Poetry Tips: Happy Halloween

Instead of trying to write poems, I dare you to read some. Find all the poets you know who write about spooky events, ghosts, etc. such as Poe and Dickinson and see if you can sneak in lines while you’re out at Halloween parties or trick-or-treating with the kids. Give yourself 5 points every time someone recognizes who you are quoting and see how many points you can win yourself at the end of Halloween night. Think classic words or lines such as “Nevermore” or “Because I could not stop for death…”

Have a Happy Halloween and see you Monday after you’ve recovered from your sugary hang-overs…

Nerve Cowboy Chapbook Open Submissions

If you haven’t read Nerve Cowboy then please be sure to check out their site and read some sample poems. If you have a batch of straight-talking, sharp-shooting poems then this is the place to submit your chapbook. Submit 24-40 pages of poetry with an Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope to:
Nerve Cowboy Chapbook Contest
PO Box 4973
Austin, TX 78765

Check it out at:
http://www.jwhagins.com/ChapContest.html

Thanks for dropping in, please stop by tomorrow for more Poetry Tips…

Poems Found by Poet Hound

http://www.versedaily.org/2008/chinesebox.shtml
“Chinese Box” by Carmen Germaine

http://www.trout.auckland.ac.nz/journal/15/15_2.html
“Among the Freuds” by Diana Bridge


PS: Jim Murdoch has a wonderful two part interview with Claire Askew and here are the links below:
http://jim-murdoch.blogspot.com/2008/10/and-interview-with-claire-askew-part.html
http://jim-murdoch.blogspot.com/2008/10/interview-with-claire-askew-part-two.html
Claire explains her reasoning behind creating One Night Stanzas, how she grew as a poet, and so on. It’s very educational and entertaining so please take a look!

Thanks for clicking in, please stop by tomorrow for more Open Submissions…

Christopher Cunningham's In Gambler's Blood

Christopher Cunningham’s chapbook, In Gambler’s Blood is available from Kendra Steiner Editions and is about the different perspectives of the gamblers at the gambling table. Think of it as a story unfolding through the eyes of the characters that brings to light their backgrounds as well as their emotions brimming through every turn of the card.

There are two poems I particularly enjoyed in the collection and the first one is:

the calculation of risk

the one with the difficult job
watches the cards as they slip from the
dealer’s fingers onto the dark burgundy felt.

four of diamonds
ace of diamonds
eight of spades.

he sees the gambler on his right move a stack of chips
in his direction. he takes a breath, very shallow.
he looks at the dealer.
he thinks about
the different kinds of luck
a man can have.

and not have.

the air is heavy with rent money and pain.
he reaches down and lifts the corners
of his cards
with rough fingers
to make sure his ace and his eight are still there.

he counts the chips in the pot.
there are two cards to come.
he calls.

sometimes,
life moves strangely.

he scratches his face and looks out over the
edge of his world
into the unknown.

My favorite line is “the air is heavy with rent money and pain” because it places the emphasis on what’s at stake to lose and win. It also indicates the place where the gambler is coming from, his need for the money, the pain that comes with addiction in needing to play. You can also find yourself holding your breath waiting for the outcome just as the player is deciding his move. The ending leaves you hanging in suspense which furthers your desire to read the other poems hoping the answer will be found.


The second poem I enjoyed immensely is:

a matter of reward

the one with the family doesn’t like
what he sees.
he rolls the gold band around his finger
with his thumb while he thinks.

at home his wife
is putting the kids
to bed. the television is on
but the sound is down.
she turns out the light
on the children
and has a glass of wine
in the silence.
her mind is quiet.

the gold is cold under his thumb.

he looks at the four again.
the one with the difficult job
is sitting very still,
staring at a spot
atmospherically removed from the game.

when does a man
ever truly know
anything
for certain?

he pitches his cards in the muck
along with the money
that will not be his.


This poem not only encompasses the player but also his family and their activities while he is playing cards. The line “her mind is quiet” piques my interest because I cannot imagine a woman whose mind is quiet if her husband is out gambling and she knows it. However, she may not know what he’s up to and that could be why her mind is quiet. Chris, when you read this review, would you be so kind as to which is it?
Also, when the player is lined up with the stanza “when does a man/every truly know/anything/for certain” it makes a great setup for the letdown. It’s as if the player lost confidence and threw his cards and money into the fray regardless, recklessly. Again, this brings me back to the wife whose “mind is quiet.” What do you make of all that?

