Fiery Poetry and Fiery Events

COUNTESS
—Katy Brown, Davis

She is the Countess of Fear:
sheathed in slinky snakeskin;
covered
in stunning diamonds;
noted for her
angular jaw line.

She can be found
lounging in the sun—
resting in the shade:
waiting
for dinner.

And what
a venomous smile she has!

_______________________

Thanks, Katy! The sunny photo is also by Katy Brown, Marketeer-in-Residence at Rattlesnake Review. Watch for her "Snake Charmer's Bazaar" in Snake 11, coming up later in September.


Today:

•••Tonight (Thursday, 8/31), 8 PM: Poetry Unplugged presents Michael Gorman and Merlen Tofer, with medieval music by Kira. Open mic before/after. Luna’s Café, 1414 16th St., Sac. Info: 441-3931 or www.lunascafe.com. Free.

•••Also today (8/31) is the Poets & Writers Calif. Writers Exchange Contest deadline. For complete guidelines and an application, please contact (310) 481-7195 or cainfo@pw.org.

•••And also tonight, 7 PM: Colored Horse Studio, 780 Waugh Lane in Ukiah, will resume its featured reader series. Featured poet will be Armand Brint, former Ukiah Poet Laureate and author of Schools of Light and The League of Slow Cities. Armand was one of the first featured readers when we began this series at the Emerald Cafe in 1998. For more info: 463-6989, 275-9010, 468-9488 or poetry@coloredhorse.com (all phone numbers are Area Code 707.) Refreshments will be available. Donations are always welcome. They help us keep this series going. We are also grateful to Poets & Writers, Tenacity Press and Colored Horse Studio for helping to keep us afloat.


Starting the New Season at The Other Voice:

James Lee Jobe writes: When you're full of BBQ, why just sit around the house feeling fat? Get out for the Labor Day Open Reading! The Other Voice poetry reading series returns with an open reading on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 4 at 7:30 PM in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis, 27074 Patwin Road, Davis. James Lee Jobe will be your host. Call 530-750-3514 for details. This is a free event. For the 2006-2007 season, The Other Voice will meet on the first Monday of every month at 7:30 PM in the library of the Davis Unitarian Universalist Church. On months when the first Monday is a holiday, there will be an open reading. All other readings will have at least one featured reader, sometimes two, followed by an open reading. Everyone is encouraged to attend and bring a poem or two and enjoy a glass of wine. For October, the featured poet will the award-winning Foothills poet (and Rattlechapper), Taylor Graham.
_______________________


WHAT COMMUTERS SAW
—Katy Brown, Davis

The mammoth fireball
plowed across
the dark-violet
evening sky:
on a shallow passage
down—
down from
east to west,
scribing a wide tail
of silver fire
behind its
diamond-blue
bolide
before
burning out
somewhere
over
Dixon.

In my driveway,
I consider the
still-glowing
aquamarine trail
arcing a path where
the fireball traveled—
half-hoping for,
half-dreading
another such
fiery event.

______________________

DUST BOWL LESSONS
—Katy Brown, Davis

Rows: efficient rows of corn and soybeans
planted in lines as straight as a tractor can plow
acre upon corrugated acre

in the dry mid-western prairie,
tended by leathered farmers
desperate to eke out one last dollar.

And the improved methods
worked for a while, boosting productivity
just barely enough.

Then the winds came. With the whooshing-moan
and the taste of the dust and the dry air
getting dryer and more dense with each murky-red sunrise.

The wind that never stopped: sweeping up
furrows, pulling up the ground from
under our feet until there was no more land to plow;

no more air to breathe; no more mortgages on our
abandoned farms. Only lines of trucks and cars
as straight as furrowed rows headed west to the San Joaquin.

________________________

—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.)

You Might As Well Live

ONE PERFECT ROSE
—Dorothy Parker

A single flow'r he set me, since we met.
All tenderly his messenger he chose;
Deep-hearted, pure, with scented dew still wet—
One perfect rose.

I knew the language of the floweret;
"My fragile leaves" it said, "his heart enclose."
Love long has taken for his amulet
One perfect rose.

Why is it no one ever sent me yet
One perfect limousine, do you suppose?
Ah no, it's always just my luck to get
One perfect rose.

_______________________

Tonight:

•••Wed. (8/30), 10-midnight: Mahogany Poets presents Mics and Moods at Capitol Garage, 1500 K St., Sac. Features and Open Mic; 21 and older. $5. Info: 916-492-9336 or www.malikspeaks.com.

•••If you missed the Hallmark guys yesterday, they'll repeat their presentation twice today (8/30): at 10 AM, they'll be at Bella Bru, 5038 Fair Oaks Blvd., Carmichael, and at 6:30 PM they'll be at the Folsom Public Library, 300 Persifer St., Folsom to talk about putting their experiences putting together the verses and art for Hallmark cards. The events are free, but you need reservations: 800-565-6617. [See today's Sacramento Bee for an interview with them.]


For Women Only:

Kalliope, a journal of women’s literature and art, announces the 2006 Sue Daniel Elkind Poetry Contest: 1st Prize is $1000 and publication in Kalliope, to be awarded to a woman poet. Runners-up will receive consideration for publication. Maximum length is 50 lines. Entry fee is $5.00 per poem or 3 for $12. Deadline: 11/01/06. Send 2 copies: one with name, address, & phone number on upper right corner and one without identification. For more details on both contests, please visit www.fccj.org/kalliope or send an SASE to Kalliope, Florida Community College at Jacksonville, 11901 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32246. Also: kalliope@fccj.edu.

________________________

SYMPTOM RECITAL
—Dorothy Parker

I do not like my state of mind;
I'm bitter, querulous, unkind.
I hate my legs, I hate my hands,
I do not yearn for lovelier lands.
I dread the dawn's recurrent light;
I hate to go to bed at night.
I snoot at simple, earnest folk.
I cannot take the gentlest joke.
I find no peace in paint or type.
My world is but a lot of tripe.
I'm disillusioned, empty-breasted.
For what I think, I'd be arrested.
I am not sick, I am not well.
My quondam dreams are shot to hell.
My soul is crushed, my spirit sore;
I do not like me any more.
I cavil, quarrel, grumble, grouse.
I ponder on the narrow house.
I shudder at the thought of men...
I'm due to fall in love again.

_______________________

RÉSUMÉ
—Dorothy Parker

Razors pain you;
Rivers are damp;
Acids stain you;
And drugs cause cramp.
Guns aren't lawful;
Nooses give;
Gas smells awful;
You might as well live.

_______________________

—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.)

Lookee What I Did!

What're YOU Lookin' At?!?!?



(I figured out how to put images on Medusa! Now I'm dangerous!!!)











LANDSCAPE, WITH BIRDS
—Richard Zimmer, Sacramento

Down in the thorny creek-side bushes,
a flock of small wrens roost.

Their loud and bubbly song
fills the air with chatter,
as they flutter in the brush.

Restless brown birds,
their rounded tails bent upward,
make cheerful chirping sounds.

In this place with earth, stones and
where wild grass grows—will ever be,
as long as there's sun and rain,
till the last wind blows.

_______________________

Thanks, Richard! More of Richard Zimmer's poetry will appear in Snake 11, due out in mid/late September.


New Site for Los Escritores:

Interested in joining a writing group? Many people begin new activities in the Autumn, and this is not just a new season, but a new location for the Writers of the New Sun/Escritores del Nuevo Sol. The group, founded in 1993, will keep its affiliation with La Raza Galeria Posada [LRGP], newly located at 1024 22nd Street, in midtown Sacramento. The philosophy of the writing group is similar to the philosophy of LRGP, which serves to foster, preserve and present the best of Chicano/Latino and Native American culture. Membership is open to all who sincerely wish to develop more quality to their writing, whether poetry, fiction, or nonfiction. Some members write only in Spanish, some only in English, some write bilingually. The group is considering adding a second, Spanish-only, group of writers. Typical meetings are the first Saturday of each month, 11 AM, and include work on a writing exercise, sharing of members’ writings for critical feedback, and a potluck. The next such 2006 meetings are September 2, October 7, November 4, and December 2.

