Tug of Time

The week is knotted,
the ends pulling each
against the other.

Time stops to watch.

What I’ve Learned

This past weekend I finished a six week project mentoring under another poet. It’s been a great way to stretch myself beyond that point of complacency that sometimes creeps into our routines. The were a number of things that I learned or relearned in come cases.  Just off the top of my head, a few of them that readily come to mind:

• I have a lot yet to learn.

• Political poetry is best pulled off with subtle political tone and greater narrative.

• I can look to other poetry for ideas and examples as to how others have used poetic devise.

• Cut, cut and cut again if you can.

• Look for fresh & unique ways to show with my writing.

• It's all right to write about simple things.

• Beginnings and endings should both be strong.

• The middle of the poem still has a job to do... remain interesting enough to hold the beginning and the end together.

• Manuscripts are pieces of art in themselves.  Not just a collection of 30 to 50 poems...  they need a connective thread to establish some relevance, one to another.

• Write daily.

• Write daily even if what you are writing sucks.  It won't improve by not writing. 

• Read lots of poetry.  Learn from other's mistakes and successes.

• Improve my work ethic, but don't take myself so seriously that I don't enjoy what I'm doing.  Even if it gets frustrating at times.

• Even dead poets speak wisdom. 

• Look for the musicality in your verse. Work to improve this. 

During this period of time I’ve had exposure to a lot of poems from six different poets. A wide spectrum of topics. Many ways of approaching the art.  Fresh ideas.

I feel like I’ve had my battery recharged!

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Please Be Advised

In case there is any question, this blog is a weapons free zone.  Please check your side arms before entering.

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The attack of ideas….

“When we are tired, we are attacked by ideas we conquered long ago”~ Friedrich Nietzsche

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Loose Women

This morning I rolled over and looked at the clock and discovered it was 5:40 a.m. and my mind on weekend mode thought that at 6:00 a.m. I could listen to New Letters on the Air. That was pretty good for that hour of the morning. However, my eyes pulled their shades and I next looked at the clock at a quarter past six.

Lucky for me, my Zune was close at hand and I switched it over to fm radio mode and it was already on KCUR 89.3 FM.  I was able to catch Angela Elam and her guest for the show this morning, Sandra Cisneros.  The fifteen minutes of programming that I heard did manage to hear was a really insightful look at Cisneros and how she views her own creative process. These programs are ultimately available in podcast form and when this one is posted I’m making a mental note to myself to make mention of it again and post the podcast link for others that may want to listen to it.  If interested, you could check with your own NPR station and see when they air it, because not everyone gets them at the same time.

On thing I was fascinated about was a series of poems that she wrote and were ultimately published under the title Loose Woman. What was of interest to me was that these poems were never written with the intention of publication in mind. She talks a little about the freedom that gave her in writing them.  She did, over a period of time read a few of them in public readings and people were coming up to her afterwards and asking what Book or Journal had they appeared in, where could they get a copy. She would tell them she’d be happy to mail them a photocopy of the poems but they were not available in print anywhere. After this persisted for a while, she decided perhaps she should give them to her agent and see what they could do. Hence, Loose Women.

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Warm Apple with Crispy Oatmeal & Brown Sugar, a sprinkle of Cinnamon – and Vanilla Ice-cream

When I walked out of the building Friday afternoon at the end of the work day it was just gorgeous. It was the kind of weather you just want to Xerox so you can enjoy it every day.  I appreciate these kind of days. It was bight and mostly sunny but the air was cool – a perfect pre-fall day.  It put me in the mood for Apple Betty a-la-mode.  Of course It didn’t hurt that earlier in the day I read a blog post about it.  I knew I’d think about it all weekend, so when Kelli posted three “Apple Brown Betty” recipes today, I had to get domestic and make some. Cathy had gone into her office today and so when she came home, Walla!  I made the second recipe which worked really well. I do think it could use a little more of the batter, but the flavor was perfecto!

