Placerville, CA
—And then scroll down for
Form Fiddlers’ Friday, with poetry by
Joe Nolan, Lynn White, Stephen Kingsnorth,
Caschwa, Nolcha Fox, Christina Chin,
Linda Ludwig, Kim Olmtak Gomes,
and Joyce Odam
DECEMBER DECOR
I’m walking down Main Street. What do I see?
It’s holiday-crazy, a frantic sight.
Snowy Owl rises from the Xmas tree—
a storefront brilliant with commercial glee,
glass reflecting sky over ridgeline height.
I’m walking down Main Street, what do I see
that I might wish to buy? Some hefty fee
for an object that offers no delight.
Snowy Owl rises from the Xmas tree
into cloud reflection that sets him free
of human purposes by day and night.
I’m walking down Main Street. What do I see
that moves me more than this marvelous spree?
What’s lovelier than a bird in flight?
Snowy Owl rises from the Xmas tree
and who’s the wiser for taking wing? He
or I? I wonder, weighing thoughts that might
walk me right off Main Street. What do I see?
Snowy Owl rises from the Xmas tree.
I’m walking down Main Street. What do I see?
It’s holiday-crazy, a frantic sight.
Snowy Owl rises from the Xmas tree—
a storefront brilliant with commercial glee,
glass reflecting sky over ridgeline height.
I’m walking down Main Street, what do I see
that I might wish to buy? Some hefty fee
for an object that offers no delight.
Snowy Owl rises from the Xmas tree
into cloud reflection that sets him free
of human purposes by day and night.
I’m walking down Main Street. What do I see
that moves me more than this marvelous spree?
What’s lovelier than a bird in flight?
Snowy Owl rises from the Xmas tree
and who’s the wiser for taking wing? He
or I? I wonder, weighing thoughts that might
walk me right off Main Street. What do I see?
Snowy Owl rises from the Xmas tree.
THE WIND AND THE RAIN
Thunder and lightning!
nature’s fireworks late last night,
now, just wind and rain.
The tallest tree-crowns
bow to the rebel east wind—
how will it all end?
I’m bundled for storm,
my dog pricks his ears—a bird?
or a tree cracking?
The trail’s deserted,
broken branches everywhere—
just us and nature.
Wild turkeys are on the march—
oak’s windfall is a treasure.
CHRONICLING THE JOURNEY
Must I chart my weekly treks
by time, date, and step-count, by season
and terrain, a sort of military drill?
checking each selection darkly
as a gremlin with a black ink pen
and then lapsing into metaphor
effulgent with light, life—
transforming some hilltop snag
to a steeple, or a totem.
FOREST FASHION
The gangly ghost pine
and the squat live-oak don’t ask
what’s the style these days—
each knows its place, its purpose
not to worry about fads.
DREAM OF MY ONE INDULGENCE
Peace and quiet. I was in a forest,
a solitude. Then people started moving in
closer. How to keep my quiet space?
I came upon a phone; it told me
I was a Bear! The others, all bearing phones,
drew in tighter, disturbing the silence.
At last I knew the answer: go underground
where no one would find me
in my quiet, peaceful, long winter’s sleep.
PREWASH: A DEFINITION
Preliminary wash, performed here
by my black dog, Otis. They say,
if uninvited company arrives to stay
awhile, set the first meal’s dirty dishes
on the floor for the dog to lick, then
put them back in the cupboard. Guests
will soon be on the road again.
We have no uninvited company here.
But KP artists like Otis love their work.
He licks everything spotless.
As I pick dishes off the floor, I notice
one missing—heavy ceramic bowl
that tasted of tuna. I retrieve it
from Otis’s den in the living room.
He gives that soup five stars.
__________________
Today’s LittleNip:
ONLY ONE
—Taylor Graham
You want to know my only
Indulgence? I guess it’s chocolate, dark
chocolate. But is that an indulgence
when science declares it’s good for me?
Same with daily walks with my dog—
good for both of us, body and spirit.
So, is poetry my indulgence?
It keeps me from
going crazy in this world!
__________________
Thunder and lightning! Taylor Graham has sketched out a view of rainy days in the foothills during this holiday season, and we send her many thanks for her fine poetry and photos today! Forms she has used this week include a Word-Can Poem that is also an Ars Poetica (“Chronicling the Journey”); a Villanelle (“December Decor”); a Tanka (“Forest Fashion”); a Definition Poem (“Prewash: A Definition”); a Dream Poem (“Dream of My One Indulgence”); and a Haiku Sonnet (“The Wind and the Rain”). Our recent Seed of the Week was “My Only Indulgence”, and the Definition Poem was one of our Triple-F Challenges last week.