The group also sponsors a series of special readings during the year, usually scheduled at LRGP. The next ones will be the September 15 annual all-Spanish reading, and, in early November, the annual reading that celebrates Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos, honoring those who have passed but are not forgotten.

For more information on activities and membership, check the web site: www.escritoresdelnuevosol.com or call 916-456-5323.


Monterey Poetry Review:

The Monterey Poetry Review is seeking submissions of poetry from writers who live in, or who have former or present ties to, the four counties of Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito and Santa Clara. Please send in your poems and help spread the word to your poetry groups and other writers. Deadline for submissions for the fall/winter issue: September 15, 2006. Guidelines: Submit up to 6 poems, a short bio of several sentences, and a photo, and full contact info. All these must be submitted before poems will be considered by the editorial board. Email submissions are preferred. Send to: montereypoetryreview@gmail.com (or snail mail to: M. Lee, Editor, PO Box 5885, Monterey, CA 93944). Open to all styles, forms and lengths. Articles can be about current poetry venues, poets, interviews, reviews of recent books, or the craft of writing.

Ads can also be sent in preferably by Sept. 15, but no later than Sept. 30. We print and distribute 3,000 copies in four counties and are growing in area distribution in San Jose, SFO and other cities. Cost for any size ad: $6.00 per square inch. Advertise your upcoming events (mid-Nov. 2006—Feb. 2007) books, chapbooks, business, business card, favorite charity.

Donations are the biggest supporter of the magazine; thank you to all of you who send in support from time to time or regularly. Every dollar goes to production and distribution—our production team, directors and helpers are all unpaid volunteers. We are a registered California non-profit organization, soon to be tax exempt when the paperwork goes through.


News from the Vietnamese International Poetry Society:

Sinh Quang Le, the President of V.I.P.S., writes: The Vietnamese International Poetry Society (V.I.P.S.) was founded in September, 1994 in Sacramento, California. The V.I.P.S.’s purposes are to identify, encourage, and help develop creative expression among Vietnamese American Poets and to introduce and exchange the Vietnamese Culture with the other countries. V.I.P.S.’s current membership totals over 400. Accordingly, eleven anthology volumes entitled Flowers of Love (Cum Hoa Tinh Yeu) (Vietnamese edition), and four trilingual anthology volumes entitled Flowers of Love in Vietnamese/English/French have been published, with over 1000 copies for each volume. In addition, V.I.P.S. has also published 30 individual poetic works written by the members of the Society. V.I.P.S. has also issued a newsletter and a magazine to keep in touch with its members living in the USA and other countries all over the world. Also, four CD and music books, including the poems selected from Flowers of Love and set to music by the musicians (Han Ta Vo, Singapore, in 1997; Thanh Gia Hoang, Sacramento, CA, in 2001; Tan Huu Nguyen, Sacramento, CA, in 2002; Nguyen Tat Vinh, Nashville, TN, in 2004) have been presented to the public and media in the USA and Europe.

We organize every two years the “International Poetry Convention“ to consolidate the friendship of the members and develop our Society. The first convention took place on September 11-12-13, 1998 in Sacramento; the second on September 15-16-17, 2000 in Westminster, Orange County; the third on September 7-8, 2002 in Paris; the 4th in Washington D.C. on October 22-23-24, 2004, and this year, September 15-16-17, 2006 in Sacramento, to celebrate the 10th Poetry-Journey of the poetic work, Flowers of Love: Volume 1 (1995) – Volume 11 (2005). In these conventions, Flowers of Love (Vietnamese Edition), the trilingual anthology, Flowers of Love (Vietnamese/English/French), and the magazine, Viet Dieu (Vietnam Bird) are presented to the public and media as a testimony to our efforts and to mark the growth of the society into an international forum for artistic development.

In the framework of the Fifth International Poetry Convention, we have the honour to announce The Poetry Music & Dance Banquet organized by V.I.P.S. to celebrate the Ten-Year Journey of Poetry of Flowers of Love: 1995-2005. This special event will take place on Sunday, September 17, 2006, at 5 PM at the Rice Bowl Restaurant, 2378 Florin Road, Sacramento, CA 95822; (916) 421-8492. Admission: $25.00. Your Donation would be appreciated. (Famous artists are coming from Southern California, Kentucky, and Virginia.) We welcome you to this special evening!

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PARALLEL
—Steve Williams, Portland

I could have hugged his averted hulk,
kissed the space above his head
or squeezed his shoulder as I left.

I could have kept my volume low,
accepted my commission as little soldier
and forsaken my demilitarized mind.

He could have tinkered only with machines,
looked around the resemblance to my mother
and ignored what that town of churches thought.

He could have forgiven my birth,
apologized for his vagrant parenthood
or loved me as he would a stray dog.

_______________________

MANTIS NYMPH
—Patricia A. Pashby, Sacramento

Hidden among
ripening tomatoes
and lemon cucumbers,
a Praying Mantis nymph,
the size of a thumbnail,
dressed in newborn white,
front legs held upright,
head on a swivel, bug-eyed;
waits to ambush any hapless
insect that comes too close to
its garden niche.

______________________

Thanks, Pat and Steve! Watch for Pat Pashby's new littlesnake broadside, Potpourri, coming in September.

—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.)

The Towe of Poetry (& Po-events 8/28-9/3)

RUNNING AWAY
—Margaret Ellis Hill, Wilton

One time driving home from
the hospital to visit an ill husband,
grocery shopping squeezed between
pumping gasoline, picking up medications,
listening to the imaginary ills of a father,
telephone solicitations, sorting clothes,
arguing with landscapers, backtracking
to pick up a missed paycheck, mail
the first-of-the-month raft of bills,
I thought about running away—
to keep going west until I hit water.
When I realized the water I sought
was 3,000 miles away in California
and no stash of fresh underwear in the car,
I decided that the back yard pool
would probably suffice, and made
a U-turn at the I-80 Texaco Station
after 30 miles. Sometimes,
I wish I hadn't chickened out.

________________________

Coming Up This Week:

•••Tonight (Monday, 8/28), 7:30 PM: Sacramento Poetry Center presents Tupeloetics with Bob Stanley, Edythe Haendel Schwartz, Jim Moose, Connie Gutowsky and William Ludington. SPC/HQ for the Arts, 25th & R Sts., Sac. Info: 451-5569. Free. Open Mic.

•••Want a real job in poetry? Tuesday (8/29), Hallmark writer Jim Howard and artist Eric Brace will share their stories about memorable greeting cards. 6:39 PM (yes, 6:39—that's what it says in yesterday's Sacramento Bee), Java City, 2537 Fair Oaks, Blvd., Sac. Free. Info: 800-565-6617.

•••Wed. (8/30), 10-midnight: Mahogany Poets presents Mics and Moods at Capitol Garage, 1500 K St., Sac. Features and Open Mic; 21 and older. $5. Info: 916-492-9336 or www.malikspeaks.com.

•••If you miss the Hallmark guys, they'll repeat their presentation twice on Weds. (8/30): at 10 AM, they'll be at Bella Bru, 5038 Fair Oaks Blvd., Carmichael, and at 6:30 PM they'll be at the Folsom Public Library, 300 Persifer St., Folsom. See Tues. (above) for info number.

•••Thursday (8/31), 8 PM: Poetry Unplugged presents Michael Gorman and Merlen Tofer, with medieval music by Kira. Open mic before/after. Luna’s Café, 1414 16th St., Sac. Info: 441-3931 or www.lunascafe.com. Free.

•••Also Thurs. (8/31) is the Poets & Writers Calif. Writers Exchange Contest deadline. For complete guidelines and an application, please contact (310) 481-7195 or cainfo@pw.org.

