* * *
—Poetry and Photos by Taylor Graham,
Placerville, CA
—And then scroll down for
Form Fiddlers’ Friday, with Poetry by
Lynn White, Stephen Kingsnorth, Nolcha Fox,
Joyce Odam, Michael H. Brownstein,
Christina Chin, Jerome Berglund,
and Caschwa
—Poetry and Photos by Taylor Graham,
Placerville, CA
—And then scroll down for
Form Fiddlers’ Friday, with Poetry by
Lynn White, Stephen Kingsnorth, Nolcha Fox,
Joyce Odam, Michael H. Brownstein,
Christina Chin, Jerome Berglund,
and Caschwa
IS IT REAL?
Shelby wonders, does she dare
creep close enough to that weird-
eyed dog to get a tail-wag
and sniff its butt?
Shelby wonders, does she dare
creep close enough to that weird-
eyed dog to get a tail-wag
and sniff its butt?
Latches
NOT JUST HALLOWEEN
Latches the cat wears his black-cat costume,
black mask, green-gold witch eyes unspoken spells
casting.
DIGNITARY
He’s the eminence here, his voice
carrying the morning—
Clark’s Nutcracker, the winged presence
over miles of sagebrush, juniper
and pinyon pine, the occasional aspen
dynasty—white-bark trees
with sheepherder carvings, incisions
scarred and healed
decades ago. What does Nutcracker
care for temporary humans?
We hear his lingering, grating kr-a-a-a
before we see him. And then
he rises on steel-gray wings—a sudden
flash of white— and he flies away
with his dignity intact.
He’s the eminence here, his voice
carrying the morning—
Clark’s Nutcracker, the winged presence
over miles of sagebrush, juniper
and pinyon pine, the occasional aspen
dynasty—white-bark trees
with sheepherder carvings, incisions
scarred and healed
decades ago. What does Nutcracker
care for temporary humans?
We hear his lingering, grating kr-a-a-a
before we see him. And then
he rises on steel-gray wings—a sudden
flash of white— and he flies away
with his dignity intact.
BINDERY
Whatever happened to the reams
of paper & cardstock, the saddle stitcher,
clamps & presses, scent of inked
words meeting face-to-face and back-
to-back? The poet’s bindery,
where he taught us to make chapbooks
and perfect-bound collections.
Only later did he talk of his screen
porch nights, listening to coyotes
having their time on the town,
and waiting for the owl who waits
to call each living poet’s name.
LAWN DECOR
This
plastic
Skeleton—
could we make it
dance?
Fake
Oak Snag
wears his crown
as protector of
woods.
Three
Witches
with cauldron—
who’ll taste their green
soup?
Tall
Monsters
make noises
and move—they aren’t
cheap.
________________________
TERRAPIN
In his wraparound shell
Western Pond Turtle rules supreme
among tules and spring-fed waters
above the bridge.
What does he know of human rules
and regulations, our obsessive
politics & strange elections?
What does he care that, this morning
in my pasture, I found
two unopened ballot envelopes
addressed to strangers;
and other random mail scattered
near our community mailbox structure?
I could try to explain my outrage.
But he’d just draw his head
back into his shell
and thank his creator for making him
a turtle, before returning to his
terrapin business.
Today’s LittleNip:
SNEAKY QUEEN
—Taylor Graham
She wags
her tail—
she’s squeaky
clean.
White tipped tail
whites out
each wrong.
___________________
SNEAKY QUEEN
—Taylor Graham
She wags
her tail—
she’s squeaky
clean.
White tipped tail
whites out
each wrong.
___________________
I imagine Halloween is VERY confusing to dogs—are they supposed to chase these scary things?—but they get in trouble for that. Then there are the ringing doorbells, the obnoxious kids . . . Anyway, Taylor Graham is writing poems about it all, and we thank her for that and for the photos, too.
Forma TG used this week include a Dodoitsu (“Is It Real?”); a Dixdeux (“Not Just Halloween”); a Response to our Tuesday Seed of the Week, The Owl Who Waits (“Bindery”); a Septolet (“Sneaky Queen”); a Lanturne (“Lawn Decor”); and a Word-Can Poem (“Terrapin”). The Lanturne and the Septolet were two of last week’s Triple-F Challenges.
In El Dorado County poetry this week, Become the River Literary Festival of Coloma meets on Saturday from 3-8:30pm, with Moira Magnesen and other poets. Then on Monday, Poetry in Motion meets in Placerville, 10:30am. And for info about EDC’s regular workshops, scroll down to Medusa’s Kitchen’s http://medusaskitchen.blogspot.com/p/wtf.html/. For more news about such events and 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
Poets who sent responses to last week’s Ekphrastic photo/artwork were Lynn White, Stephen Kingsnorth, and Nolcha Fox:
FEAR
—Lynn White, Blaenau Ffestiniog, North Wales
The blue dragon
looked a fearsome beast
sharp spines and scales
shining red and gold
spiked to strike
terror.
