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Medusa will be in hibernation for four days, then back to her old tricks (so to speak) next Thursday (5/18). Since this will be posted for such a long time, let’s all think about our mothers: :-)

MY MOTHER ONCE TOLD ME
—Yehuda Amichai

My mother once told me
Not to sleep with flowers in the room.
Since then I have not slept with flowers.
I sleep alone, without them.

There were many flowers.
But I’ve never had enough time.
And persons I love are already pushing themselves
Away from my life, like boats
Away from the shore.

My mother said
Not to sleep with flowers.
You won’t sleep.
You won’t sleep, mother of my childhood.

The bannister I clung to
When they dragged me off to school
Is long since burnt.
But my hands, clinging,
Remain
Clinging.

(Translated by Assia Gutmann)

_______________________

ASPEN TREE
—Paul Celan

Aspen tree your leaves glance white into the dark.
My mother’s hair was never white.

Dandelion, so green is the Ukraine.
My yellow-haired mother did not come home.

Rain cloud, above the well do you hover
My quiet mother weeps for everyone.

Round star, you wind the golden loop.
My mother’s heart was ripped by lead.

Oaken door, who lifted you off your hinges?
My gentle mother cannot return.

(Translated by Michael Hamburger)

_______________________

Here’s next week’s NorCal poetry calendar:

•••Monday (5/15), Lesley Gale will be reading at Sacramento Poetry Center, HQ (25th & R Sts., Sac.) 7:30 pm. That day is also the deadline to submit your poems for the next Rattlesnake Review (#10). Getcher pomes in NOW!!!

•••Earlier on Monday 5/15, drop by the It’s a Grind Coffee House, 2731 Del Paso Blvd., Sac at 6 pm for a Think Postcard! workshop.

•••Thursday (5/18), The Nevada County Poetry Series presents Laura Pendell, Brigit Truex, and James Lee Jobe. The show will be in the Off Center Stage (Black Box Theater, enter from Richardson Street) at the Center for the Arts, 314 W. Main St., Grass Valley. Tickets can be purchased at the door: $5 general, seniors and students, and $1 for those under 18. Refreshments and open-mic included. Info: (530) 432-8196 or (530) 274-8384. About these poets:

Laura Pendell lived in New York City until 8 years ago when she moved to Northern California to continue her exploration of poetry, plants and alternative lifestyles (formerly called sex, drugs and rock'n'roll). Now living in Penn Valley, Laura says, "When not writing poems, I make handmade books and tend the land I share with my husband, our cat, some flying squirrels and the occasional skunk..."

Brigit Truex of Placerville is of Native American (Cree/Abenaki), French Canadian, and Irish heritage. When not writing poetry or working on regalia, beadwork or crafts, Brigit can usually be found at powwows around the region, where she practices the art of Northern Traditional Dance. Brigit's work has appeared in Folio, Rattlesnake Review, PDQ, Perspectives and Manzanita. She has three chapbooks in print: Satuit Seasons, Of A Feather and Leaf By Leaf, and is a member of the Red Fox Underground in Placerville.

James Lee Jobe is a former DJ on a Sacramento Rock radio station, the past editor and publisher of One Dog Press (1990—1994), and Editor of the quarterly Clan of the Dog. He has been published in Manzanita, Tule Review, Pearl, and many other periodicals. Jobe has four chapbooks published, the most recent being What God Said When She Finally Answered Me from Rattlesnake Press. He lives in Davis with his wife and children and continues to work behind the scenes in radio.

•••Also Thursday (5/18), Patricia Wellingham-Jones, Sally Allen McNall, and Paul Eggers will read at the 1078 Gallery in Chico, 738 W. 5th St., 7:30 pm. Info: 530-343-1973. About these poets:

Patricia Wellingham-Jones, a former psychology researcher and writer/editor, is a three-time Pushcart Prize nominee. Her work is published in numerous anthologies, journals, and Internet magazines, including HazMat Review, Red River Review, Rattlesnake Review, Phoebe, A Room of Her Own, The Raintown Review, Ink & Ashes and Niederngasse. Her many chapbooks include, among others, Don’t Turn Away: Poems About Breast Cancer (PWJ Publishing), Hormone Stew (Snark Publishing) and Voices on the Land (Rattlesnake Press). Her website is www.wellinghamjones.com.

