Placerville, CA
—And then scroll down for
Form Fiddlers’ Friday, with poetry by
Nolcha Fox, Stephen Kingsnorth,
Joe Nolan, Caschwa, and Joyce Odam
DRIVING UPCOUNTRY
to our summer place, land of gooseberry
& currant, cowparsnip, tower delphinium,
columbine & mariposa lily—
we take a rest stop.
Is it a monarch?
this orange & black butterfly
performing aerobatics
as if for us.
Far traveler, farther than I will ever fly.
As if my feet had wings—
to our summer place, land of gooseberry
& currant, cowparsnip, tower delphinium,
columbine & mariposa lily—
we take a rest stop.
Is it a monarch?
this orange & black butterfly
performing aerobatics
as if for us.
Far traveler, farther than I will ever fly.
As if my feet had wings—
SOMETIMES IT’S A SLOW WALK
Why must my dog stop to sniff
every couple of paces, minutely
as if unraveling a mystery?
Why do I stop every few steps
to snap a photo in this old alley
as if piecing together a story?
TRAIL CLOSED
By a rough dirt path
we arrived at the paved trail
just to find it’s closed.
Who needs pavement when it’s woods
and living earth we came for?
NOSY NEIGHBORS
Yes, I’m nosy when it comes to a herd of goats
and sheep across the neighbor’s stockwire fence.
A welcome sight, for grazing a dead-dry field
of waist-high star-thistle. I watch from a distance
when someone stops a truck and pitches flakes
of hay to supplement the diet of dead weeds.
Will they ever clear that field? Weeks, a month
pass. They’re still there. Are they permanent?
I suspect they’re rented, for clearing defensible
space. As I check the internet for local cougar
sightings, I think of those ruminants as sentries
with their finely tuned senses, my monitors
of pasture peace. They’re grazing quietly.
It’s a comfort to be nosy.
UNDER THE DOME
Golden-brass scaled serpent winding
in airy coils upward, its dark head
obscured by angles and distance
as it circles toward the high stained
glass dome, spiraling between earth
and heaven on its way snakelike
constricting any breathable
air caught among its climbing coils.
Golden-brass scaled serpent winding
in airy coils upward, its dark head
obscured by angles and distance
as it circles toward the high stained
glass dome, spiraling between earth
and heaven on its way snakelike
constricting any breathable
air caught among its climbing coils.
PRAYER FLAGS AT THE PARK
This community project laid out
on a park bench with kids and grownups
armed with brushes and stencils,
painting a forest on canvas, a prayer flag.
Is it efficacious to let folks who maybe
never had a lesson in acrylics
loose to create a piece of art? It keeps
evolving as some step back and others
take their place. Look what they’ve done.
Here’s a bear, and here a fox. A deer,
a woodpecker. A flight of ravens.
A spinning moth. A butterfly siphoning
nectar from a flower floating midair.
What does it mean?
These people who’ve lost their homes,
their forest to wildfire—three years later,
they come together
as the forest does its slow recovery.
Over there, people are drawing
random words from a jar, creating poems
to inscribe on their own small prayer-
flags. Could these
people put into words, shapes, and colors
what they’ve come here to redeem?
____________________
Today’s LittleNip:
FAIRGROUNDS
—Taylor Graham
Grange Youth garden plot:
Barrows, Boots & Bling—rural
keeping up with style.
____________________
Taylor Graham and Otis headed up the hill this week, and sent us poetry about their adventures—thank you, TG and pal! Forms she has used this week include a Haiku (“Fairgrounds”); two Word-Can Poems (“Driving Upcountry”; “Prayer Flags at the Park”); some Normative Syllabics that are also responses to Medusa's Ekphrastic Photo last week (“Under the Dome”); and a Tanka (“Trail Closed”). “Nosy Neighbors” was last Tuesday’s Seed of the Week, and the prayer flags poem refers to last Sunday's ForestSong at Lotus Park, where prayer flags were made to celebrate the forest.
