Village Poets Feature Linda Dove on October 26, 2014

Village Poets have the pleasure to invite poets, poetry lovers, and other interested parties with a profound fascination with the spoken word to attend the next Village Poets Monthly Reading at Bolton Hall Museum in Tujunga CA, on Sunday, October 26, 2014 at 4:30 p.m. in the afternoon. Our featured poet will be Linda Dove and we will also have two segments of Open Mike and serve refreshments. The Bolton Hall Museum is made available to Village Poets by the Little Landers Historical Society and we pass George Harris's hat to collect suggested donations of $3 per person to donate back to LLHS for the Bolton Hall use.

LINDA DOVE

Linda Dove has published two award-winning collections, In Defense of Objects (Bear Star, 2009) and the chapbook O Dear Deer, (Squall, 2011). She holds a Ph.D. in Renaissance literature and was a college English professor for many years. She currently lives in Monrovia, California. More info lives here: www.dovemuse.com.

St. Nicholas of Tolentino Begins with Prayer

Patron Saint of Vegetarians and Lost Souls

I do not refuse meat.

I am humble around kitchens, the copper conserva, the sauces and chickens.

My hands rub rosemary and purple flowers fall.

I am often at the gate.

I sit down and sign the cross in steam.

I am a child. I climb a tree.

I water stars.

The hens relent, transform to parsnips and beets.

I pass a bowl of salt.

The stem of a broom slants toward the sun.

I am served roast partridge in a black fig agrodolce.

I give thanks. I darn a blue hole.

Ave Maria, piena di grazia.

My face maps the distance between two circumstances.

A length of red beads slips into the sea.

A bee sews a bee cell shut.

I bow my head. The bird flexes, lifts off the plate.

Its wings beat and shed the dark sweets.

(c) by Linda Dove

PHOTOS FROM READING BY PEGGY DOBREER 

& 100 THOUSAND POETS FOR CHANGE

 We did not have 100  thousand poets, only about 20, but we did agree on principles of change: we will change the world if we continue doing exactly what we are doing, that is create poetry, make art, and reflect on the beauties and mysteries of the world. The power of positive thinking, of thoughtful reflection, of compassionate sharing of our knowledge and insights is the power that will make our world a better place. Why? Because it already has!

As the host in charge of the event "for change" I brought some hats I had in my trunk, so people would have something to change into. At the end only Lois and I have decided to wear the hats. No man would be caught dead with a gem, or a scarf on their hat... so that did not work so well... 

And here we are, changed!

The idea of George Harris, a rough and tough pioneer in an evening hat with jewels? Why not? \

Only Kathabela Wilson stayed faithful to her hats and even read a poem about it while Rick played the flute.

Here are some hatless folks in white. We are the "white knights" or "angels" of the poetry world, are we not?

Jack Cooper, without a hat but with his wits right where needed.

Mari Werner and Marlene Hitt shared a laugh.

.... and Peggy Dobreer had the last word.

Happy New Year 2013!



A New Year 2013

Just past the midnight hour -

New Year begins to flower

amidst high expectations,

cheers and celebrations!

We embrace the new with

resolve to keep promises

made, as days fade into

the patterns of our lives.

Dorothy Skiles, 12/28/12
7th Poet Laureate of Sunland-Tujunga

(C) Copyright 2012 by Dorothy Skiles

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Happy New Year 2013!

from Village Poets of Sunland Tujunga

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Haiga "The Gift" (c) 2012 by Maja Trochimczyk, created for

a New Year Exhibition at the Japanese American Museum in Los Angeles

Ever calling - Never heard

Ever seeking - Never seen

Revealed

Detail from "The Gift" (c) 2012 by Maja Trochimczyk

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New Year

           

A new palette, blue-white,

fresh brushes with no tint

That long season,

that whole year

blanketed itself

over the backs of colors.

Those were the yesterdays,

A child’s red dress

stitched by great-grandmother

shimmered on her skin

beside the greens of Maui’s sea

and lavender hills of sunset,

mixing up to something odd.

Tubes of paint lie fresh

not yet opened

You were dressed in black

smart and slim

every day of the year,

and now I wonder

what your face would say

if I would give you

a sun-yellow sweater

edged in gold.

The new season has begun,

bright, clear and golden.

These are the days to remember.

Burnt umber is a fine beginning.