Off to do a writing session. The night isn’t getting any younger you know.

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Bright Star puts Sexy back into Poetry

I know it’s a period piece, but the reviews circulating in print this week are calling Bright Star a hit…  it lets us rediscover the thrills of poetry, played with mesmerizing vitality and heart-stopping grace by Abbie Cornish and exhilarating, and deeply pleasurable.

Bright Star is the story of the intense love affair between the young poet John Keats and his younger neighbor, Fanny Brawne.  Their story is a love story of non-traditional sorts. Keats after all, is an impoverished writer who has contracted tuberculosis. Their love is never consummated, and Keats will ultimately die at the young age of twenty-five. His love for Brawne inspires some of his greatest poetry.

You can check out the official movie site here.  I’m anxious to see this movie.

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Off the beaten path..

As I sat down to write last night, I went to an epigraph I lifted from another poem that I had thought about for a while and started to write. Beyond the fist line of my own (not the epigraph) it stopped working. I tried forcing it. The old I’m going to pound this square peg into the round hole if it’s the end of me method of writing. Well, it was the end of me writing anything worthwhile for the evening. It ended badly as these things usually do when I’m in that mode of operation. I become a poet wondering in the desert. Lost.




Perhaps the poet will find his way back onto the page today.

This is so Incredible

I heard about this on our local NPR station today.  KCUR 89.3 FM
Isn’t the human creative capacity awesome…

Birds on the Wires from Jarbas Agnelli on Vimeo.

Perhaps only a musician could see this photograph of birds on wires as notes on a musical staff. 
Brazilian composer Jarbas Agnelli saw a photo in a newspaper of birds sitting on five parallel wires, and was inspired to treat their positions as avian sheet music. He interpreted what he saw as music and orchestrated the tune.     [Source]

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Wasn’t the smartest thing to do…

 

This morning I sent an e-mail from my smart phone to another poet.  Later in the day I received a reply. The response was concise and indicated the sender understood what I had sent.  Of course along with the reply was my original message embedded in the text.  Seeing the message I had sent I was horrified. It contained a significant number of errors. I was both embarrassed and amazed that the recipient could even understand what I said.  I felt compelled to sent another e-mail with explanation and I did as follows:   

Oh My God!  Seeing this ( my original note) underscores why I should never be allowed to type e-mails on my smart phone.  No matter how smart the phone is, if my big fat fingers don't hit the right key I'm going to look pretty dumb.

How did you ever read it?

So totally embarrassed!

The reply that came back read in part:

The brain is a magical thing, it makes meaning where there is none.  ;-)

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Two You Don’t Want to Miss

It’s late, but I wanted to call attention to a couple of notable blog posts on Friday. Brian Brodeur’s blog. How A Poem Happens is a great read.  It features various poets discussing the development of a particular poem and thus gives some insight into what goes on in a poet’s head as he or she uses their creative prowess to write a poem.

Today a new post is up and it features Idra Novey discussing her poem Trans. Novey  is the winner of the 2007 Kinereth Gensler Award as well as awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Poetry Society of America, and the PEN Translation Fund. 

Of course you can still find older posts where many other poets have  done the same with their own work. You can find Brian’s blog by clicking here.

Another blog post worth reading is Kelli Russell Agodon’s post on the subject of Creative Clusters.

I’m calling it a night! Hope everyone has a great weekend!

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Local Poet Highlighted in The Examiner

Robert Fisher’s voice is deep and husky. I’ve heard him read at various venues in the Kansas City metropolitan area in recent years. If he isn’t reading, it’s not uncommon to see him at readings by others at the Writers place or any of a number of other open mics. It was nice to see Adrianne DeWeese’s article in the local Examiner newspaper on him.  article link

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Civility Lacking During President’s Message to Congress a Sad Sign of the Times

You lie!" Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., shouted from his seat, jabbing a finger in the air. This in response to the President remarks in his speech, "The reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally."

