Arsenic Lobster Open Submissions

You may send between 3 to 5 poems (simultaneous submissions are okay so long as you notify the editors if your poems are accepted elsewhere) all within the body of your e-mail to: LOBSTER(AT)MAGERE(DOT)COM

Please read their on-line issues to get a feel for what they publish and please submit only one e-mail per issue. Issues are published in April, August, and December. For more information, click the link below.

http://arseniclobster.magere.com/1submission.html
Good luck to all who submit, please stop by tomorrow for more Poetry Tips…

Poems Found by Poet Hound

http://www.octopusmagazine.com/issue11/gibson.htm#two
Donny Gibson’s “In The Middle Of Zero Is A Center That Will Not Hold”

http://www.foxchasereview.org/09WS/11-ADWinans.html#3
A.D. Winans’ “City Cowboys”



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Charles Simic's Sixty Poems

Charles Simic was born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia in 1938 and came to the US with his parents in 1954. Since then he has gained recognition for his poetry by being awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1990 and held a MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant from 1984-89. He has also served as Poet Laureate for the United States from 2006-2007. I picked up Sixty Poems, published by Harcourt Inc. in 2007 at my local library and was not disappointed in the least!

One of the poems I greatly enjoyed is titled:

Against Whatever It Is That’s Encroaching

Click the link below to read the poem first.
http://poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=171697

I love the very beginning lines “Best of all is to be idle,/and especially on a Thursday,” because no reason is given for Thursday being a good day to be idle and you continue reading to find out. The reason never truly develops but you are told that two women are good to have around, “Let them whisper to each other/And eye you with a smirk./Let them roll up their sleeves and unbutton their shirts a bit/As this fine old twilight deserves,” shows the reason why this particular day is such a good one for the poet. The poet seems to ask what could be better for a man than two women such as these? When a small schoolboy enters the scene I can’t help but wonder if it’s the son of the poet or one of the women especially as he watches “The giddy-headed, red-haired woman/With eyes tightly shut,/As if she were about to cry or sing” at the end of the poem.” What is the purpose of the small schoolboy entering the poem, I wonder? To add a further air of mystery to the merriment? What do you think? Either way I think it’s a wonderful poem about an intimate gathering after a possibly long workday.


Another poem I quite enjoyed is

Cameo Appearance

Please click the link below to read this one, also:
http://poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=171701

I can imagine Charles Simic pointing himself out to his grandchildren in this movie as an “extra” and his grandchildren unable to find him no matter how many times the scene is re-played. “In the distance our great leader/Crowed like a rooster from a balcony,/Or was it a great actor/Impersonating our great leader?” seems to reference Charles Simic’s memories of war in Yugoslavia blending in with the filming of this “bloody epic.” The last stanza is my favorite. “We ran, and the planes grazed our hair,/And then we stood dazed in the burning city,/But, of course, they didn’t film that.” Those ending lines explain the intensity of the scene and how intense it was but of course the movie crew didn’t film that part. Or, knowing Mr. Simic’s history of living during war time in Yugoslavia, you wonder if he is blending a memory with that scene?


As usual there are quite a few wonderful poems in this collection. I was able to find two of the poems I liked on Poetry Foundation’s site which I have linked below to Mr. Simic’s biography as well should you wish to learn more about him. You can assuredly find his books in stores as well as libraries (where I found this volume, Sixty Poems). Please check him out when you have the chance.


http://poetryfoundation.org/archive/poet.html?id=6290
For more information about Charles Simic, click the link above.

Thanks always for reading, please drop in tomorrow for more Poems Found by Poet Hound…

Dan Wilcox's Blog

Dan Wilcox does not mince words in his reviews of poetry or the poetic scene where he lives in Albany, New York. I’m thrilled that someone talks about open mic poetry readings because I have yet to attend one and find out what it’s like. Now I can! Check it all out at:

http://dwlcx.blogspot.com/

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Poetry Tips: Copy Cat

Being a copy cat usually gives you a bad reputation but why not use strong poets’ works to help you get out of your comfort zone? What if you re-wrote Robert Frosts’ poem “The World Less Traveled” from your own perspective? Sound daunting? It’s supposed to be. That doesn’t mean you are going to try and publish the poem, it simply means you are going to try something different to develop your style. How would your style of writing translate to Emily Dickinson’s poems? What about Mary Oliver’s? Sometimes when Writer’s Block gets the best of you it can be of benefit to “copy-cat” someone else just to get out of the rut. Then you can move on to bigger and better writing, so to speak. Good luck to all of you who try to “copy-cat” a poem you admire and/or fear.

