—Poetry and Photos by Taylor Graham,
Placerville, CA
—And then scroll down for
Form Fiddlers’ Friday!!
DAEDALUS FANTASY
We creature of a gazillion fingers
on the trigger, the ignition, the on-
off switch arise each day to activate
the coffeemaker, click the remote; send
offspring off to become birdman (warning
be careful, don’t fly to the sun, you’ll run
out of battery). Oh we creature of
a bazillion busy hands digging up
dead eons, hydrocarbon life to fuel
tomorrow morning, gazillion fingers
itching for feathers, designing newer
improved upgrade version of waxless wings.
We creature of a gazillion fingers
on the trigger, the ignition, the on-
off switch arise each day to activate
the coffeemaker, click the remote; send
offspring off to become birdman (warning
be careful, don’t fly to the sun, you’ll run
out of battery). Oh we creature of
a bazillion busy hands digging up
dead eons, hydrocarbon life to fuel
tomorrow morning, gazillion fingers
itching for feathers, designing newer
improved upgrade version of waxless wings.
NOT QUITE AWAKE
The apex angel visited my dream
to clarify: there’s a toll for flying
too high, too close to the sun. There’s a cost
for using every power, even a
free app on your phone. Beware of wishing
to master too many names of creatures
who aren’t your family, your familiars
who allow you to occupy their land.
When I woke it was still dark, hunting time
of the unnamed owl who names each of us
before the dawn….
COMMUNITY CLEANUP DAY
my anonymous
trash heaved into the dumpster
with the rest of us
shattered synthetics
& rotted particleboard
my anonymous
stuff stuffed in black plastic bags—
once useful but can’t be fixed
my anonymous
trash heaved into the dumpster
with the rest of us
shattered synthetics
& rotted particleboard
my anonymous
stuff stuffed in black plastic bags—
once useful but can’t be fixed
RAIN MAKER
He stares thru eyes timeless with age
at forest charcoal-sketched in rage
of flame’s wild onslaught rushing through;
black skeletons of cedar, hue
of disaster. He thinks anew,
meditates how the woods renew;
what turns smoke-yellow sky to blue—
to cloudburst as the heavens brew
a rain-wash aquarelle, a page
of rebirth, cleansing, healing sage.
He stares thru eyes timeless with age
at forest charcoal-sketched in rage
of flame’s wild onslaught rushing through;
black skeletons of cedar, hue
of disaster. He thinks anew,
meditates how the woods renew;
what turns smoke-yellow sky to blue—
to cloudburst as the heavens brew
a rain-wash aquarelle, a page
of rebirth, cleansing, healing sage.
HIGH SIERRA HIGH
Just you and your horse and a pack-mule, 10-day circuits mapping range of Sierra meadows, bootstep by bootstep toe-point transect, then hoof-by-hoof over granite fields so high, so much closer to that splendid summer’s sun. Did it blind you to lowland life? Three retinal detachments in a year; retinal swelling, shots in the eye as your vision faded year by year. You still talk about those Sierra high mountain meadows, catching trout in a creek for lunch, then riding on to the setting sun,
light sparkling granite,
willow flycatcher singing
by a snowmelt creek
Just you and your horse and a pack-mule, 10-day circuits mapping range of Sierra meadows, bootstep by bootstep toe-point transect, then hoof-by-hoof over granite fields so high, so much closer to that splendid summer’s sun. Did it blind you to lowland life? Three retinal detachments in a year; retinal swelling, shots in the eye as your vision faded year by year. You still talk about those Sierra high mountain meadows, catching trout in a creek for lunch, then riding on to the setting sun,
light sparkling granite,
willow flycatcher singing
by a snowmelt creek
LISTENING FOR THE WAGON TRAIN
Thunder coming off the mountain—
Percheron hooves pounding pavement
long before you see them rounding
the corner, aimed at you.
Thunder coming off the mountain—
Percheron hooves pounding pavement
long before you see them rounding
the corner, aimed at you.