But appearances are deceptive.
He used to eat fish
but now he is afraid to eat them.
He says he’s seen them eating dragons
and has heard they’ve eaten the scales off a pink one.
He believes it,
and believing is seeing after all.
He imagines a fish nuzzling and nibbling.
He imagines a fish nuzzling and nibbling.
Now it’s taunting him
with bubbles
covering his face,
taking it over
and getting ready
for the rest.
* * *
PUFF, THE MAGIC…
—Stephen Kingsnorth, Coedpoeth, Wrexham, Wales
Those dragons, aways women—why?
For, her indoors—that’s what he calls,
as too landlady, or the boss,
but female only—what’s the cause?
It’s not the makeup, face-flesh art,
unless it’s warpaint, statement stance;
mascara, shadow, eyes red, blue,
puff powder magic, warts and all.
It was not me, the woman said;
it was not I, the snake instead,
but I count dragon which I chased,
a foiled attempt to drag me down.
There’s myth about that flaw was mine,
but Puff was magic, always youth,
down by the sea in innocence,
as I grew old, asthmatic wheeze.
So is it fire, that flaming tongue,
flared nostrils, he obsequious,
or nagging pain, worn wearisome,
with lash of falsely telling tales?
If dragon’s known then less to fear,
unless our quest is focussed there.
Obsession often queers our pitch
at knight time, fighting in their dreams.
Ironical, our patron saint
not even English—Turkish lad—
defeating dragon—still his brand,
but like St George, our myths merge, mix.
Flag’s celebration, weaponised,
creed, colour, immigrant now beast,
with wings spread, spearhead tongue and tail
is this fear’s fantasy to build?
So who’s enthroned, the Dragon Queen,
as if a game played out on screen?
Not weight, bland brown, Kimodo, while
neither Welsh, red on green field.
How many dragons in my youth,
all overseen by lampshade art?
They were a saintly lot I guess,
like grandma bearing bony me.
with bubbles
covering his face,
taking it over
and getting ready
for the rest.
* * *
PUFF, THE MAGIC…
—Stephen Kingsnorth, Coedpoeth, Wrexham, Wales
Those dragons, aways women—why?
For, her indoors—that’s what he calls,
as too landlady, or the boss,
but female only—what’s the cause?
It’s not the makeup, face-flesh art,
unless it’s warpaint, statement stance;
mascara, shadow, eyes red, blue,
puff powder magic, warts and all.
It was not me, the woman said;
it was not I, the snake instead,
but I count dragon which I chased,
a foiled attempt to drag me down.
There’s myth about that flaw was mine,
but Puff was magic, always youth,
down by the sea in innocence,
as I grew old, asthmatic wheeze.
So is it fire, that flaming tongue,
flared nostrils, he obsequious,
or nagging pain, worn wearisome,
with lash of falsely telling tales?
If dragon’s known then less to fear,
unless our quest is focussed there.
Obsession often queers our pitch
at knight time, fighting in their dreams.
Ironical, our patron saint
not even English—Turkish lad—
defeating dragon—still his brand,
but like St George, our myths merge, mix.
Flag’s celebration, weaponised,
creed, colour, immigrant now beast,
with wings spread, spearhead tongue and tail
is this fear’s fantasy to build?
So who’s enthroned, the Dragon Queen,
as if a game played out on screen?
Not weight, bland brown, Kimodo, while
neither Welsh, red on green field.
How many dragons in my youth,
all overseen by lampshade art?
They were a saintly lot I guess,
like grandma bearing bony me.
—Family Portrait Courtesy of Stephen Kingsnorth
NOTHING UNUSUAL
—Nolcha Fox, Buffalo, WY
A dragon walked into the bar.
He seemed so ordinary,
as if he needed one quick drink
to make it home to wifey.
No one seemed to notice him,
which made me scratch my head.
Whatever drink is in my glass,
I think I’ll have another.
* * *
Today we have an Oriental Octet (5, 7, 5 7 7, 5, 7, 5) from Joyce Odam’s archives. The poem also is a Response to our Tuesday SOW, The Owl Who Waits:
TIME-TREMOR
—Joyce Odam
the gift of quiet
twilight’s panoramic skies
perhaps a full moon
and the low hoot of an owl . . .
perhaps a soft wind rising
moving things around
sigh of leaves, a shift of clouds,
owl-swoop to the ground . . .
* * *
Michael Brownstein has sent us a Villanelle:
—Joyce Odam
the gift of quiet
twilight’s panoramic skies
perhaps a full moon
and the low hoot of an owl . . .
perhaps a soft wind rising
moving things around
sigh of leaves, a shift of clouds,
owl-swoop to the ground . . .
