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Thursday, May 29, 2008

Poetry Buzz

  • Kudos to Jayne Pupek for her poem Speculation which is appearing in Juked. I'm impatiently awaiting another book of poetry by Jayne. Hint, hint!
  • See why Eileen Tabios is Happy as a Cop with a donut. click here
  • A Rejection Sticker? click here

Barry on the Cover


Create Fake Magazine Covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com


Time to get real

Reportedly speaking in a condescendent tone, Sen. John McCain challenged Sen. Barack Obama on Wednesday to travel to Iraq with him to better understand the war. I challenge Senator McCain to visit the real world and come out of President Bush's delusion.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Puzzled? Laughing hysterically

When White House officials claim to be puzzled by Scott McClellan's assertions about the Bush administration in his new memoir, I find the whole thing laughable. First of all, it is nice to see the former press secretary to the president acknowledge what most Americans figured out long ago. That top officials in the Bush administration including the president and vice president themselves have been bold faced liers to the American public.

When the current White House spokeswoman Dana Perino calls McClellan's description of his time at the White House "sad," it is, but the reason it's sad is the Bush administration not only lied to the American people but conducted much of the nations business, including foreign policy based upon those lies.

These aren't little white lies. These are lies that have cost 4,589 American servicemen and women their lives thus far. Lies that have cost American taxpayers so far in excess of $523 billion and counting. Money that in many instances has been paid out to fat-cat contractor that have over billed American taxpayers. In other cases there are funds paid for services and supplies that cannot be accounted for.

That the President and Vice President will retire with pensions and leave this mess for the next President and the American people is beyond sad. My belief is based on their conduct in office, both should be serving time behind bars.

The Birth of Poets

A young Belarusian poet named Valzhyna Mort (Martynava) was featured in the recent issue of P&W. From that article came this great line... "Someone said we're born a poet from this wound inflicted on us by other poets' poetry."



In terms of my own experience, I feel a real kinship with this statement. There are a number of poets whose work has touched me in such fashion, but I suspect if I were to recall one single poem, from on poet that had this kind of impact upon me, strangely enough it would be The Blue Dress by Sharon Olds. Remarkably strange I suppose for a guy since it is written in the persona of a young girl and the main prop being a blue dress. Yet the poem speaks to relationships and lack of relationships and the very first time I read it there was a real visceral connection to this poem. This was not the first such instance, there are works particularly by Plath, and Sexton which impacted me, but perhaps the strongest I can attribute to a single poem was the Olds poem.



I wonder how many others writing poetry can point to a specific poem that profoundly inflicted a wound so great that did or could have been the birth of their own inclination to writing poetry?

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Future of K.C. Lit Fest

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.

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.