—Poetry by Joe Nolan, Shiva Neupane,
Michael Ceraolo, Caschwa (Carl Schwartz),
Stephen Kingsnorth
—Public Domain Photos Courtesy of Joe Nolan
LIGHT AND GRAVITY
—Joe Nolan, Stockton, CA
Light is just
A wiggly-squiggly thing
That winds its way
Through space,
Bent around large objects,
Drifting in their space,
In some orbit
Gravity
Makes them trace and trace,
Seemingly,
Forever.
—Joe Nolan, Stockton, CA
Light is just
A wiggly-squiggly thing
That winds its way
Through space,
Bent around large objects,
Drifting in their space,
In some orbit
Gravity
Makes them trace and trace,
Seemingly,
Forever.
ABSENCES
—Joe Nolan
Weightlessness,
Is gravity, unbound.
Deafness,
Is life,
Without sound.
Blindness,
Is life, always
At night.
Life,
Without love,
Is ever-painful
Blight.
—Joe Nolan
Weightlessness,
Is gravity, unbound.
Deafness,
Is life,
Without sound.
Blindness,
Is life, always
At night.
Life,
Without love,
Is ever-painful
Blight.
SOME CLERGYMEN
—Joe Nolan
Some clergymen
Are full of ju-ju—
The ways they handle beads,
Swinging incense burners
In the aisles,
Amazing all the womens
And the chi’els,
Who know
They’re on fire,
Deeply inspired,
Caught up with some
Mystery
They’re exploring.
Simplicity
Is just another virtue
Some,
With pizzazz,
Let go.
Maybe they’re half-drunk
With some
Go-go of the soul?
I use to like to watch
Go-go dancers
Dancing up above the dance-floor,
In suspended cages,
But now,
That’s passé.
No one goes
To Church, anymore,
On Sundays.
It doesn’t matter what they do,
After what they’ve done,
Already.
You know what
I’m talking about.
It leaves a bitter taste
In your mouth.
—Joe Nolan
Some clergymen
Are full of ju-ju—
The ways they handle beads,
Swinging incense burners
In the aisles,
Amazing all the womens
And the chi’els,
Who know
They’re on fire,
Deeply inspired,
Caught up with some
Mystery
They’re exploring.
Simplicity
Is just another virtue
Some,
With pizzazz,
Let go.
Maybe they’re half-drunk
With some
Go-go of the soul?
I use to like to watch
Go-go dancers
Dancing up above the dance-floor,
In suspended cages,
But now,
That’s passé.
No one goes
To Church, anymore,
On Sundays.
It doesn’t matter what they do,
After what they’ve done,
Already.
You know what
I’m talking about.
It leaves a bitter taste
In your mouth.
An esoteric bowl: By Jove, I'm
astounded by the beauty of brain, what celestial hands have designed it, with a sheer labour of love. I wondered endlessly, why have imaginations cushioned into the bowl ?
—Shiva Neupane, Melbourne, Australia
CLEVELAND HAIKU
—Michael Ceraolo, S. Euclid, OH
Cleveland Haiku #630
After the snow melts:
picking up pieces of the street
plowed onto the tree lawn
* * *
Cleveland Haiku #631
Cold snap—
deer hoofprints
frozen in the mud
* * *
Cleveland Haiku #632
Cold snap—
frozen goose poop
on the sidewalk
* * *
Cleveland Haiku #633
Opening Day—
no one throws out the first orange barrel
of construction season
—Michael Ceraolo, S. Euclid, OH
Cleveland Haiku #630
After the snow melts:
picking up pieces of the street
plowed onto the tree lawn
* * *
Cleveland Haiku #631
Cold snap—
deer hoofprints
frozen in the mud
* * *
Cleveland Haiku #632
Cold snap—
frozen goose poop
on the sidewalk
* * *
Cleveland Haiku #633
Opening Day—
no one throws out the first orange barrel
of construction season
BABE IN THE WORDS
—Caschwa, Sacramento, CA
lost, as soon as the
lexicon is opened, big,
weighty, pearly gates
swing to crush new
thoughts, confine one
to a narrow pathway
meandering by countless
aged headstones, each
defining life like a movie
reviewer (e.g. don’t miss
the sequin sequel) until
all the “founds” of many
thousand lives are care-
fully assorted and strewn
across the vast patch-
work quilt that is a
cemetery
THE WORD-HUNT
—Caschwa
in Los Angeles there is a surface street
named La Cienega Boulevard, with
one portion having the posted speed
limit of 45 mph, which drivers frequently
ignored; next they put in big, oversized
speed signs, and drivers ignored those, too,
so that over time that stretch of the road
became known as the La Cienega Freeway,
which the police didn’t seem to mind enough
to present a show of force
What’s the word for that?
