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Sacred Grounds Newsletter –
for 04/23/202 Sign-in @ 6:45pm San Francisco time Our Facebook Zoomroom
Features Cafe Days Videos The Global Open
Mic One Insight Press Contact Dan If you are looking for San Francisco live and Hybrid Open Mics – See the: One Page
Guide to San Francisco Poetry Venues ` Part One: This weekÕs Feature * Zoom Info * The Team * Upcoming Features Part Two:
Last week: the readers and
the feature in notes and near quotes Our First
Show starts at about 7pm, the Second
at about 8:20 or a bit later. We hold to a 4-minute limit – participants observe their time. Part One. Jeffrey Kingman, studied music
composition at UC Berkeley with Edwin Dugger, and also at San Francisco State
University with Wayne Peterson. Then he cofounded a music performance series,
Composers Anonymous. He then put creative energies into rock drumming,
partnering with singer/songwriter Killian MacGareghty in Watershed, which
segued into The Gun and Doll Show. This culminated in two performances at The
Fillmore auditorium. He followed this with a book of short stories followed
by a novel with the help of teacher Linda Watanabe McFerrin. Switching
entirely to poetry, he wrote a poetry chapbook with the help of T.J.
DiFrancesco (and thanks to D.A. Powell). And then he wrote another poetry
chapbook with the help of Rusty Morrison, editor of Omnidawn Press. He then
created a full-length poetry book and a couple other chapbooks, also with the
help of Rusty Morrison. One of the chapbooks, ON A ROAD, was published by Finishing
Line Press as was his full-length poetry book, BEYOND THAT HILL I GATHER,
published in 2021. Now he is writing more poetry. To learn more about his
creative ventures and formidable voice: http://www.jeffkingman.com Zoom
Information: The
meeting number: 221-224-5102 – and the password: 135246 If zoom
is ever compromised an update will be posted - either in the
newsletter: https://www.drdan.solutions/Sacred'sWeeklyNews.htm - or on the FB page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/203539673028715/ The
Team:
Upcoming
Features: April 2025 30 Frej Barty, will be a new voice to Sacred; this will
be something quite amazing so, come one, come all! May 2025 7
Eleanor McIntire, a voice
new to the Sacred community; a passionately compassionate person 14 Jack Mellender will be the feature for our Second Wednesday hybrid live at Faithful Fools! Faithful
Fools, 234 Hyde between Turk and Eddy for which I host the zoom-room from home. This cooperative starts
more quickly and we keep to time constraints to accommodate the needs of the
live venue, which closes at 9pm – even as the zoom room continues on. One rings the front door bell to get in. The
reading is on the second floor. If you are using MUNI, the 38 Geary, 27
Bryant, and the 31 Balboa have stops near to the address while the Civic
Center is the closest BART Station. This is a link to the MUNI system –
it may prove handy. https://www.sfmta.com/media/37783/download?inline –
June 2025 4 Taneesh
Kaur, a compassionately passionate writer with life experience that is
worthy of the muse and more 11 Dan OÕConnell, DanÕs is a powerful voice of long
standing; this will be very special – this will be a Second Wednesday hybrid event July 2025 2 Sally Love
Saunders, a long time
supporter of poetry, the arts, and bringing poetry to people in a wide
variety of circumstances, hospitals, businesses, help centers, and more Part
Two See Sacred
features from our Zoomroom Keynote,
Tommi Avicolli Mecca: reads some Langston Hughes, ÒPoet to
BigotÓ— ÒSong for Billie HolidayÓ— ÒOne Way TicketÓ— and
ÒNew MoonÓ A great way to kick it all off, so very well done! - JeffK:
Ò... the upcoming feature, next
week, ÒÉ even glass wrinkles with age, even stainedÉ with metal supportsÉ the
tabby on the sill, plain brown birdsÉÓ— Òwarm bookshelves and a TVÉ a
message about how astronauts drink Tang on the moonÉ parents away, we kids
lit up a SalemÉ smoke in front of the windowÉ back to my houseÉÓ- SamH: from her book, Lost Love, Vol. 1 ÒÉ
