Here’s a fine poem by Heather Allen, a Connecticut poet who pays close attention to what’s right under her feet. It may seem ordinary, but it isn’t.

Grasses

So still at heart,
They respond like water
To the slightest breeze,
Rippling as one body,

And, as one mind,
Bend continually
To listen:
The perfect confidants,

They keep to themselves,
A web of trails and nests,
Burrows and hidden entrances—
Do not reveal

Those camouflaged in stillness
From the circling hawks,
Or crouched and breathless
At the passing of the fox.

American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation ( www.poetryfoundation.org ), publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Poem copyright 1996 by Heather Allen. Reprinted from Leaving a Shadow, 1996, by permission of Copper Canyon Press, www.coppercanyonpress.org . Introduction copyright © 2014 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. They do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Lake County Poet Laureate Casey Carney and poets Sandy Stillwell and Margaret Rawson be reading at the Third Friday Gala at The Art House Gallery on Friday, Aug. 15.

The event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the gallery, 15210 Lakeshore Drive Clearlake.

Enjoy spoken word, light refreshments, and the work of local artists in mediums including wood, pastels, acrylics, oil, pastels, mosaics, gourds, watercolor, jewelry and more.

Admission is free.

For more information contact the Art House Gallery, telephone 707-994-1716.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (Rated PG-13)

Just when it seemed like, at least to this relatively uninitiated consumer of the Marvel Comics cinematic universe, the superhero genre from “Thor” to “Captain America” had become too solemn or stolid, along comes an intergalactic adventure that doesn’t take itself seriously.

That’s the great fun of “Guardians of the Galaxy,” where the leading character is a swaggering contrarian, an earthling who had been snatched at a young age by aliens piloting the galaxy in an enormous spaceship and is now a brash adventurer in the cosmos.

It all began in 1988 when the blue-skinned Yondu (Michael Rooker) and a gang of outlaws known as the Ravagers, seemingly on a whim, abducted a young American boy who had just lost his beloved mother to cancer.

Twenty-six years later, the now adult Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is an interstellar buccaneer who has adapted to life in outer space.

Raised by Yondu, Quill has become a fortune hunter pillaging his way through the galaxy with a constant eye towards personal enrichment.

Quill’s cocksure attitude and often frivolous nature readily bring to mind a knockoff version of Han Solo in the original “Star Wars,” which had plenty of humor.

He goes so far as to introduce himself as “Star Lord,” producing snickers of derision from the other aliens.

Though a self-assured, weapons-toting swashbuckler, Quill has a deep, sentimental attachment to his vintage Walkman that contains great classic rock songs from the 1970s, loaded on an “awesome mix” tape that he got from his mother before she died. This allows the film to have an awesome soundtrack.

The latest object of Quill’s treasure hunt is a mysterious silver orb that is coveted by an assortment of really bad guys.

One such sinister villain, a complete and utter sociopath, is Ronan (Lee Pace) who has struck a deal with Thanos (Josh Brolin) to retrieve the orb in exchange for a deadly favor.

Ronan has a grudge against the peaceful planet of Xandar, a place much like Earth because it has water, plant life and blue skies.

The future of Xandar becomes a central point to the action later in the story, and military leader Nova Prime (Glenn Close) and her trusted officer Rhomann Dey (John C. Reilly) are put to the test to stop the planet’s annihilation.

Getting himself arrested and tossed into a real hell-hole of a prison, as well as having the orb taken from him, Quill ends up bonding with an assortment of misfits.

Most threatening of them is the green-skinned Gamora (Zoe Saldana), a professional assassin and the adopted daughter of the villainous Thanos.

Then there’s the bad-tempered and foul-mouthed raccoon named Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), a gun-toting maniac, and his sidekick Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), a giant walking tree with communication skills so limited that his only words are “I am Groot.”

The one person with a personal grudge against Ronan is the hulking, massive Drax the Destroyer (former WWE champion Dave Bautista).

