Starting This weekend and running through next Thursday - I will be reading blogs for review and ranking. I will accept nominations, (self or otherwise) of poetry related blogs. Simply e-mail me with your site or that of someone else's site for consideration. You must e-mail me with your sites by midnight PST Friday to be included. Do a little shameless self promotion and spruce up your blog site. I will consider content, aesthetic appeal, unique artistic approach.
Let me hear from you. Hey, if nothing else, this is at least a lame way to get me to read your blog.
Thursday, October 23, 2003
Wednesday, October 22, 2003
Hump Day Blog
I have to take a moment to again comment on Crystal Lyn King's work.
"It flooded through me.
An invisible deluge. Soundless."
Those words from her poem Adrenaline are a tiny part of a swift but quiet overtaking of my soul with a powerful stimulant. Flooded, rushing, creating exuberance and power within. This poem recalls those times I was filled with such energy bursts. I think back in particular on some elections campaigns where the last 48 hours were fueled largely by adrenaline. Thanks Crystal for recreating this. I especially like the final stanza... but I won't give it away. Go to her site and check it out yourself. Experience the entire piece.
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You you haven't responded to yesterdays poll, please do. Thanks!
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Crag Hill - paints an interesting poetic forecast. I found it amusing. Crag, I'll be looking for those periods of imagery and metaphor this weekend.
"It flooded through me.
An invisible deluge. Soundless."
Those words from her poem Adrenaline are a tiny part of a swift but quiet overtaking of my soul with a powerful stimulant. Flooded, rushing, creating exuberance and power within. This poem recalls those times I was filled with such energy bursts. I think back in particular on some elections campaigns where the last 48 hours were fueled largely by adrenaline. Thanks Crystal for recreating this. I especially like the final stanza... but I won't give it away. Go to her site and check it out yourself. Experience the entire piece.
*********
You you haven't responded to yesterdays poll, please do. Thanks!
*********
Crag Hill - paints an interesting poetic forecast. I found it amusing. Crag, I'll be looking for those periods of imagery and metaphor this weekend.
Tuesday, October 21, 2003
Media Coverage of Returning Fallen Servicemen & Women Stopped
Blinders
"What you don't see won't hurt you"
I've heard it said before,
And so they've added blinders.
What can the dead do anyway?
"What you don't see won't hurt you"
I've heard it said before,
And so they've added blinders.
What can the dead do anyway?
Monday, October 20, 2003
In Fairness To All
With Jim's "Monkey Award Voting" underway, I hereby pledge not to divulge the outcome early from our exit polling. Besides, knowing Jim, he'd just throw out the results and pick whoever he wanted.
I also will not leak the names of any CIA agents to members of the press or eat tofu.
I also will not leak the names of any CIA agents to members of the press or eat tofu.
Saturday, October 18, 2003
Modern American Poetics: Where Are We? MWSC Campus
Yesterday's Panel Discussion With: Robert Bly, Poet who has published more than 40 books of poetry. essays and translations. Also known for co-founding American Writers Against the Vietnam War; Robert Stewart, editor of New Letters UMKC's international literary magazine and author of several poetry books; Michelle Boisseau, Author of No Private Life, Trembling Air, and Understory, which won the Samuel French Morse Prize; Ian Roberts, who earned his masters degree in creative writing and his doctorate in literature and literary theory from the University of Nebraska; and John Gilgun, who taught from 1972 -1999 at Western Missouri State College and author of numerous poetry books.
The panel discussed the impact of today's electronic age on poetry. John Gilgun noted that some 6 million poems are written and posted in online venues every day. Some, like John himself, will send poems daily to email lists. He has been sending to a list of about 30 people for some time now. He asks "How many poets really know their readership?" John likes the idea of community in poetry and writing. Knowing who your audience is and the internet provides a better way to facilitate this than the print media.
While John's view is interesting, I am inclined to wonder if in writing poetry it is as good to know your audience as it is selling a novel? Will knowing my audience cause an artificial barrier which I create to filter my message so as to be "politically correct?" If so, then my poetic message is tainted and less than pure.
Robert Bly did not seem impressed the with electronic venue as it related to poetry. After all, because 6 million poems are produced says nothing about their quality. I bemoaned that language in poetry has already gone downhill. We still produce pretty good poetry in America overall, he contends. Much better than contemporary British poetry. It believes the Russian, before the break up of the Soviet Union perhaps produced the best.
What is needed in our poetry today? According to blew, content that will shake you up. "Extraordinary poetry uses words that will wake you up," says Bly. He said we have too much "white bread" poetry produced in the country today. He believes part of this is due to the fact that the spoken word is declining. What to do about it? Bly urges people to read good works over and over as opposed to writing bad ones. He also was critical of a good many writer's workshops and academia for centering too much inward on their own material.
Michelle Boisseau echoed much of what blew said. The world is too much with us and we've lost something in the process. We've given our hearts away. As poets, she said our job was to "sharpen the language." She also emphasized reading. Learn a good poem that you can memorize and keep with you. That is a place to start.
