That momentary goof where you let slip something you shouldn’t, no matter how small, can set loose a blush in your cheeks and a stammer or grimace. Why not set to writing a poem about it? It can be a “woe-is-me” tone, it can be funny, dark, light, however you want to write it. You could make a mountain out of a mole hill or vice versa. Then of course, you can always structure the poem in such a way as to demonstrate the slide downhill after the slip. I had an embarrassing slip of the tongue that had the potential to reach the ears of the intended target, so that inspired me to write this poetry tip of the week. Surely you’ve had your own goofs that you couldn’t take back or rewind in time, now’s the time to make it a poem. Good luck!
Thanks for dropping in, see you Monday!
Friday, July 11, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Open Submissions Call
Sorry folks, I don’t have anything new today. If you know of any open submissions, please post a link for others, or if you are an editor and you are accepting submissions, please e-mail me at poethoundblogspot (AT) yahoo (DOT) com.
Remember, Lilliput Review and Nerve Cowboy are open to submissions all year round, please use the links below:
http://lilliputreview.googlepages.com/home
http://www.jwhagins.com/nervecowboy.html
Thanks for dropping in, please stop by tomorrow for more Poetry Tips…
Remember, Lilliput Review and Nerve Cowboy are open to submissions all year round, please use the links below:
http://lilliputreview.googlepages.com/home
http://www.jwhagins.com/nervecowboy.html
Thanks for dropping in, please stop by tomorrow for more Poetry Tips…
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Poems Found by Poet Hound
http://www.poems.com/poem.php?date=14062
“Rain” by Alice Fogel
http://www.fishousepoems.org/archives/tony_barnstone/he_pays_the_bill_at_the_sidewalk_cafe.shtml
“He pays the bill at the sidewalk café’” by Tony Barnstone
Thanks for dropping in, please stop by tomorrow for more Open Submissions!
“Rain” by Alice Fogel
http://www.fishousepoems.org/archives/tony_barnstone/he_pays_the_bill_at_the_sidewalk_cafe.shtml
“He pays the bill at the sidewalk café’” by Tony Barnstone
Thanks for dropping in, please stop by tomorrow for more Open Submissions!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Mark Strand's Man and Camel
I picked up Mark Strand’s Pulitzer Prize winning poetry book Man and Camel at my local library and found this to be an engaging read. This was another page turner for me as the poems seemed deceptively easy to read and therefore lent themselves to being read rather quickly. A little too quickly, I might add, so I hope you will take your time and savor them more the first time around since I made a round two of it for myself.
Mark Strand was born on Prince Edward Island, Canada, in 1934 and has quite a collection of works under his belt. Not only does he have more than a few poetry books, he also has prose, translations, art books, children’s books, and has contributed to various anthologies. Needless to say, his name is most likely familiar to you for one reason or another.
Of the many poems I enjoyed, I thought “Two Horses” was one of those poems that deserved a closer look. This poem speaks about Strand encountering two horses while drinking from a lake and how they react to him. For example, his lines read “Two horses/came up beside me to drink as well./This is amazing, I thought, but who will believe it?” and got on to say “I felt the need to respond, so I snorted, too,/but haltingly,/as though not really wanting to be heard./The horses must have sensed that I was holding back./They moved slightly away.” It ends with the idea of his perhaps being a poet in another life, and the horses may have been readers of his poems. “in another life—the one in which I was a poet./They might have even read my poems,…” What I like about this poem is how he and the horses communicate. At first through silence, then when the horses snort, Strand snorts, too. The horses sense how unnatural this is and back away, so Strand internalizes the extraordinary moment and compares it to poetry. Instead of describing the moment itself as a poem entirely focusing on the horses and the lake, Strand discusses the possibility that he may have been a poet in a previous life. It’s as though this particular poem doesn’t actually belong to him and make him a poet in this life. That struck me and made me read the poem again. How can someone write a poem and then end it in such a way as to make it sound like they aren’t actually a poet in this life but maybe a previous one? On top of that, the connection between the two horses presented as though they may have existed previously as readers of his poems in the past is something I have never seen a poet attempt. I think it is a fascinating twist for a poem to end this way, don’t you?
