Photo by Frank Dixon Graham, Sacramento
A LATECOMER TO LOVE’S SALVATION
(A Glosa Poem)
—Salvatore Amico M. Buttaci, Princeton, W.Va
In your light I learn how to love.
In your beauty, how to make poems.
You dance inside my chest
Where no one sees you…
—Jelaluddin Rumi
So many years I constructed walls
high enough to bar the sun,
so none could invade my privacy.
I needed time to hone my craft
far from distractions of the heart:
those irksome cooings of the dove.
in my dark-night cave I scribbled verse,
listened to the rhythm of my own voice,
but now it is you I am thinking of.
In your light I learn how to love.
You helped me tear down my defenses
till at last the sun bathed us in auras
of ocherous gold, so bright your face glowed
like an angel’s. You saved me from darkness,
winged your way to rescue this poor fool
from my own tortures, convinced me a home
unshared is a dungeon dank and gloomy.
Too long I thought I knew how to pen words
but I learned, in that quiet way you’ve shown
in your beauty, how to write poems.
Have I mentioned that I’ve been reborn?
Like the phoenix rose from gray ashes,
I too survived a kind of death,
my wasted life burning away in solitude
while iambs and trochees hypnotically
lured me down, but then I was blessed.
Through a slit in heaven’s floor, you tumbled
earthward, fluttering in sunlight
to where, inspiring my work, I confess,
you dance inside my chest.
A latecomer to love’s salvation,
I concede the gross error of my days.
We are not meant to live alone,
bedeviled by our fears, trapped loners
in dark musings, too certain of ourselves.
And so among our labored poems, few
are worth the ink. Now when I compose
my verses, you live between the lines,
inspiring me the way you do,
where no one sees you.
Thanks to Frank Graham for the photo, and to Sal Buttaci for the poems. (Do you see how the "glosa" form works?) The poems, letters, and stories of Salvatore Buttaci have been published in The New York Times, Newsday, U.S.A. Today, The Writer, Cats Magazine, Rattlesnake Review, and widely elsewhere in America and overseas. His newest book, A Family of Sicilians, is currently available at http://stores.lulu.com/ButtaciPublishing2008/. Sal was the recipient of the $500 Cyber-wit Poetry Award in 2007. He has lectured on Sicilian-American pride and conducted poetry workshops and readings. A retired teacher, Buttaci lives in West Virginia with Sharon, the love of his life.
Sal Buttaci has been a contributor to just about every issue of Rattlesnake Review, despite living on the "other" coast. Before he retired, he was a great help with sending poems from his high school students for VYPER, our teen journal which is no longer being published. For more about Sal, go to Medusa's archives at the right of this column, click on May, 2007, and scroll down to May 1.
Tax Time: Ripe for Elegies!
In Katy Brown's new blank journal, Musings3: An English Affair (to be released tomorrow night at The Book Collector—see below), she writes that the elegy is "a poem written in elegiac couplets: a line of hexameter (6 stressed syllables), followed by a line of pentameter (5 stressed syllables). The poem's subject and tone are traditionally a lament. It can be a poem of mourning about any grave loss." I figure tax time is a perfect season for elegies, with its laments a-plenty. So send us your elegies for our Seed of the Week: sad ones, tongue-in-cheek ones—however the spirit moves you. Or else you might try a "glosa" like Sal's poem above, ending each verse with a line from the epigram.
Submissions opportunities:
Ellen Bass is kind enough to send around a list of publications looking for poetry submissions, and I pass some of them along to you—though of course you must double-check the information by going directly to the source:
•••NIMROD INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL LITERARY AWARDS
Deadline: April 30, 2009
Two prizes of $2,000 each and publication in Nimrod are given annually for works of poetry and short fiction. The runners-up in each category receive $1,000 and publication of their work. U.S. writers may submit a poetry manuscript of 3 to 10 pages or a fiction manuscript of up to 7,500 words with a $20 entry fee, which includes a one-year subscription to Nimrod. Send an SASE, call, e-mail, or visit the Web site for complete guidelines. Nimrod International Journal, Nimrod Literary Awards, 800 South Tucker Drive, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK 74104. (918) 631-3080. Francine Ringold, Editor in Chief. nimrod@utulsa.edu or www.utulsa.edu/nimrod
•••COMSTOCK REVIEW’S 2009 POETRY CONTEST
Accepting from May 1-July 1, 2009
Announcing The Muriel Craft Bailey Memorial Award
First Prize $1000 plus publication
2009 Judge Maxine Kumin
For Guidelines: http://www.comstockreview.org/guidelines.html
•••2009 ROBIN BECKER CHAPBOOK PRIZE,
SPONSORED BY SEVEN KITCHENS PRESS
Deadline: May 15
Prize: $100 plus 25 copies
Submit an original, unpublished poetry manuscript in English by a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered or Queer writer. The manuscript itself need not address L/G/B/T/Q themes, though such work is welcome. Two manuscripts will be selected as co-winners of the 2009 Robin Becker Prize: one by a writer with no previous book or chapbook, and the other by a writer with previous book or chapbook publication. The complete guidelines are posted on the Seven Kitchens site.