Drax seeks vengeance on the person that murdered his wife, daughter, ruined his life and took everything from him.

Covered in tattoos, Drax has an imposing physique that will prove helpful in fights to come.

A daring prison break results in Quill, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora, the snarling Rocket, the tree-like humanoid Groot, and the revenge-driven Drax forming an uneasy alliance of bickering, blundering misfits that reluctantly put aside their self-interests to evade the ever-persistent Ronan until it becomes obvious that the true power of the orb is a menace to the cosmos and Ronan must be defeated.

It’s up to Quill, who can be charming when he’s not too cocky, to do his best to rally his motley, ragtag crew of eccentric mercenaries, thieves and thugs to chase after Ronan and to stay on mission, even when Yondu and the Ravagers inconveniently appear on the scene intent on possessing the orb for their own nefarious reasons.

At times, there’s such a mixed bag of aliens getting into the act that one feels the need to have a scorecard of the players.

One standout oddball is The Collector (Benicio Del Toro), an obsessive keeper of interstellar fauna and relics, who apparently wants the orb just to add to his collection.

I don’t know if Marvel Comics fans will take issue with the unorthodox pleasures of “Guardians of the Galaxy,” but I confidently predict this rousing, pleasing comedic action adventure film is a box-office winner now and for the inevitable future installments.

Chris Pratt, who’s had great supporting roles in a number of films, really shines as the wacky fortune hunter moving to his own beat(or at least to that of his favorite mix tape).

Having made her mark in “Avatar,” Zoe Saldana is the perfect rebellious intergalactic badass. The rest of the quintet is equally good for bringing absurdity and hilarity into this weird space adventure.

“Guardians of the Galaxy” has the delightfully playful tone that ordinarily is an afterthought for the pantheon of Marvel Comics superhero films.

Here’s hoping that the film’s success will result in the emergence of a new franchise that dwells on humor and fun even as it delivers great action sequences.

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

THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY (Rated PG)

Going hungry to the movies is probably not advisable with the plentiful gastronomical pleasures on display in “The Hundred-Foot Journey.”

Buying a large tub of popcorn and assorted snacks of dubious nutritional value will not satiate the palate.

The culture clash of rival dining establishments in a bucolic, sleepy village in the picturesque South of France has all but guaranteed that this charming, enchanting Disney film has all of the substance and staying power of a really nice soufflé from even the best of French cuisine.

“The Hundred-Foot Journey,” which by its title alone explains the chasm to be breached between ethnic divisions, has a zest for life that is expressed most potently by the Kadam family, natives of Mumbai that are forced to flee their homeland as the result of incendiary instability that closes down their restaurant.

Wandering through Europe in search of destiny, the family, under the tough but loving guidance of the patriarch, Papa (Om Puri), comes upon a quaint village when they are stranded due to vehicular breakdown.

Though the small town of Saint-Antonin appears to be the most unlikely place to start an Indian restaurant, the headstrong Papa impulsively decides to buy a run-down mansion that once served as an eatery that did not survive the vagaries of discriminating patrons.

The inevitable clash comes when the Kadam family sets up its culinary operation across the street (hence, the hundred feet of distance) from Madame Mallory’s (Helen Mirren) exquisite palace of French haute cuisine, Le Saule Pleureur, which is striving for the coveted second Michelin star.

Stubborn, officious and firmly set in her ways, the uptight widow Madame Mallory is not so much threatened by the sudden appearance of an Indian restaurant as she is disturbed by the loud and brash behavior of Papa Kadam, who has a fondness for blasting Bollywood music.

Pestering the unflustered town mayor (Michel Blanc) with complaints, Madame Mallory is vocal in her distaste for the garish new Indian restaurant, Maison Mumbai, decked out with bright lights, across the road, finding the place offensive to her sense of taste and decorum.

Gallic tradition is under assault, and she won’t stand for it.

Early on, there is an amusing rivalry between Papa Kadam and Madame Mallory, as each one attempts to one-up the other.

