Margaret E. Bell
A WORD WITH DICKENS ON GREAT EXPECTATIONS
—Margaret E. Bell, Citrus Heights
What the dickens can I say about your book today?
I fail to understand some words you used.
If you could get in touch, I would appreciate so much
some explanations. I am so confused.
Sharks don’t have round heads, but reading what you said,
it appears you think “shark-headed” does mean that.
If you ever saw a shark, you would know you missed your mark.
Sharks’ heads do not fit into round hats.
Watch your language, Charlie, if you want to talk to me.
I don’t think “fluey” means a dusty look.
Webster hasn’t heard, and doesn’t list that word
in my forty-year-old copy of his book.
Most folks on this earth today are puzzled if you say
“he rested in his fine black velvet housing,”
but I understand you mean that the character was seen
still in a coffin. He is dead, not drowsing.
I’ve never had a “flip” but I will surely try a sip
if you will share with me a glass of wine.
We could sit and chat—talk of dreams and this and that—
and go over all these idioms, yours and mine.
___________________
Thanks, Margaret! Margaret E. Bell earned her living writing news stories and government reports before retiring and focusing on creative writing. Her poetry is archived on several websites, including the Ghazal Page and the Placer County Arts Page. Her poems have been published in Brevities and the Sacramento Bee. Four of Margaret’s poems were winners in the 2008 Voices of Lincoln contest. Bylines Magazine has awarded honorable mention to two others.
___________________
This week in NorCal poetry:
•••Monday (11/17), 7:30 PM: Sacramento Poetry Center presents Ann Privateer and Edythe Haendel Schwartz at HQ for the Arts, 1719 25th St., Sacramento. Open mic after. [See last Friday's post for bio.]
—Margaret E. Bell, Citrus Heights
What the dickens can I say about your book today?
I fail to understand some words you used.
If you could get in touch, I would appreciate so much
some explanations. I am so confused.
Sharks don’t have round heads, but reading what you said,
it appears you think “shark-headed” does mean that.
If you ever saw a shark, you would know you missed your mark.
Sharks’ heads do not fit into round hats.
Watch your language, Charlie, if you want to talk to me.
I don’t think “fluey” means a dusty look.
Webster hasn’t heard, and doesn’t list that word
in my forty-year-old copy of his book.
Most folks on this earth today are puzzled if you say
“he rested in his fine black velvet housing,”
but I understand you mean that the character was seen
still in a coffin. He is dead, not drowsing.
I’ve never had a “flip” but I will surely try a sip
if you will share with me a glass of wine.
We could sit and chat—talk of dreams and this and that—
and go over all these idioms, yours and mine.
___________________
Thanks, Margaret! Margaret E. Bell earned her living writing news stories and government reports before retiring and focusing on creative writing. Her poetry is archived on several websites, including the Ghazal Page and the Placer County Arts Page. Her poems have been published in Brevities and the Sacramento Bee. Four of Margaret’s poems were winners in the 2008 Voices of Lincoln contest. Bylines Magazine has awarded honorable mention to two others.
___________________
This week in NorCal poetry:
•••Monday (11/17), 7:30 PM: Sacramento Poetry Center presents Ann Privateer and Edythe Haendel Schwartz at HQ for the Arts, 1719 25th St., Sacramento. Open mic after. [See last Friday's post for bio.]
•••Tuesday (11/18), 9 PM and Thursday (11/20), 5 AM: Moore Tiime for Poetry TV Show presents the Berkeley Slam Team, LSB and praise dance group Justice. (If the football game of the week is on, the show will run after the game ends). The Moore Time for Poetry TV series is on cablecast the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays @ 9:00pm on ch.17 Comcast; also SureWest and Strategic Frontier. Also, visit this website, www.accesssacramento.org, and click on the BIG "Watch Channel 17" button to watch our program! (This goes for friends in France, or family in Chicago.) Hosted by Terry Moore & 4-year-old daughter Tyra Moore.
•••Wednesday (11/19), 6-7 PM: Upstairs Poetry reading at The Upstairs Art Gallery, 420 Main St. (2nd floor), Placerville. It's a poetry open-mike read-around, so bring your own poems or those of a favorite poet to share, or just come to listen. No charge. Note: This reading series, normally on the 4th Weds., is a week early this month because of Thanksgiving.
