In Search of SOWs

Sketch by Stephani Schaefer, Los Molinos

CONQUISTADOR
—Frank Graham, Sacramento

Rock of water, bone and cockle,
though sallow cheeked and dappled,
your bow still stands in sand and sea.

Here lies your final anchor,
your keel left creaking in the wind.
Chrome and slip stripped,
your turquoise sulking hull
echos the love-and-hate cries
of your captain.

Dank and splintered, teak planks
form a fallow deck,
your mast a withering tree.

Your brine bleached lines
and fish wrought nets
tell of your faena with the sea.

In mustard sky, you look stranded and sunken,
even still,
you sink deeper, deeper.

__________________

Thanks, Stephani and Frank! Frank Graham is currently Poetry Editor of Sacramento Poetry Center's Poetry Now, and next month he will take over as Editor-in-Chief. Congrats, Frank!


New feature: Seed of the Week!

Some call them challenges, I call them Seed of the Week. Let them be inspiration! From now on, Tuesday is Medusa's day to post poetry triggers that you have come up with, such as quotes, forms, photos, memories, jokes—send us whatever you think might tickle somebody's muse. I'll pick one and post it on a Tuesday, then Medusa readers are encouraged to rise to the occasion with their responses to your triggers. All poems will be posted and a few of them will go into Medusa's Corner of each Rattlesnake Review, starting with the up-comer issue (#17) which is due out in mid-March. (Be sure I have your snail address so I can send you one.)

This week's "seed" is today's picture, the above sketch by Stephani Schaefer. Steph has her own poem to go with this drawing, but you'll have to wait until Snake 17 to see it.

SOW (Seed of the Week) won't replace the occasional giveaway, though. To kick off our new feature, send in your response to Steph's sketch and receive a free copy of Sex—For Animals... which is the latest offering of poetry and drawings from Kathy and Sam Kieth. Send your work to me at kathykieth@hotmail.com or P.O. Box 762, Pollock Pines, CA 95726. No deadline for SOW; respond today, tomorrow, or whenever the muse arrives. Print 'em out, maybe, save 'em for a dry spell? Just let us know which "seed" it was that inspired you. If it's a giveaway, you'll still get your book.

And for more "seeds" to tweak your inspiration, watch for our various columns in every issue of Rattlesnake Review. Our five writers-in-residence provide us with many wonderful ideas every quarter, not to mention guest writers such as this issue's Patricia Wellingham-Jones, who contribute their expertise occasionally, as well. Plus, the wonderful poetry of our hundreds of contributors is enough to kick-start any cranky muse, don't you agree? Issue #17 will be available for free at The Book Collector beginning March 13.

So, two assignments today: write a poem about Steph's sketch, and send me some possible "seeds" for next week. Seed-poems this week get an added bonus: the latest book from Sam and me. Ready?


BPR deadline looms:

The Berkeley Poetry Review's submission deadline for Issue #39 is fast-approaching! Be sure to send in your work by March 1st. For information on how to submit, see their website: http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~bpr/cmsmadesimple-1.1/

___________________

HOW THESE WORDS HAPPENED
—William Stafford

In winter, in the dark hours, when others
were asleep, I found these words and put them
together by their appetites and respect for
each other. In stillness, they jostled. They traded
meanings while pretending to have only one.

Monstrous alliances never dreamed of before
began. Sometimes they last. Never again
do they separate in this world. They die
together. They have a fidelity that no
purpose or pretense can ever break.

And all of this happens like magic to the words
in those dark hours when others sleep.

___________________

FOUND IN A STORM
—William Stafford

A storm that needed a mountain
met it where we were:
we woke up in a gale
that was reasoning with our tent,
and all the persuaded snow
streaked along, guessing the ground.

We turned from that curtain, down.
But sometime we will turn
back to the curtain and go
by plan through an unplanned storm,
disappearing into the cold,
meanings in search of a world.

__________________

—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: News from Rattlesnake Press

New in February: The Snake had a massive celebration on February 13 with the release of To Berlin With Love from Elsie Whitlow Feliz and Don Feliz, a new broadside from Carlena Wike (Going The Distance), and a new SnakeRings SpiralChap from Sam and Kathy Kieth (Sex—For Animals...). All of these publications are now at The Book Collector and on rattlesnakepress.com.

Coming in March: Rattlesnake Press will be releasing a chapbook from Ann Privateer (Attracted to Light), a littlesnake broadside from Jeanine Stevens (Eclipse), Conversations Vol. 2 of B.L. Kennedy's Rattlesnake Interview Series, and a brand-new issue of Rattlesnake Review (#17). Join us to celebrate all of this at The Book Collector, 1008 24th St., Sacramento, on March 12 at 7:30 PM.