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Friday, April 06, 2007

This Carnival


Tapestry designed and done by
D.R. Wagner, from
his forthcoming SpiralChap,
Where The Stars Are Kept



THE MILKY WAY
—D.R. Wagner, Sacramento

We live in a spiral arm of a spinning
Field of stars, we whirl around, a carnival
Ride, full of birds, loves, emotions, endless
Varieties of things unfolding in seasons;
Full of bells and an endless weaving of hearts.

These connections ride upon our consciousness,
Demanding constant performance from us.
Each of us, most royal and majestic as night,
Vile, vindictive and spoiled even before we speak;
Sorrow and joy, the way we sound our name.

We endure all of this, our lips kissing each moment,
Crushed, elated, misunderstood, praised for things
We do as part of ourselves, damned for these same things.

There is no road, there is no plan. Only love
Survives.

Everything is forgiven, finally.
Understanding limps behind the parade,
Always late, always burdened with qualifications,
Always abandoning every opinion and argument,
Leaving each of us our place only, describing
This place, the swirling arms, the myriad ways
We twist ourselves to achieve
This weaving, this carnival of love.

______________________

Thanks, D.R.! D.R. Wagner is the author of over 20 books and chapbooks of poetry and letters. He founded press : today : Niagara and Runcible Spoon (press) in the late 1960’s and produced over fifty magazines and chapbooks. His work is much published and has appeared in many translations. He is also a visual artist, producing miniature needle-made tapestries that have been exhibited internationally and are included in numerous publications, including his latest for Rattlesnake Press. He is, further, a professional musician, working as a singer-songwriter and playing guitar and keyboards. He has taught Design at the University of California at Davis for almost twenty years.

Come hear D.R. read from his latest book of poems and tapestries, Where The Stars Are Kept, this coming Wednesday, April 11 at The Book Collector, 1008 24th St., Sacramento. The reading starts at 7:30 PM, but feel free to come enjoy the buffet a little earlier than that. This is the Snake's third birthday; come help us celebrate!

Also premiering that night will be the brand-new Rattlesnake Interview Series: A Conversation with Ann Menebroker by B.L. Kennedy. To celebrate the launch of this new series, Ann consented to do littlesnake broadside #33 for us: Swallowed By This Whale Of Time; come get your free copies of both publications. And a new issue of VYPER, the journal of poetry from youngsters 13-19, will also be released that night. Be there!

_______________________


This weekend:

•••Saturday (4/7), 11 AM: All are invited to attend Escritores del Nuevo Sol's writing group workshop and potluck at La Raza Galeria Posada, 1024 22nd St., Sacramento. Bring up to 3 pages of your own work to read, if you wish. Info: Graciela Ramirez, 916-456-5323 or joannpen@comcast.net.

•••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. The Center is at 2565 California Park Drive in Chico. Tickets are $30. For reservations, call the center at 530-895-8395. Info: http://www.chicoer.com/ci_5510509?source=rss

•••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! 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.

•••Monday (4/9), 7:30 PM: Sacramento Poetry Center presents its 2007 Poetry Contest winners Cathleen Williams, Marie Reynolds, Frances Kakugawa, Tom Goff, and more. HQ for the Arts, 25th & R Sts., Sacramento. Free.

_______________________

PAPERS DYED BLUE
—D.R. Wagner

There was a room
Beneath the stairs,
Not for brooms, too small,
Yet large enough for two
With a bit more space to spare.

I had discovered it
While very young.
No one else knew.
The house was old.
Some other child had brought
Their treasure there, a special
Ring, a mirror, a kind of map,
A bear, all untouched
One hundred years or more,
Waiting for me to find them.

I brought things too.
Some books, my Star Wars
Toys, one hundred papers I had
Dyed in different shades of blue.

We moved when I was eleven.
No one else knew. I left
My things there too; an offering.
Someone else would find this
Place too. I do not know who
Lives there now. I am far away.
If you see this and remember
Such a place, perhaps it's you.

______________________

MOUTHFUL OF DREAMS
—D.R. Wagner

Mouthful of dreams
Pulling on your head
To make it ring like a bell.

Suddenly, you're singing.
Suddenly, your breath is news.
Sounds like this:

Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me,
Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me.

There's a light far away
In the forest.
Let's dance over there
To every song we sing.
So we sing every song we know
To bring their choirs close,
To notice every angel
Oh see the flashing of their wings.

The voice of every angel
Clings to every song we sing.
So we sing every song we know
To bring their choirs close,
To see the flashing of their wings.

______________________

—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.