Coming up in El Dorado County weekend-after-this (10/11-12) is Tahoe’s first-ever Tahoe Literary Festival, with workshops, panels, and key speakers in Tahoe City, CA—including an Ekphrastic workshop with Lara Gularte, entitled "Explore a Poet's Sense of Place Through Ekphrastic Writing", on 10/12, 1:30pm. $35 for the entire Festival, or $15 to hear keynote speaker Obi Kaufmann on 10/11. Info/schedule/tix (get your tickets now!):
https://yourtahoeguide.com/2024/09/tahoe-literary-festival-schedule-tickets/?fbclid=IwY2xjawFke4RleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHXRzOcB-dGPYTrAqfYhJx5CIQytjKIXou5uKVdWRdgRRS8talUd_QGOfKA_aem_Ql_P1c1m91ou2aDkiOexwg/.
Two NorCal publications have their latest issues online right now: Issue #66 (!) of the quarterly Canary is at https://www.canarylitmag.org/, and Sacramento Poetry Center's October Poet News is at htps://www.sacpoetrycenter.org/poetnews/. Enjoy!
Two NorCal publications have their latest issues online right now: Issue #66 (!) of the quarterly Canary is at https://www.canarylitmag.org/, and Sacramento Poetry Center's October Poet News is at htps://www.sacpoetrycenter.org/poetnews/. Enjoy!
El Dorado County’s regular workshops are listed on Medusa’s calendar if you scroll down on http://medusaskitchen.blogspot.com/p/wtf.html).
For more news about EDC poetry—past (photos!) and future—see Taylor Graham’s Western Slope El Dorado Poetry on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ElDoradoCountyPoetry or see Lara Gularte’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/382234029968077/. And you can always click on Medusa's UPCOMING NORCAL EVENTS (http://medusaskitchen.blogspot.com/p/wtf.html). Poetry is Gold in El Dorado County!
And now it’s time for…
FORM FIDDLERS’ FRIDAY!
For more news about EDC poetry—past (photos!) and future—see Taylor Graham’s Western Slope El Dorado Poetry on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ElDoradoCountyPoetry or see Lara Gularte’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/382234029968077/. And you can always click on Medusa's UPCOMING NORCAL EVENTS (http://medusaskitchen.blogspot.com/p/wtf.html). Poetry is Gold in El Dorado County!
And now it’s time for…
FORM FIDDLERS’ FRIDAY!
Check out our recently-refurbed page at the top of Medusa’s Kitchen called, “FORMS! OMG!!!” which expresses some of my (take ‘em or leave 'em) opinions about the use of forms in poetry writing, as well as listing some more resources to help you navigate through Form Quicksand and other ways of poetry. Got any more resources to add to our list? Send them to kathykieth@hotmail.com for the benefit of all man/woman/poetkind!
* * *
Last Week’s Ekphrastic Photo
Last week’s photo brought response-poems from Nolcha Fox, and Stephen Kingsnorth:
IN THE LAIR
—Nolcha Fox, Buffalo, WY
A spiral staircase
winds itself from
tiled floor veined
gold to upper
stories that might
tell a different tail.
You might consider
leaving while you can.
Don’t be distracted
by designs and
stained glass windows
meant to obfuscate. You may find yourself
a meal for one sly
dragon lurking there.
* * *
MUSEUM PIECE
—Stephen Kingsnorth, Coedpoeth, Wrexham, Wales
Stairway to Heaven is named claim,
this rising case in Erawan;
the wooden spiral, intricate
in carving, yes, but what defined?
For more the balance of the climb
upon snake whorl in stepping curl,
coiled corkscrew, stable in the air—
not Jacob’s dream, straight ladder mount.
So see Bangkok, this gallery,
but reckon with its questions posed;
for note that hell, a rubbish dump,
Gehenna, corporation tip.
So why above the bright blue sky
should heaven feature, afterlife?
Incarnate is the earthbound span,
for this observer, kingdom land.
Is this stained glass above the earth—
when looking selves, globe’s mirrorwork,
the strain in human faces mark
our groundwork, cruel nature damned?.
Without recourse to judgement’s hand,
or purgatory, waiting lounge,
is this theology rite placed—
museum piece for ancients’ view?
