Calling All Kansas Poets

Ok, well the Kansas Arts Commission is looking for a really good Kansas poet. They are searching for the state's first poet laureate and is accepting nominations until Sept. 1. While the position is designed as an honor, the person who holds it also has the responsibility of developing a program to promote poetry within the state. See Kansas City Star.


POET & WRITER magazine is an excellent publication. I've been picking it up on the newsstand for some time and finally just subscribed. There is really good piece titled The Contester: The Failure of Zoo's Fiction Contests by Thomas Hopkins. It's worth reading.

Monday night I had an opportunity to hear Mary Frances Wagner - a locally published poet speak to the Raytown Bards. Wagner has studies with Robert Bly and offered wonderful advise for those of us writing poetry.

Carl Rakosi - Left Legacy The Included The Beat

Carl Rakosi inspired those much younger than himself - particularly many in the Beat generation. NY Time piece on his life & death.

Sharing A Find...

I chanced upon a great internet site I wanted to pass along.
Fooling With Words Check it out. There is so much to take in on the site. Hope you enjoy it!

I'm Not Your Dixie Cup

There is that ring again
The hollow sound of a Dixie cup
Flung into the trash can
My head reverberates with the noise
I can’t stand it any longer
Being your throw-away friend
Your world is all disposable
Use and Lose
But I am brawny
I can be there for the long haul

Final Call For Spam (poetry)

Last call for Spam Poetry


An interesting take on the Plume affair


Mending the Rift with Mom

Reporting to the office....

I'm here. Yes, it is Wednesday but I've been under the weather.
I know I haven't posted in days and I suppose I'll have to serve a detention of the great blogger in the sky will at the very least snort at me to show his disappointment in me.

I've been wanting to mention something that is soon to be forthcoming and looks really different. Post Cards From A Summer Girl to be released soon by The Sun Rising Poetry Press

I suppose what seems so uniquely interesting about this is the medium the author uses to tell a story of a young woman who is missing; vanished with no trace, no explanation only a box of postcards and notes, dumped and spread out on the kitchen table. Postcards from a summer girl... Hence a story from a poetry book.

C. E. Laine is the author. This is her third published collection of poetry in book form. It is slated for a mid-august release and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy.

Cheney Can Go "Fuck Off!"

There, I feel much better too!