I also enjoyed the poem “2032” in which Death seems to have grown lazy, or at least, unfazed by his role. “where Death, who used to love me, sits/in a limo with a blanket spread across his thighs,/waiting for his driver to appear.” Death is mentioned in a previous poem, by the way, and in that poem Death is looking forward to hosting Strand and bringing him to the world of the undead. In this poem it seems that Death has tired of waiting for Strand, since he inserts the line “Death, who used to love me” to tie in from the previous poem and now Death is just waiting. “He is waiting/to be driven to the Blue Hotel,” and “Where is his driver?” being the main concern. The end is what fascinates me again because the driver is not at all whom you’d expect: “Ah, there she is,/…down the garden steps, in heels, velvet evening gown,/…blowing kisses to the trees.” For Death who is earlier described as white haired with smaller eyes to have such a vivacious and, apparently, youthful driver presents a lively contrast that captures imagination. Now why would Death require a driver, and why such a lively one in comparison? I have no answer to that, to be honest, but I do love the mental picture it presents. Perhaps Death lures the next to go by sending his driver while he waits in the limo? Or maybe she helps keep what little “youth” he has through her own energy as they go from one place to the next to collect the next soul?
This is a book I would highly recommend, especially to those who are more timid to poetry since each poem is easily read yet very entertaining.
To learn more about Mark Strand and to read some of his poems, click the link below:
http://poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/102
Thanks for dropping in and please stop by tomorrow for more Poems Found by Poet Hound!
Mark Strand was born on Prince Edward Island, Canada, in 1934 and has quite a collection of works under his belt. Not only does he have more than a few poetry books, he also has prose, translations, art books, children’s books, and has contributed to various anthologies. Needless to say, his name is most likely familiar to you for one reason or another.
Of the many poems I enjoyed, I thought “Two Horses” was one of those poems that deserved a closer look. This poem speaks about Strand encountering two horses while drinking from a lake and how they react to him. For example, his lines read “Two horses/came up beside me to drink as well./This is amazing, I thought, but who will believe it?” and got on to say “I felt the need to respond, so I snorted, too,/but haltingly,/as though not really wanting to be heard./The horses must have sensed that I was holding back./They moved slightly away.” It ends with the idea of his perhaps being a poet in another life, and the horses may have been readers of his poems. “in another life—the one in which I was a poet./They might have even read my poems,…” What I like about this poem is how he and the horses communicate. At first through silence, then when the horses snort, Strand snorts, too. The horses sense how unnatural this is and back away, so Strand internalizes the extraordinary moment and compares it to poetry. Instead of describing the moment itself as a poem entirely focusing on the horses and the lake, Strand discusses the possibility that he may have been a poet in a previous life. It’s as though this particular poem doesn’t actually belong to him and make him a poet in this life. That struck me and made me read the poem again. How can someone write a poem and then end it in such a way as to make it sound like they aren’t actually a poet in this life but maybe a previous one? On top of that, the connection between the two horses presented as though they may have existed previously as readers of his poems in the past is something I have never seen a poet attempt. I think it is a fascinating twist for a poem to end this way, don’t you?
I also enjoyed the poem “2032” in which Death seems to have grown lazy, or at least, unfazed by his role. “where Death, who used to love me, sits/in a limo with a blanket spread across his thighs,/waiting for his driver to appear.” Death is mentioned in a previous poem, by the way, and in that poem Death is looking forward to hosting Strand and bringing him to the world of the undead. In this poem it seems that Death has tired of waiting for Strand, since he inserts the line “Death, who used to love me” to tie in from the previous poem and now Death is just waiting. “He is waiting/to be driven to the Blue Hotel,” and “Where is his driver?” being the main concern. The end is what fascinates me again because the driver is not at all whom you’d expect: “Ah, there she is,/…down the garden steps, in heels, velvet evening gown,/…blowing kisses to the trees.” For Death who is earlier described as white haired with smaller eyes to have such a vivacious and, apparently, youthful driver presents a lively contrast that captures imagination. Now why would Death require a driver, and why such a lively one in comparison? I have no answer to that, to be honest, but I do love the mental picture it presents. Perhaps Death lures the next to go by sending his driver while he waits in the limo? Or maybe she helps keep what little “youth” he has through her own energy as they go from one place to the next to collect the next soul?
This is a book I would highly recommend, especially to those who are more timid to poetry since each poem is easily read yet very entertaining.
To learn more about Mark Strand and to read some of his poems, click the link below:
http://poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/102
Thanks for dropping in and please stop by tomorrow for more Poems Found by Poet Hound!
