We made it! It is Friday. Thanks for those of you who read through my blogs this week. I had a lot of fun connecting my professional life with my writing life this week. I actually drafted some poems during this week as well! I’m continuing to work on my abecedarian project so the poem I’m sharing this week was inspired by that project and the conversations I heard around me from working teachers/writers/parents etc. I was working on another project with poems about a painter that I thought would be a chapbook. I realized last week, however, that I really only had about 10 poems I really liked in that “series” and that the newer material I had been creating for the last few months just wasn’t engaging me so I have folded that series into my 3rd poetry collection manuscript and one made its way into the abc project. Ya just never know where they are going to go!
–And now to dig into the revisions 
As always I want you to share your work in progress via link or posting directly as I take down any works posted a week from today (including mine). And, of course, you don’t have to be working in poetry.
Here are some additional items to share:
- I’ll be part of a three person publishing panel and book signing at City Light Books on July 21st at 2pm if you know anyone in the area of Sylva, NC.
- One of the online lit mags I’m reading right now is Diverse Voices Quarterly. Love their new format. Easier to read online.
- I’m also reading Handful of Dust in which I have a poem. If any of my Summer Institute friends from the writing project stop by they might recognize that poem as I workshopped it with some of them last summer.
- Sort of reading, but more listening, how about Natalie Merchant singing old poems for a TedTalk?
I’m sure I’ll have more to share next week when I’m mostly free of obligations except the writing which is, mostly, a joy Oh, and submitting some more work. I did submit two sets of poems this week. Yay!
Well, Happy Friday, everyone!
I actually have been reading you blog posts everyday, and found them all really interesting….I just didn’t have much to comment about, so I left that to the people who know what they’re talking about! LOL. I did enjoy reading them though.
Jessie both poems, the one you shared here, and the one in Handful of Dust are fabulous. Great work. I love the way you write….and sounds like you have had a productive writing and submitting week as well. Excellent.
I, on the other hand, have been feeling kinda meh about things….I have a bunch of stuff out now that I’m waiting for responses on, (and ugh, some have an average response time of 3-4 months…I like instant gratification…ha ha) but I’ve only witten four this week…and I use the word “witten” loosely….basically I have 2 super rough drafts, one that is almost there, but needs something, (and is maybe just meh anyway) and this one which I will share—which I also am feeling meh about. I don’t know. Have been uninspired anyway, but quit smoking (again) yesterday, and not in a great mood (trying to replace nicotine with caffiene and sugar not working) so I’m kind of just feeling blah in general. Well anyway, have a wonderful weekend all!
–and the poem is gone
Val, this is so not “meh”.
I fell in love instantly, the first two lines had me. You know how Jessie has that voice that is her . ..that thing in her poems that we love? You have a Val voice that grabs me. Thinking of you as you try to stop smoking!
I second what, Val, said
love mercury pearls and so much of this in general. I’m also extremely excited thar you are trying to stop smoking! I’ve seen so many people going through that. you can do it!
and definitely not meh
Thanks. I think I’m just cranky because of the not smoking thing. I’m glad I’m doing it though. For some reason I’m craving sugar. So I’m thinking okay, I quit smoking so I can start exercising, but I’m eating more sugar now, so I will have to exercise twice as hard. arrgh. I am determined to do this though!!!
you can do it! when I stress I.crave sweets. I.get that! hang in there
I am smiling as you shift your poems around and find connections even there, between them all, as to what they will be and where they will go.
All of it, and the ending .. .wow! It was a little different subject matter from you, and that just sparked me. Yay Jessie!! “I never considered saying no until thirty” . . .oh , I loved this particularly!
I was so thrilled at The Rebellion!
I’ve only had two ideas this week. This one I’m not sure flows good . . not sure it connects things together within the poem, from beginning to ending . .. not sure it is understandable enough, if readers can take anything away from it. So please, be honest and just say if it doesn’t really work for any of you! Oh gosh . .. I just realized it doesn’t have a title even. Really new. haha!
–another poem is out!
this is amazing, Debbie! so your voice but an expansion if it. it gas a dreamlike feel to it. perhaps dream in the title somewhere?
I have to agree with Jessie, amazing! I really like this. As usual, you have that knack of saying so much in a few lines. I like the way I can hear your “voice” the way you say you can hear mine… It’s cool. LOL about the title. I’m sure you’ll come up with a good one.
thanks ladies! You have me thinking about a dream title Jessie! You always see things that I don’t . . thank you!
Here I go reading great stuff and I have to dig to find something. Got hubs work laptop, but mine will be up and running next week.
I have nothing to say about the work, but how good it is!
Here is one that was rejected, well only once, so lets see what you suggest…
–another one another one is off as well
very descriptive piece but I think what might hold it back is the risk of cliche note the title as an example. perhaps challenge for new phrasing?
I really liked the way you wrote it so I could picture it perfectly, Elizabeth! The dog lapping up the tipped drink at the end was great too! Glad you shared!!!!
I’m not sure about this one…was just a play at a prose one day, but I didn’t even think about cliche’s Jessie. What direction would you guys suggest I go…
try something adventurous. For every moment where you find an image that might lend itself to cliche try to challenge it and find something different you could say. Instead of the dog panting, for example, how else could you describe it? Might be a fun exercise in playing with language