Photo by Stephani Schaefer
WHY CAN'T
nations just sing
for territory like birds?
Think of it.
Can you see them?
Israeli and Palestinian,
Indian and Pakistani
lined up at borders
hurling song at one another.
—Stephani Schaefer, Los Molinos
___________________
THE SOUND OF LIGHT
—Stephani Schaefer
Light breaks over the sound,
a flat flash to the shore
where small stones cast long shadows
and ebbtide sucks soundlessly
at glistening strings of kelp.
Crabs scuttle sideways
leaving switchback markings in wet sand.
No sound, not even a gull,
as light silently grows.
__________________
Thanks, Steph, for the wondrous photo and poems! Watch for more of Stephani Schaefer's photos and poems in Rattlesnake Review #21, due out in mid-March.
Tonight!
Tonight, Thursday Feb. 19, 8 PM, The Snake posse takes a road trip to Luna’s Café (1414 16th St., Sacramento) for the premiere of our new, free Poetry Unplugged quarterly, WTF, edited by frank andrick. (For those of you just tuning in, Poetry Unplugged is the long-running reading series at Luna's Cafe.) For the premiere, frank has lined up an action-packed program: Open mic (bring poems), Josh Fernandez reading from his new littlesnake broadside (In The End It’s A Worthless Machine); featured poets from WTF (and free copies); more open mic; musicians Chelsea Wolfe and Levator, plus Art Luna’s famous liquados and so much more. Be there!
Here are some poems from Shawn Aveningo, one of the poets in the new WTF:
SUGAR, SPICE, AND STILLETOS
(Ode to Angelina)
—Shawn Aveningo, Rescue
To meander a mile in her Milano’s,
crimson carpet
unfurled before footsteps,
parading in pumps with such pomp,
every circumstance an occasion.
What power,
What pride,
what…..
…..a long way
to
fall
down.
Flats,
shiny black,
no platform
to launch
my dreams.
Simply me
in my Mary-Janes,
holding mommy’s hand.
_________________
SEASONS OF SAN FRANCISCO—
THE REAL TREAT
—Shawn Aveningo
Autumn.
Palace of Fine Arts.
Swans swim among
moss laden mirrors,
reflections murky.
Corinthian goddesses
backs turned to shield
a muse-less
façade.
Scaffolds scale
domed centerpiece,
as trolley cars unload
Nikon toting tourists.
NYC may have Sex
and the City, but I watched
young lovers here in San Fran,
their passion an art form
all its own.
So cosmopolitan
even without grey goose,
swans tuck
head under wing,
goddesses
turn a blushing cheek.
ah springtime
beneath golden gate.
_________________
FACING THE TRUTH
—Shawn Aveningo
Steichen's roses have faces in them.
I look in the mirror at my face,
a face now aging quicker than before,
when youth’s blush rosied my cheeky face,
I now face cheeks pink with roseacea,
I now face a complex maze of lines,
lines now covering a once alabaster face,
today wrinkled from facing life’s, well,
complexities. Facing the mirror, I frown,
hence my face’s divots deepening. Stop.
Put a smile on that face. Life has smiled
upon me, blessed me with faces of children,
faces of friends, family, both near and far,
yet behind the façade, a heart full of scars.
(first line is from Gabrielle Glancy’s “An Exercise in Sadness”, published in The New Yorker)
__________________
LIFESAVER
—Shawn Aveningo
Eyes ageless,
still ablaze,
hesitant to stare
into another’s,
fearful of drowning
in green pools perhaps,
this native unable
to swim among tidal
waves of emotion,
fearful of falling
overboard,
or worse.
I promise
I won’t let you sink.
__________________
B.L.'s Drive-Bys: A Micro-Review by B.L. Kennedy:
WHIPPED CREAM AND SUSHI
by Nila northSun
LRB #57 from
Lummox Press
PO Box 5301
San Pedro, CA 90733
48 pp., chapbook, $5
Whipped Cream and Sushi is a new collection from Nila northSun, and, like all the work that I have had the chance to encounter from this poet, it is a true pleasure of a read. I have had the opportunity to see Nila northSun read on two separate occasions, and both were wonderful experiences. I highly suggest that you, the reader of this Drive-By Review, hustle up $5 and order this very cool chapbook from Lummox Press before they all disappear. [See Conversations, Vol. 4, from Rattlesnake Press, for B.L. Kennedy’s interview with Nila northSun.]
—B.L. Kennedy, Reviewer-in-Residence
__________________
Today's LittleNip:
Surprise!
a moonflower fell—
midnight sound.
—Shiki
__________________
—Medusa
SnakeWatch: What's New from Rattlesnake Press:
Rattlesnake Review: The latest issue (RR20) is currently available at The Book Collector, or send me four bux and I'll mail you one. Deadline for RR21 was Sunday, Feb. 15; the issue will appear in mid-March. Next deadline is May 15 for RR22: 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. Meanwhile, the snakes of Medusa are always hungry; let us know if your submission is for the Review or for Medusa, or for either one.
Also available (free): 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. Pick up a copy at The Book Collector or write to me and I'll send you one. Free!
New for February: Now available! A new rattlechap from Sacramento's Poet Laureate, Julia Connor (Oar); a free littlesnake broadside from Josh Fernandez (In The End, It’s A Worthless Machine); and the premiere of our new Rattlesnake Reprints, featuring The Dimensions of the Morning by D.R. Wagner, which was first published by Black Rabbit Press in 1969. Available from the poets or at The Book Collector (1008 24th St., Sacramento) or (soon) from rattlesnakepress.com/.
And on February 19, the premiere of our new, free Poetry Unplugged quarterly, WTF, edited by frank andrick, will be celebrated at Luna's Cafe, 1414 16th St., Sacramento, 8 PM. (For those of you just tuning in, Poetry Unplugged is the long-running reading series at Luna's Cafe.)
Coming in March: On Wednesday, March 11, Rattlesnake Press will be releasing a new chapbook from Norma Kohout (All Aboard); a littlesnake broadside from Patricia Hickerson (At Grail Castle Hotel); and a new issue of Rattlesnake Review (the Snake turns 21)! Join us at The Book Collector, 1008 24th St., Sacramento, 7:30. 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, or any other day!): 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.