Sally Allen McNall, a teacher for 42 years, has lived and written and taught in Kansas, New Zealand, Ohio and California. Her work has appeared in New Letters, Midwest Quarterly, The MacGuffin, Prairie Schooner, The Crab Creek Review, The Chariton Review, Out of Line, Nimrod, Poetry East, and Barrow Street. Her chapbook, How to Behave at the Zoo and Other Lessons, was a winner of the State Street Press competition. Her first book manuscript, Rescue, won the Backwaters Press Prize.

Paul Eggers, an associate professor of English at CSU, Chico, is the author of two books: the novel, Saviors (Harcourt), winner of the Maria Thomas Fiction Award and a Barnes & Noble Discovery selection; and the short-fiction collection, How the Water Feels (SMU Press), winner of the Paterson Prize in Fiction. A recent NEA recipient, he is currently at work on a collection of long stories set in Africa and South East Asia, where he lived for several years.

•••Also Thursday (5/18): Poetry Unplugged presents Donald Sydney-Fryer. 1414 16th St., Sac., 8 pm. Info: www.lunascafe.com or 916-441-3931.

•••Friday (5/19), an Our House Defines Art poetry reading will feature Laverne & Carol Frith, editors of Ekphrasis, and rattlechapper/spiralchapper/Formalist-in-Residence for Rattlesnake Review Joyce Odam, who is also Editor of PDQ and Brevities. Their reading will be followed by an open mic. Our House Defines Art Gallery & Framing is located at 4510 Post St. in El Dorado Hills Town Center (just south of Hwy 50), El Dorado Hills, 7:00 pm. No charge. Info: 916-933-4278.

•••Also Friday (5/19) at the Sutter Cancer Center, 2800 L St., 2nd floor, Rm. 220, 7-8:30 pm: Jose Montoya, former Sacramento Poet Laureate and co-founder of the Royal Chicano Air Force, inspired Luis Rodriguez in the 1970s. Writing led Rodriguez out of addiction and crime to become a leading Chicano writer, author of 10 books, including Always Running, now in its 20th printing. Through language and imagination, Montoya and Rodriguez uplift young people and motivate them to change their lives. This is the first time these two legendary figures have appeared together. Info: sutterwriters.com

•••Saturday (5/20), celebrate California's distinctive heritage of poets, poetry, and presses at Poetry Center San José's first annual California Poets Festival. This all-day outdoor festival will be held at History Park San José, 1650 Senter Road, San José from 10 am to 4:30 pm. It is open to the public and free of charge. Listen to readings throughout the day by California poets. Stroll through the small press fair. Meet editors, purchase books, journals, subscriptions, and obtain submission guidelines from a variety of California publications. Enjoy a picnic or glass of wine from local restaurants offered in this historical park setting, and hang out with lovers of poetry—old and new friends. Spend a memorable day with people from San José, the greater Bay Area and beyond. Info: californiapoetsfestival.org

•••Also Saturday (5/20), the Underground Poetry Series features Taylor Williams, Rob Anthony and Noah Hayes at Underground Books, 2814 35th St., Sac. (35th & Broadway). Info: 916-737-3333.

•••Sunday (5/21), the Poet’s Club of Lincoln presents an Open Mic from 3-5 pm at The Salt Mine, corner of G St. & Hwy 65 in Lincoln. Free; bring a can of food for the Salt Cellar Canned Food Drive. Info or to register: Sue Clark, 434-9226.

Is that a full calendar, or what??? By the time you’re done reading it, I’ll be back!

One more mother poem, this one by Michael Hettich, one of my favorite poets (next to all of you, of course—)

YOUR MOTHER SINGS
—Michael Hettich

Your mother sings
an old song as she
hangs the wash. She looks around—

And when she is sure
no one is watching
(but you are watching) she lets the pigeons

she keeps at the bottom of her laundry basket
fly free—
Each has a note

in its beak. And now a pigeon
flies in your window, dies at your feet.
The note says: I live alone, please

come, please help me. But she doesn’t live
alone, your mother
is downstairs now

moving pots and pans, starting
dinner, singing
a song she sang,

you imagine, when you couldn’t sleep.
You hear her down there
singing. You see the pigeon on the floor.

_______________________

So behave yourselves while Medusa snoozes; spend your time wisely by writing, writing, writing—and send me plenty of poetry for the day when I tie those snakes back into harness!

Oh—and happy birthday to my mother-in-law, Sammie Robertson-Corp, who is a loyal reader.

—Medusa

Medusa encourages poets of all ilk and ages to send their poetry and announcements of Northern California poetry events to kathykieth@hotmail.com for posting on this daily Snake blog. Rights remain with the poets. Previously-published poems are okay for Medusa’s Kitchen, as long as you own the rights. (Please cite publication.)