Photo from Maui by Rhony Bhopla, Sacramento
_______________________THE QUIET ONES
—B.Z. Niditch, Brookline, MA
You say you can spot them
anywhere,
by their eyes, expression, skin,
colorful dress
but it is your monologue
which approaches
in an imperfect time
or an unimaginable hour
from a meagre age
that you first heard
there is no room
or meal
for them;
write it down,
say it never happens
that you never knew
or met them face to face
it must be someone else
some other place
it occurs, never here.
—B.Z. Niditch, Brookline, MA
You say you can spot them
anywhere,
by their eyes, expression, skin,
colorful dress
but it is your monologue
which approaches
in an imperfect time
or an unimaginable hour
from a meagre age
that you first heard
there is no room
or meal
for them;
write it down,
say it never happens
that you never knew
or met them face to face
it must be someone else
some other place
it occurs, never here.
B.Z. Niditch is a regular contributor to the Snake; he is a poet, playwright, fiction writer and teacher, as well as founder and artistic director of The Original Theatre in Boston. His work is widely published in journals and magazines throughout the world, including: Columbia: A Magazine of Poetry and Art; The Literary Review; Denver Quarterly; Hawaii Review; Le Guepard (France); Kadmos (France); Prism Internatiional; Jejune (Czech Republic); Leopold Bloom (Budapest); Anticoch Review and Prairie Schooner, among many, many others. He says he aims for euphony in his potry—that is, sound musicality. He plays violin, both classical and jazz, and believes poetry should be read out loud by the reader, to capture the essences and vibes of the poem. Enjoy his poetry today on the Ides of March.
The new Snake is out!
Lucky #13 "hit the stands" last night, and contributor copies and subscriptions will go into the mail in batches this week and next, or you can pick up your free copy at The Book Collector, 1008 24th St., Sac. This issue features poetry and articles by more than 60 contributors, as well as photos, sketches, reviews, our regular columnists, and two interviews by B.L. Kennedy to launch the Rattlesnake Interview Series which will begin in April at the Snake's Third Birthday Party on 4/11.
Wildpoetryforum.com:
Our March book release by Steve Williams was a bi-state affair, with Steve and his lady, Constance, both here from Portland, and Tiger's Eye Co-Editor Colette Jonopulos visiting with Snake-pal Laura LeHew, both from Eugene. Steve and Constance told us all about the interesting Internet poetry forum they run at www.wildpoetryforum.com. Sounds like it is—wild, that is—with over 1000 participants from around the world! Check it out! And check out Steve's new rattlechap, Skin Stretched Around the Hollow, available at The Book Collector, and a new littlesnake broadside, Ultrasound, from Sacramento's Brad Buchanan.
Another Internet forum:
Poet’s Lane is still looking for themed poems for March: Aries, Daylight Savings Time, Springtime & Limericks; please pick one or several and send to PoetsLane@comcast.net. Mistress Cynthia Bryant says: So far every poem has been Springtime, and I know you all have more imagination than that. Coming in April, the poetry theme choices will be Poems on Poetry, Child Abuse Awareness, Fools and Mentors. Look them up with a stroll down Poet’s Lane (www.poetslane.com), and send your work to Cynthia Bryant at PoetsLane@comcast.net. Or Perhaps you need to rant in a poem about the injustices of life; send in a poem for her Get it Off Your Chest (mental health poetry) page. Cynthia has also added a new page to Poet’s Lane; she asks a question and posts the answers. The page is called "That Would Be Telling", and the first question was, "How has poetry changed your life?" Second question: "When do you write?" Third question: "What is your favorite Literary Publication and why?" Send your answers to PoetsLane@comcast.net.
Tonight the Truex-a-thon begins:
February Rattlechapper Brigit Truex (A Counterpane Without) will be reading at three venues this week: tonight, Friday, and Saturday:
•••Thursday (3/15), 8 PM: Join the folks at Poetry Unplugged (Luna’s Café, 1414 16th St., Sac.) for a pre-St. Patrick's Day night poetry fest, and feel free to bring Celtic Poetry and stories to share (anything from Northern Europe qualifies). Featured readers will be Celtic women Jeanine Stevens, Brigit Truex, Charlene Ungtad and Rebecca Morrison. Info: 209-727-5179 or www.lunascafe.com (916-441-3931). See last Friday's post for bios of these fine poets!
•••Friday (3/16), 7 PM: Brigit Truex will read again, this time with Manzanita Editor Monika Rose in El Dorado Hills at the Our House Gallery; take the Latrobe exit south and turn left into the shopping center.
•••Saturday (3/17) at 7 PM, all six of the Red Fox Underground (Taylor Graham, Irene Lipshin, Kate Wells, Wendy Patrice Williams, Moira Magneson, and Brigit Truex) will read at the Cozmic Cafe in Placerville (594 Main St.), featuring photography by Irene Lipshin. The reading is presented by El Dorado Peace and Justice in the Season of Nonviolence; it will begin with a reception from 5:30-7 PM, and will be followed by refreshments. Be sure to drive up and see Irene's beautiful photographs celebrating the concept of world peace; if you miss the reading, they'll be on display throughout March.
Also tonight:
•••Thursday (3/15), 7:30 PM: The Nevada County Poetry Series will present the poets Mikhail Branski, Gene Bloom and Barbara Noble. Co-host Bill Gainer says, For those concerned with political correctness, the content of language and the politeness of thought—be warned, these three writers test the limits, they are known for challenging the accepted, the use of adult content and the informality of personal expression. For those sensitive of heart and weak of spirit, these three may prove a fairly dangerous bunch! 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. Info: (530) 432-8196 or (530) 274-8384. See last Friday's post for bios of these fine poets!
And see last Monday's post (or tomorrow's) for more info about what's happening this weekend.
________________________
15 CANDLES
—B.Z. Niditch
It's your birthday
but no one around
you walk to the museum
hurting from a bully's wound
with Mercurochrome on your chest
a pug at your side
standing at the sidewalk
amid a vast Van Gogh sadness
in unpredictable light
now with broken sunglasses
from yesterday's assaults
insensate encounter
you climb up
the art house steps
waiting to visit the moderns
taking out your own oils
unwilling to take any blame
for being an original.
_______________________
THE REVENANTS
—B.Z. Niditch
At the last Renoir film showing
you walk out at midnight
translating your own hunger
and kick a climbing stone,
rain gave you status
it washed us and then stopped,
sleep was only an hour away
but a crust of french
carried every fleshly image
to a porch in November
where love was made up
near strawberries and vine,
a faded voice flickers
in Pacific river-mouth black
blurring the bluest stars
running from their clouds,
you want to be a poem
or at least a line
from the silent screen
of motionless picture
taking off your life jacket
near a port of call
fireflies spotlight
the parking lot plaza
at six minutes, five seconds
you become pale with spells
the leafless time suffocates
under the torn marquee,
your second wind
pounds out the theme song
betraying your hunger
by the dazzling Technicolor
a soldier on the set
shoots outside the movie house.
________________________
—Medusa
Medusa encourages poets of all ilk and ages to send their POETRY, PHOTOS and ART, as well as announcements of Northern California poetry events to kathykieth@hotmail.com (or snail ‘em to P.O. Box 762, Pollock Pines, CA 95726) 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.)