The Second Annual Kansas City Literary Festival is past now and I noted that John Mark Eberhart, Book Editor for the Kansas City Star has a few observations about what the future might hold in store for this young event. His assessment, which appeared in the Sunday arts and entertainment edition of the Star, was a good honest look at the event.
Eberhart noted that the event did a good job of recognizing local authors and giving poets a strong presence at the event. But Eberhart sees a problem with the lack of big name draws. It isn't that they have not been booked, but in the two years hear - circumstances have lead to last minute cancellations of the top billed authors both years. Such things are bound to happen. That is why he urges the powers that be to book top name authors across several genres. It both broadens the pool of public interest and lessens the chance that the event looses it's top draw, as there would be more than one.
These suggestions are wise ones. If there was much of an increase in foot traffic at the event the second year, I could not tell it. I don't believe it was any less attended, but I didn't see measurable growth.
The planners do deserve a lot of credit. But there were shortcomings. The official web site was black till quite close to the event. Something I found inexcusable for an event that was anticipated even as last years packed up.
I can't say enough about the support they have given the poetry community. The poetry stage was well organized and featured a good cross section of local talent.
The organizers would do well to take Eberhart's Sunday article and use it to shape a blueprint for next years event. It would do a lot to assuring this thrives in Kansas City for years to come.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
With a firm grip on my pen...
Jane Pupek had a link to a place for writer's gifts - her selection was "Will write for chocolate." I had to chuckle when I saw the one at the left. When the actor Charleston Heston passed away recently I made some disparaging remarks about his NRA affiliation and ardent opposition to handgun controls. My wife responded saying I should leave the poor man alone, he's dead. She went on and said your the same way about your pen. We'll have to pry it out of your cold dead fingers to get it away from you. She's right of course, but I've never accidentally or intentionally killed anyone with my fountain pen... yet.
Went to the half-price book store today & picked up a copy of John Ashbery's The Mooring of Starting Out: The First Five Books of Poetry. Two of the things I love about Ashbery's writing is his command of language and the pictures I contrive in my head when reading his work.
Last night, my wife and I watched ReCount on HBO. The chronology of events in those post election days in 2000 are worth every American reliving.
The recent catastrophic disasters to hit China and Myanmar are heavy on my mind. Add to that the rash of sever storm related death and distruction to parts of the Midwest, south and southeastern parts of the U.S. The need for 3.3 million tents in China is mind boggeling. Where do you turn to get that kind of need met overnight?
I heard Frances Richey on NPR this weekend - Soldier's Mother Bridges Distance with Poetry.
It's a compelling example of poetry that renewed a bond between mother and son.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Order & Reason
I’ve read many poetry books where I paused at some point and asked myself, “why is this poem here?” The sad thing is, many of these are very good poems, they simply don’t appear to belong where they are or even in the book.
Perhaps the greater art than writing the poems is arraigning their placement within a manuscript. It’s an agonizing task, but an important one none the less. The paint artist gets to work his or her subjects onto the canvas as the picture is coming into being, but the poet must take individual poems and piece them together like working a giant jigsaw puzzle.
I imagine most of the time poems are written without future consideration for a broader manuscript. I realize there are exceptions to this, but even when one is writing with a broader manuscript in mind, it is unlikely that the whole manuscript will be written in a concise order or that all of the poems will end up in the final manuscript.
I heard Katrina Vandenberg read in Kansas City sometime in the past couple of years. She is the author of Atlas, published by Milkweed editions in 2004. This week I read an extraordinary piece in P&W on the subject of ordering you for manuscripts that was written by Katrina.
Putting Your Poetry in Order sounds a bit like planning for one’s death but it’s not. Still, there is something very final about a manuscript. How and what you place in a poetry manuscript may well have a lot to do with how a potential publisher views the work and it certainly can be important to the consumer once the book is published. I know I have read some poetry books that seemed so disjointed that I will likely not give the poet a second try for a subsequent book of poetry.
If you have wondered about creating a reasonable continuity to your manuscript, and don’t have a clue other than thinking you must have a strong opening poem, then I recommend reading Katrina’s thoughtful approach. It may startle you to know that the placement of poem number two is as important as that first one.
My wife would laugh at what I am about to write here. It is helpful with poetry to have a reason to what you are doing. I find that if I have a reason for a word, for a line break, for an order to copy, then there is a greater likelihood I am creating something that will work.
Will everyone see “your” reason in the work? Probably not. But some will see it, and when asked by others, you’ll have something better to say than, “It felt right.”
Perhaps the greater art than writing the poems is arraigning their placement within a manuscript. It’s an agonizing task, but an important one none the less. The paint artist gets to work his or her subjects onto the canvas as the picture is coming into being, but the poet must take individual poems and piece them together like working a giant jigsaw puzzle.
I imagine most of the time poems are written without future consideration for a broader manuscript. I realize there are exceptions to this, but even when one is writing with a broader manuscript in mind, it is unlikely that the whole manuscript will be written in a concise order or that all of the poems will end up in the final manuscript.
I heard Katrina Vandenberg read in Kansas City sometime in the past couple of years. She is the author of Atlas, published by Milkweed editions in 2004. This week I read an extraordinary piece in P&W on the subject of ordering you for manuscripts that was written by Katrina.
Putting Your Poetry in Order sounds a bit like planning for one’s death but it’s not. Still, there is something very final about a manuscript. How and what you place in a poetry manuscript may well have a lot to do with how a potential publisher views the work and it certainly can be important to the consumer once the book is published. I know I have read some poetry books that seemed so disjointed that I will likely not give the poet a second try for a subsequent book of poetry.
If you have wondered about creating a reasonable continuity to your manuscript, and don’t have a clue other than thinking you must have a strong opening poem, then I recommend reading Katrina’s thoughtful approach. It may startle you to know that the placement of poem number two is as important as that first one.
My wife would laugh at what I am about to write here. It is helpful with poetry to have a reason to what you are doing. I find that if I have a reason for a word, for a line break, for an order to copy, then there is a greater likelihood I am creating something that will work.
Will everyone see “your” reason in the work? Probably not. But some will see it, and when asked by others, you’ll have something better to say than, “It felt right.”
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Colors of spring & summer
One of the many things I like about spring/summer is the greening that occurs in Missouri. I'm not much of a heat person, so the spring weather is more to my liking, but the landscape coming alive with shades of green and the various other plant blooms that brings reds and yellows and blues, these sharpen my view of the surroundings. I also appreciate the longer daylight hours. I'm reminded how as a young boy I loved that stretch of evening that was browning down but not yet so dark I was required to come in.I think these kind of nights fill me with an appreciation for colors and textures and words that allow images full of a range of shades to creep into my mind and work up something to put on a page.
A few bits from my journal of recent:
- Was it Bukowski that said/upright is so overrated?/If he didn't he should have.
- The weave pressing patterns/into my skin that rests/upon the rug of reverence/as I meditate on the life/of annoyances-
- Stories travel linear/ and mark their time with words/filled with suggestion
- counted votes spill upon the walk/in naked rawness so blistered/ by the divisions of public sentiment.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The Rush of Music
Wet fingers
curl under
pounding on the keys
of sticks and leaves-
the medley flows on
and on downstream
settling at last
in the depth of silence.
Quake Poetry
Many Chinese families have left remaining housing in recent days for fear of anticipated aftershock from the big quake that hit a week ago. They have pitched tents and bedded down for the nights away from structures in the event of more seismic activity. Still, another aftershock of the quake has been the influence upon poetry. Poets are finding ways to reflect upon what has happened in their writing. One such example was featured on NPR. Here you can see and hear 'Elegy' by He Xiaozhu. Even listening to He Xiaozhu in his native language without understanding the words, there is powerful poetry in the inflection and sounds.
Monday, May 19, 2008
The Poet Is In
Saturday, besides reading from the poetry stage at the Literary Festival, I helped staff the booth for our local chapter of the Missouri State Poetry Society. At one point, some ladies were passing by and a gentleman in the booth along side me said aloud, “Ask a poet, we have real poets here, ask anything you want to know of a poet.”
Now there are many ways I can go with this, but most of them are not good. There is for example, the notion that no one cares for the opinion of a poet on anything, much less his or her trade/avocation (the latter since we are getting real here). I was amused (the heat could have been a factor) and watched the ladies flow by.
It also occurs to me that it is not a good idea for lawyers, politicians and yes poets to solicit questions that could result in being unprepared for the consequences. I have for example, had individuals ask when certain events occurred in my life based on the presumption a given poem was autobiographical because it was written in first person and they assume poets all are narcissistic and think/write about nothing but ourselves. Of course that notion is silly. At least that is my story and I’m sticking by it.
In my mind I imagined this looking something like the Peanuts Psychiatric Booth with the sign, The Doctor Is In. Imagine my surprise when these ladies circled around, came back and stopped at the both. They picked up one of my poetry month broadsides, read it, and chatted among themselves. A few moments later, one offered that a certain member of their family had been interested in writing poetry and wondered if I could recommend any particular book that might be beneficial to someone getting started. Surprised at a reasonable question, and one that I could actually answer, I offered The Poet’s Companion by Kim Addonizio and Dorianne Laux. The ladies seem grateful and of course I was relieved.
Now there are many ways I can go with this, but most of them are not good. There is for example, the notion that no one cares for the opinion of a poet on anything, much less his or her trade/avocation (the latter since we are getting real here). I was amused (the heat could have been a factor) and watched the ladies flow by.
It also occurs to me that it is not a good idea for lawyers, politicians and yes poets to solicit questions that could result in being unprepared for the consequences. I have for example, had individuals ask when certain events occurred in my life based on the presumption a given poem was autobiographical because it was written in first person and they assume poets all are narcissistic and think/write about nothing but ourselves. Of course that notion is silly. At least that is my story and I’m sticking by it.
In my mind I imagined this looking something like the Peanuts Psychiatric Booth with the sign, The Doctor Is In. Imagine my surprise when these ladies circled around, came back and stopped at the both. They picked up one of my poetry month broadsides, read it, and chatted among themselves. A few moments later, one offered that a certain member of their family had been interested in writing poetry and wondered if I could recommend any particular book that might be beneficial to someone getting started. Surprised at a reasonable question, and one that I could actually answer, I offered The Poet’s Companion by Kim Addonizio and Dorianne Laux. The ladies seem grateful and of course I was relieved.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Pausing the pain
A short post before I call it a night. I've taken a few pain killers so I have the option of holding my head up with relatively little pain for the moment or as I plan shortly I will be able lay with my head on a pillow with less discomfort. It's just over the counter stuff, none of the rally good stuff. I won't last long till it wears off. But then, hopefully I'll be asleep.