•••Wednesday (11/19), 6-7 PM: Upstairs Poetry reading at The Upstairs Art Gallery, 420 Main St. (2nd floor), Placerville. It's a poetry open-mike read-around, so bring your own poems or those of a favorite poet to share, or just come to listen. No charge. Note: This reading series, normally on the 4th Weds., is a week early this month because of Thanksgiving.
•••Thursday (11/20), 7:30 PM: Nevada County Poetry Series will be celebrating the Spoken Word at its season-ending giant open-mic. Many of the featured and open-mic readers who have contributed to the Series this year will be reading. These year-end celebrations always lead to an excitement-filled evening. There is a freedom of expression and an un-harnessed flow of energy that ignites with the shared creativity and talents of Nevada County's poets, writers and performers. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $5 general, seniors and students, and $1 for those under 18. Refreshments included. The show will be in Off Center Stage (the Black Box theater, enter from Richardson Street) at the Center for the Arts, 314 W. Main St., Grass Valley. Info: (530) 432-8196 or (530) 274-8384.
•••Thursday (11/20), 8 PM: Poetry Unplugged at Luna's Cafe, 1414 16th St., Sacramento. Featured readers. with open mic before and after. Free.
•••Friday (11/21), 7:30 PM: Chicken Soup for the Latino Soul, celebrating Latino life and community across the nation. La Raza Galeria Posada, 1024 22nd St., Sacramento. The Writers of the New Sun / Escritores del Nuevo Sol invite you to warm up with an evening of Chicken Soup stories, memoirs and anecdotes from across the USA. Charlie Mariano is the only local writer included in this remarkable anthology. His essay, in a slightly altered form, originally appeared in the Sacramento Bee. Come settle in to have some snacks and hear these heartwarming stories. Copies of the book, in English or Spanish will be available for $13 each. Proceeds from this evening’s sales of Chicken Soup for the Latino Soul will be donated to the Escritores del Nuevo Soul and to La Raza Galeria Posada. Info: Graciela Ramirez: 916-456-5323.
•••Friday (11/21), 7:30-9 PM: The Other Voice, sponsored by the U.U. Church of Davis, presents the dynamic husband/wife poetry team of Susan and Joseph Finkleman giving us their unique two-voice poems. We meet in the library of the church located at 27074 Patwin Rd. in Davis. Susan Finkleman began her writing career at the age of 10 as a struggling young novelist in Detroit, Michigan, and as a poet at the age of 13. Recent work has been published in Susurrus, Rattlesnake Review, and the Yolo Crow. She now works as office manager at the Davis Cemetery. Joseph Finkleman was born in Hollywood, CA. He has a BFA and MFA from the S.F. Art Institute, was a professional photographer for 20 years and taught photography and animation. Finkleman is also an accomplished water-color artist whose work has been widely shown in Northern California. Several pieces can currently be seen at the Design Center in Davis. He recently completed a libretto for American Chamber Opera. Refreshments and Open Mike follow, so bring along a poem to share, and may we give thanks for poetry and for all art.
•••Thursday (11/20), 8 PM: Poetry Unplugged at Luna's Cafe, 1414 16th St., Sacramento. Featured readers. with open mic before and after. Free.
•••Friday (11/21), 7:30 PM: Chicken Soup for the Latino Soul, celebrating Latino life and community across the nation. La Raza Galeria Posada, 1024 22nd St., Sacramento. The Writers of the New Sun / Escritores del Nuevo Sol invite you to warm up with an evening of Chicken Soup stories, memoirs and anecdotes from across the USA. Charlie Mariano is the only local writer included in this remarkable anthology. His essay, in a slightly altered form, originally appeared in the Sacramento Bee. Come settle in to have some snacks and hear these heartwarming stories. Copies of the book, in English or Spanish will be available for $13 each. Proceeds from this evening’s sales of Chicken Soup for the Latino Soul will be donated to the Escritores del Nuevo Soul and to La Raza Galeria Posada. Info: Graciela Ramirez: 916-456-5323.