* * *
Joe Nolan sent us a poem-response to this recent Ekphrastic photo:
SMALL TIN CANS
—Joe Nolan, Stockton, CA
—Joe Nolan, Stockton, CA
Small tin cans,
Lined up on a shelf,
Each with different contents,
Each, a unique self.
Each with different labels,
So everyone can tell
What’s inside
Without the need to smell.
* * *
Joe also wrote an Ekphrastic response to Picasso’s Guernica (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guernica_%28Picasso%29):
REMEMBERING GUERNICA
—Joe Nolan
I can’t remember
Details of embroidery
Sewn into fine fabric
Set out for display
On a wall at the U.N.,
Depicting effects of bombing
At Guernica
As Spain fought off the Reds
Who called themselves Republicans.
I just remember open, screaming mouths
In painted, distorted figures
And horses set on fire.
Exactly how Picasso
Had the will to tell us so
Is a wonder of modern art
And a warning to us
As we go forth
Into our uncertain futures
To resist, resist, forever.
* * *
Here is a Soliloquy from Caschwa (Carl Schwartz), with “a few expressions borrowed from Shakespeare”:
I MADE IT POSSIBLE
—Caschwa, Sacramento, CA
I sit alone atop a sturdy wooden table
my frame holds keys and type hammers
above them a carriage, platen, return lever
they feed me pure white papers, jet black ribbons
sometimes messy, confusing carbon paper
ay, there’s the rub
the typed text has to be insanely perfect
though there are different, crazy ways to fix
an error on the top sheet of white paper
a carbon copy error remains for an eternity
to die, to sleep, to say we end the heart-ache
and the thousand natural shocks, ‘tis a
consummation;
on the next table over rests an all-in-one
computer, scanner, printer, fax, word processor
with a modern keyboard, and a big, dazzling
screen
to preview typed text to edit, space, change,
adapt,
find a better word, etc.
* * *
Here are some Normative Syllabics from Carl:
NAKED TITLE
—Caschwa
it is okay to bare your top
while keeping the bottom covered
pick up a mermaid, drink her wine
now almost done, it’s bottoms up
when salty air gets in your hair
and the sun creeps under your skin
you are officially out of
the daily rut office routine
horny hormones strip off one’s clothes
even at the public shoreline
true that, ends will justify means
feelings, nothing more than feelings
you just being human is all
that is necessary to make
dull statistics irrelevant
old rules of order forgotten
painting walls with your vibrant thoughts
and hanging shoes at remote heights
tells the world your work day is done
lets time clocks fade in history
—Caschwa
it is okay to bare your top
while keeping the bottom covered
pick up a mermaid, drink her wine
now almost done, it’s bottoms up
when salty air gets in your hair
and the sun creeps under your skin
you are officially out of
the daily rut office routine
horny hormones strip off one’s clothes
even at the public shoreline
true that, ends will justify means
feelings, nothing more than feelings
you just being human is all
that is necessary to make
dull statistics irrelevant
old rules of order forgotten
painting walls with your vibrant thoughts
and hanging shoes at remote heights
tells the world your work day is done
lets time clocks fade in history
* * *
Caschwa says he failed in his efforts to write a Word Can Poem, so instead he invented this Can of Worms poem:
ISLE BEHEADING
—Caschwa
your way two tall four
me and my shadow
boxing days are oeuvre
incomplete works donut
sell well water lawn
degree allows one to
practice makes purr
fix me supper
—Caschwa
your way two tall four
me and my shadow
boxing days are oeuvre
incomplete works donut
sell well water lawn
degree allows one to
practice makes purr
fix me supper
* * *
And here are two Sonnets from Joyce Odam, the second being an Echo Sonnet:
AFFAIR OF THE HEART
—Joyce Odam, Sacramento, CA
It is seduction that they understand,
though it be folly, precursive to despair;
they yield to its addiction; they declare
themselves clairvoyant, yet go hand in hand
with Fate and Blindness, those misleaders. And
for passion that they always knew was there,
they wear whatever mask they need to wear
to keep illusion’s face. Their flame is fanned.
