—Poetry and Photos by Taylor Graham, Placerville, CA
—And scroll down for FORM FIDDLERS’ FRIDAY!
—And scroll down for FORM FIDDLERS’ FRIDAY!
PLANET & SKY
My internet is out; blame the weather in Texas.
The news has witnessed years of shared
trauma today. Aren’t we all connected by planet
and sky? I carry out my bucket of mop-water,
fling it on the periwinkle—why has it gone yellow
after last summer’s dust has changed to mud?
My presence scatters titmouse and finches
from the hanging feeder. From woods, a sibilant
call—protest from which bird? I turn back
toward the house and there, a new woodpecker
swinging from the feeder—I can’t look him up
on the internet. Has he arrived here because
of our changed and changing weather? Why ask?
The bird’s got a meal ticket for planet and sky.
My internet is out; blame the weather in Texas.
The news has witnessed years of shared
trauma today. Aren’t we all connected by planet
and sky? I carry out my bucket of mop-water,
fling it on the periwinkle—why has it gone yellow
after last summer’s dust has changed to mud?
My presence scatters titmouse and finches
from the hanging feeder. From woods, a sibilant
call—protest from which bird? I turn back
toward the house and there, a new woodpecker
swinging from the feeder—I can’t look him up
on the internet. Has he arrived here because
of our changed and changing weather? Why ask?
The bird’s got a meal ticket for planet and sky.
CAT IN THE PINCH
My cat’s kept on the cozy side of sliding door.
Her goal is glory on the gopher battlefront.
Listen how night lullabys wail and sing—
how Coyote slips its yip-howl!
How Coyote slips its yip-howl,
or is it Horned Owl always hungering?
The crafty dark is calling our Cat to the hunt,
but is she not the prey for now and nevermore?
My cat’s kept on the cozy side of sliding door.
Her goal is glory on the gopher battlefront.
Listen how night lullabys wail and sing—
how Coyote slips its yip-howl!
How Coyote slips its yip-howl,
or is it Horned Owl always hungering?
The crafty dark is calling our Cat to the hunt,
but is she not the prey for now and nevermore?
WORDS IN WINTER
Bundled and masked to the courthouse steps
we’ve come
keeping our distances, holding books and papers
to speak
our protest, our hopes and prayers, our poems—
just words
heard over ages, of brotherhood and peace,
justice,
each masked voice separate and making a space
for all.
Bundled and masked to the courthouse steps
we’ve come
keeping our distances, holding books and papers
to speak
our protest, our hopes and prayers, our poems—
just words
heard over ages, of brotherhood and peace,
justice,
each masked voice separate and making a space
for all.
AT THE PEACE WATCH 2012
We dodge placards parading Main Street. It was Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. Evening's dark as the inside of a beer-can, cold taste of metal. We come inside and leave the door ajar as welcome to our world. How many chairs does it take to form a circle? We came in with the others; does that make all of us guilty? Moral Majority waits outside. Anti-War=Pro-Terror. Who cares about Polar Bears? I wish to believe there’s not a word that can't transform to song. Peace I ask of thee o river
blue of a boy's eyes
singing to winter—only
the near shore is ice.
(prev. pub. in Verse Wisconsin)
We dodge placards parading Main Street. It was Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. Evening's dark as the inside of a beer-can, cold taste of metal. We come inside and leave the door ajar as welcome to our world. How many chairs does it take to form a circle? We came in with the others; does that make all of us guilty? Moral Majority waits outside. Anti-War=Pro-Terror. Who cares about Polar Bears? I wish to believe there’s not a word that can't transform to song. Peace I ask of thee o river
blue of a boy's eyes
singing to winter—only
the near shore is ice.
(prev. pub. in Verse Wisconsin)
SCAPE
Wheels
Assorted cars, trucks,
trailers, fishing boat all at
ready for the road.
Fenced
Grazing pasture at
their ease, two tall horses, one
buckskin and a gray.
Mystery
At foot of driveway
by mailbox stands one snug
cedar-bark tepee.
Wheels
Assorted cars, trucks,
trailers, fishing boat all at
ready for the road.
Fenced
Grazing pasture at
their ease, two tall horses, one
buckskin and a gray.
Mystery
At foot of driveway
by mailbox stands one snug
cedar-bark tepee.