•••DIRTY NAPKIN’S SEVENTH ISSUE
Deadline: May 15, 2009
We are interested in poetry, fiction, and letters. Please visit thedirtynapkin.com for more information. We also offer:
THE GERALD STERN POETRY PRIZE
Deadline: May 1, 2009
When you become a subscriber to Dirty Napkin for only $20 a year, you are guaranteed one free entry to the contest.
•••CONTRARY’S SUMMER ISSUE
Deadline for summer is June 1. Contrary accepts submissions only through the online form at contrarymagazine.com. Fiction, Poetry, Reviews, Commentary
http://www.contrarymagazine.com/
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/contrarymag
FACEBOOK: http://www.contrarymagazine.com/facebook.html
•••NEW LETTERS, A MAGAZINE OF WRITING AND ART
Deadline: May 1, 2009 for its 23rd-annual New Letters Literary Awards
Please submit fiction, poetry, and essays for $4,500 in prizes—$1,500 and publication for winners in each category. For guidelines, visit http://www.newletters.org, or send an S.A.S.E. to New Letters Awards for Writers, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 5101 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110.
_________________
A TIMELESS VERTIGO
—Salvatore Amico M. Buttaci
On a carousel whirling in a circular nowhere,
dizzy dream manikins bob woodenly
on splintering steeds of washed-out gray.
In a small-town amusement park beneath
a mobile of cardboard stars, lipsticked ladies
mouth the whistling strains of an offstage
calliope while a billboard swinging
from the high wires is an excuse note
penned by the absent barker's mother.
Unannounced, a troupe of sleep minutes
Parade in Lenten masquerade as if awake,
then whirling cartwheels in mid-air
they tick away. In the stands the two of me
cheer the small hours as gospel truth.
_________________
TREASURE BEYOND GOLD
—Salvatore Amico M. Buttaci
I never lived the upscale life.
My wallet’s anorexic.
If marriage meant I pay my wife,
my lack of funds would wreck it.
I’ve saved my dreams on layaway,
but they’re still out there waiting.
Unless I win the lottery,
I guess they’ll go on laying.
Now you might think this poor boy’s blue,
whose bottom-line is red.
but think again. One thing is true:
Sharon loves me. Enough said.
__________________
A WEREWOLF’S LAMENT
—Salvatore Amico M. Buttaci
Within this heart of mine
I feel the pain
of unrequited love.
To hurt in vain
is more than I can bear.
If I could die,
take a final breath,
I could escape despair.
I can’t change this life of mine.
Hiding from her eyes,
I cannot let her know,
for she would despise
everything about me.
This werewolf heart won’t break.
I dream silver bullets,
that tomorrow I won’t wake.
_________________
Today's LittleNip:
SUNFLOWERS
—Salvatore Amico M. Buttaci
On these hillside fields
Bright sunflowers mimic dawn
With thousand gold suns
Flashing yellow-petaled rays
Beaded with dew of moon tears
_________________
—Medusa
SnakeWatch: What's New from Rattlesnake Press:
Rattlesnake Review: The latest Snake (RR21) is now available (free) at The Book Collector, or send me four bux and I'll mail you one. 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, and please—only one submission per issue.
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!
COMING IN APRIL: Wednesday, April 8 will be our FIFTH ANNUAL BIRTHDAY PARTY/BUFFET at The Book Collector, featuring a SpiralChap of poetry and photos from Laverne Frith (Celebrations: Images and Texts), a littlesnake broadside from Taylor Graham (Edge of Wildwood), and Musings3: An English Affair, a new blank journal of photos and writing prompts from Katy Brown. That’s at The Book Collector, 1008 24th St., Sacramento, 7:30 PM.
And April 15 is the deadline for the second issue of WTF, the free quarterly journal from Poetry Unplugged at Luna's Cafe that is edited by frank andrick. Submission guidelines are the same as for the Snake, but send your poems, photos, smallish art or prose pieces (500 words or less) to fandrickfabpub@hotmail.com (attachments preferred) or, if you’re snailing, to P.O. Box 762, Pollock Pines, CA 95726. And be forewarned: this publication is for adults only, so you must be over 18 years of age to submit. Copies of the first issue are at The Book Collector, or send me two bux and I'll mail you one.
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.