I've decided tonight that I need to clean up my list on the sidebar of blogs I read. Some are no longer being updates and I need to remove them from the list. Additionally, there are a few I need to add. Hopefully I can get to this before the week is out. I do really hate it when there is a very well done blog that challenges you as you read it and you get into it and then one day it stops and is not updated for months on end. I always hope that the blogger is simply taking a break and will be back, but you never know unless they post their intentions.
I had not looked at my web page stats in a while but I did this afternoon and noticed that there were quite a few hits the past two days on the site. I am guessing that since most of these were local that it may have been the result of my reading at the Literary Festival yesterday as well as my broadsides that I gave out to many visitors.
Besides meeting a lot of new people, it was nice to see many people from the local art community that I know from various places. The Festival seems to be well grounded in these first two years, and likely to become a very permanent feature in Kansas City.
I've decided tonight that I need to clean up my list on the sidebar of blogs I read. Some are no longer being updates and I need to remove them from the list. Additionally, there are a few I need to add. Hopefully I can get to this before the week is out. I do really hate it when there is a very well done blog that challenges you as you read it and you get into it and then one day it stops and is not updated for months on end. I always hope that the blogger is simply taking a break and will be back, but you never know unless they post their intentions.
I had not looked at my web page stats in a while but I did this afternoon and noticed that there were quite a few hits the past two days on the site. I am guessing that since most of these were local that it may have been the result of my reading at the Literary Festival yesterday as well as my broadsides that I gave out to many visitors.
Besides meeting a lot of new people, it was nice to see many people from the local art community that I know from various places. The Festival seems to be well grounded in these first two years, and likely to become a very permanent feature in Kansas City.
Read at the Literary Festival yesterday
The weather is beautiful... my wife and I had lunch out on the deck earlier. Saw a gorgeous Cardinal in the yard.
Doing much better except for the continual pain in my head behind the ear. It's relentless and I am so physically tired from it.
Yesterday, I read from the poets stage at the 2nd Annual Literary Festival here on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City. Normally I have no problem with public readings. I've had a lot of anxiety with this one due to the Bell's Palsy, but in the end, all went well.
Around the poetry world...
Doing much better except for the continual pain in my head behind the ear. It's relentless and I am so physically tired from it.
Yesterday, I read from the poets stage at the 2nd Annual Literary Festival here on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City. Normally I have no problem with public readings. I've had a lot of anxiety with this one due to the Bell's Palsy, but in the end, all went well.
Around the poetry world...
- I saw Jilly Dybka's book "Trouble And Honey" is out and you can go here to get your own copy.
- If you are as taken by quotes from poets as I am, check out this little gem...
That's it for now... Have some writing to do.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Major Improvement
In the last 48 hours there has been remarkable improvement in the paralyses in my face from the Bell's Palsy. I would estimate that there is perhaps an 80% recovery in the facial features so far. This is really good news to me and while I still have some pain in my dead behind the ear on the affected side, my spirits are much improved.
I'm feeling much better about reading in public on Saturday.
I'm feeling much better about reading in public on Saturday.
STOP THE PRESSES!
STOP THE PRESSES! McCain: U.S. can win Iraq war within 4 years
- And he assumes we believe this?
- And he assumes we are willing to drain another $500- 600 billion (of unbudgeted $) there?
- And he assumes we all feel safer because of this?
- And he assumes we have the military personnel to maintain that kind of presence?
- And are willing to lose another two to five Americas every day X 1460 days?
GREAT - FOUR MORE YEARS OF A MORON IN THE WHITE HOUSE!
Monday, May 12, 2008
DNA POETRY
I finally felt like I turned a corner yesterday with the stagnate writing. Turned out a draft that has some promise. This of course is helpful to my overall mood. Things otherwise are about the same.
There is something weird that must go on in Edinburgh because it seems to have quite a connection to poetry. I am always seeing it in the news in one way or the other with poetry. The latest is Gillian Ferguson. Gillian who had already authored two poetry books, received a Creative Scotland Award to fund her research into the subject of genetic science and shape her findings into poetry. Her fascination with the subject seems hardly containable. In a Sunday Times Online piece I found the following discourse to support this... “We have 99% genetic similarity with mice, which is fantastical,” she says. “Worms have the same muscle propulsion genes. We could make a tail if the gene wasn't switched off, or wings. Even people, there's a 0.01% difference in the genome of every person on earth.”
The results of her marriage of creative & scientific efforts can be found here: The Human Genome: Poems on the Book of Life
There is something weird that must go on in Edinburgh because it seems to have quite a connection to poetry. I am always seeing it in the news in one way or the other with poetry. The latest is Gillian Ferguson. Gillian who had already authored two poetry books, received a Creative Scotland Award to fund her research into the subject of genetic science and shape her findings into poetry. Her fascination with the subject seems hardly containable. In a Sunday Times Online piece I found the following discourse to support this... “We have 99% genetic similarity with mice, which is fantastical,” she says. “Worms have the same muscle propulsion genes. We could make a tail if the gene wasn't switched off, or wings. Even people, there's a 0.01% difference in the genome of every person on earth.”
The results of her marriage of creative & scientific efforts can be found here: The Human Genome: Poems on the Book of Life
Sunday, May 11, 2008
I will write today and I will be happy for it...
The wind was wickedly gusty when we left the house this morning to drive to Bob Evans for breakfast. A continuation of the overnight angry storm. It has quited a bit now to a plesant breese that moves the tree branches in little flutters and not the swaying prwer struggle between tree and the raw power of nature.
This weekend has been somewhat depressing in that I'm starting the second week with little change in the facial paralysis. I know it can take weeks and sometimes up to three months for the return to normal, it just gets difficult to put that into perspective when you get up each day and see no chsnge. It sort of challenges your ability to believe normal will ever look like it once did.
Working on some new poetry today. I'm planning to write a hour without distraction. I'll see after that.
This weekend has been somewhat depressing in that I'm starting the second week with little change in the facial paralysis. I know it can take weeks and sometimes up to three months for the return to normal, it just gets difficult to put that into perspective when you get up each day and see no chsnge. It sort of challenges your ability to believe normal will ever look like it once did.
Working on some new poetry today. I'm planning to write a hour without distraction. I'll see after that.
The sound of the mandolin is a very curious sound because it's cheerful and
melancholy at the same time, and I think it comes from that shadow string, the
double strings. ~Rita Dove
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Friday, May 09, 2008
Friday Midday - checking in
No posts for a few days now. I have to be honest, I've really felt drained of creativity at this point. I had a day off yesterday and I took our car to be detailed. Tried writing in the waiting area. Tried writing at home. I suppose the trying is worth something, but the results were uninspiring. I thought perhaps I just needed to focus on the visual and for a brief time last night I worked with charcoal on paper and wasn't happy there either.
Moving on, today is the birthday of Denise Low, poet laureate from neighboring Kansas. There was a nice interview on the local NPR station of Ms. Low this morning. Angela Elam with New Letters on the Air conducted it. You can Listen here.
That's about it for now... weekend can't get here too soon.
Moving on, today is the birthday of Denise Low, poet laureate from neighboring Kansas. There was a nice interview on the local NPR station of Ms. Low this morning. Angela Elam with New Letters on the Air conducted it. You can Listen here.
That's about it for now... weekend can't get here too soon.
Monday, May 05, 2008
The power of reason
Reason transformed into prejudice is the worst form of prejudice,
because reason is the only instrument for liberation from prejudice.
~ Allan Bloom
Mr. Droopy's Update
I planned to go into the office today and go about business as close to normal as I could. I realized everyone who saw me would likely want to hear the story so I figured that would be a revolving door all day long unless I could just keep out of sight.
As luck would have it, my right eye had become painful... or I guess I should say more painful in the wee hours of the morning so work was scrapped and I went to the doctor's office today. The eye appears to have an infection, not surprising because I likely got something in it when it could not be closed. Anyway that's the assumption they are going on today. I have an antibiotic for it and tomorrow morning I will see an eyes specialist to make sure it's not scratched.
Talking with my younger daughter in Phoenix who has only seen a picture of me, she laughed at her older sister's comment about my mouth being crooked like Rachael Ray's. Meghan thinks I need to do some sample cooking videos and send around with the idea of landing my own cooking show. Cooking With Droopy.
Well, that's the latest. I can close my right eye now somewhat. The right side of my mouth hasn't changes- it sill droops from the paralysis. Actually I think my speech is slightly more slurred today, but I may be overacting.
As luck would have it, my right eye had become painful... or I guess I should say more painful in the wee hours of the morning so work was scrapped and I went to the doctor's office today. The eye appears to have an infection, not surprising because I likely got something in it when it could not be closed. Anyway that's the assumption they are going on today. I have an antibiotic for it and tomorrow morning I will see an eyes specialist to make sure it's not scratched.
Talking with my younger daughter in Phoenix who has only seen a picture of me, she laughed at her older sister's comment about my mouth being crooked like Rachael Ray's. Meghan thinks I need to do some sample cooking videos and send around with the idea of landing my own cooking show. Cooking With Droopy.
Well, that's the latest. I can close my right eye now somewhat. The right side of my mouth hasn't changes- it sill droops from the paralysis. Actually I think my speech is slightly more slurred today, but I may be overacting.
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Feeling a Little Droopy
Last night I was watching a movie with my wife, and my daughter and the latter asks what wrong with my mouth, I have that "Rachael Ray" look? She adds that by that, she was inferring that my mouth looked like it was crooked. I was tired and dismissed her comment thinking nothing more of it. This morning I got up and went to the computer room where my wife is at work and speak with her and all of a sudden my mouth feels different. I said nothing about it, but went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. As I moved my mouth, sure enough the movement was all on my left side, which is not a pretty sight when one speaks. Certain word sounds were not easily rolling from my mouth.
There was a moment where the word stroke entered my mind, but the rest of my right side appeared to function fine. No problems with my hand or feet. Then I realized that I could not fully close my right eye. As I related these things to my wife, she did a search on the Internet for Bells Palsy. Had my grandmother not been inflicted with it about 20 years ago, nether of us would have thought to consider it, but as we read, the symptoms were classics.