America took the big step of abolishing slavery,
had a great Civil War to contest that outcome,
which was won by the same side that favored
abolishing slavery; ever since then, the losing
side has been boldly rip-roaring on every town’s
La Cienega Freeway, which the local police don’t
seem to mind enough to present a show a force
What’s the word for that?
all over the country we see breaking news
that white citizens and police have collected to
present massive shows of force to assassinate
unarmed black subjects, whose intolerable
behavior was simply being black in the wrong
place at the wrong time
What’s the word for that?
—Caschwa
in Los Angeles there is a surface street
named La Cienega Boulevard, with
one portion having the posted speed
limit of 45 mph, which drivers frequently
ignored; next they put in big, oversized
speed signs, and drivers ignored those, too,
so that over time that stretch of the road
became known as the La Cienega Freeway,
which the police didn’t seem to mind enough
to present a show of force
What’s the word for that?
America took the big step of abolishing slavery,
had a great Civil War to contest that outcome,
which was won by the same side that favored
abolishing slavery; ever since then, the losing
side has been boldly rip-roaring on every town’s
La Cienega Freeway, which the local police don’t
seem to mind enough to present a show a force
What’s the word for that?
all over the country we see breaking news
that white citizens and police have collected to
present massive shows of force to assassinate
unarmed black subjects, whose intolerable
behavior was simply being black in the wrong
place at the wrong time
What’s the word for that?
I SEE YOUR PROBLEM
—Caschwa
you’re addressing me as if
I’m a natural multi-tasker,
and a retentive speed-reader
as well, when that couldn’t be
further from the truth
I have had some success
in completing coursework
and getting diplomas,
certificates, etc. by taking
matters one at a time until
the desired level of accom-
plishment is achieved
you can stand at the chalk
board and write “I knew that”
a million times and still, none
of your knowledge will pass
to anyone else
maybe there will be a time
when the pieces of the puzzle
will all come together by my
hands while the planets and
stars are lined up just right, and
count on it, I‘ll be as dumbfounded
as a new jackpot winner who only
knows what the lessons of a life
of impecunious income have to
offer
—Caschwa
you’re addressing me as if
I’m a natural multi-tasker,
and a retentive speed-reader
as well, when that couldn’t be
further from the truth
I have had some success
in completing coursework
and getting diplomas,
certificates, etc. by taking
matters one at a time until
the desired level of accom-
plishment is achieved
you can stand at the chalk
board and write “I knew that”
a million times and still, none
of your knowledge will pass
to anyone else
maybe there will be a time
when the pieces of the puzzle
will all come together by my
hands while the planets and
stars are lined up just right, and
count on it, I‘ll be as dumbfounded
as a new jackpot winner who only
knows what the lessons of a life
of impecunious income have to
offer
TRAMPLING
—Stephen Kingsnorth, Coedpoeth, Wrexham, Wales, UK
While the words I strung together
like a reverberating bell,
waves in sympathy my story,
a stimulant to memory;
in private closet of my own
I rehearse verse, unwrap my soul
bring forefront mind my heart-depth tale,
meditate on both cheer and wail.
Then a caller, phone ring, voices
to me announcing latest news,
this invasion, unprepared sound,
feels trampling, swine on holy ground.
—Stephen Kingsnorth, Coedpoeth, Wrexham, Wales, UK
While the words I strung together
like a reverberating bell,
waves in sympathy my story,
a stimulant to memory;
in private closet of my own
I rehearse verse, unwrap my soul
bring forefront mind my heart-depth tale,
meditate on both cheer and wail.
Then a caller, phone ring, voices
to me announcing latest news,
this invasion, unprepared sound,
feels trampling, swine on holy ground.
LOST FOR WORDS
—Stephen Kingsnorth
On course, for these, loss not my fear,
too many said, as I explore
why do specifics disappear,
a wordsearch—letters every door?
Words mislaid, but somewhere near,
elusive till the searching cease,
a sound in head, but voice unclear,
as many fear dementia’s tease?
Amazing sight, bewitching eyes,
that swells the soul, denies the need
for terms, expressions beyond sighs,
greed, live in the moment’s feed?
Friends, whose language second, my first,
medium, in school, home, mixed,
earn admiration as immersed
in syntax, though note missing links.
Then there is stagecraft, prompter’s chair,
too many speeches leap three acts
as I search script, from wings, my lair,
to whisper clearly, textual tract.
Were it that fathers lost for names
when calling babies, football teams;
with ranting speeches, stirring blame,
as politicians, seem, blaspheme.
But now I’m woozy, whiskey mac,
lost worlds means interstellar search,
or is it green, lost habitats,
too late for me, so bedroom, lurch.
—Stephen Kingsnorth
On course, for these, loss not my fear,
too many said, as I explore
why do specifics disappear,
a wordsearch—letters every door?
Words mislaid, but somewhere near,
elusive till the searching cease,
a sound in head, but voice unclear,
as many fear dementia’s tease?
