Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho
MOUNTAINS
—Claire J. Baker, Pinole
Mountains have a way of knowing
how to drop:
they can drop suddenly
bearing all their weight
and yet not make a sound.
They reach higher than imagination,
deeper than hell at midnight.
In summer, their cracks widen
into smiles.
In autumn, their rocks tumble off,
like tears.
Winter enshrines their story
almost forever,
Mountains tremble ever so slightly
in moonlight.
____________________
Thanks to today's contributors: Claire for the mountain poem, Michelle's riff on bears, DR's sky photo, Mike Cluff's LittleNip, and a set by Bill Gainer. Our Seed of the Week is Moving Mountains (yes, I know it's a pun; work with it). Send your mountain movements to kathykieth@hotmail.com or P.O. Box 762, Pollock Pines, CA 95726. Or get moved to write by any other SOW; no deadline on any of 'em. (See "Calliope's Closet" over at the right in the skinny green box for more SOWs than you can shake a stick at...)
Tomorrow night is Poets Celebrate Baseball Night at 6pm at the Central Library with the Sac. Poetry Center; hope you can make it. Or, if you're going to be in Alameda, SnakePal Mary Rudge will be reading from her books on Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Hungary, and more at Books Inc., 1344 Park St., Alameda from 7-9pm. And polish up your flivvers for next week: yer gonna be bizzy!
____________________
What could I name three orphaned Russian bear cubs
for a contest for the International Fund for Animals?
Though I am a vegan who loves animals
I must admit to having no fondness for wild bears
Thanks to them, I no longer camp in the woods.
Lake Tahoe black bears attacked my friends' tents;
they figured out the "bear proof" food lockers
along with smashing car windows in the parking lot
because they are addicted to peoples' food
We retailated, throwing rocks and pepper spray
and since then I've had nightmares about bears…
If I must camp now
I always rent a cabin
especially one where I can lock the door tight
Many Russians feel the same about their bears
even though they are "endangered"
Brown bear cubs raised by humans
which grow up to 1,700 lbs with teeth and claws
answering to a name like a dog or lamb
just doesn't seem right
since even trained bears can accidently kill their trainers
by their mere accidental brute strength
So cuddly names like Misha or Natasha should be out
Best name a human could give a bear
would be just "get out of here away from me"
(http://www.causes.com/campaigns/154891?cause_id=2349)
—Michelle Kunert, Sacramento
____________________
CRAZY LOVE
—William S. Gainer, Grass Valley
The tattoo
was for me.
She thought
it would mean
something.
Now she looks like
a carnie worker,
my name,
a big red heart,
a rusty nail
driven
in the middle
of it.
She’s right
though,
it does mean
something.
I’ve kissed it
a few times,
licked its
little puddle
of blood
and tried
to pull the nail
out
with my teeth.
There’s that fleshy
taste
and my name—
a warning sign
between her
shoulder blades.
She’s mine
and I like that.
It drives me nuts...
It’s crazy
I know,
but what the hell...
it’s only
a tattoo.
______________
A NOTE IN THE WINDOW
—William S. Gainer
One leg reaching up
long, slender, thin ankle.
One foot,
one toe,
drawing a heart
in the condensation,
putting a crocked arrow
through it,
writing,
goodbye love—
backwards.
_______________
LISTENING TO THE NIGHT
—William S. Gainer
The deep fear
comes
when you’ve heard
a woman’s scream
in the night.
Not the polite question:
Where you been,
what you doing
who was she?
But a noise that rips
a hole in your heart.
You look
down the street,
in all the lit
windows,
hoping it was just
love dying.
You can’t
pull you collar
high enough
to keep off
the chill.
It’s like that
when you know
someone’s hurt
someone
and all you can do
is listen
to the scream.
_____________
THE FORECAST
—William S. Gainer
Her Winter attire
involves
cowboy boots,
Spring –
it’s heels and tennies,
Summer is sandals
and flip
flops
Fall—
depends on
the weather.
______________
FOR A SECOND
—William S. Gainer
4/2/2011,
saw my first lizard
of the year
this morning.
He saw me too.
_______________
THE SAFETY OF SHADOWS
—William S. Gainer
The room
dark with shadows,
a light hits
the crystal
hanging
in the window,
bounces from
wall, ceiling,
bookshelf—
leaves
with the hour.
The shadows
pull their curtains,
wipe the moment
of
distraction...
The room
again
quiet...
you drift
back
into your
dreams...
Sleep
take you
prisoner.
The shadows
stand guard,
hold you
gently...
______________
THE MOTIVE
—William S. Gainer
She likes
that he does
her laundry,
doesn’t realize
he has
his favorites...
_________________
SIMPLE ENDINGS
—William S. Gainer
You seemed a little
distant
the other night.
Preoccupied,
like you were
thinking about
quitting me.
It’s okay,
dreams don’t always
have to come
true.
We can still smile
when passing,
share a quick kiss
on parting
and even pretend
we don’t hate
each other.
If anyone asks
I’ll just tell them
it never was
like that.
Maybe
you can lie
too.
(previously published in Sac. News & Review)
____________________
Today's LittleNip:
SENRYU
—Michael Cluff, Highland, CA
Diving in under
the storm of competition
I arrive tie-less.
____________________
—Medusa
The Amazing Flying Sky
—Photo by D.R. Wagner