every day you explode into my brain É IÕm not insaneÉevery piece of you is
part of meÉ like shrapnelÉ every piece into my heart... every part of me
screamsÉ no... I want someone I cannot haveÉÓ -
TommiAM: thanks to
Sam for the theme Ò... donÕt know if I can send flowersÉ the cat is gone, the
furniture for saleÉ the hearse goneÉ the desk you wrote atÉ the man, in the
bar, who wanted to take me homeÉ I nursed the hurt like the kid who did not
get a Christmas cardsÉ your phone number is goneÉ I should put your picture
on telephone polesÉ I just woke
up, and this regret, nostalgiaÉ It is 2amÉ send my the piece of your heart,
you kept, like a piece of wedding cake in a freezerÉÓan incredible setÉ love
this manÕs work - JackM: Ò... progressÉ often so in days of yoreÉ
wars grew before we know the scamsÉ vowsÉ winning the war called coldÉ
ancient gifts are all over nowÉÓ
- BrittP: ÒÉ Jack
GilbertÉ read a poem at a weddingÉ Ô the great firesÉ love is apart from all
thingsÉ desire is nothing beside itÉ what is not love provokesÉ love, lays
hold of everything we knowÉ the passion changes everything to a newnessÉ
passion, opens the castle of our spiritÉ and love, the mystery hidden thereÉ
Love is eaten away by appetiteÉÓ
- KarenMM: Ò... The
Sun and Stars, her book, on the themeÉ Òno metaphor for human longing, though
clouds may seem to touch the skyÉ rivers find the seaÉ even as the tides obey
the moon, flowers face the sunÉ yetÉ they are agents of the gears of seasonÉ
do not invent their purposeÉÓ - JohnC: Ò... word allotmentÉ maybe itÕs just that
IÕve heard so many words, voices in my life timeÉ that I do not have enough
room for moreÉ I used to enjoy librariesÉ the many, many voicesÉ but today
when I walk into a bookstore I hear a cacophony of voices calling read me,
read meÉ I have an appreciation of their worthÉ we each have a finite number
of words in this life timeÉ and when they have all passed our lips our life
here is endedÉÓ -
RichardI: on the
theme, love Ò... have you heard the word is love, love is blind, the love of
your love, unconditional love, the power of love, love means nothing to the
tennis players, careless loveÉ is just a four letter word, love handles,
seats, nest, boat, a many splendored thingÉÓgreat take on the word and
touches upon memes! And a piece from ee cummings Òlove is more thicker than
forgetÓ - JohnR: read Jan DederickÕs, ÒArtistÕs StatementÓ
he read it so well, beautiful piece and his wonderful voice, so very well
done! And he read his ÒDream of PoetryÓ
- Roarshock: Ò... on
the bus in ParisÉ the seat narrow, the flight longÉ Air France the food in
flight, not badÉ ten hours later, and applause as we landÉ I buy bus ticketsÉ
step into the pale French daylightÉ as we roll alongÉ ancient buildings
across from the stationÉ a few short steps to the BastilleÉ the busses in
Paris take you to the sightsÉ reading poetry at Paris Lit UpÉ at the club
Culture Rip TideÉ an amazing night of poetryÉ back to my hotelÉÓ so much
detail, a movie script, I think
- DavidE: Ò... there
is a bounty on your head for every poem youÕve ever readÉ reading with
Sanderell on the pageÉ reading shock and rageÉ the truth will never dieÉ sky,
tell you whyÉÓ - DanB: some short pieces ÒDesireÓ- ÒFrom a Friend
for a FriendÓ and ÒPuzzled Words of LoveÓ
- BarbaraS: on the
themeÒ... what Moses sawÉ happened by accidentÉ a crick in the neck, a turn
of the headÉ and there he was
facing godÉ he turned in toward the fireÉ his eye and godsÉ the bushÉ what
Moses saw, everywhereÉ is Love... Feature, Denise
Collette: she begins
with some favorite poems, the first, concerned her father, Elegy for a
toolbox, ÒÉ it was in the basement, just waitingÉ mom said, Ôit was your
DadÕs army toolbox, do you want it?Õ How could I not want it? A good-sized metal box, ready for art
suppliesÉ I donÕt remember
seeing him use itÉ it traveled
with me to college, a new apartmentÉ another stateÉ somehow it became lostÉ
just goneÉ I miss that tool box, DadÕs on the front line, it became mine
holding creative toolsÉ it was a line to my dadÉ when I used it I was