I thought it interesting that there was such emotion on the panel for older established poets. Of course with all the discussion today's internet and it's function in the dissemination of poetry, I wondered the value of even a really great poem that is sent out in an e-mail list and what happens to those words three months from now or a year or two from now? Is any of this remembered?
The panel agreed that novels have taken a preeminent role over poetry in today's literature. They disagreed on the value of the electronic medium for changing that. Gilgus thought it was a positive force as exhibited by the number of people writing poetry online. Ian Roberts however, didn't seem to think it was driving people to read and experience poetry outside their own personal sphere of influence. I agree.
Bly was asked why there was not more encouragement from established poets today to upstart poets and people starting new literary magazines. He attributed it to the failure of most established poets to read outside their own venue. They simply don't look at new work near enough.
I liked three points Robert Stewart made about the art of poetry:
1. it exists to be authentic
2. it is about individuals
3. a poets role is to confront
The panel was overall a good one. If there was a weakness it was in the moderation. The moderator however was largely responsible for bringing these five insightful people together, so I have to give him credit.
I have some other things I'll likely share about Robert Bly... but that will be another blog.
The panel discussed the impact of today's electronic age on poetry. John Gilgun noted that some 6 million poems are written and posted in online venues every day. Some, like John himself, will send poems daily to email lists. He has been sending to a list of about 30 people for some time now. He asks "How many poets really know their readership?" John likes the idea of community in poetry and writing. Knowing who your audience is and the internet provides a better way to facilitate this than the print media.
While John's view is interesting, I am inclined to wonder if in writing poetry it is as good to know your audience as it is selling a novel? Will knowing my audience cause an artificial barrier which I create to filter my message so as to be "politically correct?" If so, then my poetic message is tainted and less than pure.
Robert Bly did not seem impressed the with electronic venue as it related to poetry. After all, because 6 million poems are produced says nothing about their quality. I bemoaned that language in poetry has already gone downhill. We still produce pretty good poetry in America overall, he contends. Much better than contemporary British poetry. It believes the Russian, before the break up of the Soviet Union perhaps produced the best.
What is needed in our poetry today? According to blew, content that will shake you up. "Extraordinary poetry uses words that will wake you up," says Bly. He said we have too much "white bread" poetry produced in the country today. He believes part of this is due to the fact that the spoken word is declining. What to do about it? Bly urges people to read good works over and over as opposed to writing bad ones. He also was critical of a good many writer's workshops and academia for centering too much inward on their own material.
Michelle Boisseau echoed much of what blew said. The world is too much with us and we've lost something in the process. We've given our hearts away. As poets, she said our job was to "sharpen the language." She also emphasized reading. Learn a good poem that you can memorize and keep with you. That is a place to start.
I thought it interesting that there was such emotion on the panel for older established poets. Of course with all the discussion today's internet and it's function in the dissemination of poetry, I wondered the value of even a really great poem that is sent out in an e-mail list and what happens to those words three months from now or a year or two from now? Is any of this remembered?
The panel agreed that novels have taken a preeminent role over poetry in today's literature. They disagreed on the value of the electronic medium for changing that. Gilgus thought it was a positive force as exhibited by the number of people writing poetry online. Ian Roberts however, didn't seem to think it was driving people to read and experience poetry outside their own personal sphere of influence. I agree.
Bly was asked why there was not more encouragement from established poets today to upstart poets and people starting new literary magazines. He attributed it to the failure of most established poets to read outside their own venue. They simply don't look at new work near enough.
I liked three points Robert Stewart made about the art of poetry:
1. it exists to be authentic
2. it is about individuals
3. a poets role is to confront
The panel was overall a good one. If there was a weakness it was in the moderation. The moderator however was largely responsible for bringing these five insightful people together, so I have to give him credit.
I have some other things I'll likely share about Robert Bly... but that will be another blog.
Friday, October 17, 2003
Michaela is IN the Cubs and Red Sox are OUT
Michaela Cooper makes her debut on Jim's Crush list
The "Curse" is definitely IN this year. Cubs and Red Sox are Out.
Monkey Awards 2003 - Last day to nominate... check out nominations thus far.
This afternoon I will be on campus at Missouri Western State College for a poetry panel - featuring Poet Robert Bly; poet and novelist John Gilgun; Robert Stewart, poet and editor of New Letters at the University Of Missouri-Kansas City; Michelle Boisseau, poet; and MWSC professor Ian Roberts. The subject: "Modern American Poetics: Where are we?" They will consider issues related to publishing poetry in America today, the effect of electronic media on dissemination of verse; and historical issues. It should prove to be an interesting afternoon.
The "Curse" is definitely IN this year. Cubs and Red Sox are Out.
Monkey Awards 2003 - Last day to nominate... check out nominations thus far.
This afternoon I will be on campus at Missouri Western State College for a poetry panel - featuring Poet Robert Bly; poet and novelist John Gilgun; Robert Stewart, poet and editor of New Letters at the University Of Missouri-Kansas City; Michelle Boisseau, poet; and MWSC professor Ian Roberts. The subject: "Modern American Poetics: Where are we?" They will consider issues related to publishing poetry in America today, the effect of electronic media on dissemination of verse; and historical issues. It should prove to be an interesting afternoon.
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