Over that a springtime tree.

~ Marlene Hitt

(c) December 1999

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Floating Holidays

The fourth Thursday in November

The last Monday in May

The twenty-fifth day of Kislev

The first Sunday

Following the first full moon

After the vernal equinox

The second new moon after the winter solstice

Unless there is an 11^th or 12^th intercalary month,

In which case it starts on the third new moon

I much more prefer the holidays that occur on a regular date

Especially those that fall on the 1^st

Steadfast and constant, dependable

Something you can anticipate

Primo, numero uno

Back to basics, square one

A built in chance to see things through clear eyes

A time to hail new beginnings

Salute the dawn of self improvement

And pose exalted on a rock of resolutions

A time to reel in that fish and rid the monkeys from your back

To wage battle against your apprehensions

Subdue your inhibitions

And vanquish your constraints

To finally stop procrastinating once and for all

Or least start thinking about it.

Yeah,

A clean slate

A fresh start

Another chance to finally get it right

Joe DeCenzo

_________________________

Time

A vacant pause while the traffic of your life speeds by.

Funny, time is really meaningless

Until you appreciate how much of it you’ve used.

It’s a shock when you first realize

You have fewer days ahead than behind.

Time is tender, so tender that we should cradle each day in our arms

So we can breath its presence, ignore the clocks and accept the moments.

We should smell and touch and taste each minute

Then set it free to make room for the next.

Time is opportunity,

The chance to experience all that occurs in an instant

Or endure the eternal echoing regret;

The chance to extract the sweetest citrus

Or let the rind grow sour at hand’s neglect;

The chance to arrest the fleeting glance

Or let the heart lay fallow on a field of indecision.

Time is for doing.  And those who do nothing,

Always seem to be running out of time.

Joe DeCenzo

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Happy Gnu Year 

By Mari Werner

The gnu is a large antelope that

inhabits the African plains

from Kenya to northern South Africa.

Gnus are grass eaters.

From the viewpoint of a blade of grass,

no gnus is good gnus.

However, gnus are very inventive.

They have developed a process

for making a special kind of paper,

which they call gnus paper.

They’ve also invented a particularly

effective broom. A gnu broom

sweeps clean.

Gnus have sophisticated social customs.

Some gnus prefer mornings

and some prefer evenings,

so they stay awake at different times

and watch over each other.

The evening gnus watch

the morning gnus and the morning gnus

watch the evening gnus.

Gnus have historically formed tribes,

the first of which was the Hoo Gnu.

Later came the Yew Gnu and the Aye Gnu,

which eventually merged to form the Wee Gnu.

Because of their many fine qualities,

gnus were recently honored by being

added to the Chinese zodiac.

The year 2013 was declared

the year of the Gnu.

May your gnu year be filled

with smiles and good gnus.

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Poems (c) by the respective poets
Photos (c) 2011-2012, by Maja Trochimczyk

Poetry of Mari Werner and a Birthday

On February 27, 2011, when the eyes of the world were turned to the parade of sparkly designer dresses on the red carpet of the Oscars, poets gathered at Bolton Hall Museum in Tujunga to hear Mari Werner and to share their work. In fact, so many poets gathered, that the time allotted to one reader shrunk over the course of the afternoon from three poems and/or five minutes, whichever is shorter, to two poems and or three minutes, to one poem and one minute. The job of the MC, Maja Trochimczyk, was certainly challenging.

Our featured poet, the wonderful and witty Mari Werner, "makes her living" - as she says - "as a writer of technical materials, but lately makes her life as a writer of poetry and humor. She grew up in Santa Barbara, California, came to the Los Angeles area in the mid-70s, and now lives in Altadena. her work has been published in a number of local publications including the Los Angeles Daily News, The Latest, and the Valley Star."

Mari Werner amused, educated, and inspired her audience with the following poems and prose pieces: Fire and Friendship, Confessions of a Tree Hugger, For My Father, Warmth, Two Eyes Looking, Scarcity, Miranda for Civilization, Keep on Singing, Night Falling, Fighting, Napping, Squirrel haiku, Moorpark Park, Cops and Seat Belts, Finding the Holy Grail, Penguin Power, and Consciousness.