ROADTRIP FOR SHOTS
We got appointments. Driving in a gray drizzle—
pause for 5 peacocks flashing their colors
in the road. Wild turkeys pecking acorns—
what do they care for Covid shots? Switchback
down to undammed river. Windshield wipers,
oak-studded creek in rain. Green hills lead to
Jackson—hour’s drive for a needle in your
arm. Then two hours north, backroads horse country,
for mine. At outskirts of Rocklin I’m lost—
maze of speeding cars, “driving directions”
wrong. Compass & follow my nose to
pharmacy. Roll up sleeve, get shot. Then, lost
again trying to escape the city.
In 4 weeks, repeat for 2nd dose. But
for now, backroads another hour’s drive home.
What will I remember? oak-wooded creek,
mosses and lichen at peace blessing rain.
We got appointments. Driving in a gray drizzle—
pause for 5 peacocks flashing their colors
in the road. Wild turkeys pecking acorns—
what do they care for Covid shots? Switchback
down to undammed river. Windshield wipers,
oak-studded creek in rain. Green hills lead to
Jackson—hour’s drive for a needle in your
arm. Then two hours north, backroads horse country,
for mine. At outskirts of Rocklin I’m lost—
maze of speeding cars, “driving directions”
wrong. Compass & follow my nose to
pharmacy. Roll up sleeve, get shot. Then, lost
again trying to escape the city.
In 4 weeks, repeat for 2nd dose. But
for now, backroads another hour’s drive home.
What will I remember? oak-wooded creek,
mosses and lichen at peace blessing rain.
Today’s LittleNip:
A PEACE SHRINE
—Taylor Graham
Upon the shore a man set stones
one on another in the name
of amity. But hear the moans
of ocean tiding without blame.
His shrine’s become a barren shore
of salvaged stones, a threshing floor.
The breakers polish without cease
the stones he chose to bless for peace.
(prev. pub. in The Road Not Taken)
_____________________
Signs of peace (our Seed of the Week), thanks to Taylor Graham this morning! And poetry forms, as well: a Rispetto (“A Peace Shrine”); some Blank Verse (“Roadtrip for Shots”); an Amanda's Pinch (“Cat in the Pinch”); a Waltmarie (a new form! “Words in Winter”); some Golden Trillium Triads (“Scape”); a Word-can Poem (“Planet & Sky”) and a Haibun ( “At the Peace Watch 2012”). See www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/waltmarie-poetic-forms for more about the Waltmarie.
And now it’s time for…
FORM FIDDLERS’ FRIDAY!
A PEACE SHRINE
—Taylor Graham
Upon the shore a man set stones
one on another in the name
of amity. But hear the moans
of ocean tiding without blame.
His shrine’s become a barren shore
of salvaged stones, a threshing floor.
The breakers polish without cease
the stones he chose to bless for peace.
(prev. pub. in The Road Not Taken)
_____________________
Signs of peace (our Seed of the Week), thanks to Taylor Graham this morning! And poetry forms, as well: a Rispetto (“A Peace Shrine”); some Blank Verse (“Roadtrip for Shots”); an Amanda's Pinch (“Cat in the Pinch”); a Waltmarie (a new form! “Words in Winter”); some Golden Trillium Triads (“Scape”); a Word-can Poem (“Planet & Sky”) and a Haibun ( “At the Peace Watch 2012”). See www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/waltmarie-poetic-forms for more about the Waltmarie.
And now it’s time for…
FORM FIDDLERS’ FRIDAY!
Joyce Odam has sent us an interesting variation on the Shakespearean Sonnet, called a Smith Sonnet— not to be confused with a sonnet form by Charlotte Smith, called the Smith’s Sonnet. The Smith Sonnet is in 5-foot pentameter, unrhymed except for the final couplet:
TO THE WORLD
—Joyce Odam, Sacramento, CA
Maybe we will flatten to the world,
live out its arrogance, live in its grace,
resist the many shadowings that pull
like any leaf relinquished to the fall…
and maybe face the mirror of reprieve
and tell our stories to the deaf and blind
as if they cared about us or could bear
the giving and receiving of such cries…
and if we pray to silence when some grief
has torn us for some last time, may we bide
forever in redemption made of love—
as if love were not sacrifice enough—
that when life gets too real we may pretend
there’s more to the beginning than the end.
