* * *
—Poetry and Visuals by Smith, Cleveland, OH
Words inside looking to get out
bypass filtering thought reason probability
in spawn of lizard and the brain
feel feed flee fight flux
and other four-letter flows
scream and preen
but we're not going there
because there's no there there
it's all here hear
now know
You can count the headlights coming
or taillights going
but that won't tell you miles left
bypass filtering thought reason probability
in spawn of lizard and the brain
feel feed flee fight flux
and other four-letter flows
scream and preen
but we're not going there
because there's no there there
it's all here hear
now know
You can count the headlights coming
or taillights going
but that won't tell you miles left
8-White
My spirituality's
stumbling down the 8-Fold Path
falling on its ass
Klown Kontrol
SOMEWHAT SORTA SOMETHING
I don't choose
I just chance
I plays the fool
I dance the dance
I get in line
and shut my face
learn to lie
with trace of grace
I don't advance
won't fail too bad
not too happy
not too sad
just sort of grey
and out of focus
not much play
a lot of locusts
won't get far
but near is dear
over par
under fear
I know my place
accept my role
no win of race
hide in hole
I stay way small
fake my face
avoid it all
and truth efface
for lie is law
and rat is race
Splitscene
Multiple sirens out there in the night
two clocks ticking here in the dark
Used to think sirens bad news
but been there recently
and they can be good
never know when a broken bone
might save your life
The two clocks ticking however
eat at us all
every day
all the time
As they should
If life were easy
there'd be no evolution
may as well take this misery
and milk it for all its mirth
What did the dead cow say?
Moot
420
CONCERTRATIONS
Frank Sinatra 1968
(made the Coliseum intimate)
Cream Goodbye Tour 1968
(1st concert on LSD)
Elvis Presley 1976
(dead year later)
Ella Fitzgerald w/ Count Basie
Ella Fitzgerald w/ Oscar Peterson
Laurie Anderson Home Of The Brave
Laurie Anderson (solo)
Talking Heads Stop Making Sense
Bob Dylan (5 times, 4 excellent)
Willie Nelson twice
(2nd Agora 40 foot away smoking joint)
Tom Waits
(early ‘80s front table smoking joint)
Emmylou Harris
Plastic Exploding Inevitable 1968
(made left ear bleed)
Waylon Jennings
Little Richard
(in shimmering mirror shard dress, atop piano)
Bonnie Raitt
John Prine twice 20 years apart
(5 stars out of 4)
The Residents
Tiny Tim
(45-minute interview & front-page review)
Meat Beat Manifesto
(stopped by loft to see my art)
Grateful Dead (on acid of course)
Devo (twice)
Ed Sanders
Moody Blues (on acid)
Dwight Yokum
Alex Patterson of Orb
(he shared synthetic hash oil)
Lyle Lovett
The Rolling Stones
Mose Allison
(passed out drunk in seat, no memory)
Joni Mitchell
(threw down guitar 2nd song, show over)
Cat Stevens
Mahavishnu Orchestra
Beach Boys
(bad bad bad in baseball stadium between
innings)
Martin Denny
(my 1st concert, 1963)
The Lettermen
(2nd concert, forced to go as Plebe)
+ scores more in Memorygapville
(though never saw them play
got stoned with Alice Cooper and Flo & Eddy
and white-wine drunk with Paul Williams)
Corporateman
The writing's on the wall
and the floor
the ceiling
the hall
warning danger feral Smith
keep on going you might be missed
or not
that's the knot
Alien brains ate my gummies
corporate torts whore my tongue
chased by patriarchal mummies
eye left oblique their know no fun
I'm old and cold
but keep moving
it's best not to stop
As words flow like liquid laughter
first slow after faster
me smart enough to know me not
I cranky curmudgeon
stumbling about in mumbling mind
Me to life:
this ain't where I want to be.
Life to me:
deal with it.
Sweet Feature
for Lady's 51st
This past year
you've worn the face you earned
your first 50 autumn falls
And a fine face it is
good heart strings
moral bone
With spirit and laughter
to firmly level
here now and after
You walk in good
feel kind
find the fold
You are here
present
giving
I am grateful
for you, to you
for your great full
Smarter than me
and sweeter, kinder
positive, protective, proactive
You go
I follow
we move in music
And such a song
strong
long
Never gone
In 19th year
we still befuddle
the huddle
These words are clumsy
you are not
you are my lot
You me besot
There are feet in inches
measures unknown
you are my standard
Heart
spirit
soul
whole
This past year
you've worn the face you earned
your first 50 autumn falls
And a fine face it is
good heart strings
moral bone
With spirit and laughter
to firmly level
here now and after
You walk in good
feel kind
find the fold
You are here
present
giving
I am grateful
for you, to you
for your great full
Smarter than me
and sweeter, kinder
positive, protective, proactive
You go
I follow
we move in music
And such a song
strong
long
Never gone
In 19th year
we still befuddle
the huddle
These words are clumsy
you are not
you are my lot
You me besot
There are feet in inches
measures unknown
you are my standard
Heart
spirit
soul
whole
Blackandwhite
The wind is cold
the day gray
the sky wet
yet
the fireplace is warm
the wife wonderful
the two cats and one dog
comforting
it's a good life
Aura
Today’s LittleNip:
Sometimes I sit in silence
Sometimes silence sits in me
—Smith
_________________
He says he’s a cranky curmudgeon, and I suppose he is, but Smith (Steven B. Smith) continues to keep kickin’—and now he has survived his brain surgery and the horrible pain thereof… and we are all the better for it. Welcome back, Steven, and thanks be for another Smith-visit to the Kitchen!
_________________
—Medusa
Moonset
—Photo by Smith
—Photo by Smith
A note that today is hella bizzy
in NorCal poetry; check it out 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!
in NorCal poetry; check it out 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!
