Journal: Sep 09, 2010
Past Entries: February 2007
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Here's that Gerald Stern poem I've been thinking about for years:
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
I went out to hear Scott Woods' feature at Larry's last night. He is one of the few, few people whose features always build up. They are greater than the sums of the poems which comprise them -- and those poems are pretty hot to begin with, don't you know. The highlight for me was his most recent, hot off the printer, first draft, blow-you-away addition to his juke joint poems. I hope that gets finished. It'll make the world a better place. It already has.
For the record: I read "You Know That Woman" and "Ok, Fuckers".
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Went out to New Poem Night by Writers' Block Poetry (3rd Fridays, Kafe Kerouac).
Does Columbus plow at all, or just let the cars drive it off. It's like hemming your jeans by walking off the extra length. Sure it gets the job done, but really...
Ahem, for the record, I read "Text Editor" and "The Good Old Days".
Then I listened to Vernell record for a cd. Had some insights into her work. Then too much caffeine. Way too much caffeine.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
I've been reading a lot of Christopher Moore lately. I'm going to say the top three, for me, are:
Lamb
A Dirty Job
Love SucksI'm reading Coyote Blue right now and I should probably go ahead and put it in the top tier already. It's pretty good. Island of the Sequined Love Nun was quite enjoyable too -- easily second tier.
Moore does have this tendency to re-use characters. Most of the time it's cool, but sometimes you have to wonder why he imported the screw-up pilot living in micronesia with a telepathic fruit bat and islander bride (Island of the Sequined Love Nun) into a quick for-profit Christmas book set in the oft-used-by-Moore Pine Cove, CA (The Stupidest Angel).
It all reminds me of Dick Francis because he is an author who is apparently the opposite. Francis seems virtually phobic of re-using characters even when, clearly, it is the same small-statured former jockey with a strict sense of right and wrong that has populated all his other books. I like Francis' books, I really do, but it does get a little confusing keeping track of whatever name he's given the protagonist this time. We know it's the same guy. Ok, ok, he's got dark hair this time -- got it.
If you are in the mood for Francis, but want something with more teeth and less moralizing, try that old favorite of mine, John MacDonald. O, I love those books. I like Ian Flemming too, for that matter.
A note about Wednesday, a snowday for all
Yesterday, Wednesday, was a snowday for all. I cleaned the bathroom, did dishes, and caught up on laundry and, by the end of the day, the bathroom was dirty, the dishes piled in the sink, and there was laundry to do. We also made inedible cup cakes. Sometimes you have to make food just for the fun of it, but if you have too much fun with eggs and food dye, it really isn't going to taste any good.Monday, February 12, 2007
I plan to write next about...myself! Actually, I'm going to write about all that rhyming I do in my work. What, you didn't notice?
In other news: A poem worth sharing. It's called "I Am Still Thinking About This Crow"
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Yesterday, Joanna Schroeder, Dave Noble, and I held a kids poetry workshop party. Joanna anchored the event with a rousing presentation of famous poetry about dragons, pirates, dinosaurs, and mythical, made up beasts. The kids inched forward, faces shining. Joanna really has a magic touch with kids, plus she had prepared a great set of poetry. Then we had a writing/drawing period followed by a reading time.
I know many of the kids are still turned onto poetry this morning. One of them is my daughter who took this poem of Andrew's using all the words he knows how to spell by himself:
"Cat stop.
Stop cat.
Ni ni oo aioi"And she gave it a plot. Apparently the cat is about to be run over: Cat stop! Get away from the street. Stop! Cat, stop! Cat! St-- Ooo.
Then we went bowling. Bowling was a lot of fun. It's hard to watch a kid try to throw a bowling ball overhand down the alley. I haven't been since before Carolyn was born.
Bowling is a little like Scrabble. Open with a couple strikes and people get all scared. OTOH, Donielle is clearly a real bowler.
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
I received word today that Parting Gifts will be publishing five of my poems in their Summer 2007 issue. Here are the titles.
The Plagiarist Speaks
She Said
Adopted People
Anticipating My Father's Death
Dance of My Forefathers"The Plagiarist Speaks" has never been read in public. And it was written in 2004. This is one of the very few instances in which I think a poem is good enough to send out, but haven't made the time to fit it into an open mic reading. "She Said" is a haiku.
UPDATE UPDATE: I was totally wrong about "The Plagiarist Speaks". My records show I read it in May 2004 (at a mini feature at the San Franscisco Oven -- thank you, Mary Kim!) and in December 2004 (at Writers' Block). Sheesh, I blocked that out. For the record, I don't track readings in a spread sheet any more, I usually just make a note in the journal entry if I write one. Do you guys track what poems are read? I've seen Scott do it. He's very professional. I'm just compulsive about keeping records.
This happened once before: a journal took everything I sent them. It seems a little weird, like they should have a little more discretion. They can't like me that much, aye? Aye, but they do.
This is the journal for which I had targeted "Ok, Fuckers" because they're willing to published work with swear words. (No, it's not like 3 AM in which asses, pussies, and penises are de rigour. They're classier than that.) But that poem happens to be out at a contest to which I submitted the five most wildly different poems I could.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Columbus poets: the deadline for applying to read at the poetry corner during the Columbus Arts festival is fast approaching. The postmark deadline is Mon., Feb. 12, 2007.
This is also a contest. Rose M. Smith won it last year. Kathleen Burgess came in 2nd. I came in 3rd. John Croker won it the previous year and Mikelle Hickman-Romine won it the year before that. Now those are different style poets, for sure. It really shows the diversity of this town.
They always want good people. This year, I hear it's especially important. Get your submissions in if you haven't already. Go to www.gcac.org to find the application.
Friday, February 2, 2007
Today, the guy who partially inspired "Ok, Fuckers" with his constant swearing to himself told me he is leaving for a better job in greener pastures. He used to sit in an office adjoining the room where I worked. You could hear him all day: "Goddammit!" "Fuckers!"
And so I wish a fond farewell and all the best to that really nice guy, goddammit all.
I've been very busy at work this week -- running around to training all over town it seems like. The first training event was a result of my soliciting the advice of a photography professor at the main campus of the university where I work. We had a great conversation. I think I'll be able to go to her with photography questions and situations again. (Electronic information was exchanged.) She has gotten me to use a whole new setting on the camera and I have an event today at 11:45 am to go try it out.
The drawback to training: In training you get ideas for poems and can do nothing about them. Argh.