•••Friday (11/21), 7:30-9 PM: The Other Voice, sponsored by the U.U. Church of Davis, presents the dynamic husband/wife poetry team of Susan and Joseph Finkleman giving us their unique two-voice poems. We meet in the library of the church located at 27074 Patwin Rd. in Davis. Susan Finkleman began her writing career at the age of 10 as a struggling young novelist in Detroit, Michigan, and as a poet at the age of 13. Recent work has been published in Susurrus, Rattlesnake Review, and the Yolo Crow. She now works as office manager at the Davis Cemetery. Joseph Finkleman was born in Hollywood, CA. He has a BFA and MFA from the S.F. Art Institute, was a professional photographer for 20 years and taught photography and animation. Finkleman is also an accomplished water-color artist whose work has been widely shown in Northern California. Several pieces can currently be seen at the Design Center in Davis. He recently completed a libretto for American Chamber Opera. Refreshments and Open Mike follow, so bring along a poem to share, and may we give thanks for poetry and for all art.
•••Friday (11/21), 7 PM: Poetry at Raven's Tale bookstore in Placerville. Featured readers are Moira Magneson and Wendy Patrice Williams, both of whom have new rattlechaps from Rattlesnake Press. A short poetry open-mic follows (sign up before the featured readers). Raven's Tale is located at 352 Main St., Placerville. There is no charge.
•••Sat. (11/22), 10-11:30 AM: Sacramento Poetry Center Saturday Poetry Workshop, held on the 2nd and 4th Sats. of the month from 10-11:30 AM at the South Natomas Community Center (next to the library), 2901 S. Truxel Rd., Sacramento. Bring 10 copies of your one-page poem for workshopping. Contact Frank Graham or Emmanuel Sigauke, facilitators. FREE!
•••Sat. (11/22): Reading at Luna's Cafe to celebrate the new anthology, La Luna: Poetry Unplugged at Luna's Cafe, edited by frank andrick for Rattlesnake Press. That's 1414 16th St., Sacramento. $6.00.
___________________
SPC 30th Year Fundraiser: Save December 3!
The Sacramento Poetry Center is celebrating its 30th year with its annual fundraiser at the home of Mimi and Burnett Miller on Wednesday, Dec. 3, from 6-8 PM. Please come and attend the Sacramento Poetry Center’s annual (and only) fundraiser of the year with the words and music of Pat Grizzell, the poetry of James DenBoer, and the work of Mary Mackey. Food and dehydration-fighting agents will be served. Tickets in advance or at the door are $25/person or $20/person if you renew your membership ($30/yr) at the same time.
•••Sat. (11/22), 10-11:30 AM: Sacramento Poetry Center Saturday Poetry Workshop, held on the 2nd and 4th Sats. of the month from 10-11:30 AM at the South Natomas Community Center (next to the library), 2901 S. Truxel Rd., Sacramento. Bring 10 copies of your one-page poem for workshopping. Contact Frank Graham or Emmanuel Sigauke, facilitators. FREE!
•••Sat. (11/22): Reading at Luna's Cafe to celebrate the new anthology, La Luna: Poetry Unplugged at Luna's Cafe, edited by frank andrick for Rattlesnake Press. That's 1414 16th St., Sacramento. $6.00.
___________________
SPC 30th Year Fundraiser: Save December 3!
The Sacramento Poetry Center is celebrating its 30th year with its annual fundraiser at the home of Mimi and Burnett Miller on Wednesday, Dec. 3, from 6-8 PM. Please come and attend the Sacramento Poetry Center’s annual (and only) fundraiser of the year with the words and music of Pat Grizzell, the poetry of James DenBoer, and the work of Mary Mackey. Food and dehydration-fighting agents will be served. Tickets in advance or at the door are $25/person or $20/person if you renew your membership ($30/yr) at the same time.
SPACE ARTISTS
—Margaret E. Bell
The Allen Telescope Array, a joint project between
the SETI Institute and the Radio Astronony Laboratory
at the University of California Berkeley, is currently under
development and construction at the Hat Creek Radio
Observatory in northern California.
They look like pale turkeys
standing with tails spread,
round bodies balanced on thin legs.
