I’m afraid that if I’d asked my grandparents what the past was like they’d say it was “hard,” and that would be it.

But Megan Arlett is privileged to have a grandmother who knows how to enchant us with colors and odors and sounds. Arlett was born in the U.K., grew up in Spain, and now lives in Texas.

I Ask My Grandmother What Trinidad Was Like in 1960

Paradise with a thousand stings, she replies.
Deep blue and blazing sky. Incessant cicadas,
scuttle of bug and roach. Fleas, mosquitos,
the threat of scorpions. Men leaning on doorposts,
crowding the bar. Smoking, drinking,
laughing descendants of slaves. Fire coral burns,
reef-edge barracudas. Truly lovely.
Matriarchal, she says, women with eight children
by many different men. The men would leave
as the spirit took them. I want
to know all the forces one can call spirit.
Tall, swaying fronds of the sugar cane fields.
Distant roar heralding a downpour. Snapping turtles.
Nearby shanty town, she says,
streets full of rubbish, rats in the gutter.
I admired the colonial-style homes, she says.
Colonial, I say.
Separate servant quarters and grounds
filled with samaan trees, the balconies overflowing
with hot-colored orchids and the locusts drawn close
by the palatial lights, colorful and clawing,
their hooks sunk deep into the bare skin of a sweating back.

American Life in Poetry does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. It is made possible by The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Poem copyright ©2018 by Megan J. Arlett, “I Ask My Grandmother What Trinidad Was Like in 1960,” from Third Coast, (Spring/Summer, 2018). Poem reprinted by permission of Megan J. Arlett and the publisher. Introduction copyright ©2019 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction’s author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – On Saturday, June 29, The Farallons will return by popular demand to perform at the Coffee House Concert Series.

The concert begins at 7 p.m. at Fore Family Winery, 3020 Main St. in Kelseyville.

The Farallons put on a sensational performance last year to a nearly sold out crowd.

The Petaluma trio brings its special “folk and roll” sound using three-part harmonies and great instrumentation.

Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased at www.uuclc.org, Watershed Books in Lakeport and at the Fore Family Winery.

Some tickets may be available at the door, though seating is limited.

The concert is sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Community of Lake County and hosted by Fore Family Wines.

‘SHAFT’ (Rated R)

During the era of Blaxploitation cinema in the early 1970s, Richard Roundtree was the original macho private detective and the epitome of cool when the exploits of John Shaft first came to the big screen in the eponymous “Shaft.”

Even though Samuel L. Jackson may be a senior citizen, he still has what it takes to be the man of action who punches first and asks questions later as he works the tough streets of Harlem in the 2019 version of “Shaft.”

This reboot is a combination of action and comedy, which should be obvious from the film’s trailer, but more than that, it is unapologetically retrograde for its swaggering action and its political incorrectness.

Jackson’s John Shaft is everything you might expect for a tone lifted right out of the Seventies. There is plenty of outdated sexist lingo and more than a few expletives, including Jackson’s signature curse word (which we’ll leave out of this review).

An early flashback reveals that Shaft is in a relationship with Maya (Regina Hall) and they have a baby boy. Another violent ambush convinces Maya that it’s time to get out of Harlem for the safety of their son.

In the present day, Shaft’s progeny is JJ (Jesse T. Usher), a buttoned-down MIT graduate who now works as a data analyst in the Manhattan office of the FBI. His world is far removed from that of the father he has never known.

When his ex-junkie best friend meets a mysterious untimely death, JJ needs the kind of help that only his streetwise father can provide to navigate Harlem’s heroin-infested underbelly.

Imagine the shock for Shaft when meeting his adult son, who recalls with disappointment all the inappropriate holiday gifts from his father including porn magazines and a box of condoms at an age when he hadn’t even reached puberty.

Soon thereafter, the jokes are flying when Shaft muses that Maya raised a “white boy” who by his manner of meticulous fashion sense and grooming allows for the facile jab that casts him as manifestly metrosexual.

Unlike his tough, playboy father, the mild-mannered JJ hates guns, drinks coconut water and hasn’t got the gumption to ask his longtime crush Sasha (Alexandra Shipp) out on a date.

As Shaft and son team up to run rampant through tenement buildings and the mean streets of Harlem, there may not be any logical or persuasive storyline, but that doesn’t really matter.