Monday, July 7, 2008
Dumbfoundry Blog
I like this blog, it is similar to mine in that it has relatively short posts regarding information of all kinds for poets and poetry readers alike. You’ll find posts regarding submissions, other journals, all kinds of tidbits you can readily devour, just click below:
http://dumbfoundry.blogspot.com/
Thanks for dropping in, please stop by tomorrow for another featured poet
http://dumbfoundry.blogspot.com/
Thanks for dropping in, please stop by tomorrow for another featured poet
Friday, July 4, 2008
Poetry TIps Burn-Out
Happy 4th of July! A couple of weeks ago I implored readers to contribute answers to questions regarding burn-out and I did get some responses. I have Talia Reed’s answers to each question, and also Tara Strahl’s take on burn-out posted at the end:
Talia Reed:
1. When/how do you know you are starting to feel burnt-out?
I don't want to read any more poetry. I belong to a writers group and borrow a lot of reading material, so I'm lucky that I have access to a lot of stuff, but I have to sort of cleanse the pallate after a while. That's when I switch to a novel or something.
2. How do you navigate around obstacles which crowd out your abilities to focus on poetry in the day-to day?
I'm a busy mom. The 3 year-old is demanding and when I prioritize, at this point in my life, the poetry isn't at the top. When I get really busy I try to find poetry time just once a week. I can do once a week, and if the muse is kind it will lead to more.
3. How do you combat poetic burn-out specifically?
Read something else. Write something I wouldn't normally write, post it to my blog.
4. Finally, how do you know when you’ve conquered burn-out?
I think it's an ongoing thing. Sort of like keeping the love alive in a marriage or something.
Tara Strahl:
Poetry Burn-out: A Combative Approach
Poetry thrives on contradictions, and the writer who can't write anything is the greatest contradiction of all. Therefore, I try to make use of my burned-out moments. I've noticed that the times in which I am unable to get anything done are actually the times from which my best ideas eventually come. Also, the small things I do manage to get done during these times end up having far greater impact than they normally would. So, Zen-like, one way to think about poetry burn-out is that it's like pulling an arrow back before it can shoot forward.
Thank you, ladies, for participating! Also, thanks to all who stop in and hopefully you found some new answers to burn-out. For myself, I finally started delegating more tasks in my everyday life to others who were perfectly capable of doing them. Now I have a little more time to devote to hobbies and feeling less stressed out, and therefore, less burn-out.
Please stop in again on Monday for another featured site!
Talia Reed:
1. When/how do you know you are starting to feel burnt-out?
I don't want to read any more poetry. I belong to a writers group and borrow a lot of reading material, so I'm lucky that I have access to a lot of stuff, but I have to sort of cleanse the pallate after a while. That's when I switch to a novel or something.
2. How do you navigate around obstacles which crowd out your abilities to focus on poetry in the day-to day?
I'm a busy mom. The 3 year-old is demanding and when I prioritize, at this point in my life, the poetry isn't at the top. When I get really busy I try to find poetry time just once a week. I can do once a week, and if the muse is kind it will lead to more.
3. How do you combat poetic burn-out specifically?
Read something else. Write something I wouldn't normally write, post it to my blog.
4. Finally, how do you know when you’ve conquered burn-out?
I think it's an ongoing thing. Sort of like keeping the love alive in a marriage or something.
Tara Strahl:
Poetry Burn-out: A Combative Approach
Poetry thrives on contradictions, and the writer who can't write anything is the greatest contradiction of all. Therefore, I try to make use of my burned-out moments. I've noticed that the times in which I am unable to get anything done are actually the times from which my best ideas eventually come. Also, the small things I do manage to get done during these times end up having far greater impact than they normally would. So, Zen-like, one way to think about poetry burn-out is that it's like pulling an arrow back before it can shoot forward.
Thank you, ladies, for participating! Also, thanks to all who stop in and hopefully you found some new answers to burn-out. For myself, I finally started delegating more tasks in my everyday life to others who were perfectly capable of doing them. Now I have a little more time to devote to hobbies and feeling less stressed out, and therefore, less burn-out.
Please stop in again on Monday for another featured site!
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Frog Pond Open Submissions
Open submissions for Fall Issue end August 1st so be sure to get your submissions in soon! This journal specializes in haiku, senryu, haibun, and similar.
