For our first installment of MendoLit, we’re featuring an untitled, free verse poem by Rose Brown found in her collection entitled “A Briefcase Full of Feathers”:
when her bones were found
your grief was uncontainable
in the middle of the highway
you stood with the assault rifle
singing crying
the CHP knew enough to pass you by
when your friend exchanged your drum for the gun
you were truly armed
Brown told us this piece is about a man named Smilee who lived in Laytonville. While living there, he searched for his missing niece. When Smilee’s niece was found dead along the highway, Brown told us a silver necklace made by Smilee helped identify her remains.
Brown is from New Jersey and has lived in Laytonville since 1984. Brown prints her poetry collection independently, using a thread and needle to bind, and sells them at local craft fairs. She said she will be at MendocinoProducers Guild market in Laytonville on April 23 for anyone that is interested in meeting her and purchasing a copy of her collection.
Call for Submissions
The ethos of Mendocino County, its grit and beauty and history, is often lost in the stodgy language of newspeak.
To capture the essence of our vast vistas, MendoFever will be featuring a new section we’re calling “MendoLit” that will showcase poetry, short stories, flash fiction, and vignettes that put to words that hard to pin down feeling we call home.
We invite all writers, of all ages, of all genres, to submit their work to us at matthewplafever@gmail.com. Please include your name, your piece, preferably an image that relates to your piece, and maybe a description of your creative process.
Wonderful idea Matt. I’m looking forward to more.