To prove the Shaft genetic traits may yet course through JJ’s veins, Shaft’s own father, now played by the iconic Richard Roundtree, gets in the act for a climactic showdown with bad guys that requires a vast supply of weapons and ammunition.

The throwback attitude of “Shaft” is almost certain to engender a dichotomy between a mostly satisfied audience and probably the majority of critics who may have their finely-tuned sensibilities offended.

“Shaft” shouldn’t be taken seriously by anyone. Its irreverent spirit deliberately mines the humor of the Shaft family generational gap. Mindless fun at the expense of Shaft’s character as a cultural icon is what is offered.





‘CITY ON A HILL’ ON SHOWTIME

In the early 1990s, Boston was rife with violent criminals emboldened by local law enforcement agencies in which corruption and racism was the norm (and racism may still be a vexing issue in this supposedly enlightened city according to the Boston Globe’s reporting).

The ten-episode series of “City on a Hill” running on Showtime creates a fictional account of African-American Assistant D.A. Decourcy Ward (Aldis Hodge) driving change during a tumultuous time in an unwelcoming city.

More than anything, it’s not surprising that this series, executive produced by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck among others, bears familiarity to Boston crime movies such as “The Departed,” with Damon as a career criminal, and “The Town” directed by Affleck.

Coming from Brooklyn and a stranger to the ways of Beantown, Decourcy forms an unlikely alliance with corrupt yet venerated FBI veteran agent Jackie Rohr (Kevin Bacon) who has the morals of an alley cat.

Ordinarily, the uncouth, brash Jackie, who snorts coke and cheats on his wife, and the straight-arrow, principled Decourcy would not work well together, and at first Jackie is scornful of a black prosecutor.

But then, Jackie is contemptuous of just about everybody on either side of law, which is evident when he inserts himself into the thick of an investigation of armored car robbers from Charlestown, a working-class Irish community.

The two lawmen, whose lives are further complicated by conflict with their wives, are on a path that should lead them eventually to the gang of robbers led by Frankie Ryan (Jonathan Tucker), who is incongruously a devoted family man with a day job at a local supermarket.

“City on a Hill,” based on the first three episodes made available for review, looks promising for a gritty crime drama where the characters, even the secondary ones, stand out as fascinating for their troublesome prejudices, shortcomings and conflicts.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Wine Studio is presenting monthly art classes with wine, co-hosted with artist Anna Sabalone.

This month's wine and art session with Sabalone is scheduled for June 23 and will feature a scene of elk in a meadow landscape drawn in inks. The session time is 1:30 to 4 p.m.

The class fee of $40 covers all of the provided art supplies needed along with step-by-step guidance and a glass of Lake County wine.

Reservations are required for each month's class as participation is limited to 12 people.

Sabalone was born and raised in Lake County. She has been involved in the Lake County Arts Council since her teen years.

She attended the University of California, Santa Barbara and the University of Leeds, England for her undergraduate degree in English, history and anthropology.

She earned her teaching credential and Masters of Education from UCSB and has been teaching art, English, history and academic decathlon at Upper Lake High School since 2008.

For class schedule, reservations and additional information, contact Susan Feiler at 707-293-8752.

Lake County Wine Studio is both a gallery for display of arts and a tasting room, wine bar and retail shop for the fine wines of Lake County.

Artists’ shows are held on a monthly basis with art and wine receptions held the first Friday and subsequent Saturday of each month.

The gallery is located at 9505 Main St., in Upper Lake. It is open Thursday through Monday, from 1 to 7 p.m., and Friday from 1 to 8 p.m.

For more information call the studio at 707-275-8030.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Middletown Art Center is offering Adventures in Art Summer Camp for ages 5 to 14.

The camp will be presented in two sessions this year: “Around the World,” June 24 to 28, focuses on multicultural designs and art expressions from around the world; and “Movement Dynamics,” July 8 to 19, an exploration of kinetics through art making and movement.

Both sessions will take place Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Children will engage in creative projects and explorations that incorporate art making, dance, music and whole child enrichment.

In Around the World, children will create a passport and “travel” around the world, exploring diverse culturally inspired activities including African Indigo textile designs and African Dance, Chinese dragon masks and dragon dance, murals, calligraphy and more.

Movement Dynamics includes hula-hoop construction, decoration and hula-hooping practice, pop-up books, mobiles, dance, rhythm making, kinetic sculptures and more.