•••Thurs., 8/31, 7 PM: Colored Horse Studio, 780 Waugh Lane in Ukiah, will resume its featured reader series. Featured poet will be Armand Brint, former Ukiah Poet Laureate and author of Schools of Light and The League of Slow Cities. Armand was one of the first featured readers when we began this series at the Emerald Cafe in 1998. For more info: 463-6989, 275-9010, 468-9488 or poetry@coloredhorse.com (all phone numbers are Area Code 707.) Refreshments will be available. Donations are always welcome. They help us keep this series going. We are also grateful to Poets & Writers, Tenacity Press and Colored Horse Studio for helping to keep us afloat.

•••Friday (9/1) is the deadline for Clive Matson's Crazy Child Scribbler. The theme for the autumn edition is Beverages. You may submit pieces that focus on a beverage of your choice. Prose or poems that merely make an interesting reference to a beverage will also be accepted. Please submit each poem (40 lines or less) or prose (500 words or less) as plain text in the body of separate e-mail messages (no attachments) to oceana@oceanasphere.com. Please type "Submission" and the title of the piece in the subject heading of your email message to minimize the chance of your email becoming lost among the spam. Simultaneous submissions are fine. Info: www.oceanasphere.com.

•••And Friday, Sept. 1 will be the last day to see the retrospective of Vic Selinsky's art at the 20th St. Art Gallery, 911 20th St., Sacramento. Gallery hours are Tues. through Sat., 12-5 PM, and by appointment. Info: 916-930-0500.

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Workshop Opportunities:

Maxima Kahn from Grass Valley writes: Labor Day is coming and with it September. Children return to school, and as the dog days of summer begin to wane, we start feeling that urge to get up off the lawn chair or out of the pool and start being creative, productive individuals again. We remember those long deferred dreams we had. What about that idea of getting into a painting show, taking up photography, writing a novel, or just being more inspired and alive? I am offering three classes this Fall to help people realize their creative dreams:

1) The Artist’s Way: Tuesdays 6:30-9 PM, or Wednesdays, 3-5:30 PM (two groups) Sept. 5 or 6 through Dec. 12 or 13. Grass Valley (in a private home) with Maxima Kahn (Grass Valley); $275. Class size is limited. Please pre-register by contacting: Maxima 273-3566 or maxima@infostations.com.

2) Keeping a Journal: Thursdays 10 AM-12 noon, Sept. 14-Oct. 19 at Jason’s Studio Café, Grass Valley, $120. You must pre-register: Maxima 273-3566 or maxima@infostations.com

3) Riding the Dragon: A Poetry Workshop: Mondays 4-6 PM, Sept. 11-Oct. 16 (6 weeks) at Jason's Studio Café, Grass Valley, $90-120 sliding scale. You must pre-register: Maxima 273-3566 or maxima@infostations.com.

Transitions: Conversations Through Poetry:

Alexa Mergen writes: Join us for readings from poets near and far, guided writing of poems, and sharing of thoughts and ideas. 6-Week Series from Sept. 17 to October 22, Sun. mornings, 11 AM-12:30 PM. $45 for the series, or drop-in $10. Pre-register to secure a spot. Brand-new & long-time poets welcome. It’s All Yoga, 2106 11th Ave., Sac., www.itsallyoga.com or 916-444-8488.
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SUZHOU: THE CITY OF SILK
—Don Feliz, Sacramento

Marco Polo called it The Venice of Asia.
Some canals are now paved streets,

others teem with tourist boats.
Children wave at us from balconies—

women on stone steps will wash
clothes in the gray-green water

where boatmen once embarked taking
fine silks to the Emperor in Beijing.

_______________________

IN THE LAND OF GIANTS
—Elsie Feliz, Sacramento

They try to be nice, rattle things in your face,
open their giant jaws, make sounds—and always

those red anxious eyes, staring at you, looking
for signs. Slowly, you begin to make sense of them.

They want things, small trinkets of your life. You
smile or burp and they lapse into long discussion.

When they make noises at you, you grow parrot
feathers, a beak. From your perch you repeat

everything they say. Oh, how it pleases them.
They stomp through the castle, let you play

in the gardens where you grow happy riding
the air with butterflies, but one day, the castle

gates are open. The bridge is lowered over
the moat, and the giants push you across it,

tell you to follow the gray stones for the next
twelve years. You ask, What’s a year? They

snort and laugh, close the gates. We can’t
tell you. Just follow the stones.

_______________________

Thanks for the poems, Peggy Hill and Don and Elsie Feliz! Check out Rattlesnake Review #11, coming in September, for more poetry from these Nor-Cal poets.

This Just In From Elsie And Don Feliz:

We have finished editing Free Wheeling #2, the second antholology of the Towe Auto Museum, featuring poetry about cars and other forms of personal transportation. Local poets in this issue include: Beatrice Hogg, Pat Canterbury, Erma Chitty, Margaret E. Hill, Joyce Odam, Dorothy Wake, Linda Rupe, Patricia Wellingham-Jones, Robert Neeley, Mabel Mello, Molly Eichler, and Alexa Mergen. Both Free Wheeling #1 and #2 are available from the museum for $7 a copy, postage and handling included, or you can buy them at the Museum Gift Shop, Towe Auto Museum, 2200 Front St., Sac., CA 95818-1107. For hours, call 916-442-6802. Third Annual Contest deadline is November 10, 2006. Rules available in anthologies and on website: www.toweautomuseum.org.

_______________________

—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.)

Didja Miss Me?

Monks' feet clomping
through icy dark,
drawing sweet water.

***

Sparrows in eaves,
mice in ceiling—
celestial music.

***

Dark night—
plover crying
for its nest.

***

How terrible
the pheasant's call—
snake-eater.

***

Violets—
how precious on
a mountain path.

***

Dusk—though last
bell's faded,
air's cherry-rich.

***

Snow-whisk sweeping
this path,
forgets the snow.

_______________________

Today's poetry was written by Basho and translated by Lucien Stryk.

—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.)

Sweet Disorder (& Po-Events, 8/21-27)

OBSERVATION
—Dorothy Parker

If I don’t drive around the park,
I’m pretty sure to make my mark.
If I’m in bed each night by ten,
I may get back my looks again,
If I abstain from fun and such,
I’ll probably amount to much,
But I shall stay the way I am,
Because I do not give a damn.

_______________________

On August 22, Dorothy Parker would’ve been 113 years old.

This Week’s Po-Events:

•••Monday night (8/21), 7:30 PM: Sacramento Poetry Center features Rob Anthony and Josh Fernandez. SPC/HQ for the Arts, 25th & R Sts., Sac. Info: 916-451-5569. Bob Stanley hosts.

•••Weds. (8/23), 6-7 PM is the Hidden Passage Poetry Reading at Hidden Passage Books, 352 Main St., Placerville. It's an open-mic read-around, so bring your own poems or those of a favorite poet to share, or just come to listen.

•••Wed. (8/23), 10-midnight: Mahogany Poets presents Mics and Moods at Capitol Garage, 1500 K St., Sac. Features and Open Mic; 21 and older. $5. Info: 916-492-9336 or www.malikspeaks.com.

•••Thursday (8/24), 8 PM: Poetry Unplugged features Robbie Grossklaus, hosted by BL Kennedy. Open mic before/after. Luna’s Café, 1414 16th St., Sac. Info: 441-3931 or www.lunascafe.com. Free.

•••Thursday (8/24), 8 PM: Vibe Sessions Neo-Soul Lounge with Flo-Real, guests and open mic. The Cobbler Soul Food Restaurant, 3520 Stockton, Blvd., Sac. $5. 916-613-0776.

•••Also Thursday (8/24) 7 PM: Come celebrate the launch of our “Telling Our Stories” monthly writing workshops at Enloe Cancer Center. Jill Lacefield, Lowell Streiker and Patricia Wellingham-Jones all share the experience of living through cancer. They’ll share their stories and provide inspiration for those wanting to know more about the power of writing to heal. Cancer Center Conference Room, Fountain Medical Plaza, 251 Cohasset Rd. (across from Chico Sports Club), Chico. This free event promises to be an inspiring and fun-filled evening, complete with yummy refreshments. See below for further info.

