truck coming. Watch dog in car
trying to bust through driver’s window to
chase neighbor’s free-range chickens in our field.
Dog locked me out. Nice guy from AAA
opens car door. All is well. He goes his
way. In driver’s seat, I reach for seatbelt.
It’s bitten through. I must contain Otis
more securely in his hatchback quarters.
_____________________
IF I’D LET HIM
Quickery-slickery
Otis of ForestWild
never just journeying,
ever alert.
Prey is his fantasy
sensory-vigilant,
rabbit as main course with
hare for dessert.
Quickery-slickery
Otis of ForestWild
never just journeying,
ever alert.
Prey is his fantasy
sensory-vigilant,
rabbit as main course with
hare for dessert.
DUAS 3
nestbox 2, five blue eggs—box 3, four tiny beaks
box 5 had none, now full of wren-twigs & hope
**
wildflowers in lavish bloom along trail
someone’s garden rose trampled underfoot
**
an hour to lose & find myself in nature maze
man & 2 boys—do they know where they’re going?
nestbox 2, five blue eggs—box 3, four tiny beaks
box 5 had none, now full of wren-twigs & hope
**
wildflowers in lavish bloom along trail
someone’s garden rose trampled underfoot
**
an hour to lose & find myself in nature maze
man & 2 boys—do they know where they’re going?
WHERE NOW?
Ghost pine leans over woodland posted “no trespass” where homeless would camp.
At the edge of canyon, woman with handicapped boy stand wondering.
Young man at dropoff looks down on green-shady ravine. His bike just waits.
Ghost pine leans over woodland posted “no trespass” where homeless would camp.
At the edge of canyon, woman with handicapped boy stand wondering.
Young man at dropoff looks down on green-shady ravine. His bike just waits.
UNFORTUNATE SITUATION
Armed with motor-scythe I set out to cut the weeds
already turning brown and dead but rich with seeds
to propagate themselves another year, their deeds
daunting: against weeds, who in this battle succeeds?
Armed with motor-scythe I set out to cut the weeds
already turning brown and dead but rich with seeds
to propagate themselves another year, their deeds
daunting: against weeds, who in this battle succeeds?
Today’s LittleNip:
AMONG ROCKS & WEEDS
—Taylor Graham
Behind strip mall, one
red poppy blooms—why here? it’s
Memorial Day.
___________________
That Otis is a real firecracker! A spirit as wide and as wild as all the Sierra forest! (And Taylor Graham’s patience is just as huge—) Our thanks to her for her poetry and photos today, and for her homage to Memorial Day.
Forms TG has used this week include a Double Dactyl (“If I'd Let Him”); some Duas (“Duas 3”); some Blank Verse that is also a Response to our Tuesday’s Seed of the Week, Stranded (“Stranded”); a Lipogram (no "e"s) that is also a Response to last week’s Ekphrastic Photo (“Misty Morning”); an American Sentence Poem (“Where Now?”); an Awit (“Unfortunate Situation”); and a Haiku (“Among Rocks & Weeds”). The American Sentence and the Awit were last week’s Triple-F Challenges.
In El Dorado Country poetry this week, Lara Gularte will present a workshop, “Writing Words to Light the Way”, at the El Dorado Hills Library on Thursday, 5:30pm. Also, El Dorado County’s other 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!
AMONG ROCKS & WEEDS
—Taylor Graham
Behind strip mall, one
red poppy blooms—why here? it’s
Memorial Day.
___________________
That Otis is a real firecracker! A spirit as wide and as wild as all the Sierra forest! (And Taylor Graham’s patience is just as huge—) Our thanks to her for her poetry and photos today, and for her homage to Memorial Day.
