Inkwell
Image courtesy of Patricia Wellingham-Jones, Tehama
REJECTS
—Taylor Graham, Somerset
These useless drafts
of poems. I scissor them
into scraps of words
and slip them in the trash.
When the moon rises
parchment-pale and
speechless as dreams between
blank sheets,
it touches one shy word
and then another —
all of them used-up
and lame.
And while I’m sleeping
blind to moonlight,
one trite word
takes another by the hand,
lurching; then another
joins the line, stumbling to
find the rhythm, till
their shuffle turns to dance.
______________________
AFTER A FULL PAGE OF FREE-WRITING
—Patricia Wellingham-Jones, Tehama
There’s your germ
your true kernel
The tiny speck
bringing light to the murk
The idea fragment
hidden in a mass
of tangled thought
The one stray image
that grabs you
makes you grab your pen
The sudden thunder crack
setting off a stampede
of the right words
_______________________
Thanks to Taylor Graham and Patricia Wellingham-Jones for these cogent comments on The Writing Life. To kick off National Poetry Month, Medusa is having a give-away! Send me your poems about The Writing Life—any take on it that you see fit—by midnight Wednesday, April 4, and I'll send you a free copy of Steve Williams' new rattlechap, Skin Stretched Around the Hollow—or any other Rattlesnake Press chap of your choosing (collect 'em all!). Send your musings and commiserations to kathykieth@hotmail.com or P.O. Box 762, Pollock Pines, CA 95726. Remember: prev-pubs are A-OK for Medusa, but please cite previous publication.
This month, we're extending the freebee to include a photo, drawing—any visual about The Writing Life (loosely interpreted) that can be posted on Medusa. Email them or snail them before midnight on Wednesday, and you'll get a free chap, too. Or send me a picture AND poem(s) and get TWO freebees! Such a deal...!
Poet's Lane:
Cynthia Bryant of Poet’s Lane (www.poetslane.com or PoetsLane@comcast.net) has a new question for her “That Would Be Telling!” page: “Which poet/writer turns you on or off and why?” Send your answers to PoetsLane@comcast.net. Poet’s Lane is also looking for themed poems for April; the poetry theme choices are Poems on Poetry, Child Abuse Awareness, Fools and Mentors.
April Boot Camp:
Molly Fisk of Nevada City writes: Cherry blossom petals are snowing down onto my studio as I write to remind you that the April Boot Camp is approaching, neck and neck with income tax filing day. Reward yourself for filing on time—or getting an extension, like some of us—by giving yourself six new poems. It's a great way to finish (or start!) a new book, inspire yourself to begin a more regular writing practice, meet other poets, and learn a little more about poetry. If you've never heard of Poetry Boot Camp, find out more about this six-day Internet poetry workshop—now in its fifth year and drawing participants from all over the world, including the South Pole—at http://www.poetrybootcamp.com.
It's not too late for Poem-a-Day:
Nine years ago, Knopf began a tradition. To celebrate National Poetry Month, they sent a poem a day by e-mail for 30 days to anyone who asked to receive them. Now, with over 25,000 subscribers, they are proud to continue with a whole new series of daily poems. Each day during the month of April you will receive a poem from some of the best poets in the world including Mark Strand, Sharon Olds, and Laurie Sheck, as well as classics from Langston Hughes, Robert Burns and more. This year, we'll also be featuring audio clips from The Knopf National Poetry Month Collection, special printable broadsides, signed books and more. If you know of someone who might like to join the poem-a-day party, to sign up, they may visit http://www.randomhouse.com/knopf/poetry/poemaday/
Poet's Espresso deadline is Wednesday:
The Stockton journal, Poet’s Espresso, is looking for material for their April-May 2007 issue. The themes are Mother's Day and Spring. They're looking for poetry, artwork, photography, recipes, very short stories, quotes/truisms and any other creative works by you. Deadline is 4/4. They'd also like two to four lines about yourself included, and a picture is optional of yourself for the biography section. For online back issues of Poet's Espresso or for subscriptions, you can find additional info at http://www.poetsespresso.com
•••Tonight (Monday, 4/2), doors open at 6 PM: Poetic Justice, a benefit for frank andrick to help with medical and living expenses. HQ for the Arts, 25th and R Sts., Sacramento. Readers include Mary Zeppa, Gene Bloom, Barbara Noble, Becca Costello, Star Vaughn, Rachel Leibrock, Terryl Wheat, Mario Ellis Hill, B.L. Kennedy, Jay Greenburg, Gilberto Rodriguez and local novelist James Rollins, plus more people and more stuff to be announced. Even the reclusive Medusa will be there, forcing Snakes on people. Music by J. Greenberg and Joel Ginsberg. A refreshment/cocktail style opening with jazz music, and Bob Stanley will do a solo set of collaborative work with film, people, and imaginations. Donations of $10 will be gratefully accepted and there will also be a raffle. Hosted by Bob Stanley and Edie Lambert. Please contact: bobstanley@sbcglobal.net or poetrynow@sacramentopoetrycenter.org or http://www.jamesrollins.com or Fandrickfabpub@hotmail.com
•••Also tonight (4/2), 7:30 PM: The Other Voice presents Indigo Moor and Josh Fernandez reading their poetry at The Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis, 27074 Patwin Road, Davis. There will be an open reading following the poets. This is a free event. James Lee Jobe will host. For more details, including directions and a map, go to http://uupoetry.blogspot.com or call 530-750-3514.