•••Friday (8/25), 6 PM: It’s the last Bob and Mark Show (poetry reading) of the summer at the de Souza Gallery in Chico, featuring many wonderful guest readers, including Patricia Wellingham-Jones, Kathleen McPartland, Mark H. Clarke, Marilyn Ringer, Sally Allen McNall, Bob Garner, Sarah Pape and Sanford Dorbin. Magic, doorprizes and poetry of all sizes and shapes, plus special surprise reader! The gallery is at 152 E. 3rd St., downtown Chico. Info: Marilyn Souza at Vagabond Rose: 530-343-1110.

•••Saturday (8/26), 4 PM: The Central California Art Association & Mistlin Art Gallery announces its first poetry reading for the 06~07 season, to be held in the gallery, 1015 J St., downtown Modesto, where members of the Poets of the San Joaquin and the Jeanette Gould Maino Chapters of the California Federation of Chaparral Poets, Inc. will be reading their work. The public is invited.

•••Saturday (8/26), 7-9 PM: “The Show” Poetry Series features Isaac Griffin, Larry Ukali Johnson-Redd, He Spit Fire, Juanita Mason AKA: Yoke Breaker, and “Untitled” Dance Group. Wo’se Community Center, 2863 35th St., Sac. (off 35th & Broadway). $5. Info: 916-455-POET.

•••Sunday (8/27), time? (I bet it’s 8 PM): A cinematic and poetic Betty Page fest—erotic prose and poetry and film. HQ for the Arts, 25th & R Sts., Sac. Hosts: Jay Greenberg and frank andrick. Info: fandrickfanpub@hotmail.com.

_______________________

More About the Enloe Cancer Center’s Writing Program:

The Enloe writers say: Our mission at the Enloe Cancer Center’s Telling Our Stories program is to enable patients and survivors, their families, friends and caregivers, to tell their stories and to share them at whatever level is right for them. Some may wish to keep a personal journal. Some might want to capture life stories to share with their families or pass on to their children. Others may be willing to write their story and place it in our Enloe Cancer Center binder, post it on our web page, or read it aloud to a group. Our mission is to support this process by providing technical assistance, moral support and venues for sharing. Monthly “Telling Our Stories” writing workshops will meet the second Wednesday of each month starting in September, 6:30-8p.m., Cancer Center Library of Chico.

Suggested resources:

My Cancer, My Story: Cancer victims writing for their lives: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/living/health/my_cancer_my_story/

When Words Heal: Writing through Cancer: http://www.wellspringwriters.org/welcome.html

New York Times article “HEALTH; For Cancer Patients, Workshops in Writing and Healing”:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9E00E5D81F3CF937A25753C1A9679C8B63

_______________________

Poetry Super Highway:

Another fun poetry website: www.poetrysuperhighway.com. Send your poems, see if you can be Poet of the Week (this week it’s Snake Pal Ellaraine Lockie).

_______________________

Interested in Writing in Forms?

Joyce Odam, Formalist-in-Residence for Rattlesnake Review, has added a new series to her Choice of Words Press: the Brevities Mini-Chap books of poetry forms. She has produced three of these shirt-pocket-sized mini-books so far, and each page features a poetry form, with an example by Joyce. This is in addition to her bookmarks series, which also provides forms and examples. Write and ask Joyce about these handy guides at choiceofwrds@aol.com.

__________________________

DELIGHT IN DISORDER
—Robert Herrick

A sweet disorder in the dress
Kindles in clothes a wantonness.
A lawn about the shoulders thrown
Into a fine distraction;
An erring lace, which here and there
Enthralls the crimson stomacher;
A cuff neglectful, and thereby
Ribbons to flow confusedly;
A winning wave, deserving note,
In the tempestuous petticoat;
A careless shoestring, in whose tie
I see a wild civility;
Do more bewitch me than when art
Is too precise in every part.

_______________________

Thanks, Bob! On August 24, Robert Herrick would’ve been 415 years old.

SEPARATION
—W.S. Merwin

Your absence has gone through me
Like thread through a needle.
Everything I do is stitched with its color.

______________________

That’s my way of saying that I’m going to be gone until Sunday, August 27, so Medusa will be taking a wee nap. Write! Read! Absence makes the heart grow…

—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.)

Ouch—Ouput!

I kept staring at it. It was only 6 AM, so maybe my eyes were playing tricks, or I was still asleep. The Sacramento Bee had a headline: "Ford making deep cuts in ouput". That's right, ouput. Big headline, upper right. Ouch. In Japanese gardens, something is always left amiss to remind us we are fallible. No need to do that deliberately in publishing; reminders are everywhere.

Good day for Ogden Nash; Today would've been his 104th birthday.

THE SHRIMP
—Ogden Nash

A shrimp who sought his lady shrimp
Could catch no glimpse
Not even a glimp.
At times, translucence
Is rather a nuisance.

_______________________

THE TERMITE
—Ogden Nash

Some primal termite knocked on wood
And tasted it, and found it good!
And that is why your Cousin May
Fell through the parlor floor today.

_______________________

THE WASP
—Ogden Nash

The wasp and all his numerous family
I look upon as a major calamity.
He throws open his nest with prodigality,
But I distrust his waspitality.

_______________________

Ow ow ow—Enough, already!

Singing Tree Press Honors Foothill Winners Tonight:

Yesterday's post listed the poetry events that I know about for this weekend, but I just found out about another one that will take place in Auburn tonight, and it features some rattlechappers and other Snake pals! Singing Tree Press will be having a reading tonight to honor the winners of its 2006 Sierra Foothill Poetry Contest, which include William S. Gainer (twice), Cleo Kocol, Marnelle R. White, Theresa Allen (twice), David Anderson, John Scofield, Barbara Lackovic, Irene Lipshin, Craig Steiger (twice), Sandra Bozarth, Lorell Long, and Suzanne Chaves, in addition to several youngsters who have also won. All of these poets will be published in an anthology, and profits will be directed to the Arts Council of Placer County. Tonight's reading will take place from 6-8 PM at The Arts Building, 808 Lincoln Way, Auburn. Directions/Info: singingtreepress.com/PoetryContest/Results.htm or editor@singingtreepress.com or 530-823-9284. Congrats to the familiar and hopefully-to-become-familiar names on the winners' list!

Poet's Espresso:

The new edition of Poet's Espresso is out and in print! Poet’s Espresso is a Stockton poetry newsletter which can be found around Stockton, or you can find it online at http://www.rainflowers.org/featured.html OR http://www.rainflowers.org/aug2006/august2006.htm. I hear there’s a wee poem in there by Kathy Kieth...probably just another vicious rumor...

News From Cache Creek:

Rae Gouirand from the Cache Creek Nature Preserve writes: The fall will find me streamlined a bit, as the end of the TumbleWords program for CA means that I won't be offering poetry workshops out at Cache Creek Nature Preserve this fall. Sorry—I'm just as disappointed. We've just completed grant apps for programming to begin again in January '07, and you'll all be the first to know when we hear something.

In the meantime, I'm writing to announce that the fall session of my ongoing Creative Nonfiction workshop is now enrolling at the Davis Art Center. The section that's currently open is running on Thursday nights from 7-9 PM, September 28-November 16. If that section fills (as it did last fall), I'll offer an overflow section on Sundays. I'd love to fill it to bursting—it's an enchanting thing, peopled by great, earnest humans who are as concerned about craft as much as they're grounded in the big questions surrounding writing about one's life and one's world. I *love* this class, and invite both repeat students and new people—all are welcome. The topics and exercises (which are weekly) refresh for every new section, so it's infinitely repeatable. And for those poets out there who resist a 'prose class' on categorical grounds, I can assure you that we talk thoroughly into the same territory as any other genre workshop, and that the workshop serves poetry writing (and fiction, and...) as well as it serves the short essay. Sign up now to assure your spot by calling the DAC at 530-756-4100 or by visiting them in person during business hours at the corner of F & Covell in downtown Davis. There's an offical course description in the DAC course catalog for fall.

