Patricia D'Alessandro
LIME GREEN COAT WITH PATCH ON THE BACK
(Dream, Tuesday, October 17, 2000)
—Patricia D'Alessandro
You finished knitting
the last stitch
in a dream last night—
needles clicking
knit one pearl two knit one pearl two
telling me you found it in a closet
forgetting that you made it
long ago.
The large white patch
on the back
was like the map of Africa,
the fabric
dove white linen,
and when you held it up to try it on,
it fit as though a tailor
measured to your size.
Now,
you teach me how to knit
needles clicking every day
knit one pearl two knit one pearl two
a coat I wear for warmth
when I dream of
ice
cream
cones.
(Dream, Tuesday, October 17, 2000)
—Patricia D'Alessandro
You finished knitting
the last stitch
in a dream last night—
needles clicking
knit one pearl two knit one pearl two
telling me you found it in a closet
forgetting that you made it
long ago.
The large white patch
on the back
was like the map of Africa,
the fabric
dove white linen,
and when you held it up to try it on,
it fit as though a tailor
measured to your size.
Now,
you teach me how to knit
needles clicking every day
knit one pearl two knit one pearl two
a coat I wear for warmth
when I dream of
ice
cream
cones.
_____________________
Thanks, Pat! Patricia D'Alessandro is a graduate of the University of San Francisco, Class of 1982, receiving a B.S. in Human Relations & Organizational Behavior. Honorable Mention was awarded for production of her Portfolio, which became her first publication, entitled, The Weaving of a Being: A Memoir. She has published four poetry collections since; her fifth will be released by Rattlesnake Press this coming Wednesday, Dec. 12. She also edited two anthologies of the poetry of underprivileged women who attended her Creative Writing Workshop at the Wellspring Women’s Center in Sacramento, CA.
Pat’s entrée into art galleries came in New York City, when her photographs and paintings were exhibited in art shows focused on “People Over 50” while she was working as an Adminstrative Assistant to the President of the International Women’s Health Coalition.
Moving to Sacramento upon retirement in 1990, the arts community here christened Pat “an artist”, inviting her to exhibit paintings and photographs in several juried exhibitions, including the annual KVIE Public TV Auction, where paintings were auctioned to benefit the station. Subsequently, her work was shown in Arts Festivals in Paris and Berlin, where one of her poems was incorporated into an ensemble of classical cellist, percussionist, modern dancer and poet as a performing arts piece.
Pat’s move to Coachella Valley three years ago has inspired her Muse to resurrect her interest in composing for the piano, write poetry daily, and paint whenever time permits. She is fortunate to have lived long enough in good health to realize all the latent talents that went unnoticed in her youth. She now hosts the Barnes & Noble Palm Desert/Westfield Center monthly poetry series, Valley Voices of the Muse, and hopes to live to be 100 with her “creative spirit” who refuse to allow a break to smell the roses, although she now lives in Desert Hot Springs where tending her roses is permitted by the Muse for a short time every day. She may be reached at ciaopat@earthlink.net/.
The Snake is proud to announce the release of Metamorphic Intervals From The Insanity Of Time, a SnakeRings SpiralChap of poetry and art from Patricia D'Alessandro, this coming Wednesday at The Book Collector. Also released that night will be Notes From An Ivory Tower, a littlesnake broadside from Sacramento's Ann Wehrman, plus a brand new issue of Rattlesnake Review (#16). Come celebrate all of these on Wednesday, December 12, 7:30 PM at The Book Collector, 1008 24th St., Sacramento. Refreshments and a read-around will follow; bring your own poems or somebody else's.
____________________
BENEDICTION
(Inspired by an article in SF Chronicle, 1/27/02)
—Patricia D'Alessandro
A caseworker
fighting for the rights
of newborn infants,
abandoned by their mothers,
to have their names engraved on markers
instead of John or Jane Doe
when buried in the Garden of Angel's
Calimesa Cemetery in LA, said:
"It encircles them in community love,
and if we take away their power
then shame on us!"
as the power of children's voices rises
growing stronger
by this simple deed
of giving them
a name.
Thanks, Pat! Patricia D'Alessandro is a graduate of the University of San Francisco, Class of 1982, receiving a B.S. in Human Relations & Organizational Behavior. Honorable Mention was awarded for production of her Portfolio, which became her first publication, entitled, The Weaving of a Being: A Memoir. She has published four poetry collections since; her fifth will be released by Rattlesnake Press this coming Wednesday, Dec. 12. She also edited two anthologies of the poetry of underprivileged women who attended her Creative Writing Workshop at the Wellspring Women’s Center in Sacramento, CA.
Pat’s entrée into art galleries came in New York City, when her photographs and paintings were exhibited in art shows focused on “People Over 50” while she was working as an Adminstrative Assistant to the President of the International Women’s Health Coalition.
Moving to Sacramento upon retirement in 1990, the arts community here christened Pat “an artist”, inviting her to exhibit paintings and photographs in several juried exhibitions, including the annual KVIE Public TV Auction, where paintings were auctioned to benefit the station. Subsequently, her work was shown in Arts Festivals in Paris and Berlin, where one of her poems was incorporated into an ensemble of classical cellist, percussionist, modern dancer and poet as a performing arts piece.
Pat’s move to Coachella Valley three years ago has inspired her Muse to resurrect her interest in composing for the piano, write poetry daily, and paint whenever time permits. She is fortunate to have lived long enough in good health to realize all the latent talents that went unnoticed in her youth. She now hosts the Barnes & Noble Palm Desert/Westfield Center monthly poetry series, Valley Voices of the Muse, and hopes to live to be 100 with her “creative spirit” who refuse to allow a break to smell the roses, although she now lives in Desert Hot Springs where tending her roses is permitted by the Muse for a short time every day. She may be reached at ciaopat@earthlink.net/.
The Snake is proud to announce the release of Metamorphic Intervals From The Insanity Of Time, a SnakeRings SpiralChap of poetry and art from Patricia D'Alessandro, this coming Wednesday at The Book Collector. Also released that night will be Notes From An Ivory Tower, a littlesnake broadside from Sacramento's Ann Wehrman, plus a brand new issue of Rattlesnake Review (#16). Come celebrate all of these on Wednesday, December 12, 7:30 PM at The Book Collector, 1008 24th St., Sacramento. Refreshments and a read-around will follow; bring your own poems or somebody else's.
____________________
BENEDICTION
(Inspired by an article in SF Chronicle, 1/27/02)
—Patricia D'Alessandro
A caseworker
fighting for the rights
of newborn infants,
abandoned by their mothers,
to have their names engraved on markers
instead of John or Jane Doe
when buried in the Garden of Angel's
Calimesa Cemetery in LA, said:
"It encircles them in community love,
and if we take away their power
then shame on us!"
as the power of children's voices rises
growing stronger
by this simple deed
of giving them
a name.
_____________________
TRICKSTER
—Patricia D'Alessandro
thoughts stampede
through shadows of your mind
gowned for a Gay Pride Parade
eluding capture in the brain
for potential new creations
attempting to avoid that intrusive
syncophant,
carrying a sign that bellows—
"Gotcha!"
as you ponder over villages of verbiage
to satisfy the Muse
and her addiction for
a poem that sings
Her song.
______________________
—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.) Medusa cannot vouch for the moral fiber of other publications, contests, etc. that she lists, however, so submit to them at your own risk. For more info about the Snake Empire, including guidelines for submitting to or obtaining our publications, click on the link to the right of this column: Rattlesnake Press (rattlesnakepress.com).