Forms TG has used this week include a Double Dactyl (“If I'd Let Him”); some Duas (“Duas 3”); some Blank Verse that is also a Response to our Tuesday’s Seed of the Week, Stranded (“Stranded”); a Lipogram (no "e"s) that is also a Response to last week’s Ekphrastic Photo (“Misty Morning”); an American Sentence Poem (“Where Now?”); an Awit (“Unfortunate Situation”); and a Haiku (“Among Rocks & Weeds”). The American Sentence and the Awit were last week’s Triple-F Challenges.
In El Dorado Country poetry this week, Lara Gularte will present a workshop, “Writing Words to Light the Way”, at the El Dorado Hills Library on Thursday, 5:30pm. Also, El Dorado County’s other 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!
Medusa’s Kitchen will have its 20th anniversary this May 29,
and we will celebrate with poetry, of course. Send a poem that
celebrates something—anything—form or free verse—and I’ll post it on May
29. 20 years! Amazing!
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:
MISTY MOMENT
—Nolcha Fox, Buffalo, WY
A locomotive light is all
that brightens up the day.
The smoke shakes hands
with fog and disappears
without a nod.
The locomotive doubles
in the puddles to the side.
Ghostly trees reach out
to grab the moment
as it leaves.
* * *
ALL THAT IS SOLID
—Lynn White, Blaenau Ffestiniog, North Wales
It seems too solid
to be held in a cloud
and the sun seems too bright
to descend from a cloud
and make a reflection
in the pool of dark
and the cloud seems too round
to hold the moon
in the gloom
and nothing looks right any more.
* * *
SOME SNAP
—Stephen Kingsnorth, Coedpoeth, Wrexham, Wales
Through fog suspense of sullen moist,
slow metal chugs, tank billows’ store,
low geyser outlets, pistons, fore,
top funnel roll that clouds the more.
Flat stagnant pools that might be oil
reflect that lone lamp in it all—
such winter murk, trees reaching tall,
undressed for months since autumn fall.
There’s rhythm beat in laid sound track,
despite that dull noise-muffling cloak
of hanging vapour clogged with smoke,
invading cab, trained drivers choke.
So which pervades, gives higher score,
predictable and regular
chuff overture, joint rollover
or damp grey woolly pullover?
What swirls round heads of footplate crew
as peer ahead or concentrate
to gauge the pressures, dial rate,
whether conditions make for late?
Delays for travel, air or road—
where speed reduced to pace of snail—
but few concerns, laid sleepers, rail,
less veil of tears shrouds red light tail.
See tracery of vaulted roof,
a branch line, clear scene if less drear—
a cold steam chest for atmosphere—
some snap (‘ensure the sun’s to rear!’).
* * *
TG posted some Duas today; here are some others from Caschwa (Carl Schwartz), with photos also from Carl:
Somewhere above me are keener eyes than mine
And they watch every move I make
And they watch every move I make
A large waterfowl rests on the pond
Even its reflection is grand
Even its reflection is grand
Deer share their homes
Mine is double-locked
Mine is double-locked
Here is the crew I hired to haul away rubbish
Far more efficient than humans
* * *
This Haibun from Carl is a Response to our recent Tuesday Seed of the Week, “Stranded”:
Far more efficient than humans
* * *
This Haibun from Carl is a Response to our recent Tuesday Seed of the Week, “Stranded”:
STRANDED, FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
—Caschwa
Away from home, dearly missing the affection and
comforts of my parents, cat, dog, all my toys. I was
left on an island of strangers, assertive adults with a
new set of rules, denials, leaving us kids with the
quandary of can’t take part of home to school, but
must take part of school home. Forced to trade out-
—Caschwa
Away from home, dearly missing the affection and
comforts of my parents, cat, dog, all my toys. I was
left on an island of strangers, assertive adults with a
new set of rules, denials, leaving us kids with the
quandary of can’t take part of home to school, but
must take part of school home. Forced to trade out-
door daylight discoveries for indoor tours of dark
tunnels of knowledge. Back at home, everyone has
a neck, here at school, no necks visible, just Eliza-
bethan collars.
