spring poem by Amalio Madueno

art predator — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 17:39:21 +0000

My good friend the poet and general rascal Amalio Madueno is going to read at Ventura College next Weds. April 9 at noon and 2pm and I’ve been rereading his book, Lost in the Chamiso looking for a poem to use for a broadside to publicize his reading, National Poetry Month, and Earth Month activities.

Here is one I am considering: it’s short, accessible, local, earth oriented, fun. What will you do for a broadside this month?

Middle Spring

Below me and above, middle Spring.
Blossom air soothes gravel and stone.
Birds in my shaggy yard scamper in dust
At home in morning’s ocean breeze.
Night after night dreams become less
Familiar, like the landscape of a city
I will never see. Today is light,
Tomorrow will be lighter still. Sundogs
Streak the perihelion, spiders drop
Filaments of light out of the blue
Into sunny scrutiny – the intersection
Of the everyday.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amalio Madueño grew up on the borderlands of California and Baja,organized farm workers with Cesar Chavez, and studied poetry in graduate school at UC Irvine; he now lives near Taos, New Mexico.

Long associated with the Taos Poetry Circus and Mexican Bob’s Poetry Camp, Madueno has published widely in journals across the United States and Europe. Recent anthologies featuring his work include Venus in the Badlands (ed. J. Macker, Santa Fe 2006) between sleeps: the 315 experiment 1993-2005 (ed. Dinsmore and Alley, Vancouver BC, 2006) and Wandering Hermit Review (Seattle, 2006). Ranchos Press has published almost a dozen chapbooks of his in the last 10 years; Lost in the Chamiso (wild embers press 2006) is his first full-length book. Amalio performs his work frequently the throughout New Mexico and the west in featured readings, seminars, television and radio, as well as on videos and CDs.

Words to Change Our World: Earth & Poetry Month readings

art predator — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:46:06 +0000

WORDS TO CHANGE OUR WORLD

Join us as we celebrate National Earth Month & National Poetry Month
Garden Patio by the Library & Student Services
FREE * Refreshments * Book Signing * ALL WELCOME

W APRIL 9 AMALIO MADUENO
FROM TAOS, NEW MEXICO * AUTHOR OF LOST IN THE CHAMISO
12-12:45pm Poetry & discussion of poetics
<1:15-2pm Earth Action Day organizing meeting J-1; also 4/16>
2—3pm Poetry plus writing workshop

M APRIL 14 LAYNIE BROWNE
FROM TUCSON, AZ * AUTHOR OF DAILY SONNETS and THE SCENTED FOX, WINNER OF THE NATIONAL POETRY SERIES 2006 selected by Alice Notley
12-12:45pm Poetry & discussion of contemporary sonnets
130-230pm Poetry plus writing workshop

M APRIL 21 AL YOUNG, CA POET LAUREATE
FROM BERKELEY, CA * AUTHOR OF THE SOUND OF DREAMS REMEMBERED, WINNER OF THE AMERICAN BOOK AWARD 2002
12-12:45pm Poetry & discussion of poetics for change
130-230pm Poetry & Prose plus writing workshop

W APRIL 23 EARTH ACTION DAY with
BRAD MONSMA FROM CSUCI English Prof * AUTHOR OF SESPE WILD
poets * singer/songwriters * open mic
10-1:30pm EARTH ACTION DAY poets & singer/songwriters/open mic
1:30-2:30pm Brad Monsma, non-fiction prose reading & discussion

These events are supported in part by grants from
The Ventura College Foundation and CSUCI’s American Democracy Project.
For more info go to http://whisperdownthewritealley.wordpress.com
or email gwendolynalley@yahoo.com

the write alley » Amalio Madueno

spring poem by Amalio Madueno

Words to Change Our World: Earth & Poetry Month readings