Luis Cuauhtémoc Berriozábal,
West Covina, CA
HOW BLUE WAS YOUR BIRTH?
After Beatriz Villacanas
How blue was your birth?
Like the sky or the sea?
Like the blue note from Miles?
Do you dream in blue
as darkness surrounds your dream?
Are your heart and mind blue?
Does your lost desire leave you blue?
How blue is your past
and how blue will your future be?
Of course, your nickname is Blue.
And does your bluebird sing?
And do you sing along?
After Beatriz Villacanas
How blue was your birth?
Like the sky or the sea?
Like the blue note from Miles?
Do you dream in blue
as darkness surrounds your dream?
Are your heart and mind blue?
Does your lost desire leave you blue?
How blue is your past
and how blue will your future be?
Of course, your nickname is Blue.
And does your bluebird sing?
And do you sing along?
JUST CALL ME LOUIS
After Fernando Pessoa
Joan, it is!
It is my name.
It is not a pseudonym
like Alvaro de Campos,
Alberto Caeiro, or
Ricardo Reis.
I’m not so clever.
I have read Fernando
Pessoa and I’m no
Fernando Pessoa.
I have heard my name
butchered since
grade school.
I laughed at teachers
who didn’t think
I was so funny.
When they pronounced
my name, some tried
their best to come close.
But there were some
who asked me
seriously, how did
I pronounce my full
name in English?
After Fernando Pessoa
Joan, it is!
It is my name.
It is not a pseudonym
like Alvaro de Campos,
Alberto Caeiro, or
Ricardo Reis.
I’m not so clever.
I have read Fernando
Pessoa and I’m no
Fernando Pessoa.
I have heard my name
butchered since
grade school.
I laughed at teachers
who didn’t think
I was so funny.
When they pronounced
my name, some tried
their best to come close.
But there were some
who asked me
seriously, how did
I pronounce my full
name in English?
TODAY IT BEGINS
Today it begins,
the welcoming sun,
generous with warmth,
it burst its light,
it threw it far and wide,
the door of its heart.
Not evil at all,
but stare, and blind
you will be. And
still, it is generous
and welcoming.
Scorching, searing,
the sun brings
warm air.
Its blade cuts.
You feel it in shadows.
In the open sky
it shines again and
again. Feel its needle
in your flesh as it
towers over mountains.
IN THE SCHOOLYARD
Yellowbird,
hummingbird,
singing, darting
back and forth
in the schoolyard
pigeons and
white doves
toss their bombs
with severe
accuracy
and precision.
HEY, LITTLE BIRD
Hey, little bird on the top of the roof,
what is the song you sing?
Is it about the sky so blue?
It sounds so gentle and pure?
You fly to the eucalyptus tree
and move on to the pines
as the golden sun warms your
wings. Is it a song of childhood
before my hair turned gray?
You’re so small with a song so big.
Hey little bird on the edge of the roof,
sing me a song I never heard.
I stand by the door listening
to your beautiful song.
It is more satisfying than chocolate.
You make my house a happy place.
I stand by the door listening.
I get all misty with tears of joy.
LOVE AND CARE
Make sure
you water
your flowers
with love
and care.
Too much
or too little
will not let
them grow
as well.
Make sure
you sing to
them and let
them feel
your love.
Treat them
with care. Don’t
mistreat them.
They grow
for you.
____________________
Today’s LittleNip:
TWO MORE WEEKS
—Luis Cuauhtémoc Berriozábal
Two more weeks
for the winter sky.
I wonder if I will
be blue still or if
my blues will be all
gone. In the past
I felt much better.
This blue soul
can testify to that.
____________________
—Medusa, with thanks to Luis Berriozábal for his fine poetry and visuals today!
“… so small with a song so big…”
A reminder that the
Wakamatsu workshop which was
postponed last week due to the weather
will be held at Wakamatsu Farm
in Placerville today, 12-2pm.
For into about this and other
For into about this and other
upcoming poetry happenings in
Northern California and otherwheres,
click on
UPCOMING NORCAL EVENTS
(http://medusaskitchen.blogspot.com/p/wtf.html)
in the links at the top of this page—
and keep an eye on this link and on
the daily Kitchen for happenings
that might pop up
—or get changed!—
during the week.
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.
Find previous four-or-so posts by scrolling down
under today; or there's an "Older Posts" button
at the bottom of this column; or find previous poets
by typing the name of the poet or poem
into the little beige box at the top
left-hand side of today’s post; or go to
Medusa’s Rapsheet at the bottom of
the blue column at the right
to find the date you want.
Would you like to be a SnakePal?
Guidelines are at the top of this page
at the Placating the Gorgon link;
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!
Northern California and otherwheres,
click on
UPCOMING NORCAL EVENTS
(http://medusaskitchen.blogspot.com/p/wtf.html)
in the links at the top of this page—
and keep an eye on this link and on
the daily Kitchen for happenings
that might pop up
—or get changed!—
during the week.
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.
Find previous four-or-so posts by scrolling down
under today; or there's an "Older Posts" button
at the bottom of this column; or find previous poets
by typing the name of the poet or poem
into the little beige box at the top
left-hand side of today’s post; or go to
Medusa’s Rapsheet at the bottom of
the blue column at the right
to find the date you want.
Would you like to be a SnakePal?
Guidelines are at the top of this page
at the Placating the Gorgon link;
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!