It’s skulls and crosswalks
no sweet goodies as reward
only letter grades
* * *
A List Poem from Carl:
It’s skulls and crosswalks
no sweet goodies as reward
only letter grades
* * *
A List Poem from Carl:
I WISH THEY’D JUST PRINT IT OUT
—Caschwa
On TV they showed some fellow from
an institution or committee or something
that had WAC in its name, but they never
divulged what they intended WAC to mean.
That leaves it to people everywhere to try
to postulate what it might mean. Here is
my attempt:
Warm And Cozy
Warm Apple Cider
Winston Apple Churchill
Wife And Children
Whittle And Curve
Worst Ad Campaign
Weep And Cry
Wipe Away Carefully
We Are Clones
Which Answers Count
Women And Children
Witches And Curses
Wobbly And Confused
Wars Are Chaotic
* * *
This poem is a variation on the Borrowed First Line form, in the it also has a Borrowed Last Line:
—Caschwa
On TV they showed some fellow from
an institution or committee or something
that had WAC in its name, but they never
divulged what they intended WAC to mean.
That leaves it to people everywhere to try
to postulate what it might mean. Here is
my attempt:
Warm And Cozy
Warm Apple Cider
Winston Apple Churchill
Wife And Children
Whittle And Curve
Worst Ad Campaign
Weep And Cry
Wipe Away Carefully
We Are Clones
Which Answers Count
Women And Children
Witches And Curses
Wobbly And Confused
Wars Are Chaotic
* * *
This poem is a variation on the Borrowed First Line form, in the it also has a Borrowed Last Line:
LHD, ETC.
—Caschwa
“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.” [Medusa’s footnote, bottom of each post] Kind of like British cars such as Rolls Royce and Bentley sold as Left-Hand-Drive (LHD), if the steering column is on the left-hand side:
The tradition of mounting a horse from the left side primarily stems from military practices. Soldiers, typically right-handed, would mount their horses from the left side to avoid their sword, worn on the left, from interfering with the mounting process or being accidentally struck. This tradition has persisted even though swords are no longer a standard part of equestrian attire.
* * *
And speaking of left turns, here is an Ars Poetica from Stephen Kingsnorth as he writes about what happens when a poem takes a left turn of its own:
—Caschwa
“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.” [Medusa’s footnote, bottom of each post] Kind of like British cars such as Rolls Royce and Bentley sold as Left-Hand-Drive (LHD), if the steering column is on the left-hand side:
The tradition of mounting a horse from the left side primarily stems from military practices. Soldiers, typically right-handed, would mount their horses from the left side to avoid their sword, worn on the left, from interfering with the mounting process or being accidentally struck. This tradition has persisted even though swords are no longer a standard part of equestrian attire.
* * *
And speaking of left turns, here is an Ars Poetica from Stephen Kingsnorth as he writes about what happens when a poem takes a left turn of its own:
NOWHERE
—Stephen Kingsnorth
How strange that,
destination planned and title given,
calamnus raised, the flow soon takes a stranger turn
and I am on an unexpected road,
falling into some unexpected pothole of conceit.
Where will this quill lead?
Who can obey the unities
when ouija musings' mutinies take charge,
and I am led I know not where,
a herring in the shoal,
or starling in a murmur.
I weep, then chuckle at the thought, flourish
oratorically,
then clichèd comment on the point,
count the feet, then freely speak, though
metre tries again, exert control.
In youthful art of plaster cast
on Wednesday afternoons
when rugby, cricket need avoid,
and speech through other medium explored,
though, as customary,
(false-prophet tutor to mature foretells)
elements need to be explained
to those who wish to understand.
Pedestrian when I share insight
though more I feel, may travel more,
rambling wayfarer with quickened plod,
variously vagrant drifter, vagabond
of trifles, purposed hiker.
I know because I was there,
the richest seam,
but sometimes I find nowhere.
