I don’t have as many online things to share this week. Maybe that means I’ve been spending more time away from the computer? No. I’ve been at the computer a lot, but I’ve spent a lot of time just working and less time “playing” I guess you could say. Although this morning has involved quite a bit of browsing in the Google app store as I continue my move to more cloud based working.
But, I have managed to attempt some poems this week. The one below is one that I’m working on as I continue to play with different forms and the alphabet:
–thanks for the comments. I’ll go revise her now 
I look forward to hearing about what you guys have been working on. Feel free to share your work and/or links in comments. My work and anything you post will be taken down one week from today.
I also sent out submission packets this week and saved the names of some contests and anthologies I might be interested in submitting to in the future.
Since I’m not posting as many things to share today I think I’ll answer a question that Elizabeth posted to me: How do you pick literary magazines? I did a post titled The Puzzle: Which Poems Go Where about two years ago so I am linking to that as primary source material. That post also links to other posts where I’ve touched on the topic.
We may need to extend on this topic, but look through those sources and then feel free to add on additional questions. Let’s start a conversation.
Thanks for doing this again Jessie. I will go read and come back to see what others say. Not sure what poem I will post, but yours is interesting. Not sure I do so well with writing from alphabet or others you have done in the past. Today I’m distracted by this laptop and how sensitive it is compared to my recently deceased. Will be back…
Ah getting used to new tech is always interesting, but I bet you are relieved! I have a fascination with the alphabet just as a thing. Always did. I think I am writing so much into a series or with a type of form etc because I don’t have as many “memory” type things to pull from. It is a way to get me started writing.
I was just reading back through my “jobs” manuscript and finding a few poems that are pretty “meh.” Wondering how long it will take me to finalize that manuscript to send out . . .
i love your poem and think I have been that girl who didn’t want to practice!
Also, I’m am thinking about you doing alphabet poems and different form poems . . .as a way to keep yourself writing when you don’t have any memories to pull from. I realize that I pull more from what is happening day to day than from memories. hhhmm. Just pondering these things in your comment box! haha!
Thank you for help us and addressing Elizabeth’s question. Is this just to read or to submit to, I’m wondering?
Here’s what I’m working on this week . . .
–the poem is slipping away
Wow, another one I really like, Deb! There’s such a sadness here. (and in a lot of your poems) but I think that is what I relate to, what resonates with me. Also, I think it is good to write about the everyday things because if we only write about the past memories, we get stuck I think. ( I am waaayyy too into writing about the past, i think, btw and need to work on that) but your poem here is a perfect example of how writing about the day to day things can inspire us — or like you have done here, made something ordinary a metaphor for something very emotional and powerful.
I second what VAL says below. Your ability to right about the hear and now is such a great gift. that fits in with your lyrical voice. I tend to be more reflective after time passes, but no one way is “the way.”
Elizabeth was asking me about where to submit but I think the question can apply to finding what to read as well.
Thanks Jessie and Val . .so nice to get feedback as I scribble along.
Glad too that the metaphor did come across without coming out and saying it. I was wondering. Have a great weekend!
You are very good at capturing things we have all done or may do someday Debbie! I often go back to memory, because it”s when I am doing something that reminds me LOL I need to work on that!
Great post! Links to links to links to links….I could read all day! Love it! Great topics.
I love your poem, Jessie…I read it three times. I love just saying Duende, although I had to look it up. You’d think my Spanish would be better…since I am hanging on to the “Rojas” lol. I love the alliteration and the word play you have been using lately. The poem I’m gonna share today does similar things. I think you’ve inspired me again.
Although I have not written but that one poem this week and that was just last night, so it’s really raw, (suggestions anyone?) but I have three from last week or so that I’m gonna send out today. And I’m looking for a place to send my short story-flash fiction thingy. I also like “the process” of writing you mention (in one of the previous posts you linked to, I think) of writing, revising, sending them out, and then either revising them more or keep looking for a home — I guess I kind of like organizing things too. I’m hoping that now that the little kids are gone for the weekend, and the Dr. appointments etc are done with, I can relax a little and write some more. But I am still craving cigarettes! Gah!
–this poem went to take a nap
stay strong against -as we taunted my family members who smoked – those cancer sticks
this is a strong piece already that just needs trimming I think. like leading in from title to poem is great, but I’d push into more like the second line. I don’t quite get the twitching part …
as you know from my tweets I was playing with organizing all day!
Oh my goodness Val! I really loved this, your word choices ( I snatch it up, crumple it in my palm – love!) and am so amazed by just the idea itself. Wonderful job and best wishes as you submit more work!
Thanks Debbie! Yes, there are things I like about this, and things I don’t. Thanks for the good wishes too!
LOL. I almost bought some today, but stayed strong and realized I am actually breathing better. I also realized that every time I have a negative emotion I want to go smoke. Ha ha. Total crutch.
Yeah, I wish I could find a good non-paper organizational system. I wish there was one with little sticky notes, or like shapes you could just stick on things, as I do that on paper–my own little coding system. But I am probably way over-thinking like I have a tendency to do.
So as far as the poem–yeah, needs tweaking, I seriously just posted exactly what I drafted, (’cause this is all I got! lol) so I’m not even sure about the twitching part myself! Ha ha! It’s going in the keep/revise folder though, because I kind of like the idea of it…just need to play around a bit. Trim it up some like you say. After seeing your abecedarian poems, and reading about your project I’ve been wanting to write one, then today I saw a prompt for one so that’s what I’m doing now….instead of smoking. LOL.
awesome! look.forward to.seeing what you come up with
Nooooo, I get the twitching…because it comes on so quick, like emotion and any reason we do what we do from habits! Okay I’m say I like this. I can see some trimming, but I felt it…love it, and read it three times!
Amazingly, I managed to crank out two short stories (and make a decision on another story about that pesky tense question). I also completed and posted a book review (someone requested it when they saw my review of “Fat Girl,” actually), and produced a poem. I feel productive.
that is a productive week!!!
Wow! Super productive!!!
Yes, and jealous of the productive week. I’m going to try and produce some things. I have one draft that has ‘rooted’ my brain s
and this trigger happy laptop beneath my fingers is massively irritating me right now grrrrrr!
Okay, here is mine…
–if you blinked you may have missed the poem!
Elizabeth Akin Stelling
And in case you didn’t know, if Jessie allows this, I have a poem up at vox poetica
and photos at Referential Magazine
Wow, Elizabeth! I’m so jealous at how you do your long poems and take us places , on a journey, in them!
Excellent!
Also I read you in Vox Poetica! Congratulations! And Yay for your photos in Referential! You are everywhere! wwwooooohoooo!
BTW putting in hyper links embedded apparently put you in the spam folder.
for some reason the length of this one made me want it either in sections or for it to actually merge over to being prose. it almost feels like an essay!
Congrats on the pubs
I saw the both and -of course- posted one of them!
Really Jessie? I’ve striven for the past two years to write longer pieces with my ADD voice and attention span LOL Hmmm
Jessie a few weeks back on my blog I wrote a post about my publishing career for the year, just like you do! I felt like it was trailing behind you, one of my mentors, way behind you of course, but picking up the bread pieces you drop for us….I did get my first SASE rejection Saturday before my trip, but it didn’t really bother me, because the poems had already been accepted!
ah paper rejections! classic
I’m working on longer poems as well! I should leave carrot instead of bread crumbs. LOL