Loki and Her Pups
—Poetry and Photos by Taylor Graham, Placerville, CA
—And scroll down for Form Fiddlers’ Friday!
SEARCHING THE GARAGE
Loki leaves our closet of warm puppies heavy with milk. She quick-searches the house room by room, corridors, corners, sniffing under pillows, blankets; in the garage, boxes, old camping gear; sniffing for puppies lost, left behind, stolen. Their yesterday-scent hides here and there, while eight live pups hum in the closet. Can’t she count beyond 7? Does 8 become infinity—puppies without number? She only had 8, there aren’t any more. Not in our little Honda that faintly smells of puppy-trip last week. She circles, scans as for contraband, checking hubcaps, undercarriage. I open the hatchback, she leaps inside, snuffing, listening…. So like a human—can’t she be content with the here and now, the living?
She rummages folds
of seat-cover—in every
crevice is ghost-scent.
Loki leaves our closet of warm puppies heavy with milk. She quick-searches the house room by room, corridors, corners, sniffing under pillows, blankets; in the garage, boxes, old camping gear; sniffing for puppies lost, left behind, stolen. Their yesterday-scent hides here and there, while eight live pups hum in the closet. Can’t she count beyond 7? Does 8 become infinity—puppies without number? She only had 8, there aren’t any more. Not in our little Honda that faintly smells of puppy-trip last week. She circles, scans as for contraband, checking hubcaps, undercarriage. I open the hatchback, she leaps inside, snuffing, listening…. So like a human—can’t she be content with the here and now, the living?
She rummages folds
of seat-cover—in every
crevice is ghost-scent.
JANUARY ON THE FARM
Tender green grass pushes up
through tough dead gray of last year.
Miners lettuce grows lush
under leafless oak with its poison
namesake. Manzanita bursts
into pale pink bud. Here,
woods path opens to pasture—
where are the cows? Odd
shapes like geese. Half a dozen
geese unmoving, one in process
of just taking off or landing
but motionless. We tiptoe closer to
see, the other side of hot-wire,
fake geese, not grazing or napping,
not headed south or north,
artificial geese caught
in their shapes without the breath,
the spirit, the sense
of season. No one to explain.
Tomorrow is February.
Tender green grass pushes up
through tough dead gray of last year.
Miners lettuce grows lush
under leafless oak with its poison
namesake. Manzanita bursts
into pale pink bud. Here,
woods path opens to pasture—
where are the cows? Odd
shapes like geese. Half a dozen
geese unmoving, one in process
of just taking off or landing
but motionless. We tiptoe closer to
see, the other side of hot-wire,
fake geese, not grazing or napping,
not headed south or north,
artificial geese caught
in their shapes without the breath,
the spirit, the sense
of season. No one to explain.
Tomorrow is February.
DANCING WITH A FAWN
It simply faded with the dawn.
I should have set it down, my pen
still sleepy. If not now, oh when?
In dream I journeyed with a fawn—
It simply faded with the dawn,
with aftertaste of forest, a green glen,
insistent summons of a wren.
(Your only comment was a yawn.)
It simply faded with the dawn—
can such dreams ever come again?
It ended like a blessing, an amen
sweetest of this world, not gone
but simply faded with the dawn.
It simply faded with the dawn.
I should have set it down, my pen
still sleepy. If not now, oh when?
In dream I journeyed with a fawn—
It simply faded with the dawn,
with aftertaste of forest, a green glen,
insistent summons of a wren.
(Your only comment was a yawn.)
It simply faded with the dawn—
can such dreams ever come again?
It ended like a blessing, an amen
sweetest of this world, not gone
but simply faded with the dawn.
HOW WE WERE PUPPY-PICKED,
for Piper
Troublemaker puppy,
the homeliest of our litter—
our Pandora’s-box pup.
We chose her sister instead,
cute, sweet and cuddly,
while problem-Pan sat thinking.
Our pups started disappearing
to new loving homes,
leaving just Pan and her sister.
Pan considered her options,
the open steps to our loft,
and set out on exploration.
Thump! up steps to bedroom loft,
Galumph! down stairs on other side.
I put her back in her pen.
She repeated her chancy trek—
big-dog’s red Kong in her mouth,
to lay it gently in your hand.
for Piper
Troublemaker puppy,
the homeliest of our litter—
our Pandora’s-box pup.