No turkeys these. They pulse
with power but do not bleed.
Conceived by mere mortals
in the nineteen-nineties,
born at Hat Creek, this flock will
multiply. They pry into the heavens
with forks singing Gregorian chants.
With mechanical devices, they
dig into the atmosphere to
extract radio waves and
paint spectacular pictures
against the Earth’s radiation.
___________________
RECLAMATION
—Margaret E. Bell
Marching across the wide white thoroughfare,
their flashing colors blazing in the sun,
they showed no fear of fast approaching troops
unseen behind their mighty shields of steel.
With grim determination they pushed on
to claim again the land their flock had lost
when interlopers wrenched it from their grasp
turning their gardens into roads and homes.
Death bore down on them with lightening speed
before the force of reason stopped their foes.
They looked not to the right or to the left.
In strict formation, they maintained their pace.
Without a word, agreement had been reached.
No guns were fired to settle the dispute.
Combatants lost no ground and kept their pride
People and wild turkeys now live in peace.
__________________
Nevada County Poetry Series Board of Directors
Bill Gainer, Todd Cirillo, Julie Valin, Chris Olander
__________________
Today's LittleNip:
Down the river of his life he paddled his canoe of complaint.
—Stephen Dobyns
__________________
—Medusa
SnakeWatch: What's New from Rattlesnake Press:
Next deadline for Rattlesnake Review is November 15!!! Send 3-5 poems, smallish art pieces and/or photos (no bio, no cover letter, no simultaneous submissions or previously-published poems) to kathykieth@hotmail.com or P.O. Box 762, Pollock Pines, CA 95726. E-mail attachments are preferred, but be sure to include all contact info, including snail address.
New for November: Now available at The Book Collector, or from the authors, or (soon) through rattlesnakepress.com, or—heck—just write to me and I'll send 'em to you: a new rattlechap from Red Fox Underground Poet Wendy Patrice Williams (Some New Forgetting); a littlesnake broadside from South Lake Tahoe Poet Ray Hadley (Children's Games); our 2009 calendar from Katy Brown (Beyond the Hill: A Poet’s Calendar) as well as Conversations, Vol. 4 of B.L. Kennedy’s Rattlesnake Interview Series. Also: littlesnake broadside #46: Snake Secrets: Getting Your Poetry Published in Rattlesnake Press (and lots of other places, besides!): A compendium of ideas for brushing up on your submissions process so as to make editors everywhere more happy, thereby increasing the likelihood of getting your poetry published.
Coming in December: Join us at The Book Collector on Wednesday, December 10, for the release of a new chapbook from Danyen Powell, a littlesnake broadside from Kevin Jones, and a brand-new issue of Rattlesnake Review (#20)! That's at 7:30, 1008 24th St., Sacramento. Refreshments and a read-around will follow; bring your own poems or somebody else's.
Medusa's Weekly Menu:
(Contributors are welcome to cook up something for any and all of these!)
Monday: Weekly NorCal poetry calendar
Tuesday: Seed of the Week: Tuesday is Medusa's day to post poetry triggers such as quotes, forms, photos, memories, jokes—whatever might tickle somebody's muse. Pick up the gauntlet and send in your poetic results; and don't be shy about sending in your own triggers, too! All poems will be posted and a few of them will go into Medusa's Corner of each Rattlesnake Review. Send your work to kathykieth@hotmail.com or P.O. Box 762, Pollock Pines, CA 95726. No deadline for SOWs; respond today, tomorrow, or whenever the muse arrives. (Print 'em out, maybe, save 'em for a dry spell?) When you send us work, though, just let us know which "seed" it was that inspired you.
Wednesday (sometimes): HandyStuff Quickies: Resources for the poet, including whatever helps ease the pain of writing and/or publishing: favorite journals to read and/or submit to; books, etc., about writing; organizational tools—you know—HandyStuff! Tell us about your favorite tools.
Thursday: B.L.'s Drive-Bys: Micro-reviews by our irreverent Reviewer-in-Residence, B.L. Kennedy. Send books, CDs, DVDs, etc. to him for possible review (either as a Drive-By or in future issues of Rattlesnake Review) at P.O. Box 160664, Sacramento, CA 95816.
