Five Quadrilles & a Little Poe

 —Poetry by Stephen Kingsnorth,
Coedpoeth, Wrexham, Wales
—Public Domain Photos Courtesy 

of Stephen Kingsnorth

 

 

These first four poems from Stephen are Quadrilles: 44 words (not counting the title), including one word the host provides. These were written while Stephen was in the throes of what he calls Quadrillitis. In an effort to cure this Q-itis, I sent him five cue-words, which I’ve highlighted here, hoping he would overdose from flexing his Quads. This final poem of his is a nod to the US on today’s Fourth of July. Note Stephen’s wink to tea parties…


WAS, IS, AND IS TO BE…?

Who reads the news, paper today?
Too broad to handle, thinking sheets;
wrapped fish’n’chips, rue redtops’ stain.
Their stop press columns ceased express,
swift, wall to wall, Fleet’s cover blown;
print press, by net, hung out to dry,
while Wall Street’s rôle, wallpaper trail.

 

 

 

 

GOURD HELP US, SQUASHED

Your zucchini, courgette is mine—
is your rootstock, mafia style,
while my corvette, French ship derived?
Unless outgrown—on marrow dine—
that starter dish for slug or snail,
and nothing slow when dining out,
for small tip left by them consumed;
Cucurbitaceae, family.

 

 

 

 

COT OBSERVATIONS

Once stropped on leather, lathered, soap,
Dad’s cutthroat blade would bristle, swathe.
And Mum could curl, recall her perm,
spiked rollers under net as temp.
For but a day, ahead of hair,
their pillow wresting follicles,
what made my eyes think rollerblade?
Associations codified.

 

 

 

SOUTHERN STRESS

A southerner near Roman spa,
as city, Bath, was overdrawn—
‘Barth’—theologian I approve.
Our offspring, as the grandchildren,
are northern-raised, more tap than tarp.
So I would turn my gravest face
when barth-time tapped out bathtub sound.
My mother, car-crash, simply crȇche.

 

 

 

 

DRAFT CURRICULUM

May quadrillitis sound diseased,
parading, marching on the square,
though compass not so secretive—
but nation ready, youth prepared.
The sense of service I applaud,
as citizens should contribute
so learning ethic, give if take.
I am unsure that discipline,
good learning being uniform?

 

 

 

 Poe Returns to Boston
—Statue by Stefanie Rocknak

BOUND BREAKS FREE

Spilling volumes, strapped leather case,
how could the raven be contained,
enclosed in baggage, papers, page,
bursting, such larger life than he?
Poe returning, ghosts break free,
homeward, bound like trail of texts
left in his train, from station walk,
marking steps since he first left.
Adoptive, in short story form,
consumptive for child cousin bride;
patina, Verdigris of bronze,
once journeyman, now sett apart.
It’s no tea party, reading fear—
a nevermore. Finality.

__________________

Today’s LittleNip:

Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.

—Thomas Paine

__________________

—Medusa, with thanks to BritPal Stephen Kingsnorth for sending us Yanks all these wonderful poems over the years! Hands across the sea~~

For more about Poe’s statue in Boston, see https://bostonlitdistrict.org/venue/poe-returns/.

 

 

 

May we all find some sort of compromises

in these troubled waters, both at home 

and over the sea~

And may you find some peace

this Fourth of July.

 

 —Public Domain Photo Courtesy 

of Joe Nolan, Stockton, CA

 

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!