Wretched with love now, hopelessly confessed,
oh, they are tragic—they are tragic, true—nor
do they care. They are both cursed and blessed.
They grow possessive, and they grow afraid.
Too young to suffer less than others do,
they settle back into the beds they’ve made.
(prev. pub. in Poets’ Forum Magazine,
September 1997)
* * *
THE REFUSALS
—Joyce Odam
In times of want we always want for more.
Hunger is not the issue, but the need—
something of yearning that is never freed.
The rags of pride are not what hunger wore.
No mirror soothed the face that weeping tore
—no shreds of sad surrender that reveal
the edge of last despair that loss can feel.
The rags of pride are not what hunger wore.
No boat of mercy found a kinder shore.
Such are the losses of the heart’s appeal—
the old refusals that became a seal.
The rags of pride are not what hunger wore.
In times of want we always want for more.
The rags of pride are not what hunger wore.
____________________
Many thanks to today’s writers for their lively contributions! Wouldn’t you like to join them? All you have to do is send poetry—forms or not—and/or photos and artwork to kathykieth@hotmail.com. We post work from all over the world, including that which was previously-published. Just remember: the snakes of Medusa are always hungry!
____________________
TRIPLE-F CHALLENGES!
—Joyce Odam
In times of want we always want for more.
Hunger is not the issue, but the need—
something of yearning that is never freed.
The rags of pride are not what hunger wore.
No mirror soothed the face that weeping tore
—no shreds of sad surrender that reveal
the edge of last despair that loss can feel.
The rags of pride are not what hunger wore.
No boat of mercy found a kinder shore.
Such are the losses of the heart’s appeal—
the old refusals that became a seal.
The rags of pride are not what hunger wore.
In times of want we always want for more.
The rags of pride are not what hunger wore.
____________________
Many thanks to today’s writers for their lively contributions! Wouldn’t you like to join them? All you have to do is send poetry—forms or not—and/or photos and artwork to kathykieth@hotmail.com. We post work from all over the world, including that which was previously-published. Just remember: the snakes of Medusa are always hungry!
____________________
TRIPLE-F CHALLENGES!
•••Jay’s Way: https://poetscollective.org/poetryforms/jays-way
•••AND/OR take a cue from Joyce and write a Sonnet, any type:
•••Sonnet Forms: https://blog.prepscholar.com/what-is-a-sonnet-poem-form AND/OR poets.org/glossary/sonnet
•••See also the bottom of this post for another challenge, this one an Ekphrastic one.
•••And don’t forget each Tuesday’s Seed of the Week! This week it’s “The Imperative to Stash”.
____________________
MEDUSA’S FORM FINDER: Links to poetry terms mentioned today:
•••Ekphrastic Poem: notesofoak.com/discover-literature/ekphrastic-poetry
•••Haiku: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/haiku-or-hokku AND/OR www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/haiku/haiku.html
•••Jay’s Way: https://poetscollective.org/poetryforms/jays-way
•••Normative Syllabics: hellopoetry.com/collection/108/normative-syllabic-free-verse AND/OR lewisturco.typepad.com/poetics/normative-syllabic-verse
•••Soliloquy: smartblogger.com/soliloquy-examples/www.masterclass.com AND/OR https://www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/soliloquy
•••Sonnet Forms: https://blog.prepscholar.com/what-is-a-sonnet-poem-form AND/OR poets.org/glossary/sonnet
•••Tanka: poets.org/glossary/tanka
•••Word-Can Poem: putting random words on slips of paper into a can, then drawing out a few and making a poem out of them
___________________
—Medusa
Today's Ekphrastic Challenge!
Make what you can of today's
picture, and send your poetic results to
kathykieth@hotmail.com/. (No deadline.)
* * *
—Public Domain Photo Courtesy of
Medusa
Make what you can of today's
picture, and send your poetic results to
kathykieth@hotmail.com/. (No deadline.)
* * *
—Public Domain Photo Courtesy of
Medusa
For 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!
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!
