West Covina, CA
—Photos and Original Artwork
by Luis Cuauhtémoc Berriozábal
DAY OFF
I sit in the quiet room
rejoicing earnestly.
The sun remains outside.
It dares me to come out.
My nose remains in a book.
I live in make-believe.
I listen to the silence.
I hush the bird that sings
that prefers the blue skies.
Outside the sun glistens.
I worry about the rent
and living in the wild.
I go back to work tomorrow.
Today I feed the soul.
The freshness of rest works.
I drink in moderation.
The body needs a day off.
The future is uncertain.
I sit in the quiet room
rejoicing earnestly.
The sun remains outside.
It dares me to come out.
My nose remains in a book.
I live in make-believe.
I listen to the silence.
I hush the bird that sings
that prefers the blue skies.
Outside the sun glistens.
I worry about the rent
and living in the wild.
I go back to work tomorrow.
Today I feed the soul.
The freshness of rest works.
I drink in moderation.
The body needs a day off.
The future is uncertain.
STANDING OUTSIDE
Standing outside,
the only thing
I wished for was
you at my side.
The two of us
together, a
perfect pairing,
or so I thought.
I smiled knowing
I was alone.
Thoughts are just thoughts.
Dreams are just dreams.
Standing outside,
the clouds gathered.
Soon rain would fall.
I would get wet.
SPIDERS AND FLOWERS
I have killed spiders
and stepped on flowers
in moments where I was
not thinking but reacting.
I apologize to them
for not thinking of
alternatives to violence
and aggression.
I feared the spiders
each time I took their lives.
I could have taken them
out to the yard in a cup
or a piece of paper.
The flowers I stepped on
where in my way when
I climbed a wall or climbed
in through a window or
climbed outside a window
because I had to find an
alternate way out of a place.
Spiders and flowers, I offer
my sincere apologies. I will
do my best not to kill you
or trample you again.
WHEN THE DAY IS DONE
Look at those grapes
by the side of
the road under
the coolness of
air. What do they
know of the grape
picker? Powerless,
the day worker
can take no more.
He is through,
does not come back.
When the day is
done, away he
goes. What can I
say? Do not go?
The grape picker
leaves the field
and goes back home.
His callused hand
clutching his heart.
the road under
the coolness of
air. What do they
know of the grape
picker? Powerless,
the day worker
can take no more.
He is through,
does not come back.
When the day is
done, away he
goes. What can I
say? Do not go?
The grape picker
leaves the field
and goes back home.
His callused hand
clutching his heart.
GROCERY BAG
Do not throw that grocery bag away.
You never know when you will need it.
Keep it in your car for that time you
might get sick and need to vomit.
Keep it in your house in case you are
out of trash bags. They are useful
until you go out and buy more trash
bags. They are useful when your fridge
breaks down and for moving items to
the mini-fridge that will spoil for sure.
Buy scotch, that will not go bad.
Get snacks that do not need freezing.
You can carry the scotch and snacks
in a grocery bag. It is useful,
but may destroy the planet eventually.
THERE IS HOPE
There is hope
in the world.
I have seen
it with tired
eyes. I see
it all the
time I get
out of bed
to go to
work. I could
have stayed in
bed with no
hope at all.
But I am
here, cancer
free, with a
second chance
at life. Is not
that hope now?
____________________
Today’s LittleNip:
LAST NIGHT
—Luis Cuauhtémoc Berriozábal
Last night
through onion clouds
a half-moon
staring back at me
then disappearing.
_____________________
—Medusa, with thanks to Luis Berriozábal for today’s fine poetry and visuals!
—Photo by Luis Cuauhtémoc Berriozábal
For 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!
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!