Friday: NorCal weekend poetry calendar
Daily (except Sunday): LittleNips: SnakeFood for the Poetic Soul: Daily munchables for poetic thought, including short paragraphs, quotes, wonky words, silliness, little-known poetry/poet facts, and other inspiration—yet another way to feed our ravenous poetic souls.
And poetry! Every day, poetry from writers near and far and in-between! The Snakes of Medusa are always hungry.......!
_________________
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). And be sure to sign up for Snakebytes, our monthly e-newsletter that will keep you up-to-date on all our ophidian chicanery.
Down the river of his life he paddled his canoe of complaint.
—Stephen Dobyns
__________________
—Medusa
SnakeWatch: What's New from Rattlesnake Press:
Next deadline for Rattlesnake Review is November 15!!! Send 3-5 poems, smallish art pieces and/or photos (no bio, no cover letter, no simultaneous submissions or previously-published poems) to kathykieth@hotmail.com or P.O. Box 762, Pollock Pines, CA 95726. E-mail attachments are preferred, but be sure to include all contact info, including snail address.
New for November: Now available at The Book Collector, or from the authors, or (soon) through rattlesnakepress.com, or—heck—just write to me and I'll send 'em to you: a new rattlechap from Red Fox Underground Poet Wendy Patrice Williams (Some New Forgetting); a littlesnake broadside from South Lake Tahoe Poet Ray Hadley (Children's Games); our 2009 calendar from Katy Brown (Beyond the Hill: A Poet’s Calendar) as well as Conversations, Vol. 4 of B.L. Kennedy’s Rattlesnake Interview Series. Also: littlesnake broadside #46: Snake Secrets: Getting Your Poetry Published in Rattlesnake Press (and lots of other places, besides!): A compendium of ideas for brushing up on your submissions process so as to make editors everywhere more happy, thereby increasing the likelihood of getting your poetry published.
Coming in December: Join us at The Book Collector on Wednesday, December 10, for the release of a new chapbook from Danyen Powell, a littlesnake broadside from Kevin Jones, and a brand-new issue of Rattlesnake Review (#20)! That's at 7:30, 1008 24th St., Sacramento. Refreshments and a read-around will follow; bring your own poems or somebody else's.
Medusa's Weekly Menu:
(Contributors are welcome to cook up something for any and all of these!)
Monday: Weekly NorCal poetry calendar
Tuesday: Seed of the Week: Tuesday is Medusa's day to post poetry triggers such as quotes, forms, photos, memories, jokes—whatever might tickle somebody's muse. Pick up the gauntlet and send in your poetic results; and don't be shy about sending in your own triggers, too! All poems will be posted and a few of them will go into Medusa's Corner of each Rattlesnake Review. Send your work to kathykieth@hotmail.com or P.O. Box 762, Pollock Pines, CA 95726. No deadline for SOWs; respond today, tomorrow, or whenever the muse arrives. (Print 'em out, maybe, save 'em for a dry spell?) When you send us work, though, just let us know which "seed" it was that inspired you.
Wednesday (sometimes): HandyStuff Quickies: Resources for the poet, including whatever helps ease the pain of writing and/or publishing: favorite journals to read and/or submit to; books, etc., about writing; organizational tools—you know—HandyStuff! Tell us about your favorite tools.
Thursday: B.L.'s Drive-Bys: Micro-reviews by our irreverent Reviewer-in-Residence, B.L. Kennedy. Send books, CDs, DVDs, etc. to him for possible review (either as a Drive-By or in future issues of Rattlesnake Review) at P.O. Box 160664, Sacramento, CA 95816.
Friday: NorCal weekend poetry calendar
Daily (except Sunday): LittleNips: SnakeFood for the Poetic Soul: Daily munchables for poetic thought, including short paragraphs, quotes, wonky words, silliness, little-known poetry/poet facts, and other inspiration—yet another way to feed our ravenous poetic souls.
And poetry! Every day, poetry from writers near and far and in-between! The Snakes of Medusa are always hungry.......!
_________________
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). And be sure to sign up for Snakebytes, our monthly e-newsletter that will keep you up-to-date on all our ophidian chicanery.