_______________________

ODE TO A BABY
—Ogden Nash

A bit of talcum
Is always walcum.

_______________________

THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN
—Ogden Nash

I’ve never seen an abominable snowman,
I’m hoping not to see one,
I’m also hoping, if I do,
That it will be a wee one.

_______________________

REFLECTIONS ON ICE-BREAKING
—Ogden Nash

Candy
Is Dandy
But liquor
Is quicker.

_______________________

—Medusa (who clearly is without mercy...)

Oh, and by the way: If you've e-mailed poems to me and haven't gotten a reply, please ask me about it. E-mail letters that don't get delivered to me don't necessarily bounce back to let you know, especially if you've spelled my name kathykEIth. Remember: I Before E, except after C: kathykieth@hotmail.com. I always acknowledge poems, etc.—usually within a day or two. So please check if you don't hear from me.

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.)

Whee-Haw!

SHOPPING THOUGHTS
—Michelle Kunert, Sacramento

Going to the overstock outlet
Did any customer who bought there say,
"God bless the Guatemalans who sewed this T-shirt.
‘Cause they are making pennies a day
with no garment workers’ union.
It's their children on ads for Christian Children's Fund,
and I'm sorry for not sending my monthly support check.
Look,
all these designer labels representing the world God made
as well does my whole closet too—
but without fair trade.
Which is why I pray for each nation on the tags.

Blessed be those hands who reap too little for what they sew
for rich Americans to wear,

and everybody needs to know."

_______________________

Thanks, Michelle!

Plenty to do This Weekend:

•••Tonight (Friday, 8/18), 7 PM: Our House Defines Art poetry reading features Sacramentans (and Rattlechappers) Susan Kelly-DeWitt and Shawn Pittard. Free; an open mic follows. Our House Defines Art Gallery & Framing is located at 4510 Post St. in El Dorado Hills Town Center; from Sac., take the Latrobe exit off to the right (south), then turn left into the shopping center.

•••This weekend (Friday-Sunday, 8/18-20): Sacramento State Writers Conference features Gail Tsukiyama, John Lescroart, Jim Dodge, Dan Melzer, Jeff Vasseur, Sands Hall, Robin Burcell, David Bianculli, Marcos Breton, Lynn Ferrin, Albert Garcia, Josh McKinney, more. www.cce.csus.edu/cts06/WritersConference

•••Saturday (8/19), 7-9 PM: Underground Poetry Series presents Taylor Williams and Black Men Expressing Tour plus open mic. 7-9pm, $3.00. Underground Books, 2814 35th Street (35th and Broadway). Mother Rose is the bookstore manager and La-Rue’ is the series host. If you would like to be a featured poet please contact Terry Moore at 455-POET.

•••Also Saturday (8/19): Nevada County Poetry Series presents Cowboy Poets Daryl Knight, Dave Fisher, and Tony Argento. $5 general, $1 for under 18. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $5 general, seniors and students, and $1 for those under 18. Refreshments and open-mic included. On Monday's post, I said the show will be in Off Center Stage (the Black Box theater, enter from Richardson Street), but actually I think it's around the corner in the Main Stage at the Center for the Arts, 314 W. Main St., Grass Valley, CA. Info: 530-432-8196 or 530-274-8384. Refreshments and open-mic included. www.thecenterforthearts.org

•••Sunday (8/20), 2:30-4 PM: Take a trip to Paradise for an Open Mic at Juice & Java, 7067 Skyway, Paradise. All ages are invited to read their poems at this monthly poetry series. Info: 530-872-9633. Hosted by Lara Gularte.

More Cowboy Poetry!

Two cowboy poetry events this weekend! In addition to Nevada City's line-up on Saturday, this year's annual Wild Horse Sanctuary Open House Benefit is also being held this Saturday (8/19), from 1-6 PM at the Wild Horse Sanctuary, 5768 Wilson Hill Rd., Shingletown, CA. Bring your family and friends to the Wild Horse Sanctuary to tour the property and attend events such as the Barn Dance and BBQ, free horse rides for children 10 and under, drawings and a silent auction, and entertainment which includes music and cowboy poetry. In addition to demonstrations on mule and horse packing, sheep shearing, horseshoeing, grooming and saddling, there will be Cowboy Poetry by Randy Rainwater, Larry Brockmeyer and Bill Hooten from Red Bluff; Thomas Wiedal from Corning; Keith Trent from Redding; Rattlechapper/Snake Pal Patricia Wellingham-Jones from Tehama; Jim Cardwell from Oroville; and Susan Parker from Benicia. Some good ole' cowboy music will be provided by Bruce Barron, who plays the guitar and harmonica. Info: 530-335-2241 or www.wildhorsesanctuary.org.

The Sanctuary also welcomes any items for the silent auction. Suggestions would be: cowboy poetry CD's and books; pictures or paintings; craft items; anything that is related to horses or nature. Or anything that you would like to donate would be more than welcome. Last year, enough funds were raised to feed hay to the wild horses when the pickings were slim. Contact Susan Parker at 707-745-3768 or email 4sgalparker1298@comcast.net. Or send items to Susan Parker, PO Box 865 Benicia, Ca 94510.

The Wild Horse Sanctuary, located on 5,000 acres near the Shasta County line in the Cascade foothills northeast of Red Bluff, California, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving America's Wild Horses. The sanctuary, co-founded in 1978 by Dianne Nelson, is one of the few places of refuge where mustangs rescued from public lands run free and wild. The sanctuary offers overnight weekend and midweek rides to view the wild horses during the months of May, June, July, September and October. To learn more about mustang sponsorship and adoption opportunities, or about goals of the sanctuary, go to www.wildhorsesanctuary.org.

_______________________

I'm a fan of cowboy poetry (and wild horses!), and hope to get over to Elko some year for the big annual Doin's up there. (Annie Menebroker tells me a relative of hers helped found that event, in fact. Small world...) If you want to read a high-fallutin' approach to cowboy poetry, read Cowboy Poets & Cowboy Poetry, a collection of analytical articles edited by David Stanley & Elaine Thatcher (University of Illinois, 2000). Actually there are lots of books and anthologies out there; more modern approaches use free verse and have more to do with the subject matter of living on the range than they do the rhyming ballad style of the past—though I do love a good story well-told! I especially like some of the books of cowboy poetry from women, such as Graining the Mare: The Poetry of Ranch Women, ed. by Teresa Jordan (Gibbs-Smith, 1994).

_______________________

In the Small World department, Patricia Wellingham-Jones (who will read at the Sanctuary Saturday) took heed of yesterday's post about publishing—who needs it? and writes: Don't know how I really feel about getting published, Kathy, except that it's fun—and I realize full well it's also an ego trip. But since the point of writing (other than self-indulgence or self-healing, both valid) is to communicate, reading in public and getting published seem to be the waysto do that.

Anybody else have an opinion?

Oh—and check out the cover of the newest Song of the San Joaquin; the cover has a photograph by PW-Jones.

_______________________

Here's some cowboy poetry from Arloa Walter of Lincoln. Arloa and some other (non-cowboy) poets of Lincoln will be featured in Snake 11, due out in September.