—Stephen Kingsnorth
How strange that,
destination planned and title given,
calamnus raised, the flow soon takes a stranger turn
and I am on an unexpected road,
falling into some unexpected pothole of conceit.
Where will this quill lead?
Who can obey the unities
when ouija musings' mutinies take charge,
and I am led I know not where,
a herring in the shoal,
or starling in a murmur.
I weep, then chuckle at the thought, flourish
oratorically,
then clichèd comment on the point,
count the feet, then freely speak, though
metre tries again, exert control.
In youthful art of plaster cast
on Wednesday afternoons
when rugby, cricket need avoid,
and speech through other medium explored,
though, as customary,
(false-prophet tutor to mature foretells)
elements need to be explained
to those who wish to understand.
Pedestrian when I share insight
though more I feel, may travel more,
rambling wayfarer with quickened plod,
variously vagrant drifter, vagabond
of trifles, purposed hiker.
I know because I was there,
the richest seam,
but sometimes I find nowhere.
__________________
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!
See what you can make of these challenges, and send your results to kathykieth@hotmail.com/. (No deadline.) Play around with the Lipogram like Taylor Graham did (see above), or jump in with both feet and write a Pangrammatic Lipogram:
•••Lipogram/Pangrammatic Lipogram: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipogram
•••AND/OR take a cue from Taylor Graham and write a poem in honor of Memorial Day—Ode, Elegy, Memoir—or no form at all. Pretend you’re a Poet Laureate and have to write something for your city.
•••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 “Chasing Poems”.
____________________
MEDUSA’S FORM FINDER: Links to poetry terms mentioned today:
•••American Sentence (Allen Ginsberg): https://poetscollectivepoetryforms.wordpress.com/2014/12/21/american-sentence
•••Ars Poetica: www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/ars-poetica
•••Awit (Philippines): https://poetscollectivepoetryforms.wordpress.com/2014/03/03/awit
•••Blank Verse: literarydevices.net/blank-verse AND/OR www.masterclass.com/articles/poetry-101-what-is-the-difference-between-blank-verse-and-free-verse#quiz-0
•••Borrowed First Line: Just what it says.
•••Double Dactyl: www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/double-dactyl
•••Dua (devised by Ai Li): a two-line poems with two spaces between each line, no periods and no titles
•••Ekphrastic Poem: notesofoak.com/discover-literature/ekphrastic-poetry
•••Elegy: https://poets.org/glossary/elegy
•••Haibun: www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/haibun-poems-poetic-form
•••Haiku: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/haiku-or-hokku AND/OR www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/haiku/haiku.html
•••Lipogram/Pangrammatic Lipogram: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipogram
•••Memoir: www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/memoir (may be written in poetry form)
•••Ode: www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/ode
•••Response Poem: creativetalentsunleashed.com/2015/11/18/writing-tip-response-poems
•••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
•••Awit (Philippines): https://poetscollectivepoetryforms.wordpress.com/2014/03/03/awit
•••Blank Verse: literarydevices.net/blank-verse AND/OR www.masterclass.com/articles/poetry-101-what-is-the-difference-between-blank-verse-and-free-verse#quiz-0
•••Borrowed First Line: Just what it says.
•••Double Dactyl: www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/double-dactyl
•••Dua (devised by Ai Li): a two-line poems with two spaces between each line, no periods and no titles
•••Ekphrastic Poem: notesofoak.com/discover-literature/ekphrastic-poetry
•••Elegy: https://poets.org/glossary/elegy
•••Haibun: www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/haibun-poems-poetic-form
•••Haiku: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/haiku-or-hokku AND/OR www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/haiku/haiku.html
•••Lipogram/Pangrammatic Lipogram: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipogram
•••Memoir: www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/memoir (may be written in poetry form)
•••Ode: www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/ode
•••Response Poem: creativetalentsunleashed.com/2015/11/18/writing-tip-response-poems
•••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.)
* * *
—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!
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