Today’s LittleNip:
4th GRADE
—Taylor Graham
Mount the observatory mountain
instead of sitting couched & 4-walled—
Saturday for running vacant lots
Sunday for creek pebbles & acorns
yesterday’s always gone, keep moving.
_______________________
Taylor Graham is bringing us news from the apex angel today, warning us about sun-chasing. Love that pink dawn/sunset! And there are photos from the annual wagon train that goes from South Lake Tahoe to Placerville, with its beautiful percherons.
4th GRADE
—Taylor Graham
Mount the observatory mountain
instead of sitting couched & 4-walled—
Saturday for running vacant lots
Sunday for creek pebbles & acorns
yesterday’s always gone, keep moving.
_______________________
Taylor Graham is bringing us news from the apex angel today, warning us about sun-chasing. Love that pink dawn/sunset! And there are photos from the annual wagon train that goes from South Lake Tahoe to Placerville, with its beautiful percherons.
TG used forms for her poems: some Blank Verse (“Daedalus Fantasy”); a Haibun (“High Sierra High”); a Duo-Rhyme, last week's Triple-F Challenge (“Rain Maker”); a Hainka (“Community Cleanup Day”); Normative Syllabics (“4th Grade”); and a Ryūka (“Listening for the Wagon Train”).
And now it’s time for . . .
FORM FIDDLERS’ FRIDAY!
And now it’s time for . . .
FORM FIDDLERS’ FRIDAY!
There’s also a newly dusted-off page at the top of Medusa’s Kitchen called, “FORMS! OMG!!!” which expresses some of my (take ‘em or leave 'em) opinions about the use of forms in poetry writing, as well as listing some more resources to help you navigate through Form Quicksand. Got any more resources to add to our list? Send them to kathykieth@hotmail.com for the benefit of all man/woman/poetkind!
This photo of the sea was our Ekphrastic Challenge last week. Here are responses by Nolcha Fox and Caschwa (Carl Schwartz):
MESSAGE IN THE SAND
—Nolcha Fox, Buffalo, WY
What is that scribble in the sand?
It goes on as far as
I can see through mist.
I follow barefoot,
faster now,
the tide is coming in,
melting the scrawl
into wet sand.
I run, my breath
in puffs and spray.
Is someone hurt?
Too late, the line
is washed away.
The message lost.
* * *
STOCK MARKET WOES
—Caschwa, Sacramento, CA
gazing out in the distance
everything seems so organized
grouped into cycles, predictable
oh yes, I can handle that
and then all of it crashes
all the plans and charts
and hopes and dreams
what was I thinking?
it is not like a contractor
who has to follow rules
and laws and terms
toss all of that out
instead, it is Mother Nature
who instantly shreds to pieces
your carefully drafted legal
agreements, over and over
leaving you with no standing
at all to negotiate with Her
all there is to do is watch
and wonder…….
Carl also responded to our Triple-F Challenge, the Duo-Rhyme:
MANNERS
—Caschwa
We’ve kind of been through this before,
you knock before you push the door!
I might be naked or asleep
or busy counting all the sheep.
Our mother taught us well to keep
from climbing walls that are too steep,
so if you have to move a heap
your backhoe needs to sound a beep.
You know they say that talk is cheap,
just take a breath and make it deep.
Don’t treat me like a moldy spore,
I am iambic to the core
MANNERS
—Caschwa
We’ve kind of been through this before,
you knock before you push the door!
I might be naked or asleep
or busy counting all the sheep.
Our mother taught us well to keep
from climbing walls that are too steep,
so if you have to move a heap
your backhoe needs to sound a beep.
You know they say that talk is cheap,
just take a breath and make it deep.