You may click on the link below or read the entire submission guidelines directly pulled from the site provided after the link:
http://www.hsa-haiku.org/frogpond.htm
1. Submissions from both members and non-members of HSA are welcome
2. Submissions must be original, unpublished work that is not being considered elsewhere
3. Submissions by e-mail are preferred:
(a) they must be in the body of the e-mail (no attachments) (b) they must have the following subject line: Frogpond Submission
4. Submissions by post will receive a reply only if included are either:
(a) a self-addressed stamped envelope (with a Canadian stamp), or(b) a self-addressed envelope with one International Reply Coupon (IRC) for up to 30 grams; two IRCs for over 30 and up to 50 grams
5. Only one submission per issue will be considered
The Submission May Include Any or All of the Following
1. Up to ten (10) haiku and/or senryu2. Up to three (3) haibun 3. Up to three (3) rengay or other short sequences4. One (1) renku or other long sequence5. One (1) essay6. One (1) book review
Submission Periods
1. February 15 to April 15 (Spring/Summer Issue)2. June 01 to August 01 (Fall Issue)3. September 15 to November 15 (Winter Issue)
Submission Addresses:
George Swede, Editor Box 279, Station PToronto, ON M5S 2S8Canada
Email: gswede@ryerson.ca
Good luck on your submissions, may the muse be with you. Thanks for dropping in, I won’t be posting tomorrow because I will be getting up very early to do more volunteer work before the craziness of the holiday begins. See you Monday!
You may click on the link below or read the entire submission guidelines directly pulled from the site provided after the link:
http://www.hsa-haiku.org/frogpond.htm
1. Submissions from both members and non-members of HSA are welcome
2. Submissions must be original, unpublished work that is not being considered elsewhere
3. Submissions by e-mail are preferred:
(a) they must be in the body of the e-mail (no attachments) (b) they must have the following subject line: Frogpond Submission
4. Submissions by post will receive a reply only if included are either:
(a) a self-addressed stamped envelope (with a Canadian stamp), or(b) a self-addressed envelope with one International Reply Coupon (IRC) for up to 30 grams; two IRCs for over 30 and up to 50 grams
5. Only one submission per issue will be considered
The Submission May Include Any or All of the Following
1. Up to ten (10) haiku and/or senryu2. Up to three (3) haibun 3. Up to three (3) rengay or other short sequences4. One (1) renku or other long sequence5. One (1) essay6. One (1) book review
Submission Periods
1. February 15 to April 15 (Spring/Summer Issue)2. June 01 to August 01 (Fall Issue)3. September 15 to November 15 (Winter Issue)
Submission Addresses:
George Swede, Editor Box 279, Station PToronto, ON M5S 2S8Canada
Email: gswede@ryerson.ca
Good luck on your submissions, may the muse be with you. Thanks for dropping in, I won’t be posting tomorrow because I will be getting up very early to do more volunteer work before the craziness of the holiday begins. See you Monday!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Poems Found by Poet Hound
http://poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=171248
“Cuba” by Ai
http://www.fishousepoems.org/archives/rick_barot/echo.shtml
Rick Barot’s “Echo”
Thanks for reading, please stop by tomorrow…
“Cuba” by Ai
http://www.fishousepoems.org/archives/rick_barot/echo.shtml
Rick Barot’s “Echo”
Thanks for reading, please stop by tomorrow…
Monday, June 30, 2008
Dancing Girl Press Blog
Sorry for the delay, my internet was down this morning and I just now got home to find it working again!
This site features available chapbooks, and announcements to open reading periods (best take a look at that and scroll through, if I were you) and they are also a subsidiary of Wicked Alice. Check it out at:
http://dancinggirlpress.blogspot.com/
Thanks for dropping in, please stop by Wednesday for Poems Found by Poet Hound. (I just returned from a wedding out of town and didn't have time to create a post for Tuesday, sorry every folks).
This site features available chapbooks, and announcements to open reading periods (best take a look at that and scroll through, if I were you) and they are also a subsidiary of Wicked Alice. Check it out at:
http://dancinggirlpress.blogspot.com/
Thanks for dropping in, please stop by Wednesday for Poems Found by Poet Hound. (I just returned from a wedding out of town and didn't have time to create a post for Tuesday, sorry every folks).
Friday, June 27, 2008
Juked Open Submissions: Hurry!
I copy and pasted directly from the link below, you submissions are due July 1st so HURRY!