In El Dorado County’s poetry events this week, El Dorado County’s regular workshops are listed on Medusa’s calendar (if you scroll down on http://medusaskitchen.blogspot.com/p/wtf.html/), but you’d better check to make sure they’re meeting during this holiday season. 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!
* * *
Frog Prince by Clara Miller Burd, 1919
Last Week’s Ekphrastic Photo
* * *
Poets who sent responses to last week’s Ekphrastic photo included Joe Nolan, Lynn White, Stephen Kingsnorth, Caschwa, and Nolcha Fox:
FROG PRINCE
—Joe Nolan. Stockton, CA
I see your face
Pop through my face
Reflecting in the water
When you rise
To take a breath
Through your nostrils, flaring,
Floating there
On lily-pad
As though it were
Your throne.
You do not seem
To be afraid
Of someone’s
Darling daughter,
Perched there
On a lily-pad
As though you
Long to kiss?
We could be like this
For days
Strung end to end.
Will you come back tomorrow?
Would you be my
Lily-lover?
Could you be my prince
If I gave you a little kiss?
* * *
FROG
—Lynn White, Blaenau Ffestiniog, North Wales
She looked into the pond where
the frog, sitting on a lily pad
looked back at her alert
its eyes meeting hers.
She remembered the story about a frog,
how it became a prince when kissed.
She thought of the sleeping beauty
and how she awoke to the kiss
of a prince.
So, it seemed that kisses and princes
must have some connection.
The frog was very still.
She thought it may be
still enough to kiss
but she couldn’t quite reach
though she tried and tried and tried
while the frog stayed there still waiting.
And then it spoke.
“I’m no prince,”
it said.
“But I’ll come closer,
I’d still like a kiss.”
* * *
CHARMING…
—Stephen Kingsnorth, Coedpoeth, Wrexham, Wales
Behind the mask, a charming prince,
some ugly, thought, royal revealed;
a caterpillar changed to flight,
from creeping worm to flit delight,
as tadpole through to gangly sight,
but crystalised before our eyes.
In fables, myths and legends traced,
this leggy, metamorphosed beast
is eaten, though not poison type—
for that rôle kept for arrow tips—
but presence known in culture scenes
an Egypt plague on houses, all.
So how, with stutter throat, a frog,
antipodean fondant cake,
in underworld linked sickness, death,
amphibian, land, water home?
From spawning clouds, about to reign,
why would she think this dot her doom?
Grimm our source, though ancient wells,
as thrown to wall or kiss transformed,
tale’s moral may be keeping faith—
with promise, grounded castle, keep!
Germanic prince but why the frog—
a symbol of betrothed dislike?
Back to the worm that flutters by—
so every life, potential scene?
Our shelves are stacked with novel themes
from Ovid, Kafka, in between,
and sacred texts of lives reborn;
that tadpole, much to answer for.
* * *
THE INNOCENCE OF YOUTH
—Caschwa, Sacramento, CA
before one is old enough to pronounce
metamorphosis, one’s garments collect
soils by the ounce at the edge of the
rambling creek, and the young human
acquires keen observation skills when a
pollywog is finally ready to grow limbs
and communicate in the voice of a frog
the new and improved pollywog accepts
its place among the changing scenario of
the rambling creek, whereas the observer’s
old school mother will simply not tolerate
such slime being brought into her pristine
domicile
leave your shoes at the door, leave your
frogs in the creek, stay outdoors to empty
your pockets of all that is unclean, no
exceptions, not even that, then come inside,
wash up fully, and help us in the kitchen
* * *
A ROYAL PAIN
—Nolcha Fox, Buffalo, WY
I felt a frog hop in my throat.
It turned into pneumonia.
The frog knocked on my brain
and said he was a royal prince.
I only had to kiss him,
and we would love forever.
He hopped out of my open mouth,
and dove into a pond.
He was a very ugly frog,
and I’m too old for love.
I’d rather see an ugly frog
than fall for yet another lie
from some rich dude
who only wants a maid.
* * *
And Nolcha has sent us a Concrete Poem for Christmas:
—Public Domain Photo Courtesy of Nolcha Fox
ANOTHER PLASTIC CHRISTMAS
—Nolcha Fox
Box
comes out.
Assembly
instructions long
forgotten, somehow
the plastic tree takes shape.
Ornaments from Christmases
long past, their gilt and glitter gone,
we don’t remember why we bought them.
We rebend hooks to make them stay aloft.
Soft lights,
looks good.
—Nolcha Fox
Box
comes out.
Assembly
instructions long
forgotten, somehow
the plastic tree takes shape.
