D.R. Wagner and Jeanine Stevens
April, 2007
Photo by Alan Satow
April, 2007
Photo by Alan Satow
MOONSHADOW
—Jeanine Stevens, Sacramento
Shadows sink this evening
into pearl white hydrangeas.
Ferns’ spiny clumps
poke pinpoints at the sky,
ivory cosmos melds
into the red brick wall
where purple fig hugs coolness.
A well-known peace contents me.
I open all the windows,
climb the stairs
to my attic room,
stand in the whitish gleam,
lean against the clipped ceiling,
then step onto the wooden deck
face the still lawn and garden below.
Evening dew saturates
curling maple leaves.
Everything inspires me!
The milky way unzips itself,
flashes like a silvery
fish scale vortex,
vertigo—I steady my hand
on the railing, wet mushrooms
break the earth, releasing a meaty
odor. I remember
the words I wrote last night,
but keep my pen still.
I want to prolong any night
with this much darkness, a chance
placement, melding moon shadows
I may never see again.
___________________
Thanks, Jeanine! Jeanine Stevens’ work has been published in poetry journals such as The Timber Creek Review, Valparaiso Poetry Review, Earth’s Daughters, Alehouse, Poesy, and Poetry Depth Quarterly. Awards include First Place in Poetry from the Stockton Arts Commission and from the Mendocino Coast Writers’ Conference for a collection. She has graduate degrees in Anthropology and Education, and for many years she taught in the Behavioral Science Department at American River College. Jeanine has three chapbooks: Boundary Waters (The Indian Heritage Council), The Keeping Room (Rattlesnake Press), and The Meaning of Monoliths (Poet’s Corner Press). Besides writing, Jeanine enjoys traveling, the Sierra, Balkan folk dancing, and Tai Chi. Read more about Jeanine on her rattlechaps page on rattlesnakepress.com.
This coming Wednesday, March 12, Jeanine will release a littlesnake broadsides, Eclipse, from Rattlesnake Press. Come hear her read from it at The Book Collector, 1008 24th St., Sacramento, 7:30 PM. Also that night, Rattlesnake Press will be releasing a chapbook from Ann Privateer (Attracted to Light), Conversations Vol. 2 of B.L. Kennedy's Rattlesnake Interview Series, and a brand-new issue of Rattlesnake Review (#17). Join us!
____________________
AUTUMN NIGHT
—Ryokan
Autumn night—unable to sleep, I leave my tiny cottage.
Fall insects cry under the rocks, and
The cold branches are sparsely covered.
Far away, from deep in the valley, the sound of water.
The moon rises slowly over the highest peak;
I stand there quietly for a long time and
My robe becomes moist with dew.
___________________
GRASS WAR
—Ryokan
Once again the children and I are fighting a battle using
Twilight—everyone has returned home;
The bright, round moon helps me endure the loneliness.
____________________
The night is fresh and cool—
Staff in hand, I walk through the gate.
Wisteria and ivy grow together along the winding
The old pines are full of poems;
I bend down for a drink of pure spring water.
There is a gentle breeze, and the round moon hangs overhead.
Standing by a deserted building,
I pretend to be a crane softly floating among the clouds.
—Ryokan
(Today's poetry was translated by John Stevens.)
__________________
—Jeanine Stevens, Sacramento
Shadows sink this evening
into pearl white hydrangeas.
Ferns’ spiny clumps
poke pinpoints at the sky,
ivory cosmos melds
into the red brick wall
where purple fig hugs coolness.
A well-known peace contents me.
I open all the windows,
climb the stairs
to my attic room,
stand in the whitish gleam,
lean against the clipped ceiling,
then step onto the wooden deck
face the still lawn and garden below.
Evening dew saturates
curling maple leaves.
Everything inspires me!
The milky way unzips itself,
flashes like a silvery
fish scale vortex,
vertigo—I steady my hand
on the railing, wet mushrooms
break the earth, releasing a meaty
odor. I remember
the words I wrote last night,
but keep my pen still.
I want to prolong any night
with this much darkness, a chance
placement, melding moon shadows
I may never see again.
___________________
Thanks, Jeanine! Jeanine Stevens’ work has been published in poetry journals such as The Timber Creek Review, Valparaiso Poetry Review, Earth’s Daughters, Alehouse, Poesy, and Poetry Depth Quarterly. Awards include First Place in Poetry from the Stockton Arts Commission and from the Mendocino Coast Writers’ Conference for a collection. She has graduate degrees in Anthropology and Education, and for many years she taught in the Behavioral Science Department at American River College. Jeanine has three chapbooks: Boundary Waters (The Indian Heritage Council), The Keeping Room (Rattlesnake Press), and The Meaning of Monoliths (Poet’s Corner Press). Besides writing, Jeanine enjoys traveling, the Sierra, Balkan folk dancing, and Tai Chi. Read more about Jeanine on her rattlechaps page on rattlesnakepress.com.
This coming Wednesday, March 12, Jeanine will release a littlesnake broadsides, Eclipse, from Rattlesnake Press. Come hear her read from it at The Book Collector, 1008 24th St., Sacramento, 7:30 PM. Also that night, Rattlesnake Press will be releasing a chapbook from Ann Privateer (Attracted to Light), Conversations Vol. 2 of B.L. Kennedy's Rattlesnake Interview Series, and a brand-new issue of Rattlesnake Review (#17). Join us!
____________________
AUTUMN NIGHT
—Ryokan
Autumn night—unable to sleep, I leave my tiny cottage.
Fall insects cry under the rocks, and
The cold branches are sparsely covered.
Far away, from deep in the valley, the sound of water.
The moon rises slowly over the highest peak;
I stand there quietly for a long time and
My robe becomes moist with dew.
___________________
GRASS WAR
—Ryokan
Once again the children and I are fighting a battle using
spring grasses.
Now advancing, now retreating, each time with more refinement.Twilight—everyone has returned home;
The bright, round moon helps me endure the loneliness.
____________________
The night is fresh and cool—
Staff in hand, I walk through the gate.
Wisteria and ivy grow together along the winding
mountain path;
Birds sing quietly in their nests and a monkeyhowls nearby.
As I reach a high peak a village appears in the distance.The old pines are full of poems;
I bend down for a drink of pure spring water.
There is a gentle breeze, and the round moon hangs overhead.
Standing by a deserted building,
I pretend to be a crane softly floating among the clouds.
—Ryokan
(Today's poetry was translated by John Stevens.)
__________________
—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).