* * *
Michael Brownstein has sent us a Villanelle:
ON FREEDOM
—Michael H. Brownstein, Jefferson City, MO
We built a large and sturdy wall,
It's footing deep, it's brick strong,
Able to stop a Humpty Dumpty fall.
When they came with chain and ball
We held on to our rights, sang songs,
We built a large and sturdy wall.
Our dance, our speech, our ideas tall,
We did not need to agree to get along,
We made it so Humpty Dumpty could not fall.
Nonviolence, marches, we knew our call,
We fought against what was wrong,
Built a large and sturdy wall.
Freedom often needs to be redrawn,
We must always keep a sturdy wall,
Not conform or follow, but hear its gong,
Keep Humpty Dumpty from his fall.
* * *
Christina Chine and Jerome Berglund have collaborated on four Tan-Renga:
—Michael H. Brownstein, Jefferson City, MO
We built a large and sturdy wall,
It's footing deep, it's brick strong,
Able to stop a Humpty Dumpty fall.
When they came with chain and ball
We held on to our rights, sang songs,
We built a large and sturdy wall.
Our dance, our speech, our ideas tall,
We did not need to agree to get along,
We made it so Humpty Dumpty could not fall.
Nonviolence, marches, we knew our call,
We fought against what was wrong,
Built a large and sturdy wall.
Freedom often needs to be redrawn,
We must always keep a sturdy wall,
Not conform or follow, but hear its gong,
Keep Humpty Dumpty from his fall.
* * *
Christina Chine and Jerome Berglund have collaborated on four Tan-Renga:
BIRDSONG
—Christina Chin (plain text) and
Jerome Berglund (italics)
opposition
reps campaign
atop lamppost
the thrush throws
back its head
~ ~ ~
a cat
in and out of
the skylight
pigeon feathers
scatter
~ ~ ~
moray eel
byways though
the dark
a lone girl
at the barber pole
~ ~ ~
red cross
on the helmet
walking target
the poppy fields
bleed
* * *
Caschwa (Carl Schwartz) has sent us a set of
Quatrains with rhymes:
NOT AN EXACT QUOTE
—Caschwa, Sacramento, CA
Neither a piggy nor a banker be
must travel light if need to flee
don’t get tied down to rules and things
just look at the trouble we had with kings
I’ll sign your name if you cannot
just do not dwell on what I bought
your welfare is my sacred trust
I’ll take the boom, you get the bust
It’s a fact that taxes are too high
which will take more action than a sigh
don’t be fooled by claims of the wealthy
they don’t need tax breaks to remain healthy
they are far and above gainfully employed
insulated from debt, but easily annoyed
yes, that’s right, I’d be rich if I could
win some, lose some, burn money like wood
money doesn’t grow on trees
but comes from renting properties
“You may buy land now as cheap as stinking
mackerel.” —Shakespeare: Henry IV, II.iv.
* * *
We also have some Haiku from Carl, including a Haiku Chain:
—Caschwa, Sacramento, CA
Neither a piggy nor a banker be
must travel light if need to flee
don’t get tied down to rules and things
just look at the trouble we had with kings
I’ll sign your name if you cannot
just do not dwell on what I bought
your welfare is my sacred trust
I’ll take the boom, you get the bust
It’s a fact that taxes are too high
which will take more action than a sigh
don’t be fooled by claims of the wealthy
they don’t need tax breaks to remain healthy
they are far and above gainfully employed
insulated from debt, but easily annoyed
yes, that’s right, I’d be rich if I could
win some, lose some, burn money like wood
money doesn’t grow on trees
but comes from renting properties
“You may buy land now as cheap as stinking
mackerel.” —Shakespeare: Henry IV, II.iv.
* * *
We also have some Haiku from Carl, including a Haiku Chain:
ADAPTING TO CHANGE
—Caschwa
For years, size ten to
thirteen socks would fit me fine,
now that’s way too small!
Our vast body of
knowledge has been altered by
changeable factors
Old data is now
an unreliable risk,
so much for knowledge
~ ~ ~
THERE IT IS
For years, size ten to
thirteen socks would fit me fine,
now that’s way too small!
Our vast body of
knowledge has been altered by
changeable factors
Old data is now
an unreliable risk,
so much for knowledge
~ ~ ~
THERE IT IS
—Caschwa
Lost 2,000 pounds
while grocery shopping, then
got help to find car
~ ~ ~
DREAM ON
—Caschwa
I would happily
pay you on Doomsday for a
hamburger today
* * *
Carl calls this one an Ars Grammatica:
Lost 2,000 pounds
while grocery shopping, then
got help to find car
~ ~ ~
DREAM ON
—Caschwa
I would happily
pay you on Doomsday for a
hamburger today
* * *
Carl calls this one an Ars Grammatica:
PLUPERFECT
—Caschwa
Since the earliest of recorded time
that anyone even noticed this celestial
object, it has maintained its orbit most
distant from the sun. No one complained
till a bombardment of contrary data
demoted this imperfect ball of gas into
something less than our solar system’s
9th planet.