reminded of him... in a world somewhere between loss and painÉ now his memory isÉ a hush of sorrowsÉÓ – in
another, in nature, she writes, ÒÉ crickets begin their cosmic song to the
moonÉ starting at dusk, on this trail, the diffuse light makes visible the
twinkling glow of the firefliesÉ their blinking transmitting signals to the
futureÉ lulling us into the quietnessÉ stars gaze upon us as we gaze upon
themÉ the inheritance from them is simply pricelessÉ molecules of moonlight
fills our beingsÉ the incredible presence of darkness in natureÉÓ –
from the anthology, ÒWhat is Love, she offered, Sincerity, ÒsincerityÉ held in her hand, brought up to her
heartÉ by the memory of himÉ sincerity has a strong yet gentle presence in
her lifeÉ the doorbell, clearÉ precise two tonesÉ she opens the door, no one
is thereÉ a red boxÉ newly fallen snowÉ a fragrance of lavenderÉ she opens
itÉ a small lavender plant in a
white vaseÉ an envelope, a letter, Ôyou are sweet lavenderÉ calmingÉ the
worries of my heartÉ no signatureÉ but thisÉ thank you, from a grateful
heartÉ tears form in her eyesÉ she knowsÉ Ó This powerful poet was spot on,
delivered, and was very, very well received, yes! See Sacred
features from our Zoomroom Last Word,
Garrett Murphy: the
classic, ÒNo Arts AllowedÓ the sarcasm so sharp, one can feel it – even
via zoom, amazing that. And the latest, ÒSome Call it YesterdayÓ in
considering the past, its denialÉ and whitewashingÉ The Tommi and Eric Pet
Show - BrettB: Ò... equanimityÉ thy intentions for real
answers has always been a talent of yoursÉ the globe in sublime unisonÉ one
note away from making human harmony for allÉ a blossoming begins in stillnessÉ
effervescent beingÉ the infinity of contemplationÉ as you are, as the flower
blooms and livesÉ its essence just isÉ hereÉ so we can observeÉ sitting
thereÉ watching consciousnessÉ life unfolds as it is, as you are...Ó - CesarL:
Ò... reachÉ dawn waitsÉ morning star gleams, low and centerÉ terra firma
beneath my feetÉ and a ladder I built myselfÉ every pain and prayerÉ this
hour I mount my ladder to reach the morning star, kiss the Goddess, bring
home the promised land.. Mini
Feature, Karen Pierce Gonzales: a duet and
a quartetÉ love born of warÉ ÒÉ the birdÕs eye view of war, does not miss
landminesÉ still being on earthÉ she works a high risk work to feed her
childrenÉ such is our new democracyÉ but today is her birthdayÉ at 40É she is
out on the town, proving she can out drink any man she meetsÉÓA piece on
AfghanistanÉ the airport sceneÉ the airlifted, the skin sagging with
storiesÉÓThe White Stork, the National Bird of Ukraine, a visionary piece,
loved it. In other pieces she
describes a birth in Mariupol Ukraine, describing the dangerous and dire
circumstances, cave like ruinsÉ dim, cold, and worse—she spoke of
curses that break stones - Avotcja: a single pieceÉ on self-destructionÉ in
sarcastic tones ÒÉ the ever present rhythm of dreamsÉ all the inappropriate
pressure on the poor in AlabamaÉ I opened an employment centerÉ to replace
all the service workers, farm workers, the unnewsworhty majority and offer
hope to employ the good old boysÉ we opened the doorsÉ nobody cameÉ the rest
of the weekÉ no one cameÉ one day one did, but he thought we were a blood
bankÉÓ Info of
note for Avotcja: learn about her events and books: With Every Step I Take
2" by Avotcja (Taurean Horn Press / distributed by Ingram Distribution
"Uncommon Ground" edited by Shizue Seigel (Pease Press 2022)
"Matter Is" by Electric Squeezebox Orchestra (doubleOone Records)
"One Note At A Time" by Erik Jekabson Sextet III (Wide Hive
Records) Her venue: La Palabra Musical / The Music of The Word 3-5PM PST 4th
Saturdays on zoom. Check my website for info www.Avotcja.org Clincher
Closer Super Duper Bulldozer, Garrett Murphy:
Scooting Along, a comparison with the treatment of scooters with the needs of
the homeless, one is allowedÉ while the other isÉ not. ÒThe Economy and BustÓ
an overview of the idiocracy of our current devolution, so very well done |