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.
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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.
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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
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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).
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.)