"We are now reading for Juked #6. Here are the guidelines:
We are looking for works of fiction and creative non-fiction running at least 2,000 words long. (Poetry for the print issue will be selected from our regular submissions.) If you have something that is 1,999 words long, or close to that, or if you have a series of connecting short-shorts, or something else that is unconventional or otherwise special in its own way, write us and we'll see what we can do.
To submit, send an attachment (we prefer .RTF, but .DOC is okay too) to print@juked.com.
Indicate in the subject field: Print Submission: (genre) by (your name). This is very important; if it goes to the regular address, and without the right subject heading, it will not be read as a submission for the print issue.
Simultaneous submissions are encouraged, but please e-mail us and let us know if your submission has been picked up elsewhere.
The deadline for issue #6 submissions is July 1st.
Any questions, just write us."
http://juked.com/print/
"We are now reading for Juked #6. Here are the guidelines:
We are looking for works of fiction and creative non-fiction running at least 2,000 words long. (Poetry for the print issue will be selected from our regular submissions.) If you have something that is 1,999 words long, or close to that, or if you have a series of connecting short-shorts, or something else that is unconventional or otherwise special in its own way, write us and we'll see what we can do.
To submit, send an attachment (we prefer .RTF, but .DOC is okay too) to print@juked.com.
Indicate in the subject field: Print Submission: (genre) by (your name). This is very important; if it goes to the regular address, and without the right subject heading, it will not be read as a submission for the print issue.
Simultaneous submissions are encouraged, but please e-mail us and let us know if your submission has been picked up elsewhere.
The deadline for issue #6 submissions is July 1st.
Any questions, just write us."
http://juked.com/print/
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Gloom Cupboard Chabook Contest
Hot off the Press From Richard, the Editor:
"Great Poetry SwindleTo celebrate our first birthday on August 31st we have decided to bypass the carrot cake and absinthe shots in favour of a Chapbook contest, giving you the perfect birthday present. Working with our good friends at erbacce press the winner of the contest shall get their manuscript published in the standard A5 forty page chapbook format, the winner will receive 20 copies of the chapbook and we at Gloom Cupboard will help to promote it. To enter the contest all you need to do is send us an initial manuscript of 20 poems via email either attached as a word document or pasted in the body of the email. The deadline for submissions is August 1st 2008. Title the email ‘GC Chapbook Contest’."
http://gloomcupboard.com
Thanks for dropping in, please stop by tomorrow for another Open Sumbissions!
That’s correct, a double dose this week. I found a place to submit but you better hurry, check in tomorrow!
"Great Poetry SwindleTo celebrate our first birthday on August 31st we have decided to bypass the carrot cake and absinthe shots in favour of a Chapbook contest, giving you the perfect birthday present. Working with our good friends at erbacce press the winner of the contest shall get their manuscript published in the standard A5 forty page chapbook format, the winner will receive 20 copies of the chapbook and we at Gloom Cupboard will help to promote it. To enter the contest all you need to do is send us an initial manuscript of 20 poems via email either attached as a word document or pasted in the body of the email. The deadline for submissions is August 1st 2008. Title the email ‘GC Chapbook Contest’."
http://gloomcupboard.com
Thanks for dropping in, please stop by tomorrow for another Open Sumbissions!
That’s correct, a double dose this week. I found a place to submit but you better hurry, check in tomorrow!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Poems Found by Poet Hound
http://www.versedaily.org/2008/therescue.shtml
Wayne Miller’s “The Rescue”
http://juked.com/2008/06/beefjerky.asp
Stephen Priest’s “Ode to Beef Jerky” (the title alone should pique your interest)
Thanks for clicking in and please stop by tomorrow for more Open Submissions…
Wayne Miller’s “The Rescue”
http://juked.com/2008/06/beefjerky.asp
Stephen Priest’s “Ode to Beef Jerky” (the title alone should pique your interest)
Thanks for clicking in and please stop by tomorrow for more Open Submissions…
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Lilliput Review #161
Don Wentworth sent me a couple of his Lilliput Review issues for participating in listing a book I viewed as one of the almost-perfect books of poems and I was delighted to find issue #161 of collective poems, and #162 of poems all by David Chorlton titled A Venetion Sequence. Both were enjoyable reads.
The entire issue of #161 is filled with little gems and for those who are unfamiliar, Lilliput Review publishes poems that are ten lines or less.