Thanks for stopping in, please stop by Monday for another featured site…

Sweet Open Submissions

You may send up to three poems via e-mail to the editors at poetrysubmission(at)sweetlit(dot)com attached as a word document. Please check out the link below and explore their site to get a feel for who they are and what they publish. The really good news: They read all year round!


http://www.sweetlit.com/Submissions.html


Good luck to all who submit and please drop in tomorrow for more Poetry Tips…

Poems Found by Poet Hound

http://littleredleaves.com/LRL3/campbell3.html
“Look At You” by Sarah Campbell

http://www.leftfacingbird.com/LEFT%20FACING%20BIRD/LEFT%20FACING%20BIRD_files/SEA%20S.%20PEREZ,%20one%20poem.pdf
“From Chokepoint” by Sea S. Perez

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Timothy Gager's These Poems Are Not Pink Clouds

Timothy Gager’s chapbook, These Poems Are Not Pink Clouds, is published by Alternating Current and is a welcome read. His poems reminisce about the past and also use clever language that keeps everything fresh and entertaining. My emotions ranged from happy nostalgia to bittersweet longing as I empathized with the profound moments and ideas he described. I “dog-eared” quite a few poems and will share a few of them with you:

bull

We don’t know
we are alone at birth
after the cord is cut

and no one
really sees the sun
by staring
no one catches the scent
of fresh air
or can describe the taste
of spring water
no one
can hear the sound of a broken heart
in a china shop

We know
the sun is visible through a pinhole
remember the warmth on our faces

and air is captured
in lifetimes of afternoons
or even when you hang a sheet

we know, water is pure
as a virgin –
water won’t lie

and the sound of your heart
when opened is a beautiful symphony
as long as we remove the bull

we know the chord was cut
our lifetime ago
we know at least that much.

I love the line “no one/can hear the sound of a broken heart/in a china shop” which everyone instantly can pair together with “bull” in the title. The idea that emotions can be the proverbial bull and the use of the words “the cord is cut” which, to me, means trying to cut the emotional ties to another makes for a clever poem about a relationship. The beautiful lines of “the sun is visible through a pinhole,” and “the sound of your heart/when opened is a beautiful symphony” reveals that the feelings are there despite the fact that the “chord was cut/our lifetime ago.” I imagine this is a poem about a relationship that has since ended but is still thought of fondly.


Howdy from Ohio

I know
in other parts of the country
that are not Boston,
they don’t avert eyes,

they say things…
talk to strangers,
just as much as we won’t
do those things
not from fear
or from mom’s advice, but rather
hell
they might want
to talk back

Somewhere in Ohio
people have been poisoned,
maybe aliens have taken over
just west of Akron
and I am fearful
of walking down a busy street
when all I need is a sandwich

And there he is…
as if he has been sent down
to meet me…
plaid shirt
navy blue shorts
varicose veins
pretty unassuming
with his hand in his pocket, loaded, grinning,
I brace myself for contact,

hold my insides in…hard.
There is no time for a sale
of my soul to a thrift shop –
without a return policy

The man breaks into a smile
which is fighting a duel with my wince
his hand can’t wait to spring up
like a jack-in-a-box
now we are ten feet from one another
it suddenly leaps out
in tandem with a startling, “Howdy”
and I manage a mumble that goes unheard –
he is too far down the street.

I love this poem! How many times have you been to a new place where you are used to guarding yourself only to encounter friendly locals? I love the element of surprise in this poem and the hand springing out and waving in greeting rather than waving a gun as the author seemed to believe would happen.


Somewhere South

walk a lonely lane
where tall trees turn toward
the sun and weeping willows bow
inviting you to stay
within their succulent shade

Close your eyes
dream an ocean
mist moistening your face
with a cool suave sleep
as veiled voices
echo down dirt roads,
the sounds siphon you awake.

I think this is simply a beautiful poem. You can picture yourself walking outside and experiencing this moment for yourself. What a wonderful meditative moment.


If you enjoyed these poems you may purchase a copy of the collection at Alternating Current’s Propaganda Press for $6.00 and many others that have been featured here thus far. It is a fabulous press with fabulous poets and I hope you enjoy the poetry as much as I do.

Thanks always for reading, please stop by tomorrow for more Poems Found by Poet Hound…

Tin Fish Press Site

There is a wide variety of things to look at as well as poetry books and chapbooks for sale, and even a place for FREE stuff! Based out of Hawaii and oh so interesting, check them out at:

http://www.tinfishpress.com/

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Happy Valentine's Day

Since so many of you have shared well-wishes with me during these difficult times I thought I’d post a link to Ted Kooser’s interview on NPR from last year’s Valentine’s Day as a way to “share the love” in return. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to him last year and haven’t been able to come up with a decent valentine poem of my own so the best I can do is this:

Valentine's Day with Ted Kooser on NPR

Happy Valentine’s Day and thanks to all of you for your well wishes, supportive comments, beautiful poems, and for visiting my blog.