ON THE TRAIL
—Arloa Walter, Lincoln

Lopin' right along singin' a favrit song
With my horse named True and my dog named Blue
On the trail on the trail
After workin' night and day, finally got myself away
Headin' into town, to spread my loot around
On the trail on the trail
The earth is hot an' dry, the wind will make ya cry
As it stings your eyes, storm's acomin' you surmise
On the trail on the trail
Comes some drops of rain now, hittin' like a train
I got soakin' wet and drippin' are the pets
On the trail on the trail
Gotta find some shelter, run now helter skelter
Found a big old tree to protect my horse and me
On the trail on the trail
A great big lightnin' bolt gave us all a jolt
And threw us back, my horse and me
With dog and gear and all his fleas
And soakin' wet now if you please
On the trail on the trail

________________________

COWLICK
—Arloa Walter, Lincoln

There is nothing like a cowlick
On the back of your head
No matter how you comb it
It's a sight you have to dread

It's got its own idea
Of how the hair should lie
Impossible to manage
The strands just go awry

You try to cover over
With brush and comb and spray
But when you check it out
You find it's gone its stubborn way

What on earth is one to do
To make it settle down?
There is only one procedure
Anyone has found

You must let it have its way
Give in to its direction
Just comb your hair in circles
Forget about perfection

______________________

Thanks, Arloa! See you at the bunkhouse!

—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.)

Deciding to Try Words

ROOTBOUND
—Stella Beratlis, Modesto

He tells me
Stella, that shit matters:
sixty-year-old invasion and rat bastard regrets
a generation wiped out in double-time,
the next generation working off bad credit
caused by wives wielding catalogs.
Salt them all, he says.
If she says anything I’ll kill her.

He tells me
about riding bikes in the rain
to work the graveyard shift
cousin in a cave
eating weeds and lizards
uncle deep in well
casting spells on the future
they beat them off with rakes and scythes
Salt them all I’ll kill them.

I’ll be go to hell, he said, picking out ear wax:

the Germans are our neighbors now.
The Germans are our neighbors now.

_____________________________

RAISIN QUEEN
—Stella Beratlis, Modesto

I want to be
the raisin queen of Fresno
and I’m taking concrete steps to get there.

All these years later
still have that crazed feeling
you know what I mean?

I can take a leave of absence
tell them I’ve hiked the Appalachian trail—
don’t look for me I’ve disappeared in-country.

I can go to Flagstaff there’s a good store there
save some money then maybe
cross a national border.

To live in my pickup in Moab
all I need is baloney and beer,
sensible shoes,
and one of my dead fathers.

I’m taking concrete steps to get there.

_______________________

Thanks, Stella! Some of you Sacramentans may remember Stella Beratlis from Landing Signals days; she used to be a Sacramento resident. More of Stella's work will appear in Snake 11, due out in September.

•••Tonight (8/17), 8 PM: Poetry Unplugged features Francisco Alarcon. Open mic before/after. Hosted by frank andrick. 8pm at Luna’s Café, 1414 16th St. Info: 441-3931 or www.lunascafe.com. Free.

•••Tonight (8/17), 8-11 PM: Vibe Sessions Neo-Soul Lounge at The Cobbler Soul Food Restaurant, 3520 Stockton Blvd., Sac. This week will feature the one and only Miss Ashleigh, who just returned from Austin Texas, where she was a member of the Sacramento Slam Team. Plus, we got the band in the place to be. So come through and vibe with some of the best in Spoken word and neo-soul.

•••Tomorrow night (Friday, 8/18), 7 PM: Our House Defines Art poetry reading features Sacramentans (and Rattlechappers) Susan Kelly-DeWitt and Shawn Pittard. Free; an open mic follows. Our House Defines Art Gallery & Framing is located at 4510 Post St. in El Dorado Hills Town Center; from Sac., take the Latrobe exit off to the right (south), then turn left into the shopping center.

•••Monday night (8/21), 7:30 PM: Sacramento Poetry Center features Rob Anthony and Josh Fernandez. SPC/HQ for the Arts, 25th & R Sts., Sac. Info: 916-451-5569. Bob Stanley hosts.

________________________

Snake Pal Ellaraine Lockie writes: I have an interview posted on The League of Laboring Poets, a new website for poets/writers at: www.theleagueoflaboringpoets.com. Medusa's readers might be interested in exploring the website, as it offers contests (with no fees), articles on writing and critique opportunities, in addition to interviews.

________________________

If you're interested in submitting your poetry to publishers, the new (2007) Poet's Market is in the bookstores. This is an invaluable guide to many, many poetry markets in the U.S., Canada, and elsewhere—a guide that not only lists hundreds of journals and contests (plus articles), but, if you read carefully between the lines, will teach you how to be a good submitter, vastly increasing your odds of being published. Do you send for samples of journals before you submit to them, then try to match the poems you send to the type each journal seems to prefer? Do you search through, looking for publications that seem to match your style/interests, rather than sending out poems willy-nilly? Do you follow all the etiquette each journal asks for? Are you diligent about cataloguing where you've sent each poem, and do you follow up if you don't hear back from the editors within a reasonable amount of time? (And hey—what is a reasonable amount of time?) At $30, Poet's Market is not cheap, but if you're interested in getting published, you really need to check it out, at least every couple of years. Or share one with a friend.

Rattlesnake Press is not listed in Poet's Market, though; I prefer to keep it Our Little Nor-Cal Secret. Poet's Market entries (which are free to any publisher) HUGELY increase the number of submissions a journal receives; I get plenty as it is and I don't want to draw attention from other geographical areas.

I did list RP in Dustbooks' The International Directory of Little Magazine and Small Presses, and its companion, The Directory of Poetry Publishers. These two probably have even more listings than Poet's Market, but aren't as well cross-indexed, don't contain any articles, and ouch! that print is wee... Frankly, my listing for last year, which was also free, didn't yield all that many new submissions (thank heavens). But the obsessive submitter should probably go through both.

Online, I just found out about drowningman.net—Wow! This is a set of links to the home pages of many, many journals—hundreds, it looks like! Such online references are the wave of the future, as far as I can see, with their greater chance of staying up-to-date, and all the options they offer. You can see sample poems on their home pages, which none of the print references offer; they can list on-going contests and other time-sensitive material; and you can get a much better sense of each journal: Classy? Tacky? A little bit of both? No need to send for samples to find out!

Then again, the question came up recently as to whether folks should even bother to publish. What's in it for us? Fame? Fortune? Why can't we be content with local attention, or just putting our poems away after we write them? Words like "bulls***" and "hobbyist" came up; forks were slammed down on the table. We never did resolve it; I think it's ultimately a totally personal decision. But the discussion was sure lively! What do you think?

________________________

Today would've been Ted Hughes' 76th birthday:

THISTLES
—Ted Hughes

Against the rubber tongues of cows and the hoeing hands of men
Thistles spike the summer air
And crackle open under a blue-black pressure.

Every one a revengeful burst
Of resurrection, a grasped fistful
Of splintered weapons and Icelandic frost thrust up

From the underground stain of a decayed Viking,
They are like pale hair and the gutterals of dialects.
Every one manages a plume of blood.

They they grow grey like men.
Mown down, it is a feud. Their sons appear
Stiff with weapons, fighting back over the same ground.

_______________________

CROW GOES HUNTING
—Ted Hughes

Crow
Decided to try words.

He imagined some words for the job, a lovely pack—
Clear-eyed, resounding, well-trained,
With strong teeth.
You could not find a better bred lot.

He pointed out the hare and away went the words
Resounding.
Crow was Crow without fail, but what is a hare?

It converted itself to a concrete bunker.
The words circled protesting, resounding.

Crow turned the words into bombs—they blasted the bunker.
The bits of bunker flew up—a flock of starlings.

Crow turned the words into shotguns, they shot down the starlings.
The falling starlings turned to a cloudburst.

Crow turned the words into a reservoir, collecting the water.
The water turned into an earthquake, swallowing the reservoir.

The earthquake turned into a hare and leaped for the hill
Having eaten Crow's words.

Crow gazed after the bounding hare
Speechless with admiration.

_______________________

OWL'S SONG
—Ted Hughes

He sang
How the swan blanched forever
How the wolf threw away its telltake heart
And the stars dropped their pretence
The air gave up appearances
Water went deliberately numb
The rock surrendered its last hope
And cold died beyond knowledge

He sang
How everything had nothing more to lose

Then sat still with fear

Seeing the clawtrack of star
Hearing the wingbeat of rock

And his own singing

_______________________

—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.)