The first volley in the culinary war is when Madame buys up all the crayfish at the local farmer’s market, thereby causing Papa the headache of scrambling to find enough substitutes for his opening night celebration.

Meanwhile, the star member of the Kadam clan is the humble and sensitive son, Hassan (Manish Dayal), who long ago acquired from his deceased mother the extraordinary gift of culinary talents so impressive that it’s only a matter of time before he’s discovered by gastronomes (yeah, that means lovers of good food).

As with many young men, Hassan’s ambitions are somewhat tempered by the fact that he is immediately smitten with Marguerite (Charlotte Le Bon), the enchanting young woman who befriends his family when they first arrive in town.

It turns out that the lovely French girl is actually a sous-chef at Madame Mallory’s establishment. The relationship between Hassan and Marguerite blossoms because of their mutual love and admiration of the esteemed tradition of French cooking.

Late at night, Hassan can found in his bedroom devouring voluminous French cookbooks borrowed from Marguerite, and though romantic tension simmers between the two cooks, he is most determined to master the magical art of French cuisine, which he is also eager to season with a nice helping of Indian spices.

Some nasty business occurs when a bunch of hateful thugs attack Maison Mumbai, almost burning it down and spraying graffiti on the street wall with racist taunts.

This disturbing event serves to bridge the gap between Madame Mallory and the Kadam family, and soon enough Papa and the lady are dancing and a tender warm glow of mutual attraction follows.

When the barriers come down between the haughty French snob and the tacky Indian clan, Madame Mallory realizes that the gifted Hassan may be her ticket to obtaining the second Michelin star.

So she offers him a prime spot in her kitchen where he’ll work side-by-side with Marguerite, ensuring some more romantic tension for this comedic drama.

With Hassan adding his own touch to classic French dishes like Beef Bourguigon and Pigeon aux Truffes, the culinary world takes notice.

Soon enough and not surprisingly, Madame Mallory’s Le Saule Pleureur gets the coveted recognition she craves.

Along with fame comes a significant detour in this otherwise predictable journey. Hassan ends up in Paris, plying his trade in a sterile, glass-and-chrome fancy restaurant that caters only to food snobs. It doesn’t seem like it will lead to a happy ending.

But then, “The Hundred-Foot Journey” finds its way back to the feel-good slice of culinary delights that comes from the sentimental cultural exchange of fine French and Indian customs. The prodigal son returns to the village.

Food is often about presentation, and here everything is beautifully on display. Besides, Helen Mirren is always a delight to watch, and Manish Dayal and Om Puri are equally fun.

“The Hundred-Foot Journey” is a cinematic excursion worth taking.

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

Jonathan Greene, who lives in Kentucky, is a master of the short poem, but while he prunes them down to their essentials he never cuts out the wonder and delight.

Here’s a good example from his most recent book. Can you feel the exclamation point that’s suggested at the end? You can’t see it, but it’s there.

One Light to Another

The storm
turns off
the lights.

The lightning
lights the whereabouts
of the flashlight.

The flashlight
takes us to matches
and candles, the oil lamp.

Now we’re back,
revisiting
the 19th century.

American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation ( www.poetryfoundation.org ), publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Introduction copyright 2014 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. They do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Second Sunday Cinema will host a showing of the documentary “Which Way Home on Aug. 10.

The showing will take place at the Clearlake United Methodist Church, 14521 Pearl Ave. in Clearlake.

Doors open at 5:45 p.m., with the film starting at 6 p.m.

“Which Way Home” won an Emmy and was nominated for an Oscar for best documentary.

It follows a group of Central American children heading to the United States border on a train called La Bestia – “The Beast” – as it heads north through Mexico, covered in children.

Why do they head north? Honduras, for example, endures an annual murder rate of 90 per 100,000 people, while the US rate is only 4.8.

For more information about Second Sunday Cinema, call 707-889-7355.