There was a moment where the word stroke entered my mind, but the rest of my right side appeared to function fine. No problems with my hand or feet. Then I realized that I could not fully close my right eye. As I related these things to my wife, she did a search on the Internet for Bells Palsy. Had my grandmother not been inflicted with it about 20 years ago, nether of us would have thought to consider it, but as we read, the symptoms were classics.
- comes on suddenly often after an illness epically viral
- often the victims are diabetics
- Causes drooping of one side of the mouth
- effects the eye on the dame side
- There is a partial loss of taste
My wife called our doctor and he recommended an emergency room visit just to rule out anything else but was relatively certain that is what it was. The conclusion after visiting the hospital was the same.
I have been under the weather for about 4 days. My sinuses have been bothering me but this was more than just that. Basically it is thought that somehow a nerve in the inflicted side of the face is impacted causing a paralysis to that side of the face.
I'm sure there are worse things that could have happened to be but this is frustrating and unnerving. It usually is not permanent. Paralysis can last for weeks to maybe three months. Usually there is full recovery, however there is a rare case where there may remain some residual paralysis or drooping in the face. Oh, it also affects my sinus drainage on the right side of my face and that along with the fact that my tear ducts in my right eye aren't working remain by two biggest physical annoyances. Eating seems a little more challenging and presently I am not really excited about being out in public. I am slated to do a poetry reading at a very public event middle of the month an that is weighing heavy on my mind.
Now I'm on steroids (I suppose I should use this time to my advantage on my video baseball game) and an anti-viral. Can this weekend get any more exciting? sigh
Friday, May 02, 2008
McCain one more way to Spell W
Wow, John McCain seems to have sold out his reputation of an independent maverick in favor of a clone of W. God, the thought of the George W. Bush legacy extended four more years.. what a downer.Simic stepping aside as U.S. poet laureate
Charles Simic will be stepping aside as U.S. poet laureate at one term. He has asked not to be considered for a second term as he wishes to spend more time writing. Hard to argue with that.
I like Charles Simic as a poet and I believed his background made him a good choice for the post. An immigrant with a childhood that experienced war first hand. Simic had sensory talents that I suspect are enhanced by these experiences and has had a gift of ability with his writing that reach a level that many don't achieve.
As a poet laureate, I would have liked him to have been a little more out front. Perhaps this is not a part of his personality. Of course his departure means a search begins again for the next laureate. I have a list in my head of several men and women who I believe would be extraordinary candidates. I am hopeful that perhaps we will see a woman this next time.
I like Charles Simic as a poet and I believed his background made him a good choice for the post. An immigrant with a childhood that experienced war first hand. Simic had sensory talents that I suspect are enhanced by these experiences and has had a gift of ability with his writing that reach a level that many don't achieve.
As a poet laureate, I would have liked him to have been a little more out front. Perhaps this is not a part of his personality. Of course his departure means a search begins again for the next laureate. I have a list in my head of several men and women who I believe would be extraordinary candidates. I am hopeful that perhaps we will see a woman this next time.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
**expletive deleted!**
I went in to work on Wednesday and left for the day at 10:00a.m. feeling sick. The days recuperation helped and I went back to work today. I managed to get through it but by the end of the day I was beat.
My Sinuses are driving me crazy tonight and I want to scream. It's hot ( checked the thermostat and it was on 79) ZAP!!! The a/c is on. I feel mildly insane at the moment, and all of the things that I planned to say over the past couple days that I have not blogged seemed to have left me or are less relevant that my current tantrum.
My Sinuses are driving me crazy tonight and I want to scream. It's hot ( checked the thermostat and it was on 79) ZAP!!! The a/c is on. I feel mildly insane at the moment, and all of the things that I planned to say over the past couple days that I have not blogged seemed to have left me or are less relevant that my current tantrum.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Wandered into the city last night
Last night I ventured into the city to read at the Writers Place. I used to live in the neighborhood where the Writers place was located, but having moved out to the edge of hell, it seemed more like a dear that had wandered into the city. Oh, it wasn't that I felt out of place at the WP, just thinking about the trip in and back home again. Perhaps it was more cerebral when considering the cost of gas.
Anyway, it was good to read there again. It's been a while. Relatively informal as readings go. Everything I read was new, and more recently I've stuck to things that are older and I've read many times. These were less polished pieces - but the open mic there is usually a good place to gauge work in progress.
Anyway, it was good to read there again. It's been a while. Relatively informal as readings go. Everything I read was new, and more recently I've stuck to things that are older and I've read many times. These were less polished pieces - but the open mic there is usually a good place to gauge work in progress.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Subs & Rejects
Submissions / Rejections Statistics- Pending responses: 11
- Submissions sent last 12 months: 51
- Submissions sent this month: 3
- Acceptance ratio: 10.00 %
Picture shot inside local Bass Pro shop
Reminder - Voting on the Poet Laureate of the Blogosphere
Just a reminder that you can still vote for me or any of the other nominees through midnight on the 29th of April at: click here
To Read or Not To Read
Jan Beatty writes sexually explicit poems. At least that's what I've been lead to believe. I haven't read any of them but I like her already. Poetic erotica is not my normal read, but I am impressed with anyone who is good at it, and by that I don't mean just writing poetry filled with the seven words that we are not supposed to say on the airwaves. To be good at writing erotic poetry I believe one must be able to deal with the intricate nuances of our sensory perceptions. It's like a painter capturing the shading and texture not just the shape. I don't try such poetry often myself because I don't do it well, though I wish I could. I think anyone that can do this well can likely do any subject justice on the page.
What I like about Jan Beatty is her spunk. Joseph-Beth Booksellers turned Beatty away from a reading because her latest book was too erotic for their family-friendly store atmosphere. On the surface I could accept that, but this is a store who has featured porno-film actors at events.
Beatty has appeared at the store to read from her work before but they believed there were poems from her new poetry collection, "Red Sugar" that were too hot to handle.
Alternatively, the store later agreed to allow Beatty a reading if the store chose the poems for her to read. Censorship? No way! The poet would have nothing to do with it. Then the store offered two other suggestions. A book signing without a reading or a reading with the sound system turned off. For Jan Beatty none of these suggestions is an option. She believes she is behave in a professional enough to be able to select what she reads without being told.
I have to give Jan Beatty kudos for her decision and sticking by it. I may have to even check out her work and see if writing is deserving of kudos too.
What I like about Jan Beatty is her spunk. Joseph-Beth Booksellers turned Beatty away from a reading because her latest book was too erotic for their family-friendly store atmosphere. On the surface I could accept that, but this is a store who has featured porno-film actors at events.
Beatty has appeared at the store to read from her work before but they believed there were poems from her new poetry collection, "Red Sugar" that were too hot to handle.
Alternatively, the store later agreed to allow Beatty a reading if the store chose the poems for her to read. Censorship? No way! The poet would have nothing to do with it. Then the store offered two other suggestions. A book signing without a reading or a reading with the sound system turned off. For Jan Beatty none of these suggestions is an option. She believes she is behave in a professional enough to be able to select what she reads without being told.
I have to give Jan Beatty kudos for her decision and sticking by it. I may have to even check out her work and see if writing is deserving of kudos too.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Checking in Friday Night
Overdue for a blog post. That and NaPoWriMo drafts. Watched Charlie Wilson's War tonight. I didn't catch it when it was at the theater but it was out on DVD and we settled in and watched it tonight. No writing but I did read a little of Dana Goodyear's poetry. Dug up one o her books that I've read before and refreshed my mind with it.
Reading other people's poetry is not only enjoyable, it's downright necessary to remind us when we write the power of words and stimulated our own work. I really think that it is the writer that never takes time to read an other's work that soon finds is or her own growing stale and limited.
A parting thought~ "I try to take care and be gentle to them. Words and eggs must be handled with care. Once broken they are impossible things to repair." -Anne Sexton, poet (1928-1974)
Off to bed...
Reading other people's poetry is not only enjoyable, it's downright necessary to remind us when we write the power of words and stimulated our own work. I really think that it is the writer that never takes time to read an other's work that soon finds is or her own growing stale and limited.
A parting thought~ "I try to take care and be gentle to them. Words and eggs must be handled with care. Once broken they are impossible things to repair." -Anne Sexton, poet (1928-1974)
Off to bed...
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Special Dispensation
Is it Friday yet? No, of course not. It's only hump day and the way my energy level is, I'm hoping to make it to Friday by shere gravity. It's been so busy at work lately that I am hard pressed to want to do anything requiring major commitment by the time I get home. Tonight I have a reading from an anthology that is just off the press. So I'll be heading out shortly to read rather than go home. I didn't do a NoPoWriMo daft last night and I likely won't do one tonight either given the poetry event. Perhaps the poetry gods will be kind to me and grant special dispensation.
I've actually been doing some charcoal sketches during this past week. My youngest daughter was like, damn, when did you learn to draw. I told her if and when it happens I'd let her know. My main reason for wanting to do some sketches is to sharpen my awareness to my surroundings. To better grasp the texture of things. I remember when I saw Donald Hall here in town a couple years back, he made the remark that he learned more to benefit his poetry from his friendship with the sculptor Henry Moore than any poet. I was struck by this. I figure it can't hurt if I am able to awaken my awareness to greater experiences.
I'm off to my reading.
I've actually been doing some charcoal sketches during this past week. My youngest daughter was like, damn, when did you learn to draw. I told her if and when it happens I'd let her know. My main reason for wanting to do some sketches is to sharpen my awareness to my surroundings. To better grasp the texture of things. I remember when I saw Donald Hall here in town a couple years back, he made the remark that he learned more to benefit his poetry from his friendship with the sculptor Henry Moore than any poet. I was struck by this. I figure it can't hurt if I am able to awaken my awareness to greater experiences.
I'm off to my reading.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Poet Laureate of the Blogosphere Election Started Today
Voting has started today for Poet Laureate of the Blogosphere. This is the fourth year the election has been held.
I [ Michael Wells ] was nominated for Stick Poet Superhero, and am on the ballot along with 22 others. Last year over 800 votes were cast for this. The candidate had to have been blogging on poetry for at least a year. You can see all the candidates and cast your vote by going to this site
We Missed - Broadside
My Second Annual Poetry Month broadside is still available.... email me with name and address to receive a copy.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Poetry news bits...
The Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Michael Dirda who writes for the Washington Post on books, literature and the likes, talks about staying power of Contemporary Poetry.
Louisiana Poet Laureate Darrell Bourque travels the state making a tough sell to young people.
Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Robert Hass sheds new light on a world of relationships.
I'm still sending out my Poetry Month broadsides on request. Received the following kind note this week from a recipient:
Louisiana Poet Laureate Darrell Bourque travels the state making a tough sell to young people.
Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Robert Hass sheds new light on a world of relationships.
I'm still sending out my Poetry Month broadsides on request. Received the following kind note this week from a recipient:
Your broadside arrived safely. It's absolutely lovely! Your graceful poem
and the image of the coffee cup stain marry perfectly. Thank you so
much!
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Saturday Night
A little writing today. Read quite a few poems. Sketched something tonight. Yes, as in drawing. I amused myself.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Local Poetry Sceen
The Writers Place here in Kansas City has a new director - Anne Calvert Bettis. Congratulations Anne on your new position.
A few upcoming events:
Sunday April 20th - Poets at Large - featuring a panel of experts discussing the Beat writers and their influence on later writers. Starts @ 2:00p.m. followed by an open mic @5:00p.m. Anyone can sign up to read a poem by a Beat poet or a poem inspired by a Beat writer.
Monday April 28th 8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. is the Writers Place Open Mic hosted by Sharon Eiker from
A few upcoming events:
Sunday April 20th - Poets at Large - featuring a panel of experts discussing the Beat writers and their influence on later writers. Starts @ 2:00p.m. followed by an open mic @5:00p.m. Anyone can sign up to read a poem by a Beat poet or a poem inspired by a Beat writer.
Monday April 28th 8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. is the Writers Place Open Mic hosted by Sharon Eiker from
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Executions Around the World
Amnesty International announced the annual totals for executions by country in 2007 yesterday. These figures in many instances are estimates and actual numbers are likely higher. A link to the report and specifics about the data can be found here.
The Top Five Countries are:
The Top Five Countries are:
- China 470+
- Iran 317+
- Saudi Arabia 143+
- Pakistan 135+
- USA 45
It should be noted that the number of U.S. executions last year had been slowed by pending court action before the U.S. Supreme Court about the constitutionality of the use specifically of a type of lethal injection used by many states. The majority opinion of the court ruled today in favor of this type of execution which will likely put many executions on a fast track in the U.S.
China will be the focus of a lot of attention with respect to crackdown on dissidents in China and Tibet. China is known for harsh sentences where protests are concerned. The upcoming Olympics has placed China under a spotlight and it appears that China is tightening the flow of news in and out of the country.
In many instances the issue with capital punishment is not limited to the moral question of state ordered executions, but in many cases it goes as well to the fairness of their system of justice since there is no means of correcting errors.
Journal Snippets
I've not posted many snippets from my journal lately, and I suppose that can be attributed to the fact that you've seen a lot of my drafts for NaPoWriNo. I thought I'd see what I can pull out that has not already been posted.
- Towering above my earliest memories of the city/ grand beacon and vertical point of reference / scraping the sky / occasionally the top swallowed by clouds
- Disfigured dairy / yellow glacier / sliding across the plate / victim of global warming / localized
- A reconfigured Rene Zellwelger / thumped in the head / and some Carly Simon concussion of a song / splitting it apart / there's nothing "so vain" going on here.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
New Math?
I've read from time to time people making comparisons between poetry and mathematics, which on the surface seems so totally unlikely. To me personally, I've never been proficient in math with anything beyond the basics and don't find it interesting at all. So naturally, such comparisons don't seem to fit for me. In addition, I see math as very static, poetry as any art, seems to defy such description. So when I come across this quote, I am especially amused: The formula 'Two and two make five' is not without its attractions ~ Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Fell off the NaPoWriMo Wagon
I did it.... I'm confessing and hopping to climb back on. My daughter and her new fiance flew in to town Thursday evening and just left to go back to Arizona this afternoon. It was our first time meeting Derek. Of course if Meghan had been alone it too would have been distracting from poetry. I'm not complaining. I'm glad we had the time with them. I'm just saying that a poem draft a day was not going to survive this event.
So there, I'm bad. I've failed. And now I've gotten it off my chest. Tomorrow is a new day and I'm ready to get going again.
So there, I'm bad. I've failed. And now I've gotten it off my chest. Tomorrow is a new day and I'm ready to get going again.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Day 10: My NaPoWriMo blog released from the grips of bloger at last
A spiked presence—
Before my eyes
A star with supplementary credentials
Far more prickly a presence
A perverse way of making points
And overload of opinion
Not at all shy of expression
The tentacles of the nucleus
Of radiant light
Obliquely insane
Before my eyes
A star with supplementary credentials
Far more prickly a presence
A perverse way of making points
And overload of opinion
Not at all shy of expression
The tentacles of the nucleus
Of radiant light
Obliquely insane
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Day 9 ~ Accessorizing
Accessorizing
The shuffle of shoes—
Black pumps, red sling backs;
The ruffle of the lips—
Earth tone hikers and aqua fluff flops…
Just a few stepping out
Across my mind.
A casual tennis shoe—
You need several colors
To accessorize; if you know what I mean.
I pity women in third would countries.
I mean when you only have a single pair
You’re so limited with your wardrobe.
The shuffle of shoes—
Black pumps, red sling backs;
The ruffle of the lips—
Earth tone hikers and aqua fluff flops…
Just a few stepping out
Across my mind.
A casual tennis shoe—
You need several colors
To accessorize; if you know what I mean.
I pity women in third would countries.
I mean when you only have a single pair
You’re so limited with your wardrobe.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Day 8 - Untitled draft
Untitled
Uncorked and non-confrontational
An evening slumping gingerly
Into shades of melancholy
Befriends me and embraces
The many reasons lacking interest
In commitment to any plans tonight.
A hum of snow on TV
And nothing else in particular.
The phone may or may not have rang
Earlier. I was settled into the nights dip.
My hand has held the stem of crystal
But nothing else has required my energy.
A sip on occasion. A hint of pear and oak.
Buttery perhaps, if you say so,
I don’t recall—
There is a presence stronger than I—
Inescapable.
Even in a night of solitude
I am not without the presence of old age.
A shadowy figure that is at a distant
But not too much so
And he maintains a horizontal view
Of the future.
Uncorked and non-confrontational
An evening slumping gingerly
Into shades of melancholy
Befriends me and embraces
The many reasons lacking interest
In commitment to any plans tonight.
A hum of snow on TV
And nothing else in particular.
The phone may or may not have rang
Earlier. I was settled into the nights dip.
My hand has held the stem of crystal
But nothing else has required my energy.
A sip on occasion. A hint of pear and oak.
Buttery perhaps, if you say so,
I don’t recall—
There is a presence stronger than I—
Inescapable.
Even in a night of solitude
I am not without the presence of old age.
A shadowy figure that is at a distant
But not too much so
And he maintains a horizontal view
Of the future.
Blogger, McCain, Iraq, et al
I'm not posting my day 8 NaPoWriMo draft poem yet.... because it has yet to be drafted, but we are at day 8 of the month and blogger still has my NaPoWriMo blog (created just for this April project) hostage because "I may be in Violation." Somehow, I think this should like make me feel dirty or something. I don't. In fact I'm feeling really pissed. I wake up each morning and it's starting to feel like it's dragging on into.... gee I don't know, the same place the Iraq war is going- infinity.
There, now see what you did blogger? You got me started on the war. And speaking of the war, the military top brass will be up on the hill today to update us on the current situation in Iraq.
Here in Kansas City, Sen. John McCain delivered a speech on Iraq. ABC World News said last night McCain "accused Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton today of a failure of leadership for promising to withdraw US forces from Iraq." McCain "told the Veterans of Foreign Wars that promising withdrawal from Iraq without considering the consequences is in his words, 'the height of irresponsibility.'" NBC Nightly News said McCain "delivered a glass-half-full message about progress in Iraq." McCain was shown saying, "We are no longer staring into the abyss of defeat. And we can now look ahead to the genuine prospect of success."
This brings me to the question I'd like McCain to answer. Exactly would "success" in Iraq look like. It's interesting that both McCain and the Bush Administration have dropped the term, "victory" that has been used for so long. We were told over and over the Democrats wanted to "lose" the war and the Republicans wanted to "win" it. When pushed to describe what a "victory" or "win" in Iraq would constitute rather than define that elusive term, they have now chosen the term success. It question remains. What would success in Iraq look like. What would be the benchmark that we could look at and say, yes, we are there? The fact of the matter is McCain can't look the American people in the face and tell us what it is because he hasn't figured it out himself.
Because he can't define it, he can only use evasive terms about the future. We are suppose to accept that because there was a downward turn in violence during the surge, "we're closer". Closer to when and What?
The violence has picked up. It's Iraqi against Iraqi violence and America in right in the middle. Now they want to freeze troop levels at pre-invasion levels. Our military presence has weakened our readiness for American defense elsewhere.
There are serious questions aside from the obvious Military ones. None of the massive expenditures on this war are part of any budget. For five years we have waged a grossly expensive military operation on credit. $12 billion a month is what it's costing presently, and that is not including costs to benefits and medical care for returning veterans that will be continuing for many years. When we are asking ourselves, are we safer because of this war? I think we have to ask, what the cost to our security is if we are economically crippled because of it?
Meanwhile, a related breaking story of interest: Draft agreement could allow US troops to remain in Iraq 'indefinitely'
Oh, and how about the special Pulitzer for Bob Dylan, citing the mark he has made on our culture over decades. Isn't that an interesting bit of news?
There, now see what you did blogger? You got me started on the war. And speaking of the war, the military top brass will be up on the hill today to update us on the current situation in Iraq.
Here in Kansas City, Sen. John McCain delivered a speech on Iraq. ABC World News said last night McCain "accused Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton today of a failure of leadership for promising to withdraw US forces from Iraq." McCain "told the Veterans of Foreign Wars that promising withdrawal from Iraq without considering the consequences is in his words, 'the height of irresponsibility.'" NBC Nightly News said McCain "delivered a glass-half-full message about progress in Iraq." McCain was shown saying, "We are no longer staring into the abyss of defeat. And we can now look ahead to the genuine prospect of success."