Scrabbling for Pennies in Dark, Tiny Halls

INTO THE ARMS...
—Robert Grossklaus, Rancho Cordova

A river winds its way through valleys between mountains ranges;
sun glistens off its surface; broken glass
litters the ground around campsites; unmarked territory.
Across time and space reside humanity,
arms outstretched like a bed of nails; welcoming.
Run from the shores and from the river,
impale with homes and structures;
corpses, rooftops jutting from chests,
hearts stop beating and slowly forget
as a premature death works its way through the brain.

A child crawls up carpeted stairs
with the caution of a beaten dog;
hands clutching edges, slipping off,
knees colliding where feet should be.
A soft moan arises from a young larynx,
hair dangles in front of open eyes.
The top within reach, the child crawls back down
with the same caution as in ascension;
the ground is a welcomed stability.

A tongue licks parched lips,
a temporary moisture providing false comfort.
Swallowing old saliva, throat grows pleased with the sensation;
salivation from prayers between chapped lips,
grateful for a reason.
Retort and the tongue recedes;
the tonality becomes food and the lips begin to work,
back into the depths of voice.

________________________

Thanks, Robbie! Robert Grossklaus will be reading at Poetry Unplugged (Luna's Cafe) one week from tomorrow, that's next Thursday, August 24, along with Brad Buchanan. More about that later.

•••Tonight (Wednesday, 8/16), 6:30 PM: Urban Voices presents Luke Breit reading from his new novel at the South Natomas Library, 2901 Truxel Rd., Sac., 6:30 PM. Free. Info: 916-264-2920. (This series will be ending in November.)

•••Also tonight, 10-midnight: Mahogany Poets presents Mics and Moods at Capitol Garage, 1500 K Street. Features and Open Mic hosted by Khiry Malik. Info: www.malikspeaks.com or 492-9336. 21 and over / $5 cover.

_______________________

Today would've been Charles Bukowski's 86th birthday.

THE POETRY READING
—Charles Bukowski

at high noon
at a small college near the beach
sober
the sweat running down my arms
a spot of sweat on the table
I flatten it with my finger
blood money blood money
my god they must think I love this like the others
but it's for bread and beer and rent
blood money
I'm tense lousy feel bad
poor people I'm failing I'm failing

a woman gets up
walks out
slams the door

a dirty poem
somebody told me not to read dirty poems
here

it's too late.

my eyes can't see some lines
I read it
out—
desperate trembling
lousy

they can't hear my voice
and I say
I quit, that's it, I'm
finished.

and later in my room
there's scotch and beer:
the blood of a coward.

this then
will be my destiny:
scrabbling for pennies in dark tiny halls
reading poems I have long since become tired
of.

and I used to think
that men who drove busses
or cleaned out latrines
or murdered men in alleys were
fools.

_______________________

THE POET'S MUSE
—Charles Bukowski

there was one
made a thousand dollars
one day
in a town no larger than
El Paso
jumping taxies between
universities and ladies'
clubs.

hell, you can't blame him;
I've worked for $16 a week,
quit, and lived a month on
that.

his wife is suing for divorce
and wants $200 a week
alimony.

he has to stay famous and
keep
talking.

I see his work
everywhere.

_______________________

MARINA
—Charles Bukowski

majestic, magic
infinite
my little girl is
sun
on the carpet—
out the door
picking a
flower, ha!,
an old man,
battle-wrecked,
emerges from his
chair
and she looks at me
but only sees
love,
ha!, and I become
quick with the world
and love right back
just like I was meant
to do.

_______________________

—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.)

Good Day for a Snake Poem

from THE ANCIENT MARINER
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Beyond the shadow of the ship,
I watched the water-snakes:
They moved in tracks of shining white,
And when they reared, the elfish light
Fell off in hoary flakes.

Within the shadow of the ship
I watched their rich attire:
Blue, glossy green, and velvet black,
They coiled and swam; and every track
Was a flash of golden fire.

O happy living things! no tongue
Their beauty might declare:
A spring of love gushed from my heart,
And I blessed them unaware:
Sure my kind saint took pity on me,
And I blessed them unaware.

_______________________

August 15 (Today!!) Deadlines:

•••Good day for a snake poem! This is Snake Deadline Day, both for Rattlesnake Review #11 and for the current Medusa give-away: Send me poems about beginnings/endings postmarked before midnight tonight (Tuesday, August 15), and I'll send you a free copy of Irene Lipshin's new chapbook, Shadowlines, and Norma Kohout's littlesnake broadside, Out the Train Window. (Or something else, if you already have these...) Send 'em to kathykieth@hotmail.com or P.O. Box 1647, Orangevale, CA 95662.

•••Next deadline for Rattlesnake Review is August 15—today! Send 3-5 of your dandiest poems, art, or photos to kathykieth@hotmail.com or POBox 1647, Orangevale, CA 95662. No cover letters, no bios, no prev-pubs or simul-subs, pleeeeeez. And if you snail 'em and want 'em back, please SASE.

•••Deadline for the second issue of Modesto’s Hardpan is also today. No limits on line numbers or subject. e- or snailmail: hardpanpoetry@sbcglobal.net ....or POBox 1065, Modesto, CA 95353.

•••Today (8/15) is the (postmark) deadline to enter The Ina Coolbrith Circle’s 87th Annual Poetry Contest. Their rules are very exact, so you need to get a copy of them; write to me and I’ll send them to you if you don’t have them. For more information about The Ina Coolbrith Circle itself (but not the contest), try www.coolpoetry.com.

•••The 20th Annual Focus on Writers Contest, sponsored by the Friends of the Sacramento Public Library, also has a deadline of August 15. Awards in each category (short story; first chapter of a novel; poetry; non-fiction article or first chapter; book/article for children; first chapter of book for young adults) are $250 for 1st, $150 for 2nd, $75 for 3rd. (Bux! Cool!) Info/rules: 916-264-2880 or www.saclibrary.org (click on Friends, then on Focus on Writers), or go grab one of the yellow flyers at The Book Collector, 1008 24th St., Sac.

•••Also: the new Poetry Now deadline is roughly the 15th. Send Sept. stuff to Bob Stanley: bobstanley@sbcglobal.net.

Headed to SF?

For a quick, one-page overview of major poetry events in San Francisco, visit Dan Brady’s very useful site, http://www.creativeideasforyou.com/onepagelinklist.html

_______________________

EVERYTHING CHANGES
—Bertolt Brecht

Everything changes. You can make
A fresh start with your final breath.
But what has happened has happened. And the water
You once poured into the wine cannot be
Drained off again.

What has happened has happened. The water
You once poured into the wine cannot be
Drained off again, but
Everything changes. You can make
A fresh start with your final breath.

________________________

WHO MAKES THESE CHANGES?
—Rumi

Who makes these changes?
I shoot an arrow right.
It lands left.
I ride after a deer and find myself
chased by a hog.
I plot to get what I want
and end up in prison.
I dig pits to trap others
and fall in.

I should be suspicious
of what I want.

(Translated by Coleman Barks)

________________________

You got THAT right...

—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.)

Snakes on a Plane, Train, Automobile (& Po-Events 8/14-20)

TOO MUCH HEAT, TOO MUCH WORK
—Tu Fu (translated from the Chinese by Carolyn Kiser)

It's the fourteenth of August, and I'm too hot
To endure food, or bed. Steam and the fear of scorpions
Keep me awake. I'm told the heat won't fade with Autumn.

Swarms of flies arrive. I'm roped into my clothes.
In another moment I'll scream down the office
As the paper mountains rise higher on my desk.

Oh those real mountains to the south of here!
I gaze at the ravines kept cool by pines.
If I could walk on ice, with my feet bare!

________________________

THRESHOLD
—David Humphreys

August arrived like a blast furnace
pouring steel ingots into each long
day, scorching fire hydrant streets
blistering the cattle prod death toll,
chicken farms up and down the valley
a flutter of hovering feathers in suspended
dust motes.