Don’t treat me like a moldy spore,
I am iambic to the core
And Carl sent us an Octameter:
OFF MY DIET
—Caschwa
I’ve been called a pig
before, but never
a pot-bellied one
quite adorable
just a stinking swine
not unbearable
all things considered
facts versus fable
feed me, feed me now
I’m starving hungry
lunch will not be done
with a solemn vow
to follow a plan
no matter just how
it is terrible
to miss a nibble
OFF MY DIET
—Caschwa
I’ve been called a pig
before, but never
a pot-bellied one
quite adorable
just a stinking swine
not unbearable
all things considered
facts versus fable
feed me, feed me now
I’m starving hungry
lunch will not be done
with a solemn vow
to follow a plan
no matter just how
it is terrible
to miss a nibble
Finally, here is an Ars Poetica from our SnakePal in Wales:
SCRABBLE
—Stephen Kingsnorth, Coedpoeth, Wrexham, Wales
Letter pieces thrown from board,
I wait until they drop.
Except, not quite, I speak of ready words,
the dictionary pages torn,
then through a hungry shredder fed.
I take the slithers out of their place,
remaining neighbours, never less.
'Components' for 'ingredients', I scrabble for my word;
the tip of tongue, I know am wrong,
but know the thinking right.
Right notes but in the order wrong
as Eric Morley said,
or was it Morecombe, not Miss World,
with chubby little friend.
Les Dawson on piano, with confidence I play,
yet though the Lord's Prayer, obvious,
alternative, the service made.
I can think silently, fish gasping for my term,
or float its neighbour, maggot hook,
hope close enough to reel.
I might consume Crabb's synonyms,
helped glass of ginger wine,
a change of letter, sound almost same,
some journey in my mind.
____________________
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!
___________________
TRIPLE-F CHALLENGE!
SCRABBLE
—Stephen Kingsnorth, Coedpoeth, Wrexham, Wales
Letter pieces thrown from board,
I wait until they drop.
Except, not quite, I speak of ready words,
the dictionary pages torn,
then through a hungry shredder fed.
I take the slithers out of their place,
remaining neighbours, never less.
'Components' for 'ingredients', I scrabble for my word;
the tip of tongue, I know am wrong,
but know the thinking right.
Right notes but in the order wrong
as Eric Morley said,
or was it Morecombe, not Miss World,
with chubby little friend.
Les Dawson on piano, with confidence I play,
yet though the Lord's Prayer, obvious,
alternative, the service made.
I can think silently, fish gasping for my term,
or float its neighbour, maggot hook,
hope close enough to reel.
I might consume Crabb's synonyms,
helped glass of ginger wine,
a change of letter, sound almost same,
some journey in my mind.
____________________
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!
___________________
TRIPLE-F CHALLENGE!
See what you can make of this week’s poetry form, and send it to kathykieth@hotmail.com! (No deadline.)
•••Essence: www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/essence.html (incorrectly labelled as “Florette”)
See also the bottom of this post for another challenge, this one an Ekphrastic one.
And don’t forget every Tuesday’s Seed of the Week! This week it’s “Choppy Waters”.
______________________
MEDUSA’S FORM FINDER: Links to poetry terms mentioned today:
•••Ars Poetica: www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/ars-poetica
•••Duo-Rhyme: www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/duorhyme.html
•••Ekphrastic Poem: notesofoak.com/discover-literature/ekphrastic-poetry
•••Essence: www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/essence.html (incorrectly labelled as “Florette”)
•••Haibun: www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/haibun-poems-poetic-form
•••Hainka: www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/hainka-haiku-tanka-new-genre-of-poetic-form
•••Normative Syllabics: hellopoetry.com/collection/108/normative-syllabic-free-verse AND/OR lewisturco.typepad.com/poetics/normative-syllabic-verse
•••Octameter: www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/octameter.html AND/OR poetscollective.org/poetryforms/octameter
•••Ryūka: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryūka
______________________
—Medusa
See what you can make of the above
photo, and send your poetic results to
kathykieth@hotmail.com/. (No deadline.)
***
—Public Domain Photo Courtesy of
Joseph Nolan
For upcoming poetry events in
Northern California and otherwheres,
click on
UPCOMING NORCAL EVENTS
in the links at the top of this page.
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.
Northern California and otherwheres,
click on
UPCOMING NORCAL EVENTS
in the links at the top of this page.
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.
