Creatures of Context

—Public Domain Photos Courtesy of Joseph Nolan, Stockton, CA

FOUR PANDEMIC POEMS
—John Stickney, Wilmington, NC

Somewhere Among Us a Virus is Taking Notes
        (after C. Simic and Z. Herbert; inspired by 
         the push to open US Schools)

This virus
is the perfect
student

Unlike you
it is careful
of boundaries

Exact marks
entered
in the margins

It sees you
eyes
calm and clear

And
at the end
of term?

A report card
filled with the
“Highest” marks

* * *

My Bookshelf Background 

        (inspired by the backgrounds of experts featured on TV  

         through the magic of Zoom)


Broadcasting here
From within
A definite space
Of relatively
Small intent—

Oh, ain’t we
Just all
So well read

* * *

Look To The Sky
        (inspired by the Pandemic Fifteen caused by snacking)

Because the mice escaped the lab
with the ability to control similar-sized minds,
they have roped themselves to the backs of ravens
and plan an aerial assault
on your cupboard filled with
Cheetos,
Cheese Curls,
Cheez-Its,
Cheese Nips,
Cheddar Bunnies,
Cheez Wiz
and those delicious,
cheesy
Goldfish.

* * *

Taking the Oriental Express While Vacationing in Place
         (inspired by numerous articles explaining how to have 

          a happy Staycation during lockdown)
 
Is this the compartment for smokers?
No smoking is permitted here.
Try the garage.

 Last Week's Seed of the Week on Medusa's Kitchen

TEMPTATIONS
—Sue Crisp, Shingle Springs, CA
 
(based on this week’s Seed of the Week
photo for Medusa’s Kitchen)

Yes, there it is again, staring at you
with all of its creamy, rippled, off-
white, cool invitation (probably
vanilla), nestled in the host container.

The real teaser is the shiny, sturdy,
chrome ice cream scoop showing of
its offering nestled there.

Oh, you know you want it!  But, can
you resist such a wanton display of
goodness?

IN OUR GENES
—Caschwa, Sacramento, CA

(A Double Etheree based on the Ekphrastic SOW
presented in Medusa’s Kitchen, 8/18/20)

keen
feelings
imitate
Mother Nature
who experienced
moments of great absence
eons before the foibles
of Mankind visited upon
us the Great Depression and hoarding
turning man into fish that eat too much
too fast, no rules, no clock, etcetera
while the opportunity is there
because there might not be a next
time, as they now so well know
you’d better poke that scoop
whether ice cream or
mashed potatoes
we need more
to eat
now!

USED TO BURN IT OFF (Choka form, with added rhymes)
—Caschwa

(response to “Prepared for the
Wrong War” by Katy Brown,
Medusa’s Kitchen, August 17, 2020)


used to burn it off
wet burrito, chili size
the U.S.S. Enterprise
take it as it comes
physical activity
was my main proclivity

metabolism
basal or basil, who cares?
home cooking or county fairs
diet of high carbs
chocolate food pyramid
just ate it all, yes I did

but dental hygiene!
take care of those cavities
use pain meds for gum disease
replace faulty teeth
with cosmetic substitutes
shine them like a pair of boots

now I’m a senior
limitations and nap time
hormones say I’m in my prime
eschatology
we’re still not ready for that
cries gored mouse to well-fed cat

IF ONLY…
—Caschwa

if news was ice cream
each scoop would be delicious,
couldn’t get enough

A CHAMELEON IS A CREATURE OF CONTEXT
—Joseph Nolan
 
A chameleon
Is a creature
Of context.

It blends in with
Its background.

When the background
Changes color,
A chameleon
Will do the same.

It lives in the
Present moment.
Its memory
Is short.

It harkens
To the future,
Adapting
Without resort,

To any
Lingering trace,
Of yesterday’s
Contextual face,
Required
To fit in.

A chameleon,
In this way,
Hopes to win
Whatever it needs
To survive,
As long
As it’s alive!

[The spelling errors were on the original...]

RISING TROUT
—Joseph Nolan

A trout
Rises up
In a stream,
In the crystal water,
Then stops.........
As still
As though
Frozen, in ice!
Just for a moment,
Which is nice,
Since water
Allows for movement,
Unlike ice.

SHOUTING FROM A DREAM
—Joseph Nolan

A leaf,
A weed,
A tree,
A seed,
Signs that
Something’s growing,
Something is alive.

I need you
By my side,
In laughter,
Ever after.

In tears,
When sadness cries,
In gentle lullabies,
Floating near the rafters,
As we drift off to dreams,
Together, side-by-side!

What was that
You shouted
From your dream?

I’m sure
I caught the volume,
But didn’t catch the meaning.

I’m close enough to hear you
Even from a dream,
When we lie together,
Early morning,
Floating on a cloud
We call our bed.