We chose her sister instead,
cute, sweet and cuddly,
while problem-Pan sat thinking.
Our pups started disappearing
to new loving homes,
leaving just Pan and her sister.
Pan considered her options,
the open steps to our loft,
and set out on exploration.
Thump! up steps to bedroom loft,
Galumph! down stairs on other side.
I put her back in her pen.
She repeated her chancy trek—
big-dog’s red Kong in her mouth,
to lay it gently in your hand.
DREAM OF A RETREAT
I dreamt an unkempt scholar’s rambling lair
of near-forgotten, potent texts of yore;
and his friend musician pan-piping air.
They spoke in tongues of syllables before
the written word, and tones beyond the score—
or so it seemed in dream-recall—a town
untouched by ages among peaks that soar.
I heard of plans, a theme-park for a crown.
With dawn, a new reality is coming down.
I dreamt an unkempt scholar’s rambling lair
of near-forgotten, potent texts of yore;
and his friend musician pan-piping air.
They spoke in tongues of syllables before
the written word, and tones beyond the score—
or so it seemed in dream-recall—a town
untouched by ages among peaks that soar.
I heard of plans, a theme-park for a crown.
With dawn, a new reality is coming down.
KITE FANTASY
A homeless boy
makes kites to sell—
tiny lovely rice-paper kites
to sail the heights.
Up up ahoy!
they loft and swell
a home-girl’s joy.
Grandmother brings
her to the park—
and here’s a kite to fly, flawless
blue as sky’s dress,
a rising lark,
on wind that sings.
A kite looks down
upon the town,
upon the homeless and home-bound
attached to ground.
What rare delight
in the heart’s flight
on a blue kite.
A homeless boy
makes kites to sell—
tiny lovely rice-paper kites
to sail the heights.
Up up ahoy!
they loft and swell
a home-girl’s joy.
Grandmother brings
her to the park—
and here’s a kite to fly, flawless
blue as sky’s dress,
a rising lark,
on wind that sings.
A kite looks down
upon the town,
upon the homeless and home-bound
attached to ground.
What rare delight
in the heart’s flight
on a blue kite.
Today’s LittleNip:
SUPER SKY
—Taylor Graham
I woke in a fog
cold and gray as dead man’s breath.
I climbed up through fog
to the ridge were gray scattered
and spread to buttermilk cloud
and sun exploded
through, splattering the whole sky
luminous, alive.
______________________________________
Gung Hay Fat Choy!
Today begins Chinese New Year! This is the Chinese Year of the Ox. “This year is going to be lucky and also perfect to focus on relationships, whether we are talking about friendships or love. In the Chinese Zodiac, the Ox is very hardworking and methodical. 2021 is going to be a year when work will get rewarded, and those zodiac signs who are lucky in terms of money this year will be the ones that will make a considerable effort.” For more, go to chinesenewyear.net/zodiac/ox/ or
(www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/ox.htm). (Thanks to Michelle Kunert for this information.)
Tomorrow (2/13), at 12:30pm, San Joaquin Writer’s Club presents Jennifer Pickering with a discussion of ekphrastic writing and a slide show of her art. She will read writing inspired by her art, as written by Lynette Blumhardt, Carol Lynn Stevenson Grellas, and Patricia Wentzel, as well as herself, plus selections from her new book, Fruit Box Castles: Poems from a Peach Rancher’s Daughter. Go to us02web.zoom.us/j/87673647225/. Facebook info: www.facebook.com/groups/251039671915125/permalink/1454354964916917/?notif_id=1612985271369143¬if_t=page_group_post&ref=notif
Friday always brings the Kitchen some poets who are nimble with forms—starting with Taylor Graham (above), who has responded to our “Puppies” Seed of the Week with tales and images of her own dogs’ numerous litters over the years—and thank-you, Taylor Graham! (Lots of dreams here today, too; best to dream the winter away.) Taylor’s forms this week include a Dansa (“Dancing with a Fawn”); a Triversen (“How We Were Puppy-Picked”); a Boketto (“Super Sky”); a Spenserian Stanza (“Dream of a Retreat”); a Fantasy (“Kite Fantasy”); and a Haibun (“Searching the Garage”—an old poem from when Loki had pups years ago).
And now it’s time for …
FORM FIDDLERS’ FRIDAY!