This brings me to the question I'd like McCain to answer. Exactly would "success" in Iraq look like. It's interesting that both McCain and the Bush Administration have dropped the term, "victory" that has been used for so long. We were told over and over the Democrats wanted to "lose" the war and the Republicans wanted to "win" it. When pushed to describe what a "victory" or "win" in Iraq would constitute rather than define that elusive term, they have now chosen the term success. It question remains. What would success in Iraq look like. What would be the benchmark that we could look at and say, yes, we are there? The fact of the matter is McCain can't look the American people in the face and tell us what it is because he hasn't figured it out himself.
Because he can't define it, he can only use evasive terms about the future. We are suppose to accept that because there was a downward turn in violence during the surge, "we're closer". Closer to when and What?
The violence has picked up. It's Iraqi against Iraqi violence and America in right in the middle. Now they want to freeze troop levels at pre-invasion levels. Our military presence has weakened our readiness for American defense elsewhere.
There are serious questions aside from the obvious Military ones. None of the massive expenditures on this war are part of any budget. For five years we have waged a grossly expensive military operation on credit. $12 billion a month is what it's costing presently, and that is not including costs to benefits and medical care for returning veterans that will be continuing for many years. When we are asking ourselves, are we safer because of this war? I think we have to ask, what the cost to our security is if we are economically crippled because of it?
Meanwhile, a related breaking story of interest: Draft agreement could allow US troops to remain in Iraq 'indefinitely'
Oh, and how about the special Pulitzer for Bob Dylan, citing the mark he has made on our culture over decades. Isn't that an interesting bit of news?
Monday, April 07, 2008
Day 7 (my NaPoWriMo blog still held hostage)
In Your Head
Allowed into your imagination
I wandered, surveying foreign landscape
It was one of your shadow boxed thought
That informed my view of how you saw me.
There was a frightening simplicity to your organization.
Everyone you had ever met or hopped to catalogued
Into the Dewey Decimal System.
There I found your own self image scantily riveting.
Allowed into your imagination
I wandered, surveying foreign landscape
It was one of your shadow boxed thought
That informed my view of how you saw me.
There was a frightening simplicity to your organization.
Everyone you had ever met or hopped to catalogued
Into the Dewey Decimal System.
There I found your own self image scantily riveting.
Poetry News
Few news items:
- Book Slut interviews Galway Kinnell
- Poets Jayne Jaudon Ferrer and Terri McCord talk about the value and image of poetry today
- Raymond Danowski donated his poetry collection (what many scholars believe to be the most important collection of English-language poetry in the world) to Emory University
And this interesting quote from Wallace Stevens:
Most people read poetry listening for echoes because the echoes are familiar to them. They wade through it the way a boy wades through water, feeling with his toes for the bottom: The echoes are the bottom.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Primitive Instincts
Poetry is not a civilizer, rather the reverse, for great poetry appeals to the most primitive instincts. ~Robinson Jeffers
Day 6 - Split
Split
Blue eyeliner
Lowered in sadness
Told just enough
To know he left
Again
The details
Were insignificant
Blue eyeliner
Lowered in sadness
Told just enough
To know he left
Again
The details
Were insignificant
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Day 5 - My Death
My Death
My death was timeless.
It also was not anticipated
In the way one expects high humidity
On a hot summer afternoon
After a thunderstorm passed through.
Oh, I am sure some predicted it
Would come sooner later.
There are after all, those who believe
The Cubs will win the World Series this year.
Such people may be discounted
Either for their connection with the occult
Or because they have suffered concussions at some point.
Betting people would do well to stay clear of them.
The newspaper back in my little pea pod home town
Called my demise unfortunate
Due to the loss suffered by my insurance company.
Folks mostly went about their routine the day of my funeral
And the general store ran a special
On cigarettes and beer.
There are those who called me a good man
When they checked out.
My death was timeless.
It also was not anticipated
In the way one expects high humidity
On a hot summer afternoon
After a thunderstorm passed through.
Oh, I am sure some predicted it
Would come sooner later.
There are after all, those who believe
The Cubs will win the World Series this year.
Such people may be discounted
Either for their connection with the occult
Or because they have suffered concussions at some point.
Betting people would do well to stay clear of them.
The newspaper back in my little pea pod home town
Called my demise unfortunate
Due to the loss suffered by my insurance company.
Folks mostly went about their routine the day of my funeral
And the general store ran a special
On cigarettes and beer.
There are those who called me a good man
When they checked out.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Poetry Month Broadside
My second annual limited poetry broadside has arrived today and is available (as mentioned earlier) as long as they last. To request one, email me with name and address.
Happy Poetry Month!
Day 4 (my NaPoWriMo blog still held hostage)
The Act
A sacrificial smile
A few seconds worth
Of monitored misconception
I can be convincingly contrived
To the point of melodrama
Candy red and sugar dripping
My baseline convalescing
Beneath ornamentation
Awaiting the moment you leave
This two-faced act steps out on a tight rope
Several times a day it will balance and defy gravity
For your benefit alone
Without applause
A sacrificial smile
A few seconds worth
Of monitored misconception
I can be convincingly contrived
To the point of melodrama
Candy red and sugar dripping
My baseline convalescing
Beneath ornamentation
Awaiting the moment you leave
This two-faced act steps out on a tight rope
Several times a day it will balance and defy gravity
For your benefit alone
Without applause
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Day 3 / Untitled
Sleep was a causality of morning
A most unholy beam of light through the window
Spotlight to my face—
Caught in the cross hairs
Of another morning of demands
Tethered to someone’s aspirations
That are at best a no deposit bottle to me
(note - blogger is being a major pain and has my site specifically for NaPoWriMo under review and I am therefor locked out of it. sigh...)
A most unholy beam of light through the window
Spotlight to my face—
Caught in the cross hairs
Of another morning of demands
Tethered to someone’s aspirations
That are at best a no deposit bottle to me
(note - blogger is being a major pain and has my site specifically for NaPoWriMo under review and I am therefor locked out of it. sigh...)
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Day Two of NaPoWriMo
Rage
Opened, a red blossom of anger
Long held in a tight fisted bud;
Too long—
Maybe it was annoyance once.
Irritation came and settled it its belly
And churned with the callous lies
Than ate at me like fire ants.
Irritation became causality
Of the spectacle of “awe” over Baghdad.
Like remnants of lives
Severed, charred and strewn about
Irritation could not survive.
The fury with which our own
Came home in boxes
Became the rage in full bloom today.
You talked about political capital,
Suspended habeas corpus,
Mortgaged future generations.
The audacity of
Mission Accomplished
Opened, a red blossom of anger
Long held in a tight fisted bud;
Too long—
Maybe it was annoyance once.
Irritation came and settled it its belly
And churned with the callous lies
Than ate at me like fire ants.
Irritation became causality
Of the spectacle of “awe” over Baghdad.
Like remnants of lives
Severed, charred and strewn about
Irritation could not survive.
The fury with which our own
Came home in boxes
Became the rage in full bloom today.
You talked about political capital,
Suspended habeas corpus,
Mortgaged future generations.
The audacity of
Mission Accomplished
Some cool links
Day two of National Poetry Month / NaPoWriMo ~ thought I'd share a couple of good resources I've seen from blogs I read.
First off, there are some excellent poetry writing prompts furnished by Kelli at First Draft.
Then Ivy has some cool things and Poetry.org has 30 ideas to celebrate Poetry Month.
And a poetry thought offered in this quote: It is the job of poetry to clean up our word-clogged reality by creating silences around things. ~Stephen Mallarme
Happy reading and writing!
First off, there are some excellent poetry writing prompts furnished by Kelli at First Draft.
Then Ivy has some cool things and Poetry.org has 30 ideas to celebrate Poetry Month.
And a poetry thought offered in this quote: It is the job of poetry to clean up our word-clogged reality by creating silences around things. ~Stephen Mallarme
Happy reading and writing!
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
2008 Poet Laureate of the Blogosphere
Almost forgot.... Nominations begin today for the 2008 Poet Laureate Of The Blogosphere. This will be the fourth year for the elections. There are some minimal qualifications - such as having been a poetry blogger for no less than one year as of March 1, 2008. Anyway, the nominations can be made at this site.
National Poetry Month
It's here! Now you have a legitimate reason to torture your friends and family with poetry for a whole month.
A couple of housekeeping notes to start the month off with....
A couple of housekeeping notes to start the month off with....
- As previously acknowledged - I will be participating in NaPoWriMo (writing a poem a day all month long) and you will be able to see these here with each one added as the month progresses. Do understand these are one day wonders or perhaps blunders as the case may be and are not polished works.
- I will not be doing the annual poetry quotation email that I have offered for several years now.
- I will however for the second year be offering a Poetry Month broadside of one of my previously published poems that is on nice card stock and suitable for framing. These are available in a limited quantity for to those who request them, until they are all gone. There are only 100 printed. If you would like one, email me.
That's all for now. May everyone's month be touched in some positive way by poetry.
Poetry is the language in which man explores his own amazement. ~Christopher Fry
Monday, March 31, 2008
For Poetry Month - Why not take A Daily Dose of Poetry
Children and lunatics cut the Gordian knot which the poet spends his life patiently trying to untie. ~Jean Cocteau
Baseball's Back
Today.... the World is All About Baseball!
Opening day for most teams.... My team of choice, The San Francisco Giants open on the road in LA against their nemeses the Dodgers. Some see baseball as a seven month diversion from life. I see it the same way I do poetry, a great reflection of life. Play Ball!!! Go Giants!!!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Good day for writing....
It's been cold, damp and overcast to the point of boredom with the outside so it's a good day to write. So far so good. Reserving judgement on what I've produced thus far but I'm happy to report that I have not had trouble starting or to keep going.
Yesterday, wife and I ran around doing some shopping and ate BBQ. Last night I watched the first Indy race of the season and worked on a word list in preparation for today. I'm going to take a bit of a break from the writing though to catch up on some chores, then come back to it.
Yesterday, wife and I ran around doing some shopping and ate BBQ. Last night I watched the first Indy race of the season and worked on a word list in preparation for today. I'm going to take a bit of a break from the writing though to catch up on some chores, then come back to it.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Poetry Month Is Nearly Here!