Today I would like to review #161 with permission granted to feature some of the poems thanks to Don and the poets:
This issue has many references to Spring, and this particular one line poem made me laugh in spite of its note of despair:
“O Spring! stick a pitchfork in my heart!” by W. T. Ranney of Ithaca, New York.
Then there is this poem by Peggy Heinrich of Santa Cruz, CA:
As a child
I wondered
what kept the moon in the sky
now that I know
I am no happier.
--Isn’t that a beautiful and sad poem? It reminds me of childhood when you believed the moon was full of magic (and who is to say it isn’t?) but then as you grow up it loses its mysteriousness. The moon is held by gravity, a giant rock that merely reflects the sun rather than producing its own light. That may not be what she meant by the poem but of course that’s what sprang to my mind when I read it. How about you? Any other things come to mind?
And finally, the third poem I’d like to feature by Charlie Mehrhoff of Oakland, ME:
Nothing Less
There is no point of origin,
just consider how limiting that would be.
When and where
the pen
comes down upon the page
should not be metaphorical of some point,
it should represent the brush stroke
of all creation.
Strung across twilight.
Intoxicated with belief in its own existence.
Heartbeat within a cradle of bones.
The edge falling off of itself.
Peaks bursting through the floorboards of heaven.
An excuse to be!
--I almost have to read it twice to absorb it because it takes an extra moment to sink in. Really a marvelous poem about something difficult to describe: the purpose of existence without a known beginning. My favorite lines are “Heartbeat within a cradle of bones.” And “The edge falling off of itself.” The lines are hard to picture yet they are understandable. Poets who can craft lines like that I’ll admit I am jealous of.
Issue #161 is a collection that flows smoothly and many of the poems are insightful which is hard to achieve in such small doses sometimes. The poets featured are excellent in that capacity. “Simply Read a Book” is a good example, by Edward Coletti which essentially tells you to take time for yourself, everything will still be there when you return.
If you get a chance to see this issue, please do. Otherwise Mr. Wentworth also features poems from back issues on his blog:
http://lilliputreview.blogspot.com/
and if you are so inclined to request a subscription to the journal, then you should click here:
http://lilliputreview.googlepages.com/home
Thanks for reading, please stop by tomorrow for more found poems…
The entire issue of #161 is filled with little gems and for those who are unfamiliar, Lilliput Review publishes poems that are ten lines or less.
Today I would like to review #161 with permission granted to feature some of the poems thanks to Don and the poets:
This issue has many references to Spring, and this particular one line poem made me laugh in spite of its note of despair:
“O Spring! stick a pitchfork in my heart!” by W. T. Ranney of Ithaca, New York.
Then there is this poem by Peggy Heinrich of Santa Cruz, CA:
As a child
I wondered
what kept the moon in the sky
now that I know
I am no happier.
--Isn’t that a beautiful and sad poem? It reminds me of childhood when you believed the moon was full of magic (and who is to say it isn’t?) but then as you grow up it loses its mysteriousness. The moon is held by gravity, a giant rock that merely reflects the sun rather than producing its own light. That may not be what she meant by the poem but of course that’s what sprang to my mind when I read it. How about you? Any other things come to mind?
And finally, the third poem I’d like to feature by Charlie Mehrhoff of Oakland, ME:
Nothing Less
There is no point of origin,
just consider how limiting that would be.
When and where
the pen
comes down upon the page
should not be metaphorical of some point,
it should represent the brush stroke
of all creation.
Strung across twilight.
Intoxicated with belief in its own existence.
Heartbeat within a cradle of bones.
The edge falling off of itself.
Peaks bursting through the floorboards of heaven.
An excuse to be!
--I almost have to read it twice to absorb it because it takes an extra moment to sink in. Really a marvelous poem about something difficult to describe: the purpose of existence without a known beginning. My favorite lines are “Heartbeat within a cradle of bones.” And “The edge falling off of itself.” The lines are hard to picture yet they are understandable. Poets who can craft lines like that I’ll admit I am jealous of.
Issue #161 is a collection that flows smoothly and many of the poems are insightful which is hard to achieve in such small doses sometimes. The poets featured are excellent in that capacity. “Simply Read a Book” is a good example, by Edward Coletti which essentially tells you to take time for yourself, everything will still be there when you return.