(www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/ox.htm). (Thanks to Michelle Kunert for this information.)
Tomorrow (2/13), at 12:30pm, San Joaquin Writer’s Club presents Jennifer Pickering with a discussion of ekphrastic writing and a slide show of her art. She will read writing inspired by her art, as written by Lynette Blumhardt, Carol Lynn Stevenson Grellas, and Patricia Wentzel, as well as herself, plus selections from her new book, Fruit Box Castles: Poems from a Peach Rancher’s Daughter. Go to us02web.zoom.us/j/87673647225/. Facebook info: www.facebook.com/groups/251039671915125/permalink/1454354964916917/?notif_id=1612985271369143¬if_t=page_group_post&ref=notif
Friday always brings the Kitchen some poets who are nimble with forms—starting with Taylor Graham (above), who has responded to our “Puppies” Seed of the Week with tales and images of her own dogs’ numerous litters over the years—and thank-you, Taylor Graham! (Lots of dreams here today, too; best to dream the winter away.) Taylor’s forms this week include a Dansa (“Dancing with a Fawn”); a Triversen (“How We Were Puppy-Picked”); a Boketto (“Super Sky”); a Spenserian Stanza (“Dream of a Retreat”); a Fantasy (“Kite Fantasy”); and a Haibun (“Searching the Garage”—an old poem from when Loki had pups years ago).
And now it’s time for …
FORM FIDDLERS’ FRIDAY!
Joyce Odam has sent us some Golden Trillium Triads, and here is how she describes them:
Golden Trillium Triads:
Poem of 3-stanzas; each stanza 3-lines in 5-7-5 pattern & can stand
on its own as a short poem. Each stanza has a subtitle that refers to
a different aspect of the subject chosen. Each stanza presents a brief
image suggested by the title. The unity in the Golden Trillium is the
one-word title for the poem.
ANGUISH
—Joyce Odam, Sacramento, CA
Dog Howl
Dark autumn morning,
some neighborhood dog, howling—
tied up—or grieving.
Bird Song
No birds yet—too dark.
What starts their joy, or warning—
those declarations?
Insomniac
Morning now. Day-sounds.
Light. And interruptions. Yawn.
Sleep the day away.
Okay, so Joyce bent the one-word title rule. Such is life… And now here is Caschwa (Carl Schwartz), with two Fantasy forms, our Fiddlers’ Challenge last week. They make lovely lay-outs on the page, especially if you use them for a subject which itself meanders, like Taylor’s kite, or Carl’s highway:
REVERSAL REHEARSAL
—Caschwa, Sacramento, CA
Redwood Highway
has a place where
water appears to run uphill
yes, that it will
and by the way
if you would care
it does each day
Arizona’s
red-brick-walled school
is called “Home of the Lumberjacks”
no nails or tacks
who could they fool?
disturb, it does
one’s critical
political
helter-skelter maneuvering
manure can bring
false direction,
insurrection,
harsh correction
* * *
WIND TALK
—Caschwa
a little breeze
rustles the leaves
quite like an elaborate feign
that sounds like rain
or melting cheese
no drips from eaves
I think I’ll sneeze
just stepped outside
to survey sky
saw dark and darker shades of gray
without delay
it hit my eye
now open wide
back in I go
hi ho, hi ho
umbrella rests right by the door
can let it pour
I’ll step out now
with my knowhow
over my brow
Some Cinquains:
GRAB IT
—Caschwa
behold
a start for hope
glistening metal ring
cue the unmuted brass fanfare
winner!
***
enriched
simple grain foods
Caramelized, all ready
to visit your lonely taste buds:
new friend
***
countless
dollars spent on
frivolous foolishness
while people starve because they are
jobless
Another improvised form from Carl:
ANOTHER BIG BROTHER
—Caschwa
born in the year of the dystopian novel
pitting itself against utopian grovel
by the year in the title
my life was a recital
college degree
married sweetly
we had a son
kept it at one
time crept forth
all moved north
now I’m looking for coupons on the computer
can do that myself without help of a tutor
their disclaimer shunned sieg heils
but asked to see all my files
and I chose not
to get so caught
upper right “X”
clicked, no more hex
eye my cash
out I dash
[Described as: 2 stanzas of 10 lines each, as follows:
Line rhyme syllables
1 a 12
2 a 12
3 b 7
4 b 7
5 c 4
6 c 4
7 d 4
8 d 4
9 e 3
10 e 3
Stanza #2 uses the same syllable count, and continues the pattern of rhymes from Stanza #1 (ffgghhiijj)]
Carl says this next one is pretty much a Haiku Chain—maybe bent a little. Well, who isn’t?