Both sessions will conclude with an exciting performance by participants. A short clip from last year’s camp can be seen above.

The cost is $150 for session one (one week) and $300 for session 2 (two weeks) or $35 daily drop-in, and includes healthy snacks and all materials and supplies.

Registrations by June 23 are eligible for $25 discount per week. Visit www.middletownartcenter.org/camp to register and learn more.

The session one staff is comprised of MAC teaching-artists: Lauren Schneider, credentialed art teacher with more than 20 years of experience teaching kindergarten through 12th grades, and Jessie Beck, African dance instructor and first grade teacher at Cobb Mountain Elementary.

Laura Kennedy, mixed media and performance artist, and Darina Simeonova, architect and artist will join them for session two, and musician Victor Hall will make guest appearances in both sessions.

Both sessions of Adventures in Art promise to be unique and nurturing immersive arts experiences.

Sign your child up for Adventures In Art at MAC today. Go to www.middletownartcenter.org/camp to learn more and reserve your child’s spot, or call 707-809-8118.

Middletown Art Center is a local nonprofit dedicated to weaving the arts into the fabric of our community.

Learn more about exhibits, events, and classes happening at MAC and how you can support a thriving community through the arts with your MAC membership at www.middletownartcenter.org.

MAC is located at 21456 Highway 175 at the corner of Highway 29 in the heart of Middletown.

FINLEY, Calif. – Bring your blanket or lawn chair to enjoy New Orleans and Caribbean rhythms under the trees from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 23, at the Big Valley Music Fest.

This will be the second outdoor music festival at the Big Valley Hall at 1510 Big Valley Road at the Finley/Lakeport border.

Tickets at the entrance are $10. Children 12 and under may attend free.

Proceeds from this fundraiser will support maintenance and renovations of the Big Valley Hall, a community resource for decades.

Hall members held seven fire benefits for Lake County in 2017 and 2018 and continue to raise money for scholarships for college freshmen majoring in the field of agriculture.

New Orleans busker/singing piano player Andy Rossoff & The Hornadoes will be on stage at noon. Rossoff has invited a horn and rhythm section, along with special guests Bill Bordisso and Neon Knepalm to open the show.

At 1 p.m., Tri Tip Trio will be rocking some Zydeco, Blues and New Orleans funk. You may know Lloyd Meadows, on washboard and Bruce Gordon, on accordion from the Zydeco Flames. Joining them will be Lou Rodriguez on drums.

From 3 to 6 p.m., The Pulsators will return to Lake County with their NOLA-inspired danceable blues and rock, reggae and ska. This fun-loving six-piece band is well known at festivals in Sonoma and Mendocino counties.

In the courtyard will be 20 vendors selling glamping items and memorabilia, paintings, baskets, shoulder bags, textiles, botanicals, soaps and bath products, handmade jewelry, yard art, home decorations and kitchenware.

Near the big tree in the back corner will be massage and tarot, henna and glitter tattoos, and face painting.

The Children’s Museum of Art and Science from Clearlake will be offering fun activities for all ages including bubbles, giant dominoes, sidewalk chalk, tile painting and bean art. Free books, toys and coloring also will be available.

Chatterbox Catering will be selling pulled pork, veggie wraps, tacos and nachos. A Smoothie Sensation will be making fresh, organic fruit smoothies. Hall members will be selling homemade cookies, Crystal Geyser sparkling flavored water and soda. Community members will be selling beer and wine as well.

Thanks to VIP sponsors Brad White of American Plumbing and Brad White Blues Productions in Kelseyville, and Jonas Heating Solutions in Lower Lake for their ongoing support.

Also thanks to loyal sponsors Bernie and Lynne Butcher of the Blue Wing Saloon and Tallman Hotel in Upper Lake and Iris Angeleri of Pivniska Real Estate in Kelseyville. New sponsors are Nozzolillo's Parlour and Donna's Upscale Resale in Lakeport, Paula Mune and Sky Hoyt, and Diamond Dust Farm in Kelseyville.

The Big Valley Music Fest has been produced by members of the Big Valley Hall Guild in partnership with Spotlight On Productions and the Lakeport Odd Fellows Hall.

For more information visit Big Valley Hall or Spotlight On Productions on Facebook, or call 707-367-8014.