Wise words from Joyce! Caschwa (Carl Schwartz) took the bait of last Friday’s Fiddlers’ Challenge and set us a poem with the intriguing form-name of "Amanda’s Pinch":
GOD HELP ME
—Caschwa, Sacramento
there come thoughts from theories of popular sayings
“God helps those who help themselves” cannot be put as
go to a pie shop and clear all the shelves
had an idea, and off I ran
had an idea, and off I ran
oh how precious is the freedom of elves
own the whole dance floor, do-si-do and all that jazz
the first skinny dip feelings were jellyfish stings
—Caschwa, Sacramento
there come thoughts from theories of popular sayings
“God helps those who help themselves” cannot be put as
go to a pie shop and clear all the shelves
had an idea, and off I ran
had an idea, and off I ran
oh how precious is the freedom of elves
own the whole dance floor, do-si-do and all that jazz
the first skinny dip feelings were jellyfish stings
Here is an Argonelle from Carl:
BEING GRADED
—Caschwa
snuck out
early to mow the lawn
the whole household was still sleeping
dog with her clipboard came peeping
measuring what was gone
BEING GRADED
—Caschwa
snuck out
early to mow the lawn
the whole household was still sleeping
dog with her clipboard came peeping
measuring what was gone
Carl is calling this next one a Hairbun: uses a Senryu instead of a Haiku. (Love that pompous palimpsest!)
THE WHOLE STORY
—Caschwa
(inspired by Rufus, by Lady,
by gosh! Medusa’s Kitchen,
February 18, 2021)
behold bold accounts
of promiscuous incest
scraped or washed away
rollicking frolicking
Frebrurary* fun fest
erasers stolen from pencils
all to manifest in a pompous
palimpsest ardently screwing
the black hole of space
*sic
THE WHOLE STORY
—Caschwa
(inspired by Rufus, by Lady,
by gosh! Medusa’s Kitchen,
February 18, 2021)
behold bold accounts
of promiscuous incest
scraped or washed away
rollicking frolicking
Frebrurary* fun fest
erasers stolen from pencils
all to manifest in a pompous
palimpsest ardently screwing
the black hole of space
*sic
Speaking of Senryus, tune into Medusa’s Kitchen next Monday, when Carl will regale us with a whole slew of Senryus! He just couldn’t stop himself!
Carl’s final poem today has to do with Acrostics again this week. Can you find the Acrostic? This poem is as warm and gentle as those tropical waves in Hawaii…
MAKEOVER
—Caschwa
pure peace is self-forgiveness, that
cane of love on which we safely rest our
sugar-grabbing arms, reaching out
from cold urban fortitudes to selfies in
Hawaii, replenishing our warm feelings
_____________________
And many thanks to our SnakePals for their brave 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!
Carl’s final poem today has to do with Acrostics again this week. Can you find the Acrostic? This poem is as warm and gentle as those tropical waves in Hawaii…
MAKEOVER
—Caschwa
pure peace is self-forgiveness, that
cane of love on which we safely rest our
sugar-grabbing arms, reaching out
from cold urban fortitudes to selfies in
Hawaii, replenishing our warm feelings
_____________________
And many thanks to our SnakePals for their brave 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:
_____________________
MEDUSA’S FORM FINDER: Links to poetry forms mentioned today:
•••Acrostic: literarydevices.net/acrostic
•••Amanda’s Pinch: poetscollective.org/poetryforms/amandas-pinch
•••Argonelle: poeticsonline.com/glossary/argonelles
•••Blank Verse: literarydevices.net/blank-verse OR www.masterclass.com/articles/poetry-101-what-is-the-difference-between-blank-verse-and-free-verse#quiz-0
•••Blank Verse: literarydevices.net/blank-verse OR www.masterclass.com/articles/poetry-101-what-is-the-difference-between-blank-verse-and-free-verse#quiz-0
•••Con-Verse: www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/converse.html
•••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
•••Haiku: www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/haiku/haiku.html
•••Rispetto: www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/poetic-forms-rispetto
•••Senryu: www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-senryu-poems#quiz-0
•••Smith Sonnet: 5-ft. pentameter, unrhymed except for couplet ending
•••Waltmarie: www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/waltmarie-poetic-forms
•••Word-can Poem: putting lots of random words on slips of paper into a can, and then drawing out a few and making a poem out of them.
_____________________
—Medusa
•••Haibun: www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/haibun-poems-poetic-form
•••Haiku: www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/haiku/haiku.html
•••Rispetto: www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/poetic-forms-rispetto
•••Senryu: www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-senryu-poems#quiz-0
•••Smith Sonnet: 5-ft. pentameter, unrhymed except for couplet ending
•••Waltmarie: www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/waltmarie-poetic-forms
•••Word-can Poem: putting lots of random words on slips of paper into a can, and then drawing out a few and making a poem out of them.
_____________________
—Medusa
Don’t forget our Seed of the Week: Green
—Public Domain Photo
—Public Domain Photo
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in the top right corner to come back to Medusa.
Aloha!