Ornaments from Christmases
long past, their gilt and glitter gone,
we don’t remember why we bought them.
We rebend hooks to make them stay aloft.
Soft lights,
looks good.
Courtesy of Nolcha Fox
* * *
Today we have three Tan-Renga from Christina Chin and Linda Ludwig. Come to the Kitchen tomorrow for a whole bunch of Tan-Renga collaborations between Christina and others from around the world:
THREE TAN-RENGA
—Christina Chin / Linda Ludwig (italics)
chubby feet
in wooden tubs
snow spa day
wafts of rose oil
and sandalwood
* * *
house sparrows
ruffle the salvias
a hint of mint
the cat rolls
in the damp catnip
* * *
dark clouds
and heavy rain
a frog's call
clinging under
the elephant ear
* * *
And here are some more Tan-Renga, these by Christina Chin and Kim Olmtak Gomes. Kim, a retired English teacher and translator, is from Suriname, South America, and is currently living in the US:
FOUR TAN-RENGA
—Kim Olmtak Gomes / Christina Chin (italics)
Indian summer
a bud looks up to the sky
expectantly
Alaska migratory birds
glide south
* * *
Christmas kiss
under the mistletoe
mom and a puppy
fake snow
on a tropical pine
* * *
year end
family raises glasses
frosting and sparkling
the yule log cake
a centre piece
* * *
And we close with a lovely French Sonnet by Joyce Odam, our angel for the season who turned 100 this year:
I LISTEN TO THE SIGHING TREES
—Joyce Odam, Sacramento, CA
What sound is this that stretches thin
like some old anguished violin
holding some note that stirs the air
and searches out the mood I’m in
and finds me, finds me everywhere.
I listen, though I put my hands
tight to my ears to filter out
whatever memory demands
of something that I cared about
and lost, and oh, these moaning trees
can hear it too, they shudder so,
as if to lose some sorrow-breeze
that tortures them, that will not free
this sound, acute with misery.
(prev. pub. in Hidden Oak 2003;
and Medusa’s Kitchen, 8/6/19; 12/25/20)
____________________
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!
and Medusa’s Kitchen, 8/6/19; 12/25/20)
____________________
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!
•••Dream Poem: https://www.bing.com/search?q=dream+poem+form&pc=cosp&ptag=C999N1234A316A5D3C6E&form=0A1010&conlogo=CT3210127&showconv=1
•••AND/OR some Tan-Renga, either with another person, or using lines you found online:
•••Tan-renga: https://www.graceguts.com/essays/an-introduction-to-tan-renga
•••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 “Light/tunnel/and all that”.
____________________
MEDUSA’S FORM FINDER: Links to poetry terms mentioned today:
•••Ars Poetica: www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/ars-poetica
•••Concrete Poetry: poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/concrete-poem
•••Definition Poem: https://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/topic/1105-a-definition-poem
•••Dream Poem: https://www.bing.com/search?q=dream+poem+form&pc=cosp&ptag=C999N1234A316A5D3C6E&form=0A1010&conlogo=CT3210127&showconv=1
•••Ekphrastic Poem: notesofoak.com/discover-literature/ekphrastic-poetry
•••Sonnet, French: https://poetscollective.org/everysonnet/french-sonnet
•••Sonnet, Haiku (four Haiku followed by two lines of seven syllables each): www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/haiku-sonnet-poetic-form
•••Tanka: poets.org/glossary/tanka
•••Tan-renga: https://www.graceguts.com/essays/an-introduction-to-tan-renga
•••Villanelle (rhymed or unrhymed): www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/poetic-forms-villanelle
•••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
•••Dream Poem: https://www.bing.com/search?q=dream+poem+form&pc=cosp&ptag=C999N1234A316A5D3C6E&form=0A1010&conlogo=CT3210127&showconv=1
•••Ekphrastic Poem: notesofoak.com/discover-literature/ekphrastic-poetry
•••Sonnet, French: https://poetscollective.org/everysonnet/french-sonnet
•••Sonnet, Haiku (four Haiku followed by two lines of seven syllables each): www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/haiku-sonnet-poetic-form
•••Tanka: poets.org/glossary/tanka
•••Tan-renga: https://www.graceguts.com/essays/an-introduction-to-tan-renga
•••Villanelle (rhymed or unrhymed): www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/poetic-forms-villanelle
•••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.)
* * *
—Photo Courtesy of Joe Nolan
Make what you can of today's
picture, and send your poetic results to
kathykieth@hotmail.com/. (No deadline.)
* * *
—Photo Courtesy of Joe Nolan
For info about
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!