We previously quoted here Mari's lyrical piece about the Crescent Moon. Here are two humorous poems:

Squirrel haiku

Squirrels foraging
Just two operating speeds
Overdrive and stop

Moorpark Park

On the corner of Laurel Canyon Boulevard
and Moorpark Street is a park
called Moorpark Park.
It doesn't have a parking lot.
but if it did, it would be called
Moorpark Park Parking Lot.

Before and after Mari's poetry, we heard a variety of poetic voices, from local poets and guests, some of whom came from very far away. Sharon Chmielarz from Minneapolis, visiting California on a tour of readings, definitely was the one to get the "long distance" prize. We arranged her visit having been forewarned of her arrival. She is one of the poets published in the anthology "Chopin with Cherries" (edited by Maja Trochimczyk). Sharon read "Burning" from her new book Calling. See her website, www.sharonchmielarz.com for more information. Her friend, Mary Kay Rummel of Ventura read a poem named after and based on one of Stephen Linsteadt's paintings: "Feminine Restitution."

We also had guests from Ventura, Santa Barbara, Monrovia, Pasadena, and Palm Springs. Kathabela Wilson, the leader of Poets on Site, sketched them in her notebook! She also organized a wonderful birthday celebration of a Palm Springs painter and poet, Stephen Lindsteadt, by asking "open mike" poets to read their work they contributed to her upcoming anthology of ekphrastic poetry dedicated to and inspired by his paintings.

The book, called Art and Alchemy, will be published by Poets on Site and available through online bookstores. Poets Mira Mataric, Kathabela Wilson, Maria Elena Boekemeyer (Stephen's wife and editor of the "Badlands" journal), and Maja Trochimczyk read their work, inspired by different pieces from the Lindsteadt collection. Rick Wilson accompanied some poets on a flute, creating a wonderful mood... For images of Stephen's paintings visit his website: www.stephenlinsteadtstudio.com.

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The next feature at the Village Poets reading, scheduled for March 27, at 4:30 p.m., will be the Spiritual Quartet, consisting of Lois P. Jones, Susan Rogers, Taoli-Ambika Talwar, and Maja Trochimczyk.

The Spiritual Quartet, formed in May 2010, consists of four women representing different spiritual traditions, while sharing the focus on positive values of compassion, inspiration, hope, illumination, creativity, and love. More information about the reading and the readers will follow!

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On April 17, at 4:30 p.m., Village Poets of Sunland-Tujunga will present the work of Dr. John Z. Guzlowski, visiting California as a guest of the Modjeska Art and Culture Club, in honor of the "Milosz Year" - celebrating the anniversary of Polish Nobel-Prize winning poet, Czeslaw Milosz, who spent half of his life in Berkeley, California. Dr. Guzlowski's blog about his parents' ordeal in Buchenwald is published as: http://lightning-and-ashes.blogspot.com/. He also maintains a "clearing house" for all matters pertaining to Polish American writing, at: http://writingpolishdiaspora.blogspot.com

One of the "open mike" readers from our February event, Mina Kirby will soon appear at Boston Court Theater in Pasadena, featuring in Pasadena ARTTalk. On Saturday, March 12 at 1 p.m., she will present some of her poetry and songs. For more information see: http://www.playhousedistrict.org/arttalk/

Another "open mike" reader, Mira Mataric, previously featured at Village Poets (in November 2010), will co-feature with Taoli-Ambika Talwar at Moonday Poetry in Pacific Palisades. The Moonday series is held at Village Books of Pacific Palisades, www.moondaypoetry.com. Mira and Taoli-Ambika will appear on March 14, 2011, at 7:30 p.m.

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In the top picture (L to R): Dorothy Skiles, Rick Dutton, Pauli Dutton, Joe DeCenzo, Rick Wilson, Kathabela Wilson, Mira Mataric, Sharon Chmielarz, Cindy Rinne, Mari Werner, Maria Elena Boekemeyer, Stephen Linsteadt, and Maja Trochimczyk.

In the middle picture (L to R): Rick Dutton, Pauli Dutton, Kathabela and Rick Wilson, Cindy Rinne, Maria Elena Boekemeyer, Stephen Linsteadt, and seated Mira Mataric, Mari Werner, and Maja Trochimczyk.

The sketch from Kathabela's notebook includes faces of open mike readers surrounding Mari Werner wearing a halo!

In the fourth picture (L to R): Taoli-Ambika Talwar, Susan Rogers, Lois P. Jones, and Maja Trochimczyk.