Please visit the Kendra Steiner Edition site and please note there is a 3 for $10.00 special for purchases which is well worth your while. Also, with the purchase of Cunningham’s book comes a special surprise inside hand-made by Mr. Cunningham himself that represents the entirety of the chapbook.
You can also visit Christopher Cunningham’s wonderful blog at the link below:
http://savageheavens.blogspot.com/

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

Catapult to Mars

Check out this interesting blog written in several languages by Gordon Mason who has the same goal as most of us: Increasing readership of poetry (hence writing in several languages such as English, Scots, and Spanish). Poems galore from around the world, please check it out at:

http://www.catapulttomars.blogspot.com/

Thanks for dropping in, please stop by tomorrow for another featured poet…

Poetry Tips: Magnetic Poetry

Remember when magnetic poetry was all the rage? Well, this is a slight twist on the idea. I have friends and family who have all kinds of assorted magnets with clever or funny sayings on them, or advertisements for places they enjoy going to. See if you can make a poem using only words found on those refrigerator magnets. You may end up with a very strange or very clever poem but it will be sure to bring a smile to your face.
Good luck to those who try it!

Thanks for stopping by, please visit on Monday for another featured site…

Erbacce Open Submissions

Richard at Gloom Cupboard forwarded this e-mail flyer to me so I am sharing it with all of you:
great erbacce-press 2009 Poetry Competition

...erbacce press, the unique writers co-operative, are proud to announce full details of
a poetry competition with THE most fantastic prize which will be:

1) A writing contract with erbacce-press paying exceptionally generous royalties
2) Publication of a full length, perfect bound, collection of the winning poet's work
3) 20 free copies of the publication sent to the winner post-free
4) A dedicated sales-page featuring the winning poet

We'll be looking for an initial submission of ten pages of poetry sent as a single MS attachment plus a commitment
to have enough poetry to fill at least a 100 page collection (but up to 150 pages)... we'll be looking for poetry that is
innovative and radical in form and/or content.

Judges will be Alan Corkish and Andrew Taylor plus other eminent writers to be announced.

Entry is FREE to anyone, anywhere in the world
We'll also be awarding a runners-up prize of a spot as the featured poet in an edition of the poetry journal erbacce

Send your MS attachment to BOTH of these emails: erbacce@blueyonder.co.uk and erbacce@hotmail.com
and you must include in the MS Document a declaration that the work is your own plus a snail-mail address.
IF YOU DON'T SEND TO BOTH EMAILS AND INCLUDE THIS DECLARATION AND A SNAIL-MAIL ADDRESS YOUR ENTRY WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED

The competition will run until mid 2009 and the winner will be notified then full publication will
commence with the winning book being published prior to Christmas 2009

GET WRITING! THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A FREE COMPETITION LIKE THIS!
PLEASE DO ALSO PASS THIS EMAIL ON TO OTHER POETS!


Good Luck to all those who submit, thanks for dropping in! Please stop by tomorrow for more Poetry Tips….

Poems Found by Poet Hound

http://english.chass.ncsu.edu/freeverse/Archives/Spring_2008/poems/A_Fitzgerald.html
Anne Fitzgerald’s “Tuscany”

http://www.mascarapoetry.com/issue3/vivienne_glance.htm
Vivienne Glance’s “Spectrum”

Thanks for clicking in, please stop by tomorrow for more Open Submissions…

October's Poetry Magazine

This time the poems I liked best weren’t selected to be links on the Poetry magazine site but the contents of the magazine were wonderful all around and I urge you to check out the site, read what is linked, and listen to the podcast.

In the meantime, I’ll mention a couple of poems I enjoyed immensely in case you happen to stumble upon a copy if you don’t already have one:

The first poem that really grabbed my eye is titled “Uncouplings” by Craig Arnold. He uses quite a bit of clever wordplay and while we all know “there is no I in teamwork” he also adds “but there is a two maker.” I really like what he comes up with for each word or phrase and they all flow together despite being seemingly unrelated. “the I in relationship/is the heart I slip on/a lithe prison,” and the lines “our listening skills/ are silent killings.” These are much more clever the more you take the time to read them. He turns trite phrases into insightful musings which is a skill I admire. I hope you are able to find it as amusing as I did.

The second poem is “Sad and Alone” by Maurice Manning. He starts out by addressing the reader that the idea of reminiscing is nothing new, but his memories are laid out so beautifully as he travels down memory lane and then brings us back to his present. “…I remember the time I laid/my homemade banjo in the fire/and let it burn. There was nothing else/to burn and the house was cold;…” he goes on to say “I could hear the raindrops plopping up/the buckets and kettles, scattered out/like little ponds around the room.” He describes the sound as music which he will never forget and always love. He explains that “I loved the helpless people I loved./That’s what a little boy will do,/but a grown man will turn it all/to sadness and let it soak his heart…” Those lines would have made a great ending but he proceeds a little further and turns the lines in another direction which also make it a fantastic ending. He brings you back to his beginning and brings about an emotion you nearly forgot about in the course of this relatively short poem. If you get a chance to read it I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.