Yes, I realize most of us who are poetry aficionados have a circle of friends and family who simply do not share the same sensual pleasures we derive from the act of writing and or reading of poetry. To those poor souls, poetry month seems like an eternity in hell. But isn't that the point of it all? Was poetry month not created with their discomfort in mind?
If poetry month is all about us... the ones for whom a line from Dickinson will bring a twinkle to their eyes, who do not cringe at metaphor or run from personification, and actually get an uplifted feeling reading Plath; then what pray tell is the point? Is that not preaching to the choir?
No, Poetry Month is for the unenlightened. Therefore, it is our responsibility to make the most of the 30 days of April to bring poetry to the masses. Look at it like you have some communicable decease you are just dying to share with the world. You must expose everyone!
Ideas for poetry month!
If poetry month is all about us... the ones for whom a line from Dickinson will bring a twinkle to their eyes, who do not cringe at metaphor or run from personification, and actually get an uplifted feeling reading Plath; then what pray tell is the point? Is that not preaching to the choir?
No, Poetry Month is for the unenlightened. Therefore, it is our responsibility to make the most of the 30 days of April to bring poetry to the masses. Look at it like you have some communicable decease you are just dying to share with the world. You must expose everyone!
Ideas for poetry month!
- Insert short poems in note cards and stick them in your child's lunch box/bag before sending them off to school.
- Change your voicemail greeting to a short poem.
- Write a love poem to your spouse on the bathroom mirror with lipstick.... of if you are not that bold, tape it there on a sheet of paper.
- Keep a number of short poems on cards in your pocket and hand them to friends you run into throughout the day.
- Leave a poetry book in some public place to be read.
- Get drunk and call old friends at 3:00 a.m. and read them poems. ( Just kidding, I couldn't resist adding this)
- Insert poems on note cards with your bills before mailing them off.
- In the memo on your check suggest a good poem to read. ( example: Read "If You Forget Me" by Pablo Neruda.
- Add a short poem to your tag line or signature on your e-mail so everyone you communicate with gets that poem all month long.
- Write a poem on your sidewalk with chalk.
- Leave poems on note cards in books you return to the library.
- Read a poem aloud at dinner time.
- Post a favorite poem on the office bulletin board.
- Send a poem on a postcard to someone you owe a letter to. (remember snail mail?)
Once poetry month is over, it is just possible that you may have started a pandemic. Probably not, but at least you tried.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Poet Laureate of the Blogisphere and other things...
Thanks to Jilly, I caught this note on the 2008 Poet Laureate of the Blogosphere. Click on the link to see details about nominations, etc. Last year I didn't catch it until nominations were over, but I did make it in time to vote. Previous winners:
Amy King, Ron Silliman, and Jilly Dybka.
On another note..... China Resists Human Rights Link to Olympics
By Sam Beattie Beijing - 27 March 2008
China hosts its first-ever Olympic Games, in just five months. In Beijing, people are working hard to clean up the city and to get ready to host the world's most prestigious sporting event. The city has undergone enormous changes in the seven-year build-up to the event, but human rights activists say the government has failed to live up to some Olympic promises. Sam Beattie reports. Full Story
Amy King, Ron Silliman, and Jilly Dybka.
On another note..... China Resists Human Rights Link to Olympics
By Sam Beattie Beijing - 27 March 2008
China hosts its first-ever Olympic Games, in just five months. In Beijing, people are working hard to clean up the city and to get ready to host the world's most prestigious sporting event. The city has undergone enormous changes in the seven-year build-up to the event, but human rights activists say the government has failed to live up to some Olympic promises. Sam Beattie reports. Full Story
Good, Bad and Ugly
Is it that time again? NaPoWriMo or National Poetry Writing Month is but days away. A time when those who participate in this ritual will pen a poem every day. When engaged in such practice, I can assure you that there will be some really bad material written. But just as practice makes perfect, the odds are that if you write thirty poems, there will be some keepers. At at the very least, some bits and pieces of verse that can be recycled into something more meaningful.
It's been my experience in the past tho find this practice a bit intimidating because you write for three or four days and look at what you have and it can be pretty unsettling if you are one who pushes yourself for perfection or as I tend to do, become that ugly critic of my own work. In spit of knowing at the onset that in most instances, for me to achieve a single poem I am happy with, I will besides the first draft, rewrite the thing many times over the course of weeks or months when I say I am writing a poem every day, I still want to feel that I've in fact written a poem that has some value.
I think for this purpose, I will establish another blog specifically for the NaPoWriMo poems. That way I can feel comfortable with the disclaimer that what is there, is both the good and the bad . Recognizing this is different from my normal writing process is important to me even if no one sees what I write. I will link the new site here for those who are brave enough to venture into these perhaps murky waters.
It's been my experience in the past tho find this practice a bit intimidating because you write for three or four days and look at what you have and it can be pretty unsettling if you are one who pushes yourself for perfection or as I tend to do, become that ugly critic of my own work. In spit of knowing at the onset that in most instances, for me to achieve a single poem I am happy with, I will besides the first draft, rewrite the thing many times over the course of weeks or months when I say I am writing a poem every day, I still want to feel that I've in fact written a poem that has some value.
I think for this purpose, I will establish another blog specifically for the NaPoWriMo poems. That way I can feel comfortable with the disclaimer that what is there, is both the good and the bad . Recognizing this is different from my normal writing process is important to me even if no one sees what I write. I will link the new site here for those who are brave enough to venture into these perhaps murky waters.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Poets Against The War Anthology
Last night was our bi-weekly meeting of K.C. Metro Verse - a local chapter of the Missouri State Poetry Society. I did not take much of my own to read, but chose to read three selections from Poets Against The War.
My selections were:
My selections were:
- Of a Forgetful Sea by Kelli Russell Agodon
- Freedom From Speech by Terry Tempest Williams
- On A Photograph of a Severed Hand by Jim Shugrue
I was taken by the number of poets my own age who were anthologized in this book. I recall seeing a seventeen year old, s few 20's and 30 somethings, but it is amazing the number that are my age. Men and women who were part of the Vietnam generation. There are a lot of profoundly committed voices that experienced the tragedy of our misadventure in southeast Asia and continue to be guided by the wisdom they acquired through that experience. Unfortunately we were lead into Iraq by those who failed to learn from the mistakes made in the 1960's.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Nature
Nature
Light rains on stones
Moss hides in the northern shadows
A trickle of assembled wetness tears up
Rolling down the rocks of solitude
The air in our midst circulated
By Sunday morning church fans
We pause to applaud
And continue on
Light rains on stones
Moss hides in the northern shadows
A trickle of assembled wetness tears up
Rolling down the rocks of solitude
The air in our midst circulated
By Sunday morning church fans
We pause to applaud
And continue on
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Awakening
Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.
~Carl Jung
When the name Naomi Shihab Nye comes up at one of the meetings of our local chapter of the Missouri Poetry Society, eyes around the room generally light up. In fact there is quite possibly no other living poet who invokes such universal positive response. Oh we all have our favorites and what I like, another may not be so fond of. I think most of us have at one time or another seen Ney in person and the gentle qualities of this woman are remarkably contagious.
Ney is a person who is not only at peace with herself, she is at peace with the world. She describes herself as a wandering poet and she has traveled extensively. She has ties to Missouri but most recently has been living in Texas where she works with children in elementary schools. Her heritage is a mixture American and Middle Eastern ancestry, which brings a unique perspective to her view of the world and her writing as well.
Regis Behe writing in a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review article relates how Nye sees her mission as allowing everyone to experience poetry and to counter the myth that it is elitist or the province of intellectuals. She wants others to awaken their own poetry and to remember language can be very sustaining even when you feel very alone.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Anniversary
Anniversary
The odometer of fallen, rolls onward
Over too familiar terrain.
A merry-go-round insanity
Propelled by stubborn indignity,
Denials-
Capitulating nothing
While eating our young.
The odometer of fallen, rolls onwardOver too familiar terrain.
A merry-go-round insanity
Propelled by stubborn indignity,
Denials-
Capitulating nothing
While eating our young.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Recommended Reading
Dana Guthrie Martin is one of those people who's simply magical in her word choices. She has a poem in the latest Boxcar Poetry Review.
Another poet I have come to appreciate recently is Jayne Pupek and she's in Stirring this issue.
With that, I'll serve up a W. S. Merwin quote, since he is yet another poet I that elicits strong feelings:
Poetry is like making a joke. If you get one word wrong at the end of a joke, you've lost the whole thing.
Another poet I have come to appreciate recently is Jayne Pupek and she's in Stirring this issue.
With that, I'll serve up a W. S. Merwin quote, since he is yet another poet I that elicits strong feelings:
Poetry is like making a joke. If you get one word wrong at the end of a joke, you've lost the whole thing.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Happy Saint Patrick's Day to all!
The rain falls steady this morning on the downtown Kansas City area and is forecast to for much of the day. The Irish community in this town hosts on of the three biggest St. Patrick's Day parades in the United States so obviously one must wonder what the wee-little green people did this year to upset the Mother Nature.
Still, it takes a lot more than rain to dampen the Irish on this day. Hell, after a few beers, many won't even know they are wet.
And with that, I close with a couple of thoughts for this great green day....
- "Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and fat." -- Alex Levine
- "This is one race of people for whom psychoanalysis is of no use whatsoever." -- Sigmund Freud (about the Irish)
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Another Journal Bites the Dust
Sunday evening and I am bemoaning the near end of the weekend. I think mostly because last week seemed like five Mondays in a row. I anticipate this week being pretty busy too It seems my caseload at work has risen with no consideration for my already significant commitments. There should be laws against such things.
Oh, before I forget... Happy Birthday to Ivy - She's 34 according to her own account. My God, I barely remember 34.
There are lots of sirens very nearby - I presume by both the sound and the numbers they are fire trucks. We don't hear them out here as often as back in the city. Certainly not a cluster of so many at once. Certainly makes one pause with some prayerful thoughts. The dogs too seem unnerved by the sound.
I am about to finish filling up yet another journal. This latest one was started on September 29th, 2007 and having only like two pages left, I'll likely finish this one off yet tonight. I was looking back at some of my work in the previous journal recently. It always seems to feel a bit peculiar looking at things you've written in the past. Since many of my drafts start in their crudest form in the journal before subsequent revisions make it to the computer it can be an eye opener sometimes reading these things. You just have to wonder where your mind was sometimes.