Sen. John McCain, (R- Arizona)  called Wilson's actions "totally disrespectful.”

I can recall a day when civility was a part of congressional code and while on the House and Senate floor this would not be tolerated between members much less the president. 

Digressing from the issue of civility it should be noted if Mr. Wilson would read the bills presently before House committees there is in fact specific language that excludes those who are in this country illegally. But I doubt that the Congressman is really unaware of this. I suspect that he has chosen to propagate this information, for what reason, I can only guess.

All I can say is that this is sad that the level of discussion about something as significant as reforming our health care delivery system is reduced to this level.  With 12,000 people losing their health insurance daily, our representatives owe us more than this.

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Hubble Just Keeps Giving

 

 

The Hubble telescope has been refurbished and is already giving us new breathtaking looks beyond our galaxy. Ah! The poetry of these views!

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Barack Obama faces 30 death threats a day, stretching US Secret Service

US President Barack Obama is the target of more than 30 potential death threats a day and is being protected by an increasingly over-stretched and under-resourced Secret Service, according to a new book.




Since Mr Obama took office, the rate of threats against the president has increased 400 per cent from the 3,000 a year or so under President George W. Bush, according to Ronald Kessler, author of In the President's Secret Service.





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British ReInvasion

So iTunes has finally decided to make Beatles fans happy. About time!

Speaking of time, I need to do at least thirty minutes of writing before it gets any later.

Couple of fun poems by Kim Addonizio in today’s Daily Poems.

 

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Math & The Arts

I’ve often heard it said that math and art are a lot alike. Never being one who really got into math I have failed to see the similarities, but I ran across this quote from a mathematician.  I’m open to the possibilities.

“When I have clarified and exhausted a subject, then I turn away from it, in order to go into darkness again.” ~Carl Friedrich Gauss

I’m thinking he may have been a closet poet.

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Sudanese Journalist Lubna Hussein Escapes Flogging

Courageous public stand by this woman to incredible Sudanese government position concerning women’s dress. Evidently the government realized the public view internationally for flogging this woman would be a harshly judged. Hopefully they will come to realize soon that the international view of the law itself is equally as negative.

Sudanese Journalist Lubna Hussein Escapes Flogging

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Dead Poet Mentor

I was thinking tonight the way I’ve been zipping through poetry books these past few weeks, (Just finished WILD IRIS by Louise Gluck) one a week for the past four months that I’m going to have to be thinking about what next soon. I’ve actually got the next two weeks covered.

Two books on my list to acquire and read are The Shadow of Sirius by W.S. Merwin. and The Complete Poems: Anne Sexton. I’ve already developed a taste for Merwin’s work. Migration is a wonderful collection of work that I often get lost in.

Sexton’s Complete Poems: I’ve often started to purchase but ultimately arrived at the checkout with something else. I’ve decided recently with the help of another poet to make Sexton my dead poet mentor.  You ask, “How’s a dead poet going to mentor me?” That’s what her book is for. A source of inspiration. A place to go for ideas. A place to search for answers when I am stumped… WWAD? (What would Annie Do)

I admit the idea seemed a little far fetched to me at first.  I mean there were several things that seemed odd. She’s dead for one. She’s female. There are however advantages to selecting her for this role. The difference in gender actually could work as a plus, providing a clue to the female persona for poems. She has a significant collection so there is plenty to learn from. Anne was not timid about subject matter. She wrote quite freely about topics. Something I could learn to do better.

I had actually thought of Sexton as sort of the Patron Saint of those who came to poetry through a less traditional (non-academic) route.  Sexton was not a product of academia though she achieved sufficient recognition for her work that she went on to teach at Boston University as well several other Colleges.   At any rate, I’ll soon be putting her to work mentoring me from the grave.

 

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Poems & Bread

“Peace goes into the making of a poem as flour goes into the making of bread.”  ~Pablo Neruda

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