Take care and please drop in on Monday for another featured site…

Poetry Tips: Happy Friday the 13th

Happy Friday the 13th! Most people find this combination to be a day full of bad luck but for me it’s always been a source of good luck. I challenge you to take this “unlucky” day and use it write a poem or two about superstition, luck, anything that has to do with “Friday the 13th.” For inspiration I have linked some poems below to get you rolling. May you have good luck instead of bad!



http://poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=173577
“Hard Luck” by Edgar Allen Best

http://poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=181439
“Superstition” by Marin Sorescu

http://poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/16538
“The Army of Truth” by Henrik Wergeland

Thanks for dropping in and please peak in tomorrow for a Happy Valentine’s Day post…

Gloom Cupboard Print Edition #5 Open Submissions

Richard at Gloom Cupboard is currently accepting submissions for their Print Edition #5 so please send between 3 to 6 poems by March 2009 to aprilmaymarch777[at]yahoo[dot]com.

For more information and to get an idea of poems that are published, visit Gloom Cupboard at:

http://www.gloomcupboard.com/

Good luck to all of you who submit, please drop in tomorrow for more Poetry Tips…

Poems Found By Poet Hound

http://juked.com/2009/02/tea.asp
“Tea in a Bird Cage” by D.W. Tebay

http://jacketmagazine.com/36/oppen-evans-george.shtml
“Pacific” by George Evans


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Christopher Cunningham's A Sound To Drive Away The Coming Darkness

Chris Cunningham delivers an excellent collection of poems in this chapbook which challenges the idea of “darkness.” While the subjects he speaks of are dark, the poems do not make any subject appear weak or wilting. I have several poems I’d like to share. The last one I will not be leaving any comments with, I think it is a poem that can inspire anyone to run to their desk to create their next piece of writing.

board

we drive along
and
there are many
old buildings
with their
front doors
and
glassless windows
covered
in
heavy
boards.

they wait
a
final reckoning.

gagged and blind
soon
to
fall.

making way
for
progress.

we see this
and
are glad
when
we move past

such grim reminders

that everything
made
must
someday
be

unmade.


Not only does the structure of the poem show the breaking-away of buildings in disrepair it also seems to punctuate each point by providing just one or two words per line as the emphasis for each point. I also enjoy the poem because we are witnessing this in action all over the country as stores close up during this downturn and houses being boarded up because they have sat empty for so long. However, there’s that stanza rising up out of entire poem that says “making way/for/progress.” The poet and his companion(s) are happy to see that these failing structures will someday be replaced with something else, something better. That is better news than what the media posts these days and so I wanted to share this poem with all of you.


nobody does it that way anymore

typewriters and analog tape
cannot compete,
nor
can letters folded
into
envelopes.

smaller footprints
in an overcrowded world
go unnoticed.

a plate of food
near a window
on a saturday morning
in the sunshine.

the
loss
of anticipation.

the discovery
of acceptance.

I sigh after I read this poem. I find it sentimental and truthful because I feel the same way. The small joys in life are quickly disappearing with new technology such as fast computer printers and e-mail, the idea of eating on the run instead of sitting down at the table to chat and dine… All of the things that took thought + kindness to prepare are becoming difficult to hold onto. I have some friends that still send me letters in envelopes decorated with drawings and stickers and I love them for it because they took real time and thought to send me something. I have also always preferred to sit down at a table for breakfast rather than run out the door with a breakfast bar and cup of coffee. How about you? Do you miss being able to slow down and take in the quiet joys in life?


everything beautiful burning to live

a murder
of
four crows
glistening
on a
cold cloudy
day
in autumn

rising

up thru the gloom
like
a
black
sun.


I think the imagery in this poem is fantastic! Crows are often found to be an ominous and dark form but here they glisten and rise like the sun. Instead of a sign of a bad omen, the crows are “rising/up thru the gloom/like/a/black/sun” like a sign of hope. I also love the image of a black sun, it reminds me of a solar eclipse where the sun is still so powerful you cannot look directly at it while it is being blocked. Just a beautiful poem, I have to say.


And this last one I simply want to leave with you without comment because I hope it inspires you to dash to your desk and create your next piece of writing:

the pistol

sits next to
the typewriter.

there is a pen
and sheets of
clean white paper.

the machine hums,

waiting.






I think this is a solid collection of poems which you can purchase for $3.00 from Alternating Current’s Propaganda Press. If you need any further prodding towards Mr. Cunningham’s work or if you’d like to view more poems from this collection, by all means click the link below to Julie Buff’s review featured below:
http://juliebuff.wordpress.com/2009/01/26/christopher-cunningham-a-sound-to-drive-away-the-coming-darkness/


Thanks always for readings, please drop in tomorrow for more Poems Found by Poet Hound…

Poem Monkey

You’ve got to admit, this guy is smart, clever, and hilarious! This gentleman parks himself and his typewriter in public and for $5.00 types out a poem just for you. I’ve heard of some people doing this, I’ve seen people sell their poems on the street for a dime, but I’ve never had the guts to do it myself and I highly respect the ones who do. Check it out at:

http://poemmonkey.blogspot.com/

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