I seem to be having one of those days where the day is going ZOOM. In any case I have really enjoyed blogging this week so I wanted to make sure to poke my head in first thing and get my favorite blog of the week posted.
I do have a few items to share before my poem of the week. The first is an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education yet I think it has something to say to anyone who lives their life with a curious nature, which is most writers I know.
I also want to give a shout out to my poet-artist friend Amy Bagwell as she has this great new website that shows how she puts poems and art together. You’ll love this!
And from just the other day a reader of this blog reminded me of the resource The Review Review if you are looking for literary magazines to read and submit to.
My poem for this week was actually typed on my phone while I was waiting before one of the various meetings I had this week. This is the original version I think. I haven’t had any time to work on revising. This poem started from a title prompt I had for myself for my painter poem chapbook project but it morphed away from the title so I’ll hold that prompt to myself – for now – and work on it again later.
–off for revision!
Please share, in comments, anything you have been working on and I’ll take down any works in progress next week. You can also post links if you are posting on your blog.
Besides a busy week at the computer writing and revising (and let’s face it procrastinating by doing things like “research” on other projects) I also found some time to submit work this week.
Next week I’ll spend most of four days at a local conference sponsored by the UNCC branch of the National Writing Project.I plan to attend the conference digitally so I’m hoping to be able to blog, tweet, facebook etc while at the conference. I won’t take any paper with me! I’ll have to report in how that goes 
Well, first it was great to see you at Poetry Hickory. That night was a real jump starter to creativity: a workshop by and with other poets, great readings, music, buying and selling books, poet chit-chat. Even my Frappe was good. I got read Scott Owens’ book For One Who Knows How to Own Land and five other books or chapbooks. I’ve read two.
I really like your poem. Nice word play and images. And (I think it’s just me) I can see where you are going so much better when it looks like a poem rather than a block of prose. I love interesting line and stanza breaks, and here you have them.
After reading Scott’s book, I wrote this:
–and now the poem is gone too
All the italics are lost, but I think you can imagine where they are.
It was great to see you to and to hang out with all those poets! After working on some other poems this morning I seem to be playing with language a lot, but I’m not sure this poem will ultimately be a keeper.
You can thank the digital move for me putting more linebreaks in things I think
What a terrific inspired poem! Now I can’t wait to get to Scott’s book in my pile before I pick up his other book as well. Love the idea of “zygote toward revision” in particular. Awesome work. Think this one is probably just about ready (if not ready) to go out into the world. Nice when you get to see the baby do that!
Thanks, Jessie. I added the word zygote just before I copied it here.
Oooh, a great way at looking at the process. I love it! I just might have to pick up Scott’s book now as well!
he’s been so prolific the last few years so I got behind with the last few. I’m missing one!
Jessie, thank you for the links and I found the higher education article really making a good point . . .more to think about, for us all!
Oh, your poem is good . . no matter if it strayed from the prompt, that we don’t know about.
I loved those nods and it has me thinking about affirmations. Wonderful!
I have a loose one, that needs work, but the idea came from a blog post at twominutesofgrace – wordpress – by Debbie Branson. So she is the inspiration behind this!
–another poem is off and running
Debbie! I love this one! If it needs work as you say, I don’t think it needs much. Again, love how you say so much so compactly.
I’m with VAL this one feels done! and I never realized where the whose got the button saying came.from
my poem doesn’t feel like a keeper but it was necessary for me to write. I’m definitely getting a chance to think about process this summer.
BTW chef e is having computer problems so she may not get to log in. she wanted to say hey to everyone
OMG, so in love with Amy Bagwell’s art! I’ve incorporated lines from my poems into my art before, but what she does is absolutely brilliant!! So cool. And speaking of art and cool, your poem is really cool Jessie! Awesome first draft. I’m sure you’ll play around with it more, and though I like it the way it is, whatever you do to it can take it even further, I’m sure. I hope it does turn out to be a keeper, because I really like the idea of the artist adressing the critic. Another cool thing is that you did it from your phone! Yay! LOL.
Well, I know what you mean about the day zooming by, this week seems to have as well. It’s been a crazy week, finding out my daughter has ADD, a call from the principal, lots of teen drama from my son and his friends as well. So I have been pretty out of it and not writing much, although I wrote three last week that I submitted. AND today, I got an email from an editor saying to disregard the previous form letter rejection, that they actually want to publish two of the poems out of the group I sent. So I’m super happy about that!! Anyway, the only thing I have for today is this kind of experiment thing….I was reading Sonnet XXIV by Edna St. Vincent Millay, and for some reason wanted to kind of turn it around and twist it up a bit. So I tried to write it “Sonnet-like” and it has fourteen lines, but there is no rhyme scheme like a proper sonnet. Ugh, rhyming is hard. I’m just kinda “meh” about it. But it was kinda fun to do. I’ll follow my poem with the original sonnet in case anybody wants to see how I messed with it. Not something I would ever submit, just an excercise to get my brain going.
Happy Friday to everyone! Can’t wait to see what you guys have been writing!
–took V’s sonnet down but leaving up E St’V's
When you, that at this moment are to me (Sonnet XXIV)
by Edna St. Vincent Millay
When you, that at this moment are to me
Dearer than words on paper, shall depart,
And be no more the warder of my heart,
Whereof again myself shall hold the key;
And be no more—what now you seem to be—
The sun, from which all excellences start
In a round nimbus, nor a broken dart
Of moonlight, even, splintered on the sea;
I shall remember only of this hour—
And weep somewhat, as now you see me weep—
The pathos of your love, that, like a flower,
Fearful of death yet amorous of sleep,
Droops for a moment and beholds, dismayed,
The wind whereon its petals shall be laid.
Val, Val, Val! You might not be thinking submission with this one, but boy did it get to ME! I LOVE the twist and what you did with it. ” the suffering of affection” – Wow. And “you, leaving my earth again.” – more wow! Thanks for being here, Val! You are an amazing poet.
I’m with Deb that this one feels publishable. There are a lot of people writing 14 line poems that are sort of sonnets. I’ve played with that before. 14 lines is such a nice length
glad you like Amy’s work. I’m treating myself to one of her pieces: the gymnastic girl. I just had to have it!
I am still not sure if the poem is a keeper -mine- but I may be able to move it into my jobs project (full length collection) because of the title with a few tweaks. you guys keep me trying!
Thanks you guys!
I may include it with my next group of poems….um…once there is a group finished that is…ha ha…and YOU GUYS keep ME trying!
Debbie–thank you for the compliments. You are pretty amazing yourself.
Jessie, I think you should think about keeping and tweaking your poem, I almost feel like there is more you want to say…..but what do I know…lol Anyway looking forward to the collection regardless of whether it makes it in or not.
Lucky you! I loved the gymnastic one too. I may contact her about one of the pieces if I can scrape up some extra $….they are just so cool. I also love how by merging her poetry with art it all becomes art as one, but gives a little push towards the poetry world too.
Sorry Chef E is having ‘puter probs….Hi right back to her.
good luck with the submitting! the poem is growing on me (mine) but others I took out of the collection are not!
Wow you guys there is lots of good stuff here. I finally got hubs iPad on board today. Jealous I cannot write or paste something. Love the poem and post Jessie. I need to send Helen money and use birthday funds for more books!
there are ways to copy and paste on the ipad but definitely clunky
yay for more books!!
I have no clue lol hopefully new computer by Friday