—Poetry and Visuals by Smith, Cleveland, OH
When it's not the sirens
it's the freight train
when it's not the freight train
it's the rooster
when it's not the rooster
it's the windwater rush of wheel
when it's not the wheels
it's the sirens
it's the freight train
when it's not the freight train
it's the rooster
when it's not the rooster
it's the windwater rush of wheel
when it's not the wheels
it's the sirens
Kitchen Cat
In bath sweating
cat in window above
beyond cat lies two ever-presents—
rooster crowing sun
freight train pulling moan
I am rooster
I am train
I am rising sun
I am undelivered load
between rooster and train
the low constant white noise
of windwater leaves and tires fleeing
I am wind
I am water
I am leaves
I am rubber
I do not flee
Rising
Bath window above
all high wind rush and siren
no rooster, no train
yet there's always rooster
always train
water hot
mind spirit soul not
used up much recovering
from tumor they cut
turn on radio
hide siren high wind sound
go to Zen when
sit up
mouthful of cold water
close eyes
sip slide small slips slow down throat
one high fine at a time
lay back
soak
radio hides mind
quiets body window noise
listen to C. Prophet sing
"What Makes The Monkey Dance?"
hmmmm...
Alms for the Poor
Who and what do I worship?
don't know no who high enough
from my lowness to glance upwards at
(I'm usually too high for humans anyway)
and I don't worship animals birds insects fish
though do treasure respect admire
I'm close to worshipping plants
green leaves lilacs tall grasses
I do worship the trees
which may be earth's highest lifeform
rich and wise in time and sharing
(we're earth lifeforms)
of course I totally worship the sun
from my small shadow
and last week in full total eclipse
I looked at the sun with uncovered eyes
for four minutes
as Sky Eye stared back at me
enrichingly
and I looked good
even piss sparkles in the sun
Cold Whether
Old diner
24/7
grease & gravy
Spermline
Life's simple
you sow
you reap
you rip
you sew
I listen a lot lately
listen to the windchimes
but also to the wind
listen to kitten cry existential angst
yet power purr in my lap
listen to night
to light
to elephant trumpet and angry cat
in Zoo down hill
to windwater rush of rubber rolling road
and fainter hiss of hit and miss
to rooster constantly crowing sun
every few seconds all day long
to wife
("happy wife, happy life")
to shadow cat jumping from mantle to join me
in graceful silence
me grateful she wants to
to Good Smith inside see where he's going
to Evil Smith as well just in case
to me listening to you listening
to spring birds peeping
sirens singing
freight trains moaning
coyotes howling
hoot owls hooting
in this Great Hearing of the Body Electric
and so I sow
reap
rip
sew
rinse again repeat
and try not to bleed in the street
Entanglement
Sun up sky
man down dirt
Heaven vs Earth
The wind blows where it blows
knows what it knows
goes when it goes
in spite of my guesses
of yes's and no's
I drink my coffee
watch the moon eat the sun
we are one
Sweet Home
Ahhh yes
clumps of complications behind me
all kinds of troubles lurking ahead
but right here
right now
hot black unsweetened coffee
steaming in a white Twin Peaks diner cup
life is sweet in its bitterness
there's hope having stumbled this far
we can fake it to the finish
after we finish
this
Down Under
Today’s LittleNip:
Perhaps the real party starts
on the other side
free of flesh
—Smith
__________________
Windwater rush of wheel and train and rooster—Steven B. Smith is at his usual best today, telling us about what it’s like in his house by the Zoo, and we thank him for that. Check into the Kitchen on the third Thursdays of the month for more from Steven B., Poetmeister of the Land of Cleves.
__________________
—Medusa
Wheelcute
—Visual by Smith
—Visual by Smith
A reminder that the
Cameron Park Library
Poets and Writers Workshop
meets today, 5:30pm.
For more info about this and other
future 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!
Cameron Park Library
Poets and Writers Workshop
meets today, 5:30pm.
For more info about this and other
future 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!