My side bar so badly needs changes. For one thing, the blog listings is so outdated. There are several on there I used to read but don't any longer because... well, mostly because some of them haven't been updated since middle of last year. It's time for those to come down. Also, there are a few more worthwhile blogs that I try to catch on s somewhat routine basis. Also, if you have linked to Stickpoet and I've not reciprocated, drop me a note so you can be added.
I'll close tonight with these words from John Steinbeck... "I've seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts."
Oh, before I forget... Happy Birthday to Ivy - She's 34 according to her own account. My God, I barely remember 34.
There are lots of sirens very nearby - I presume by both the sound and the numbers they are fire trucks. We don't hear them out here as often as back in the city. Certainly not a cluster of so many at once. Certainly makes one pause with some prayerful thoughts. The dogs too seem unnerved by the sound.
I am about to finish filling up yet another journal. This latest one was started on September 29th, 2007 and having only like two pages left, I'll likely finish this one off yet tonight. I was looking back at some of my work in the previous journal recently. It always seems to feel a bit peculiar looking at things you've written in the past. Since many of my drafts start in their crudest form in the journal before subsequent revisions make it to the computer it can be an eye opener sometimes reading these things. You just have to wonder where your mind was sometimes.
My side bar so badly needs changes. For one thing, the blog listings is so outdated. There are several on there I used to read but don't any longer because... well, mostly because some of them haven't been updated since middle of last year. It's time for those to come down. Also, there are a few more worthwhile blogs that I try to catch on s somewhat routine basis. Also, if you have linked to Stickpoet and I've not reciprocated, drop me a note so you can be added.
I'll close tonight with these words from John Steinbeck... "I've seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts."
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
Pointless Query
Braking
through the layers
past
linen wrap
percolating pulp
without
reason or
necessity
till exposure
it answers.
through the layers
past
linen wrap
percolating pulp
without
reason or
necessity
till exposure
it answers.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
Daylight Savings Crime
So Saturday night an hour was stolen from me. Now I get up before the butt crack of dawn as opposed to at it. By the way, powers that be, ( you know who you are)- Check out the Indiana study that suggests this is both more costly and not a savings on energy consumption.
I've disliked this from the very early days when no one really talked much about energy consumption - but tauted it for such things as allowing more daylight hours for extra curricular activities in the evening and how this was safer. Never mind the fact that most of those events were well supervised by adults, while we stood on dark street corners waiting on the bus in the morning. Go figure.
I've disliked this from the very early days when no one really talked much about energy consumption - but tauted it for such things as allowing more daylight hours for extra curricular activities in the evening and how this was safer. Never mind the fact that most of those events were well supervised by adults, while we stood on dark street corners waiting on the bus in the morning. Go figure.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Unknowingly
Unknowingly
I saw the sand bottom out
in the egg timer. There were no eggs
or time involved. Just an end to something
arbitrary- or was that in fact time?
Did it end of its own accord, or
because I turned the hourglass
and started a process unknowingly?
How many unknowings can there be in one day?
I saw the sand bottom out
in the egg timer. There were no eggs
or time involved. Just an end to something
arbitrary- or was that in fact time?
Did it end of its own accord, or
because I turned the hourglass
and started a process unknowingly?
How many unknowings can there be in one day?
Poetry News
A few poetry items:
- John Ashbery Reads at Haverford (story)
- Robert Frost's Dartmouth Lectures Published (story)
- ‘Living In Storms. Contemporary Poetry and the Moods of Manic Depression’ (review)
- Ezra Pound's birthplace in central Idaho draws poetry pilgrims (story)
- Pulitzer Prize-Winning Poet and Essayist W.S. Merwin to Lead All-Star Cast at 2008 The Kenan Writers' Encounters 'Earth: Writers and Artists Engage the Environment' April 12-22, 2008 (information)
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Thumbs Down
The end of the Bush Administration can hardly come fast enough. Even as it seem there is a light visible through this dark 8 year long tunnel, this one man continues to trash the reputation of this nation as a moral example to the rest of the world. His veto this weekend of the Congressional bill banning waterboarding as an interrogation method only continues erosion of U.S. credibility on human rights.
Friday, March 07, 2008
Check these out...
It's Friday, and while I like to take my Friday evenings a little on the lighter side, especially after a challenging week, I read a remarkably powerful poem by Jilly title Poem By an American. Needless to say, it's not on the lighter side. She acknowledges she may not be finished with it, but it is well worth reading. It's really quite different from anything of her's that I've read.
Also, Aleah Sato has poetry up at k a l e i d o w h i r l - winter 2008 edition. Her work is generally well worth a read.
Also, Aleah Sato has poetry up at k a l e i d o w h i r l - winter 2008 edition. Her work is generally well worth a read.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
The Endorsement
Here we have George "W" Bush and the GOP Presidential nominee for 2008 John S. (W, II) McCain.
What McCain brings to the table is a slightly more effective version of the same disastrous Bush policies. There is not much more to say.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Understanding
"What one has not experienced, one will never understand in print." ~Isadora Duncan
I saw this quote and though what a curious thing to say. It may reveal much about my my own personal view of poetry.
There are two separate points to be made here. One is the untellable aspect that if you haven't lived my life - what I write will not mean the same to you as it means to me.
The other is that deeper aspect that sometimes what we write from the soul we don't even fully recognize ourselves. Sort of the duende that Federico GarcÃa Lorca spoke of. I firmly accept the premise that there are truths from deep within that we are occasionally able to unearth in our poetry or art that remain somewhat of a mystery us and therefore cannot easily be explained to others.
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Sunday night
It reached at least 72 today in Kansas City. The wicked wend of the North West is pounding us and storms moved in tonight. Alas, snow is in the forecast for drive time tomorrow morning.
A few journal bits from this past week:
A few journal bits from this past week:
- unshaven legs, suctioned to a convex view /
- repetitive days in a mirror judgement / till there is glitter in the Coral Sea /
- a crooked scalp line parted the hairs / rising from the banks of regression /
- cut stone, linear and stacked / forged four corners / below the surface
- my son says my equilibrium /is off and that is why I can't stand / neocons-
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Stats update
Time for me to take mental note of what I have and haven't achieved so far over the past 12 months.
Pending responses: 11
Submissions sent last 12 months: 47
Submissions sent this month: 2
Acceptance ratio: 10.71 %
Pending responses: 11
Submissions sent last 12 months: 47
Submissions sent this month: 2
Acceptance ratio: 10.71 %
Friday, February 29, 2008
Sigh
"Discipline in art is a fundamental struggle to understand oneself, as much as to understand what one is drawing." ~ Henry Moore
It's Friday afternoon - I'm wiped out. No energy for struggle of any kind at the moment. I'm thinking comfort food. Vanilla cone at Dairy Queen sounds good.
It's Friday afternoon - I'm wiped out. No energy for struggle of any kind at the moment. I'm thinking comfort food. Vanilla cone at Dairy Queen sounds good.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Poetry in the News - Etc.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota didn't like the idea of a State Poet Laureate in 2005 and he vetoed legislation calling for one. Now he has tapped for that position, perhaps the most widely recognized poet in the state's history- Robert Bly.At age 81, Bly has authored 19 poetry books, 7 anthologies, 13 translations and 7 non-fiction books and was a National Book Award winner in 1967.
Bly was an outspoken critic of the war in Vietnam as well as the Bush invasion more recently in Iraq. As poets go, he is perhaps the closest thing to a household word.
~0~
And this from Michael Silverstein (The Wall Street Poet) : A Call For More Political Poetry On America’s Op Ed Pages.
~0~
Congressman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and fellow U.S. Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.), have written the Justice Department and asked them to look into Roger Clemens' testimony before congress on performance enhancing drugs. I'm having a little difficulty with the priorities here, We have a bold face lying President and Vice President, a Justice Department riddled with scandal, e-mails missing from the White House that were asked for in an investigation, all kinds of corruption in the present administration in the White House and they want Justice to look into this? Who gives a rats ass? Justice is riddled with people paid by the taxpayers who have lied to Congress under oath and no one holds them accountable?
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Poets & Writers Site
If you haven't seen the Poets and Writers site since the revamped it the middle of this month, go check it out. Vast improvement!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Memo to John McCain
When Senator John McCain said yesterday to win the general election he must convince a war-weary country that U.S. policy in Iraq is succeeding. If he can't, "then I lose." But no sooner than he uttered those words he quickly backed off, "Let me not put it that stark, Let me just put it this way: Americans will judge my candidacy first and foremost on how they believe I can lead the country both from our economy and for national security. Obviously, Iraq will play a role in their judgment of my ability to handle national security. If I may, I'd like to retract 'I'll lose.' But I don't think there's any doubt that how they judge Iraq will have a direct relation to their judgment of me, my support of the surge. Clearly, I am tied to it to a large degree." For many Americans, myself included, it would be a mammoth undertaking to reverse the notion that this war was and remains a failed war.
You see, most of us, if we've not had out heads buried in the sand, or someplace else, realize a few truths about Iraq that will not change tomorrow, next week or next year. Those truths go something like this:
You see, most of us, if we've not had out heads buried in the sand, or someplace else, realize a few truths about Iraq that will not change tomorrow, next week or next year. Those truths go something like this:
- The war was not only unnecessary, it was unwarranted. The lies that the Bush administration fed the American people are so blatant that only the narrow mindset individuals cannot see that one after another the stated reasons were false.
- The war has not made us safer and has in fact detracted from pursuit of Osama Bin Laden (you remember him don't you).
- The was has stretched our military commitments to dangerous levels.
- Some $500,000,000,000 of non-budgeted expenditures later, we are in an economy that requires extraordinary measures prevent economic crisis and we will be passing this ongoing cost for the war to our children and their children.
- The problems in Iraq [caused by this failed policy] are no longer military but political and require the Iraqi people to start working together to achieve success.
- The unknown cost of this war is not the casualties or monetary price tag, but the loss of American respect and prestige around the world. How long will it take us to recover that respect and what are the sacrifices that will have to be made in foreign policy as a result of the war?