•••Thursday (4/5), 8 PM: Poetry Unplugged at Luna's Cafe (1414 16th St., Sac.) presents Sacramento Poet Laureate Julia Connor. Info: 916-441-3931 or www.lunascafe.com. Open mic before/after.
•••Thursday (4/5), 4-6 PM: The 15th Annual Youth Arts Festival is holding a Youth Poetry Workshop. The poetry topic is peace poems. Send any interested youth you know to Berkeley Art Center, 1275 Walnut Street (inside Live Oak Park), Berkeley.
•••Saturday (4/7), 8 PM: The internationally renowned poet, Coleman Barks, will give a performance of Rumi's poetry at the Lakeside Pavillion (The Spiritual Enrichment Center) in Chico. His performance will be accompanied by the music of Barry Philips on cello and Shelley Phillips on harp and woodwinds. There is limited seating. Tickets are $30. Also, guests can sponsor the program for $100; sponsorships include a ticket & reserved seating & a pre-show reception with wine and hors d'oeuvres. To purchase tickets and sponsorships, stop by The Spiritual Enrichment Center, 10-4 PM, Monday -Thursday. (Phone 530-895-8395 or 530-892-0262.) The address for The Spiritual Enrichment Center/Lakeside Pavilion is 2565 California Park Dr., Chico, CA 95928.
•••Every Sunday in April, 1-3 PM: The Nevada County Poetry Series is celebrating National Poetry Month by holding its annual April open-mic readings at Booktown Books & Tomes. Bill Gainer says, This year we again had the opportunity to partner with Booktown to be part the largest literary celebration in the world and we jumped on it! What better place to showcase National Poetry Month than the community's largest independent, co-operative bookstore? It is a great location and a great venue. The place is alive with poetry! Everyone is invited to bring a friend and a poem and be part of the largest annual literary celebration in the world! Booktown is a fun, safe and often enchanting place to spend a Sunday afternoon in April. Free at Booktown Books and Tomes, 107 Bank Street (corner of South Auburn) in Grass Valley. For more info, call: (530) 432-8196 or (530) 272-4655.
_______________________
IN MY CRAFT OR SULLEN ART
—Dylan Thomas
In my craft or sullen art
Exercised in the still night
When only the moon rages
And the lovers lie abed
With all their griefs in their arms,
I labour by singing light
Not for ambition or bread
Or the strut and trade of charms
On the ivory stages
But for the common wages
Of their most secret heart.
Not for the proud man apart
From the raging moon I write
On these spindrift pages
Nor for the towering dead
With their nightingales and psalms
But for the lovers, their arms
Round the griefs of the ages,
Who pay no praise or wages
Nor heed my craft or art.
________________________
—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.)
SnakeWatch: Up-to-the-minute Snake news:
Journals: Rattlesnake Review #13 is available at The Book Collector; next deadline is May 15. The new VYPER #6 (for youth 13-19) will be out April 11. Snakelets 10 (for kids-12) is available; next deadline is May 1.
Books/broadsides: Current releases are Skin Stretched Around the Hollow by Steve Williams and littlesnake broadside #32 by Brad Buchanan: Ultrasound. Next release: April 11, 7:30 PM, at the Snake’s Third Annual Birthday Bash and Buffet at The Book Collector: SnakeRings SpiralChap #7 from D.R. Wagner: Where The Stars Are Kept, and littlesnake broadside #33: Swallowed By This Whale Of Time by Ann Menebroker.
Something new: Rattlesnake Interview Series with B.L. Kennedy also premieres April 11; #1 is Ann Menebroker.