Amazing sight, bewitching eyes,
that swells the soul, denies the need
for terms, expressions beyond sighs,
greed, live in the moment’s feed?
Friends, whose language second, my first,
medium, in school, home, mixed,
earn admiration as immersed
in syntax, though note missing links.
Then there is stagecraft, prompter’s chair,
too many speeches leap three acts
as I search script, from wings, my lair,
to whisper clearly, textual tract.
Were it that fathers lost for names
when calling babies, football teams;
with ranting speeches, stirring blame,
as politicians, seem, blaspheme.
But now I’m woozy, whiskey mac,
lost worlds means interstellar search,
or is it green, lost habitats,
too late for me, so bedroom, lurch.
Today’s LittleNip:
BUMBLEBEES
—Joe Nolan
Gentle is a
Buzzing bumblebee,
Poking through
The petals of a flower
To get down
To the pollen.
Bumblebees
Mean business.
______________________
Spring Housecleaning in the Kitchen! It’s been a very long time since I paid much attention to the internal links (“pages”) at the top of this blog. And, like the back of the hall closet, once I got to rummaging around there, I discovered what a mess it was. So I’ve spent some time fixing it up, bringing it up-to-date. I’m almost done, and I hope the sprucing will be helpful to you. Plenty of surprises, including—well, I’ll let you find out for yourself.
One change that directly affects you is the new page up there, UPCOMING NORCAL EVENTS. This will replace the Events list in the blue box at the right of this. Just click on the new page/link to see readings, deadlines, and other poet-phernalia.
And yes, I know our current font size may be bigger on your browser than it has been in the past. On April 13, there was a font-kerfuffle, and posts became harder to read (“painful” was one reader’s reaction, and I don't think she was talking about the poetry). But my only blogspot choices were Goldilocksian: too big or too small. We’ll see what the future brings; for now, it’s large and in charge.
Many thanks to today’s poets, some of whom riffed on our recent Seed of the Week (in honor of National Poetry Month): “Lost For Words”. And thanks to Joe Nolan for finding us such perky pix for me to choose from! We’re barreling into the last week of April, we are, with its Poem in Your Pocket Day this Friday the 29th. For the history of same, and ways to participate, see poets.org/national-poetry-month/poem-your-pocket-day/.
BUMBLEBEES
—Joe Nolan
Gentle is a
Buzzing bumblebee,
Poking through
The petals of a flower
To get down
To the pollen.
Bumblebees
Mean business.
______________________
Spring Housecleaning in the Kitchen! It’s been a very long time since I paid much attention to the internal links (“pages”) at the top of this blog. And, like the back of the hall closet, once I got to rummaging around there, I discovered what a mess it was. So I’ve spent some time fixing it up, bringing it up-to-date. I’m almost done, and I hope the sprucing will be helpful to you. Plenty of surprises, including—well, I’ll let you find out for yourself.
One change that directly affects you is the new page up there, UPCOMING NORCAL EVENTS. This will replace the Events list in the blue box at the right of this. Just click on the new page/link to see readings, deadlines, and other poet-phernalia.
And yes, I know our current font size may be bigger on your browser than it has been in the past. On April 13, there was a font-kerfuffle, and posts became harder to read (“painful” was one reader’s reaction, and I don't think she was talking about the poetry). But my only blogspot choices were Goldilocksian: too big or too small. We’ll see what the future brings; for now, it’s large and in charge.
Many thanks to today’s poets, some of whom riffed on our recent Seed of the Week (in honor of National Poetry Month): “Lost For Words”. And thanks to Joe Nolan for finding us such perky pix for me to choose from! We’re barreling into the last week of April, we are, with its Poem in Your Pocket Day this Friday the 29th. For the history of same, and ways to participate, see poets.org/national-poetry-month/poem-your-pocket-day/.
Now here’s Susan and her new book:
•••Tonight (Mon., 4/25), 7:30pm, Zoom & Live: Sac. Poetry Center features Susan Kelly-DeWitt in an online and in-person reading and book signing (plus open mic) for her new book, Gatherer’s Alphabet (Gunpowder Press). Bring yourself to SPC or Zoom at us02web.zoom.us/j/7638733462/. (Meeting ID: 763 873 3462 / pass: r3trnofsdv/.) Info: www.facebook.com/sacpoetrycenter/. And Sac. Poetry Center has weekly workshops; for info on these, see www.facebook.com/sacpoetrycenter/.