SUBURBIA
—Caschwa
this morn when I walked
out front to fetch the paper
eyes were met by a
rafter of turkeys
strolling gaily down the street
pecking parts of lawns
also looking on
were two white-breasted black cats
under a parked car
and then the air was
disturbed by a rooster’s crow
all before coffee
SUBURBIA
—Caschwa
this morn when I walked
out front to fetch the paper
eyes were met by a
rafter of turkeys
strolling gaily down the street
pecking parts of lawns
also looking on
were two white-breasted black cats
under a parked car
and then the air was
disturbed by a rooster’s crow
all before coffee
And ending up with an Acrostic. Actually, it’s an phonetic Acrostic; read the first words of each line and see if you can tell what single word they sound like. Or, you could call it an Acoustic Acrostic…..
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
—Caschwa
such a challenge to overcome!
self discipline, hard training,
a few hours a day at the
grand piano, wood so shiny your
eyes are drawn to mirrored busy fingers
meant to merge harmony and percussion
_________________
Many thanks to SnakePals Taylor Graham, Joyce Odam and Caschwa for their brave form-fiddling! Would you like to be a SnakePal? All you have to do is send poetry—forms or not—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!
_________________
FIDDLERS’ CHALLENGE!
See what you can make of this week’s poetry form, and send it to kathykieth@hotmail.com! (No deadline.) This week's challenge: Abhanga: poetscollective.org/poetryforms/abhanga
__________________
MEDUSA’S FORM FINDER: Links to poetry forms mentioned today:
•••Abhanga: poetscollective.org/poetryforms/abhanga
•••Acrostic: literarydevices.net/acrostic
•••Boketto (“Listen to the Light”):
poeticbloomings2.wordpress.com2016/05/11/inform-poets-boketto
•••Cinquain: poets.org/glossary/cinquain OR www.poewar.com/poetry-in-forms-series-cinquain
•••Dansa: www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/dansa-poetic-forms
•••Ekphrastic: notesofoak.com/discover-literature/ekphrastic-poetry
•••Fantasy: poetscollective.org/poetryforms
•••Golden Trillium Triads: 3 stanzas of 3 lines each, 5-7-5; each could stand on its own as a short poem. Each has subtitle that refers to a different aspect of subject chosen, and has brief image suggested by title. Poem is unified by one-word titles.
•••Haibun: www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/haibun-poems-poetic-form
•••Spenserian Stanza: www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/spenserian-stanza
•••Triversen: www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/triversen-poetic-form
__________________
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
—Caschwa
such a challenge to overcome!
self discipline, hard training,
a few hours a day at the
grand piano, wood so shiny your
eyes are drawn to mirrored busy fingers
meant to merge harmony and percussion
_________________
Many thanks to SnakePals Taylor Graham, Joyce Odam and Caschwa for their brave form-fiddling! Would you like to be a SnakePal? All you have to do is send poetry—forms or not—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!
_________________
FIDDLERS’ CHALLENGE!
__________________
MEDUSA’S FORM FINDER: Links to poetry forms mentioned today:
•••Abhanga: poetscollective.org/poetryforms/abhanga
•••Acrostic: literarydevices.net/acrostic
•••Boketto (“Listen to the Light”):
poeticbloomings2.wordpress.com2016/05/11/inform-poets-boketto
•••Cinquain: poets.org/glossary/cinquain OR www.poewar.com/poetry-in-forms-series-cinquain
•••Dansa: www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/dansa-poetic-forms
•••Ekphrastic: notesofoak.com/discover-literature/ekphrastic-poetry
•••Fantasy: poetscollective.org/poetryforms
•••Golden Trillium Triads: 3 stanzas of 3 lines each, 5-7-5; each could stand on its own as a short poem. Each has subtitle that refers to a different aspect of subject chosen, and has brief image suggested by title. Poem is unified by one-word titles.
•••Haibun: www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/haibun-poems-poetic-form
•••Spenserian Stanza: www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/spenserian-stanza
•••Triversen: www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/triversen-poetic-form
__________________
—Medusa
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