Thanks always for reading, you may visit the current issue and read or listen by clicking on the link below.
http://www.poetrymagazine.org/

Please stop by tomorrow for more Poems Found by Poet Hound…

Graying Ghost Press

Not only do they have the Corduroy Mountain Journal as mentioned on Thursday’s Open Submissions, they also publish books which can be found at Press Press Press in addition to their web-site. Check them out at the link below:

http://www.airforcejoyride.com/gg

Thanks for visiting, please stop by tomorrow for another featured poet…

Poetry Tips: Poetic Hazards

The idea of superstition crosses my mind with Halloween approaching and the ever-popular black cat winding its way across lawns, over door-steps, and pumpkins smashed without provocation in nearby neighborhoods. This week I dare you to write a superstitious poem or a poem about the hazards in your life to date. Perhaps there’s a construction site in which you fear an I-beam will be dropped on unsuspecting victims, or maybe that a black cat will bring you bad luck. Whatever the case may be, this week’s idea is about the hazards and superstitions a poet or his friends and family may have.
Good luck and have fun to all those who try it.

Thanks for checking in, please stop by Monday for another poetry site…

The Curdoroy Mountain Open Submissions...

This is a division of Graying Ghost Press which has it’s own journal in which you can submit your prose poetry via e-mail using the link provided below. Check out details on the guidelines and include the world’s shortest bio requirement I’ve ever seen: One sentence. Good luck to all those who submit!

http://www.airforcejoyride.com/journal.html

Thanks for dropping in, please stop by tomorrow for more Poetry Tips…

Poems Found by Poet Hound

http://poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/19624
“Election Year” by Donald Revell


http://www.fishousepoems.org/archives/emmy_perez/ysleta_texas.shtml
“Ysleta Texas” by Emmy Perez

Thanks for clicking in, please stop by tomorrow for more Open Submissions…

Mary Oliver's Thirst

I picked up Mary Oliver’s book of poems, Thirst, from my local library. I have been coveting this book since it was published in 2006 and when I finally see it at the book-store it is always when I am broke and only browsing. I was thrilled to finally see it on my library’s shelves so that I could finally set down and read this book which is dedicated to the love of her life who passed away in 2005, Molly Malone Cook.

For those of you unfamiliar with Mary Oliver, she is well known for her poems about nature, essays, and prose. She was born September 10th in 1935 and lives in Provincetown, Massachusetts. She has won the Pulitzer Prize (in 1984) and the National Book Award in 1992. She even sold out an entire auditorium for one of her readings yet she is known to be a recluse in that she is very quiet and shy about her private life. Mary Oliver is well respected in the literary community and I hope that if you are not already familiar with her writing that you will pick up any volume of her work you find among the shelves in your own local library or book-store.

For Thirst, this volume focuses on her reflections about her loved one’s absence and how she copes with it. The poems are as beautiful as always in regards to poems from her other volumes. We are greeted by a poem titled “Messenger” in which she writes the line “My work is loving the world.” She goes on to explain her focus in life: “Let me/keep my mind on what matters,/…which is mostly standing still and learning to be/astonished.” She goes on to describe the joys found in nature, and while this may seem typical of her usual volume of poems this collection gives way to grief and her prayers to God as a way to cope with her loss.

In her poem, “Those Days” she describes Ms. Cook simply and lovingly. “When I think of her I think of the long summer days/she lay in the sun,/...how we/spread our blanket, and friends came/” and when Ms. Oliver grew restless she would go for walks in the woods and return to their home where she waited, “my glorious welcoming, tan and hungry and ready to tell/the hurtless gossips of the day…” She describes them as a pair in the ending line which I think is the most beautiful line in the poem: “until our lives they trembled and shimmered/everywhere.” This poem is a glimpse into Oliver’s personal life we rarely see and so this is a poem I treasure in the collection.

Though there are poems that address God directly, I enjoyed her poem titled “Praying” that is a little more generalized simply because it seems to address the collective need of humankind to appeal to a power greater than themselves in times of need. The point of the poem is to say that prayer does not need to be fancy or difficult, “a few words together and don’t try/to make them elaborate, this isn’t/a contest…” She ends with a simple idea that prayer is another way to say “thank you” and allow the greater power a chance to enlighten us. Out of all the poems that reference God this one is my favorite. I hope you will enjoy it, too, when you see it.

Poems on audio also provided along with biographical information at Poetry Foundation link below:
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poet.html?id=5130

Poets.org also has biographical information and links to her poems at the link below:
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/265

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

Outlaw Poetry

I don’t exactly know what it is, but it’s wonderful. Poke around, find out about poetry projects and web pages, and there are several languages posted so it’s very accessible as a site to many readers. Check it out at:

http://outlawpoetry.com/

Thanks for dropping in, please stop by for another featured poet…