If you get a chance to see this issue, please do. Otherwise Mr. Wentworth also features poems from back issues on his blog:
http://lilliputreview.blogspot.com/
and if you are so inclined to request a subscription to the journal, then you should click here:
http://lilliputreview.googlepages.com/home
Thanks for reading, please stop by tomorrow for more found poems…
Monday, June 23, 2008
Falling Off the Mountain Blog
This blog is produced by a gentleman in Massachusetts and specializes in one-line poems! For any of you who haven’t tried it yet and need some inspiration, or for anyone who has tried it, take a look by clicking the link below, and here is what Grant Hackett had to say about his blog and one-lined poems:
“About one line poems: There’s not a simple answer or story about how I came to one line poems. I have written 3 line poems almost exclusively for many years. The move to one line poems happened more or less spontaneously about eight months ago. What nailed it into place for me was the discovery of the double colon. De novo. Finding this device propelled me into period of complete focus on the one line form. There wasn’t a particular outside influence. It just happened. After writing these poems for several months, I decided to start a blog (Falling Off the Mountain) to both put these poems “out there”, and to gather and list whatever information I could about other one line poets and their poems. That’s the story, in very brief form.
The blog began on May 1 of this year. Response to it has been limited but positive. I’ve had one one-line poem posted at Poetry Friends. Other than that, I haven’t sought publication for these pieces either online or in print. I’ll continue to pursue the blog experiment and see where that leads. Don Wentworth at the Lilliput Review has read the blog and liked it enough to link to it. This is good.”
http://fallingoffthemountain.blogspot.com/
Also: Don Wentworth of Lilliput Review discovered this fabulous article and sent the link to me in case I wanted to use it for this blog and I do! Thanks Don, and for all of you out there, check out some sound advice on the Do’s and Don’ts of Poetry by clicking the link below:
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/poetry/article4104714.ece
Thanks as always for dropping in, please stop by tomorrow for another featured poet…
“About one line poems: There’s not a simple answer or story about how I came to one line poems. I have written 3 line poems almost exclusively for many years. The move to one line poems happened more or less spontaneously about eight months ago. What nailed it into place for me was the discovery of the double colon. De novo. Finding this device propelled me into period of complete focus on the one line form. There wasn’t a particular outside influence. It just happened. After writing these poems for several months, I decided to start a blog (Falling Off the Mountain) to both put these poems “out there”, and to gather and list whatever information I could about other one line poets and their poems. That’s the story, in very brief form.
The blog began on May 1 of this year. Response to it has been limited but positive. I’ve had one one-line poem posted at Poetry Friends. Other than that, I haven’t sought publication for these pieces either online or in print. I’ll continue to pursue the blog experiment and see where that leads. Don Wentworth at the Lilliput Review has read the blog and liked it enough to link to it. This is good.”
http://fallingoffthemountain.blogspot.com/
Also: Don Wentworth of Lilliput Review discovered this fabulous article and sent the link to me in case I wanted to use it for this blog and I do! Thanks Don, and for all of you out there, check out some sound advice on the Do’s and Don’ts of Poetry by clicking the link below:
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/poetry/article4104714.ece
Thanks as always for dropping in, please stop by tomorrow for another featured poet…
Friday, June 20, 2008
Poetry TIps Burn-Out I ask You Round 2
I haven’t acquired enough responses to post the answers one at a time so I’m posting these questions again in hopes that more folks will reply to these:
When/how do you know you are starting to feel burnt-out?
How do you navigate around obstacles which crowd out your abilities to focus on poetry in the day-to day?
How do you combat poetic burn-out specifically?
Finally, how do you know when you’ve conquered burn-out?
I will feature these questions one at a time each Friday once I get a satisfactory number of responses (at least five people) so I hope you will all take the time to e-mail me your answers at poethoundblogspot@yahoo.com and please type the words Burn Out in your subject line so that I know you aren’t Spam. Thank you!
Thanks always for dropping in and participating, I look forward to meeting again Monday for another featured site…
When/how do you know you are starting to feel burnt-out?
How do you navigate around obstacles which crowd out your abilities to focus on poetry in the day-to day?
How do you combat poetic burn-out specifically?
Finally, how do you know when you’ve conquered burn-out?
I will feature these questions one at a time each Friday once I get a satisfactory number of responses (at least five people) so I hope you will all take the time to e-mail me your answers at poethoundblogspot@yahoo.com and please type the words Burn Out in your subject line so that I know you aren’t Spam. Thank you!
Thanks always for dropping in and participating, I look forward to meeting again Monday for another featured site…
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