Martin Luther King, Jr.
I, TOO, SING AMERICA
—Langston Hughes
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.
Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed—
I, too, am America.
—Langston Hughes
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.
Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed—
I, too, am America.
This week in NorCal poetry:
•••Tonight (Monday, 1/21), 7:30 PM: Sacramento Poetry Center presents Michael Cluff and Michael Garbarini (“All Mike Night”—get it?) who will provide interpretive readings of plays, poetry and philosophy at HQ for the Arts, 25th & R Sts., Sacramento. Free, open mic, refreshtments. Michael Cluff is a full-time English and Creative Writing Instructor as well as being the Assistant Chair of the Communications Department at Riverside Community College, Norco Campus in Southern California. He has been published in Epicenter, Dissident Editions, Pudding, Mosiac, Interpoetry, Muse, Rattlesnake Review, ZamBomba and Poetry Superhighway. He has also published several chapbooks: Bones to Pick, Treacherous Pauses, Duck 'N' Cover, Moraines and Political Prisms. He also acts and directs in the Inland Empire area of So Cal as well as co-teaching an adult improv class for the Rancho Cucamonga Parks and Recreation Department. Michael Garbarini is a professor of literature, philosophy, history, communications, drama, etc., at several universities in the Sacramento area. For the Actor's Studio of Sacramento, he directed Endgame, which was voted best play of the year by The Sacramento Bee.
Next Monday's SPC reading (1/28) will feature Frank Graham.
•••Wed. (1/23), 6-7 PM: Upstairs Poetry Reading at The Upstairs Art Gallery, 420 Main St (2nd floor), Placerville. It's an open-mike read-around, so bring your own poems or those of a favorite poet to share, or just come to listen. No charge.
•••Thursday (1/24), 8 PM: Poetry Unplugged at Luna's Cafe presents Suzanne Roberts, Charlene Ungstad, and Noel Kroeplin, plus open mike to follow. 1414 16th Street. Info: 916-441-3931 or lunascafe.com/.
•••Friday (1/25), 7:30 PM: Poems-for-All presents Burns Night: A Poetic Celebration of Scotland with Arturo Mantecon and Rebecca Morrison at The Book Collector, 1008 24th St., Sacramento. Free. Every January, Scots celebrate their national bard, Robert Burns, with an evening in his honor. Our take on the traditional Burns Night expands the tribute into a celebration of Scottish Poets, past and present. The evening will include a reading of Burns' poems in Spanish by Poet and Translator Arturo Mantecon. Poet Rebecca Morrison will present a collection of poems from various Scottish poets. An open mic will follow the featured programme. Sign up to read a poem of your own and one from your favorite Scot. Any attempt to read a Burns poem will be rewarded with a dram! RSVP a slot on the open mic programme via the email above, or sign up at the event. Poems-for-All special edition miniature chaplettes will be dispensed. The event is free. Info: (916) 442-9295 or richard@poems-for-all.com or www.poems-for-all.com/.
•••Also Friday (1/25), 7:30 PM: The sizzling hot poetry of Terry Moore (www.terrymoore.info), winner of the 2007 Hub Choice Award (Best Poet), plus Simoetry, Mario Ellis Hill, R & B artist Remy, Musician and gospel vocalist Calvin Lymos, and poet Claudia Epperson. Inside the new TIGER THEATRE, on the campus of Inderkum High School, 2500 New Market Drive. Located just one block from Arco Arena. From Sacramento, take Interstate 5 to Del Paso Rd. exit, turn right, left on Truxel Rd, left on New Market drive. Park in the first lot and walk toward the flag pole and enter the front atrium. The theatre is located to the left. $5. Info: (916) 271-8202 or www.parkersplay.com/. This event is being brought to you by Inderkum High School Drama Department & Parker's Place.
•••Sat. (1/26), 7-9 PM: “The Show” poetry series (the only family-oriented 'clean mouth' poetry event in town!) presents Kafiah from Phoenix and Khiry Malik Moor, plus Candy, house band LSB, house vocalist Chris Bush and comedian emcee KJ, plus open mic for “all talents and all ages”. Wo'se Community Center (Off 35th & Broadway), 2863 35th Street, Sacramento. $5.00. Info: T-Mo (916)208-POET.
__________________
DREAMS
—Langston Hughes
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
__________________
Today's "dreaming" in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. notwithstanding, we're still having a give-away here on Medusa. Send your poems and/or photos of flowers, Spring, renewal—all that good stuff—to me at kathykieth@hotmail.com or P.O. Box 762, Pollock Pines, CA 95726 by midnight, Tuesday, Jan. 22—that's tomorrow!—and I'll send you any rattlechap of your choosing, or Katy's calendar.
—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).
SnakeWatch: Up-to-the-minute Snake news:
Rattlesnake Review: The latest issue of Rattlesnake Review (Sweet 16) is available for free at The Book Collector, 1008 24th St., Sacramento, or send $2 to P.O. Box 762, Pollock Pines, CA 95726 and I'll mail you one. Next deadline (for Issue #17, due out in mid-March) is February 15—sooner than you think!
Coming in February: The Snake is still in winter hibernation for January: no readings, no books, no broadsides. Then, on February 13, Rattlesnake Press will roar to life again with a new SnakeRings SpiralChap from Don and Elsie Feliz (To Berlin With Love), plus a new littlesnake broadside from Carlena Wike (Going the Distance), as well as Volume Two of Conversations, B.L. Kennedy's Rattlesnake Interview Series. Come help us launch all of this on Weds., Feb. 13 at The Book Collector, 1008 24th St., Sacramento, 7:30 PM.