* * *
And we close with an Ars Poetica/Haibun, also from Carl:
ARS VIPERIDAE
—Caschwa
Writing poems is like feeding live mice
to Rosy Boa snakes. At first there is a
hint of horror, then the prey easily slides
down the snake’s receptive body. No
kudos to the kitchen, no tips for the wait
help. A period of slumber ensues until
the snake is ready for more.
You, too, could eat like
a snake does, just open wide
and invite the sleep
__________________
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!
—Caschwa
Writing poems is like feeding live mice
to Rosy Boa snakes. At first there is a
hint of horror, then the prey easily slides
down the snake’s receptive body. No
kudos to the kitchen, no tips for the wait
help. A period of slumber ensues until
the snake is ready for more.
You, too, could eat like
a snake does, just open wide
and invite the sleep
__________________
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!
See what you can make of these challenges, and send your results to kathykieth@hotmail.com/. (No deadline.) Write us a Villanelle, one of the time-honored forms that runs so smoothly. My friend, Carol Frith, used to write them unrhymed; take your pick, rhymed or unrhymed:
•••Villanelle (rhymed or unrhymed): www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/poetic-forms-villanelle
•••AND/OR how about an Oriental Octet like Joyce Odam did:
•••Oriental Octet: poetscollective.org/poetryforms/oriental-octet AND/OR https://allpoetry.com/list/609282-Oriental-Octet
•••AND/OR: something a little lighter weight, the Zip Dde (passed on your zip code):
•••Zip Ode: https://www.wlrn.org/write-an-ode-to-your-zip-code
•••See also the bottom of this post for another challenge, this one an Ekphrastic one.
•••And don’t forget each Tuesday Seed of the Week! This week it’s “An Embarrassment of Riches”.
____________________
MEDUSA’S FORM FINDER: Links to poetry terms mentioned today:
•••Ars Poetica: www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/ars-poetica
•••Dixdeux: https://poetscollective.org/poetryforms/dixdeux
•••Dodoitsu: www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/dodoitsu-poetic-forms
•••Ekphrastic Poem: notesofoak.com/discover-literature/ekphrastic-poetry
•••Haibun: www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/haibun-poems-poetic-form
•••Haiku: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/haiku-or-hokku AND/OR www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/haiku/haiku.html
•••Lanturne: http://www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/lanturne.html
•••Oriental Octet: https://allpoetry.com/list/609282-Oriental-Octet AND/OR https://allpoetry.com/list/609282-Oriental-Octet
•••Quatrain: www.masterclass.com/articles/poetry-101-what-is-a-quatrain-in-poetry-quatrain-definition-with-examples
•••Response Poem: creativetalentsunleashed.com/2015/11/18/writing-tip-response-poems
•••Septolet: www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/septolet.html
•••Tan-Renga: https://www.graceguts.com/essays/an-introduction-to-tan-renga
•••Tuesday Seed of the Week: a prompt listed in Medusa’s Kitchen every Tuesday; poems may be any shape or size, form or no form. No deadlines; past ones are listed at http://medusaskitchen.blogspot.com/p/calliopes-closet.html/. Send results to kathykieth#hotmail.com/.
•••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
•••Zip Ode: https://www.wlrn.org/write-an-ode-to-your-zip-code
__________________
—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 Public Domain
Make what you can of today's
picture, and send your poetic results to
kathykieth@hotmail.com/. (No deadline.)
* * *
—Photo Courtesy of Public Domain
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.
Poets’ bios appear on their first MK visit.
To find previous posts, type the name
of the poet (or poem) into the little
beige box at the top left-hand side
of this column. See also
Medusa’s Rapsheet at the bottom
of the blue column on the right
side of this column to find
any date you want.
Miss a post?
You can find our most recent ones by
scrolling down under this daily one.
Or there's an "Older Posts" button
at the bottom of this column.
(Please excuse typos in older posts!
Blogspot has been through a lot of
incarnations in 20 years!)
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.
Poets’ bios appear on their first MK visit.
To find previous posts, type the name
of the poet (or poem) into the little
beige box at the top left-hand side
of this column. See also
Medusa’s Rapsheet at the bottom
of the blue column on the right
side of this column to find
any date you want.
Miss a post?
You can find our most recent ones by
scrolling down under this daily one.
Or there's an "Older Posts" button
at the bottom of this column.
(Please excuse typos in older posts!
Blogspot has been through a lot of
incarnations in 20 years!)
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!