Lots going on this Thursday, including Yom HaShoah—Holocaust Remembrance Day:
Lots going on this Thursday, including Yom HaShoah—Holocaust Remembrance Day:
•••Thurs. (4/28), 7-9pm, Zoom: Sac. Poetry Alliance and Tim Kahl present Doug Rice, Jamil Jan Kochai, Tristan Beach online at us02web.zoom.us/j/88122010069/. Info: www.facebook.com/events/321116876649986?acontext={"event_action_history"%3A[{"surface"%3A"notifications_tab"%2C{"mechanism"%3A"your_upcoming_events_unit"%2C"surface"%3A"bookmark"}]%2C"ref_notif_type"%3A"plan_user_invited"%2C"source"%3A"29”}/.
•••Thurs. (4/28), 7pm, Zoom: Modest-Stanislaus Poetry Center & Stanislaus County Library presents Many Voices, One Community featuring Gillian Wegener and Salvatore Salerno plus open mic. Read your poetry or poems from a favorite poet, limited to 3 min. Info: www.mostpoetry.org/event/many-voices-one-community-gillian-wegener-and-salvatore-salerno/. Reg. at www.stanislauslibrary.org to receive Zoom link.
Joy Harjo
•••Thurs. (4/28), 7:30pm EDT, Zoom: Academy of American Poets presents its annual “Poetry & the Creative Mind”, this year honoring U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo, with readings from American poets and other famous artists online. Info/reg free at poets.org/gala/2022/.
Stan Zumbiel
•••Sat. (4/30), 2pm, in the flesh: Poetry of the Sierra Foothills book launch with Stan Zumbiel and Susan Kelly-DeWitt, plus open mic. Love Birds Coffee & Tea Co., 4181 Hwy 49, Diamond Springs, CA (where Hwy 49 meets Pleasant Valley Rd.) Host: Lara Gularte.
•••Sat. (4/30) is Independent Bookstore Day in Sacramento, Davis, Folsom, Elk Grove and El Dorado Hills. Check out how bookstores are celebrating, such as their tour, and free gifts if you spend $10: see www.sacbee.com/entertainment/article260625447.html/. Also, the March/April issue of Sactown magazine is called “The Book Lover’s Issue”, with more information about area stores. And The Sacramento Bee had an interesting review yesterday (Sunday) by Jonathan Russell Clark of a book called, In Praise of Good Bookstores by Jeff Deutsch, suggesting ways that independent bookstores can become sustainable. Info: press.princeton.edu/books/ebook/9780691229669/in-praise-of-good-bookstores/.
•••Sat. (4/30) is Independent Bookstore Day in Sacramento, Davis, Folsom, Elk Grove and El Dorado Hills. Check out how bookstores are celebrating, such as their tour, and free gifts if you spend $10: see www.sacbee.com/entertainment/article260625447.html/. Also, the March/April issue of Sactown magazine is called “The Book Lover’s Issue”, with more information about area stores. And The Sacramento Bee had an interesting review yesterday (Sunday) by Jonathan Russell Clark of a book called, In Praise of Good Bookstores by Jeff Deutsch, suggesting ways that independent bookstores can become sustainable. Info: press.princeton.edu/books/ebook/9780691229669/in-praise-of-good-bookstores/.
•••Sat. (4/30), 2-4pm, Zoom: Calaveras Poet Laureate Conrad Levasseur, Linda Toren, Monika Rose, Kevin Arnold (guest poet) and more poets of the Mother Lode share their poetry. Poetry Out Loud students will recite their favorite poem. Open Mic time is planned for the public to share a favorite poem or an original composition. Email Linda Toren at lintoren@gmail.com to sign up to read. Zoom link: us02web.zoom.us/postattendee/.
Wakamatsu Farm
—Photo by Katy Brown
•••Sun. (5/1), 10am-12pm, live: Capturing Wakamatsu: A Poetry Walk/Workshop with Taylor Graham and Katy Brown and hosted by American River Conservancy at Wakamatsu Farm, 941 Cold Springs Rd., Placerville, CA. Children 8+ welcome with adult supervision. Suggested Donation: $5/members, $10/non-members. Info/registration link: www.arconservancy.org/event/capturing-wakamatsu-a-poetry-walk-workshop/.
•••For more info about El Dorado County poetry events, go to Western Slope El Dorado poetry on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ElDoradoCountyPoetry/. Poetry is Gold in El Dorado County!
•••For more info about El Dorado County poetry events, go to Western Slope El Dorado poetry on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ElDoradoCountyPoetry/. Poetry is Gold in El Dorado County!
•••For info about MoSt events (Modesto-Stanislaus Poetry Center), go to www.mostpoetry.org/.
______________________
—Medusa
Cat Camouflage
Photos in this column can be enlarged by
clicking on them once, then clicking on the x
in the top right corner to come back to Medusa.
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—
and collaborations are welcome.
Just remember:
the snakes of Medusa are always hungry—
for poetry, of course!
clicking on them once, then clicking on the x
in the top right corner to come back to Medusa.
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—
and collaborations are welcome.
Just remember:
the snakes of Medusa are always hungry—
for poetry, of course!
He's lost for words!