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Tom Goff
Local Habitation
Countries have districts, have states,
departments, or counties, bearers
of local names dipped in legend-honey,
roads bathed in the naming-milk,
each tree, pine, birch, sprinkled as babies
baptized at, if never quite in,
that font of alphabet breath. Why, Nora
grew up singing Latvian songs, dainas, rhyming
lines short, terse verse-feet for a child’s
breath, sticky on that big spoon, memory.
In songs Nora finds Latvia, finds identity: bits
of lore bittersweet: Saulis Maita drowning
herself each winter deeper than Virginia
Woolf, coming back crisper than Christ
each spring. Imants Ziedonis captures,
fractures, refreshes Latvian
butter-churn songs, pagan serpent-
giving-suck-to-the-cattle songs.
What have Californians to supply such deep,
slow, songful needs? Yesterday, we wove
car-miles into a Sierra refrain: Shingle
Springs, Pollock Pines, Freshpond, Kyburz,
Tahoe, each an artless art-song in a recital
of pioneer bone-rhymes, aboriginal tags,
but all toothsome. Oh, and near Apple Hill,
no bobbing for apples with teeth
in liquid, but apples bobbing from trees
in air that teethes, edging the crisp skins tart,
keeping up the name of the place. Near
Camino Drive, a wondrously misspelled
highway sign: Paul Bunyon Road. Look
down from there into ravine. Behold
swelling, the hair of the hide wind-ruffled,
the back, haunches, and flanks of Babe
the giant green ox.
--
From Donald R. Anderson, an event for tomorrow:
Hi, poets!
I and Chinetana would like to remind you that the monthly open mic is scheduled for this Tuesday, Nov. 10th (as well as Dec. 8th) at 6:30pm at the Empresso Coffeehouse off the Miracle Mile (1826 Pacific Ave. Stockton, CA) the 2nd block north from Harding Way. Chinetana 'Nana' Phounsavath and I, would like to welcome everyone to enjoy an evening of poetry, essays, music and more.
If you are interested in sharing your creative craft or simply need more information, please contact Chinetana via email or cell at (209) 598-0549. We look forward to seeing everyone there to support this FREE local event.
Have a great weekend!
Donald R. Anderson (revised forward from Chinetana 'Nana' Phounsavath)
poetsespresso newsletter editor
Donald R. Anderson
poetsespresso@gmail.com
209.405.4041
1426 Telegraph Ave. #4
Stockton, CA 95204
Arts website:
http://poetsespresso.com
--
All Good Things - Jobe
jamesleejobe@gmail.com