The epistle this morning from Ephesians
seemed so benevolent: "Let no evil talk
come out of your mouths, but only what
is useful for building up, as there is need,
so that your words may give grace to those
who hear."

It was in the air this morning, a bracing
chill like the weather off the Gate blowing
whitecaps across the Potato Patch with
the smell of burning fields and a wedding
anniversary coming at the end of the month
like a change of perspective, dynamic movement
of one thing into something else, day into night,
night into the light of day.

_______________________

Thanks, David! Despite Tu Fu's protestations, David's right—Fall is in the air; every year I go out to get the paper one morning and there it is. Beginnings—and endings. Send me poems about beginnings/endings postmarked before midnight Tuesday, August 15 (that's tomorrow!), and I'll send you a free copy of Irene Lipshin's new chapbook, Shadowlines, and Norma Kohout's littlesnake broadside, Out the Train Window. (Or something else, if you already have these...) Send 'em to kathykieth@hotmail.com or P.O. Box 1647, Orangevale, CA 95662.

Hot Poetry This Week:

•••Tonight (Monday, 8/14), 7:30 PM: Sacramento Poetry Center presents TBA, hosted by Indigo Moor. SPC/HQ for the Arts, 25th & R Sts., Sac. Info: 451-5569. Free. Open Mic to follow.

•••Tuesday (8/15) is the deadline for several contests and journals (including Snake 11); check previous posts for info. I'll also post them again tomorrow.

•••Wednesday (8/16), 6:30 PM: Urban Voices presents Luke Breit reading from his new novel at the South Natomas Library, 2901 Truxel Rd., Sac., 6:30 PM. Free. Info: 916-264-2920. (This series will be ending in November.)

•••Also Wednesday (8/16), 10-midnight: Mahogany Poets presents Mics and Moods at Capitol Garage, 1500 K Street. Features and Open Mic hosted by Khiry Malik. Info: www.malikspeaks.com or 492-9336. 21 and over / $5 cover.

•••Thursday (8/17), 8 PM: Poetry Unplugged features Francisco Alarcon. Open mic before/after. Hosted by frank andrick. 8pm at Luna’s Café, 1414 16th St. Info: 441-3931 or www.lunascafe.com. Free.

•••Friday (8/18), 7 PM: Our House Defines Art poetry reading features Sacramentans (and Rattlechappers) Susan Kelly-DeWitt and Shawn Pittard. Free; an open mic follows. Our House Defines Art Gallery & Framing is located at 4510 Post St. in El Dorado Hills Town Center; from Sac., take the Latrobe exit off to the right (south), then turn left into the shopping center.

•••This weekend (Friday-Sunday, 8/18-20): Sacramento State Writers Conference features Gail Tsukiyama, John Lescroart, Jim Dodge, Dan Melzer, Jeff Vasseur, Sands Hall, Robin Burcell, David Bianculli, Marcos Breton, Lynn Ferrin, Albert Garcia, Josh McKinney, more. www.cce.csus.edu/cts06/WritersConference

•••Saturday (8/19), 7-9 PM: Underground Poetry Series presents Taylor Williams and Black Men Expressing Tour plus open mic. 7-9pm, $3.00. Underground Books, 2814 35th Street (35th and Broadway). Mother Rose is the bookstore manager and La-Rue’ is the series host. If you would like to be a featured poet please contact Terry Moore at 455-POET.

•••Also Saturday (8/19): Nevada County Poetry Series presents Cowboy Poets Daryl Knight, Dave Fisher, and Tony Argento. $5 general, $1 for under 18. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $5 general, seniors and students, and $1 for those under 18. Refreshments and open-mic included. The show will be in Off Center Stage (the Black Box theater, enter from Richardson Street) at the Center for the Arts, 314 W. Main St., Grass Valley, CA. Info: 530-432-8196 or 530-274-8384. Refreshments and open-mic included. www.thecenterforthearts.org

•••Sunday (8/20), 2:30-4 PM: Take a trip to Paradise for an Open Mic at Juice & Java, 7067 Skyway, Paradise. All ages are invited to read their poems at this monthly poetry series. Info: 530-872-9633. Hosted by Lara Gularte.

Some Events to Look Forward To in September:

•••When you are full of BBQ, why just sit around the house feeling fat? Get out for the Labor Day Open Reading! The Other Voice poetry reading series returns with an open reading on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 4 at 7:30 PM in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis, 27074 Patwin Road, Davis. James Lee Jobe will be your host. Call 530-750-3514 for details. This is a free event.

For the 2006-2007 season, The Other Voice will meet on the first Monday of every month at 7:30 PM in the library of the Davis Unitarian Universalist Church. On months when the first Monday is a holiday, there will be an open reading. All other readings will have at least one featured reader, sometimes two, followed by an open reading. Everyone is encouraged to attend and bring a poem or two and enjoy a glass of wine. For October, the featured poet will the award-winning Foothills poet (and Rattlechapper), Taylor Graham. The final reading for the season will be in May 2007.

•••Saturday (9/16) from 2-6 PM: Monika Rose writes: You are invited to the gala opening celebration of the publication of vol. 5 of Manzanita: Poetry and Prose of the Mother Lode and Sierra. Over 80 writers and artists from across California and other states have written about the region and are represented in the 188-page collection. Come listen to the writers read their work, meet with them, and get a book signed—listen to some great improv guitar woven into the reading, and enjoy the literary atmosphere in the great tradition of Mark Twain, Bret Harte, and yes, even Black Bart, the doggerel poet. Artists and photographers will have prints available of their work, and you'll have a chance to mix with some of the best writers in our region and in California. The ambiance will be sublime. And it's free. Come early to meet writers, schmooze, wine-tasting, and lunch, if you like. Where: Kautz Ironstone Winery in Murphys (about an hour and a half east of Stockton or Lodi). Directions: Go up Hwy 49 toward Angels Camp and take the cut-off from Highway 49 on Six Mile Road, making a left at the KFC in Angels Camp. When you get to Murphys, make a right at the Murphys Hotel, go past the park and theatre, and make a right at the end of the road to get to Ironstone (about a mile). Public mic time will be provided, so bring a poem, if you would like. We will love to see you there!!

Ekphrasis to Celebrate Its Tenth:

The latest issue of Ekphrasis is out; click on the link to the right of this column to find out how to get one. Ekphrasis, the Sacramento-based literary journal featuring poems based on works of art, is celebrating its 10th anniversary of publication with the release of the Fall/Winter 2006 issue. Frith Press, publisher of Ekphrasis, has also sponsored seven national chapbook competitions in the last ten years, and has just completed its third annual Ekphrasis Prize competition. Ekphrasis has been featured in Literary Magazine Review. Poems from the journal have appeared on Poetry Daily, and several poems from Ekphrasis have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize by Pushcart Editors. Way to go, classy Ekphrasis. Your tacky ophidian neighbor can only sigh in admiration.

Oh, Honestly...

Medusa doesn't see what all the fuss is about the new movie, Snakes on a Plane. That's just business as usual around here...

_______________________

INSTRUCTION
—Hazel Hall

My hands that guide a needle
In their turn are led
Relentlessly and deftly
As a needle leads a thread.

Other hands are teaching
My needle: when I sew
I feel the cool, thin fingers
Of hands I do not know.

They urge my needle onward.
They smooth my seams, until
The worry of my stitches
Smothers in their skill.

All the tired women,
Who sewed their lives away
Speak in my deft fingers
As I sew today.

_______________________

DIFFERENT
—Clere Parsons

Not to say what everyone else was saying,
not to believe what everyone else believed
not to do what everybody did,
then to refute what everyone else was saying
then to disprove what everyone else believed
then to deprecate what everybody did

was his way to come by understanding

how everyone else was saying the same as he was saying
believing what he believed
and did what doing.

_______________________

Got that?

Check out this site for way cool animated poetry: members.cruzio.com/~cafe. Click on one of the poems, then move the larger page out of the way to see the action behind it.

—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.)