THE BLESSINGS OF OUR BEATING HEARTS
—Joseph Nolan

I think
I feel
I need a chance
To heal,

To hold
Onto
The cold,

To kneel
Before
The wind,

Remember
Times I’ve sinned
And seek
Forgiveness,

Find someone
To bless
With smiles,
Bent into
Moments,
Simple
And undressed.

We know these lines:
The blessings
Of our older ones,
Before they leave
Behind
All they carried
Through life’s storms,
To give
At time we married,
To let us start
A precious blooming
Of our beating hearts.

____________________

Today’s LittleNip:

DOG HEAT
—Joseph Nolan

Which wet dog
Will stink in heat,
Sending all the
Boy-dogs howling,
Running in the street,
Leaping over fences,
Overcoming all defenses,
Until it’s done:
The natural feat
That sets at least
Six puppies
Sucking at the teats?

_____________________

We have a new visitor at the Kitchen table today! John Stickney is a poet/writer, originally from Cleveland, OH, and currently living in the coastal area of Wilmington, NC. He’s a friend of our SnakePal, Smith (Steven B. Smith), who is a regular in the Kitchen on third Thursdays. Thanks for showing him the open Kitchen door, Steven!And thanks also to Sue Crisp for her tantalizing ice cream poem today, and to Joseph Nolan for his equally tantalizing poetry and the photos he found for us.  

Today Carl Schwartz (Caschwa) has brought us two forms: the Choka (www.thepoetsgarret.com/Challenge/choka.html or poetscollective.org/poetryforms/choka) and an Ekphrastic Etheree (Etheree: www.thepoetsgarret.com/2008Challenge/form22.html). Carl is a regular visitor to Form Fiddlers’ Friday in the Kitchen; he has taken to forms like a duck to water. Check out his work, along with other SnakePals’, every Friday as we cheer each other on through the harsh discipline of poetry forms.

Los Angeles Poet Gayle Lindsay Slaten writes to say that she has a new book out on Amazon at smile.amazon.com/dp/B08C95PGJT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_dLEdFb405V4WG/. See some of Gayle’s work in the Kitchen on September 3!

Here in our area, Sac. Poetry Center uses Zoom for weekly readings and workshops, as well as special events. For more info, go to www.sacramentopoetrycenter.com/. Area online poetry events this week include:

•••Tuesday, 6:30pm (note different day): SPC Socially Distant Verse online, this week featuring a Spoken Word Showcase hosted by Patrice Hill, Director of Sacramento Area Youth Speaks, with Cloudy (Sac. Youth Poet Laureate), Alexandra Huynh (Sac. Youth Poet Laureate), Andru Defeye (Sac. Poet Laureate), and Spoken Word Legends Christopher Johnson and Ryk McIntyre. Zoom: us04web.zoom.us/j/7638733462; meeting ID: 763 873 3462 ("P O E T R E E I N C”); password: spcsdv2020.

•••Tues., 7:30-9pm: SPC weekly Tuesday night workshop hosted by Danyen Powell: Bring a poem for critique. Contact mostoycoff@gmail.com for availability and Zoom info.

•••Weds., beginning 8/26, 1-2:30pm: Pandemic//Planet/Protests: Poetry of Place, a free 8-week Zoom writing workshop with Califragile Editor Wren Tuatha. Info/Register by email at mexicoroad@consensus.net. Sponsored by SPC.

•••Wed., 6pm: MarieWriters workshop (prompts), hosted this week by Ann Michaels: zoom.us/j/671443996/.

•••Fri., 4pm: Writing from the Inside Out workshop led by Nick LeForce. Reg. in advance at: zoom.us/meeting/register/upwkde-opjkpnyQECAVBKolY4hKCdl61uA/. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. (If you have registered before, use the same link.)

* * *


Also this week:

•••Fri., 7:30pm: Video poetry reading on Facebook by Davis Poet Laureate James Lee Jobe at james-lee-jobe.blogspot.com/ or youtube.com/jamesleejobe/.

Also this week: Facebook has SPC’s Comedy in Poetry: What’s so funny? with Carlos Alcala and Frank Graham listed as being this Thursday, Aug. 27, but there is no mention of it on SPC’s website; also on the Facebook notice, it’s listed as being on Sept. 10. ??? Stay tuned; here’s the Facebook link: www.facebook.com/events/745325629642976/?active_tab=about/.

For more about El Dorado County poetry events, check Western Slope El Dorado poetry on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ElDoradoCountyPoetry/.

Would you like to be a SnakePal? All you have to do is send poetry and/or photos and artwork to kathykieth@hotmail.com. We post work from all over the world, including that which was previously-published. Just remember:the snakes of Medusa are always hungry!

___________________

—Medusa, trying to resist all that talk of ice cream ~

 

Photos in this column can be enlarged by
clicking on them once, then clicking on the x
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