Monday, October 09, 2006

A Deep Blue Past

THE HOUSE
—Adam Zagajewski

Do you still remember what the house was like?
The house—a pocket in a snowstorm's overcoat,
houses, low and bulging like Egyptian vowels.
Sheltered by green tongues of trees—
the most faithful was the linden, it shed
dry tears each fall.
Outmoded dresses dangled in the attic
like hanged men. Old letters flamed.
The old piano dozing in the parlor,
a hippo with black and yellow teeth.
on the wall a cross from a failed uprising
hung crookedly, and a photo
of a sad girl—a failed life.
The air smelled like vermouth,
bitter and sweet at once.
Houses, houses, where are you,
under what ocean, in what memory,
beneath the roof of what existence?
While the wind was opening windows, a deep blue
past sneaked into the rooms
and stifled the muslin curtains' breathing.
The fire was death's intended
and brought her bouquets of pale sparks.

_______________________

The Kieths continue to exorcise their deep blue pasts, or at least the seedier purple ones. But at least we're back online.


Poetry this week:

•••Monday (10/9), 7:30 PM: Sacramento Poetry Center will present Richard Beban, author of Young Girl Eating a Bird, at SPC, 25th & R Sts., Sacramento. (See last Thursday's post for a bio.)

•••Tuesday (10/10): Rae Gouirand at the Bistro, at 3rd & F in downtown Davis, around 8 PM. Rae writes: Some of you may know, and others won't, that Andy Jones, of "Dr. Andy's Poetry and Technology Hour", [5 PM on Wednesdays at KDVS-90.3 FM] has taken on the task of coordinating a new poetry reading series there; it promises to lend a certain long-awaited tangible connection between the on-campus and off-campus writing communities. They say it's at 8, but that's the time for people to get there if they want to read some work of their own, too, because there's a sign-up process, then Andy (and possibly Brad Henderson) read a little bit around 8:30-ish, and then I read for a bit after them, and then anyone who wants to read reads. I think of this and I think of bento!

So: if you'd like to come, do. The fun thing for me is that my intimate writing community—spread across SF, the midwest, and Germany at the moment—is deciding for me what I'm going to read, so not even I know, though I do know it'll all be new.

•••Weds. (10/11), 7:30 PM: Rattlesnake Press presents Sharyn Stever at The Book Collector, 1008 24th St., Sac., celebrating the release of her new chapbook, Heron’s Run. Sharyn Stever was born in Lodi, California and grew up roaming the riverbanks and wetlands of the Central Valley. She lives in the small farming community of Dixon and teaches writing and literature at Solano Community College. Also emerging that night will be Mysterious Rebus, littlesnake broadside #28 from Sacramento Poet and SPC Board Member Tim Kahl. Come hear Tim read a poem or two from his latest creation. Refreshments and a read-around will follow Sharyn and Tim's readings; bring your own poems or somebody else's. That's next Wednesday at The Book Collector. Be there. (More info: kathykieth@hotmail.com)

•••Wed. (10/11), 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 (10/12), 8 PM: Vibe Sessions Neo-Soul Lounge with Flo-Real features Random Abiladeze and open mic. The Cobbler Soul Food Restaurant, 3520 Stockton, Blvd., Sac. $5. 916-613-0776.

•••Thursday (10/12), 8 PM: Poetry Unplugged, reader TBA. Open mic before/after. Luna’s Café, 1414 16th St., Sac. Info: 441-3931 or www.lunascafe.com. Free.

•••Saturday (10/14), 12 noon: For the first time in its 12-year history, the Window Art Project of Chico, CA incorporates poetry. Downtown businesses invite artists in all genres to display their work in windows available to the public for the full month of October. Skyway Poets, a critique group which also holds occasional readings, has mounted poems at the Chamber of Commerce, 300 Salem Street (opposite the parking garage); phone 530-891-5556. Participating poets are Ann Doro, Renee Goularte, Lara Gularte, Joy Harold Helsing, Sally Allen McNall, Sylvia Rosen, Audrey C. Small and Patricia Wellingham-Jones. Check out other artistic activities during the month-long Artoberfest celebration at http://www.artoberfest.org/ , including the Skyway Poets’ public reading to launch their new anthology, Skyways, (PWJ Publishing, www.wellinghamjones.com) at noon on Saturday, October 14, 2006 in Diamond Alley between 3rd and 4th Streets downtown. Everybody is welcome!


10,000 poems!

The Steinbeck Center is looking for all kinds of poets—school students to retirees, novice beginners to published Pulitzer Prize-winning poets—to create 10,000 poems over one year (www.10000poems.com). Application has been made to the Guinness Book of World Records.

The 10,000 Poems Project seeks to celebrate the lives of our fellow residents and their personal journeys. Poems can be on whatever topic you wish, and do not need to relate to or mention John Steinbeck. We are looking for writers from diverse perspectives and backgrounds. Poems can reflect the rich cultural heritage of the Salinas Valley or are representative of the specific place you call home.

All forms of poetry will be accepted. The poems do not have to rhyme! They can be serious, witty, heartfelt, light, pure fantasy, historically based, realistic, free verse, sonnets—in short, what ever strikes your fancy. There is no line limit. Multiple submissions are permitted. Previously published poems are also accepted as long as the rights still belong to the author.

Poems can be emailed to 10000poems@steinbeck.org, faxed to (831) 796-3828, or mailed to: 10,000 Poems Project, National Steinbeck Center, One Main Street, Salinas, CA 93901: Info: 831-775-4724.


Selected Poems by Anatole Lubovich

The long-awaited volume of Selected Poems by Anatole Lubovich has been released by Live Oak Press. Publication was arranged by members of the Foothill Bibliophile Society with the assistance of Do Gentry as editor. The book is hardcover with gilt lettering, contains 144 pages, and includes an Introduction and Preface with biographical information about the author, an index of titles, an index of first lines, and a black-and-white drawing by Anatole. The book is available locally at The Book Collector for $20.

_______________________

A QUICK POEM
—Adam Zagajewski

I was listening to Gregorian chants
in a speeding car
on a highway in France.
The trees rushed past. Monks' voices
sang praises to an unseen God
(at dawn, in a chapel trembling with cold).
Domine, exaudi orationem meam,
male voices pleaded calmly
as if salvation were just growing in the garden.
Where was I going? Where was the sun hiding?
My life lay tattered
on both sides of the road, brittle as a paper map.
With the sweet monks
I made my way toward the clouds, deep blue,
heavy, dense,
toward the future, the abyss,
gulping hard tears of hail.
Far from dawn. Far from home.
In place of walls—sheet metal.
Instead of a vigil—a flight.
Travel instead of remembrance.
A quick poem instead of a hymn.
A small, tired star raced
up ahead
and the highway's asphalt shone,
showing where the earth was,
where the horizon's razor lay in wait,
and the black spider of evening
and night, widow of so many dreams.

(Today's poetry was translated from the Polish by Clare Cavanagh.)

_______________________

—Medusa

Medusa encourages poets of all ilk and ages to send their poetry, photos and art, 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.)
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