Memo to John McCain. Seventy-five percent of all Americans killed in Vietnam were lost after Lyndon Johnson privately acknowledged what most Americans already knew. The war was lost. Like Vietnam, Iraq was not a war lost by the military it was lost because it was a failure of policy. There were no real justifications to go there and once there, we had no strategy to win anything, only destabilize. As we approach the 5 year anniversary of this war you need to "get it" because what Americans want to do is to get over it and move on.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Saw this on Jilly's Blog
Credit to Jilly who by the way is a colon. : )
| You Are a Comma |
 You enjoy almost all facets of life. You can find the good in almost anything. You keep yourself busy with tons of friends, activities, and interests. You find it hard to turn down an opportunity, even if you are pressed for time. Your friends find you fascinating, charming, and easy to talk to. (But with so many competing interests, you friends do feel like you hardly have time for them.) You excel in: Inspiring people You get along best with: The Question Mark |
Call for Submissions & few upcoming contests
Passing along to others a Call for Submissions I got this week from Dale at Right Hand Pointing. They have previously published me, and I though this this request looked interesting, so here it is:
Hello RHP Friends, NEW! The 5×7 Project. Here’s a brand new project which I think will take about a year to put together, so only patient people need apply. If it comes together, the issue will be called “Five by Seven.” I think. This will be an issue of work appearing on 5X7 index cards. Accepted works will appear as scanned images on the website. These can be handwritten poems, art, mixed media, anything–pretty much–that you can get on a 5×7 card. Anything that’s, you know, cool. As you prepare work to be submitted, keep in mind that it will likely appear on computer monitors as a bit smaller than 5×7, so you might want to avoid very small writing or text. You can submit one card, or up to five cards. I’d also be open to work that’s designed to be presented as a “set,” but not more than 5 or 6 cards. It’ll take some experimenting. These can be submitted either as scanned images in the jpg format or can be mailed to me via snail mail. If you snail mail, and you want your work back, you’ll need to send a SASE suitable for mailing back what you send. I hate going to the post office, on account of the whole “disgruntled” thing, so it’s important that you give me what I need to return your work via my home mailbox. Whether submitting electronically or via snail mail, though, please email me (righthandpointing — at– gmail.com ) to inquire and we’ll go from there. No hard deadline on this because I plan to accumulate these over the course of a year or so. I’d recommend you try to get something to me in the next six months. If there’s not enough participation to warrant a full issue, I’ll make this 5x7 thing a section of an upcoming regular issue. Write if you have questions. Thanks! Oh, and don’t reply to this email address. Email me at righthandpointing (at) gmail.com. Thanks again. / Dale /Right Hand Pointing
A Few Poetry Contest Deadlines Coming Up:
TUSCULMU REVIEW - March 15
$1,000 prize and publication in Tusculmu Review for a poem or group of poems. Submit 3 to 5 poems any length. Mary Jo Bang will judge. $15 entry fee. Details
FOUR WAY BOOKS - Intro Prize in Poetry - March 31
$1,000 prize and an invitation to participate in the Readings at the Bowery series in New York City - to a U.S. poet for a first poetry collection. Manuscript of 48 to 100 pages. $25 entry fee. Brigit Pageen Kelly will judge. Details
Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prize - April 30
$1,000 prize and publication by Marsh Hawk Press for a poetry collection. Submit manuscript of 48 to 70 pages. Thylias Moss judge. Entry fee $25, Details
Lost Horse Press - Idaho Prize for Poetry - May 15
$1,000 prize and publication for a poetry collection, Submit at least 48 pages of poetry. $25 entry fee. Details
Hello RHP Friends, NEW! The 5×7 Project. Here’s a brand new project which I think will take about a year to put together, so only patient people need apply. If it comes together, the issue will be called “Five by Seven.” I think. This will be an issue of work appearing on 5X7 index cards. Accepted works will appear as scanned images on the website. These can be handwritten poems, art, mixed media, anything–pretty much–that you can get on a 5×7 card. Anything that’s, you know, cool. As you prepare work to be submitted, keep in mind that it will likely appear on computer monitors as a bit smaller than 5×7, so you might want to avoid very small writing or text. You can submit one card, or up to five cards. I’d also be open to work that’s designed to be presented as a “set,” but not more than 5 or 6 cards. It’ll take some experimenting. These can be submitted either as scanned images in the jpg format or can be mailed to me via snail mail. If you snail mail, and you want your work back, you’ll need to send a SASE suitable for mailing back what you send. I hate going to the post office, on account of the whole “disgruntled” thing, so it’s important that you give me what I need to return your work via my home mailbox. Whether submitting electronically or via snail mail, though, please email me (righthandpointing — at– gmail.com ) to inquire and we’ll go from there. No hard deadline on this because I plan to accumulate these over the course of a year or so. I’d recommend you try to get something to me in the next six months. If there’s not enough participation to warrant a full issue, I’ll make this 5x7 thing a section of an upcoming regular issue. Write if you have questions. Thanks! Oh, and don’t reply to this email address. Email me at righthandpointing (at) gmail.com. Thanks again. / Dale /Right Hand Pointing
A Few Poetry Contest Deadlines Coming Up:
TUSCULMU REVIEW - March 15
$1,000 prize and publication in Tusculmu Review for a poem or group of poems. Submit 3 to 5 poems any length. Mary Jo Bang will judge. $15 entry fee. Details
FOUR WAY BOOKS - Intro Prize in Poetry - March 31
$1,000 prize and an invitation to participate in the Readings at the Bowery series in New York City - to a U.S. poet for a first poetry collection. Manuscript of 48 to 100 pages. $25 entry fee. Brigit Pageen Kelly will judge. Details
Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prize - April 30
$1,000 prize and publication by Marsh Hawk Press for a poetry collection. Submit manuscript of 48 to 70 pages. Thylias Moss judge. Entry fee $25, Details
Lost Horse Press - Idaho Prize for Poetry - May 15
$1,000 prize and publication for a poetry collection, Submit at least 48 pages of poetry. $25 entry fee. Details
Saturday, February 23, 2008
I Just Love Finding Things of Value that are Free
Flipping through my new issue of Poets & Writers that came yesterday, I saw a writeup on a Internet site called DailyLit. It's a web site that allows people to select from hundreds of titles of books, many of them free and establish a email delivery to feed you daily portions for busy people to read. It's a wonderful idea that I hope will allow more people to take the time to read great works.
Oh, by the way... looking for a good action movie? Go see Vantage Point that opened today. My wife and I got out on a date today for movie & lunch. I recommend the movie. It's so unique, but I'm not saying anything else about it.
Oh, by the way... looking for a good action movie? Go see Vantage Point that opened today. My wife and I got out on a date today for movie & lunch. I recommend the movie. It's so unique, but I'm not saying anything else about it.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Hearing The New Missouri Poet Laureate
Tuesday night I attended a reading locally by Walter Bargen, the new, and I might add first Missouri poet laureate, as well as Kevin Rabas a poet who makes his home in neighboring Kansas.The event was well attended. In fact additional seating had to be added. It was my first experience hearing either of these poets though I have read some of Bargen’s work since the announcement of his selection to the post.
Rabas was enjoyable enough. He has a lot of energy and the substance of what he read was far superior to the manor in which it was delivered. I felt he was rushing to finish each poem.
Bargen was well received. I would like to have heard more poetry, but I'll admit I as well as everyone else in the room seemed to be enjoying the antidotes related to his new found fame as poet laureate.
My early impressions of our new state poet laureate are positive ones. The Governor's selection was an individual whose body of work is impressive and his delivery in public is adequate and with time will likely improve. I especially like that from what I have thus far been exposed to of his work, it appears quite eclectic, and he will likely embrace a wide range of poetics as his own work covers a wide spectrum. This is encouraging to me.
The minimal requirements the Governor's office made as far as public appearances is appalling to me. If the Poet Laureate is going to be charged with promoting poetry within the state, there should be far more public outreach than 6 events in a two year term. I'm happy to say that Walter Bargen has been booking events weekly. I hope we will see some kind of public awareness program develop to infuse poetry into our state culture at various levels. At any rate, Bargen’s own reading was enjoyable and provides a basis for optimism about the future course for the position of Poet Laureate in Missouri.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Total Eclipse of the Moon
Watching from home tonight as the moon is nearly blotted from the sky by the shadown of earth. Seen here in the picture to the right by Thom Leigh for CTV.ca.With the sky darkened - Saturn was visible to the naked eye. Just another bonus of the sky watch tonight.
It seems that historically the moon have gotten a good deal of play by poets. With the level of mysticism often associated with it, and the broad range of metaphorical concepts, it still seems to me that it hold up well against many of the otherwise over used themes. At least that's my humble opinion.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Regarding Your Silly Assed Expectations / a draft
Regarding Your Silly Assed Expectations / a draft
I have struggled with a second language
The way you wrestle a carry-on bag,
a laptop, a purse and Victoria Secrets shopping bag
as you depart your flight at the terminal.
My tongue manages to say things—
It’s not dependable. Not the way an open window is.
I’ve thought a lot about it. Perhaps too much
of an intellectual leaning. I’m perplexed
to the point of linier grief.
Passing through customs I suppose I can be insouciant.
It is only after the fact that I wallow in subverted dismemberment.
My head rings with the lyrics “too late baby” and I swallow a lump
hanging beneath my chin.
It is the expectation of everyone that I assimilate. I say, “Fuck that!”
Is it a crime to be only marginal in a second language
where most are only marginal in their first?
In customs I declared a bracelet left to me by my grandmother,
Two hundred twenty-nine Paso, a book of matches
with Hector Barilla on the front, my clothing, toiletries
and a cheap paperback, "Say It In English."
I have struggled with a second language
The way you wrestle a carry-on bag,
a laptop, a purse and Victoria Secrets shopping bag
as you depart your flight at the terminal.
My tongue manages to say things—
It’s not dependable. Not the way an open window is.
I’ve thought a lot about it. Perhaps too much
of an intellectual leaning. I’m perplexed
to the point of linier grief.
Passing through customs I suppose I can be insouciant.
It is only after the fact that I wallow in subverted dismemberment.
My head rings with the lyrics “too late baby” and I swallow a lump
hanging beneath my chin.
It is the expectation of everyone that I assimilate. I say, “Fuck that!”
Is it a crime to be only marginal in a second language
where most are only marginal in their first?
In customs I declared a bracelet left to me by my grandmother,
Two hundred twenty-nine Paso, a book of matches
with Hector Barilla on the front, my clothing, toiletries
and a cheap paperback, "Say It In English."
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