I’m in the process of taking down last week’s Thursday poem share, but the system is being a little bit buggy! Don’t worry though. I will get it done.
For this week’s poem share I have one that came from an idea. That isn’t always a good thing. Sometimes when I hold onto these ideas for several weeks and then come back to them the resulting poems end up being very ho hum. I have a few more on my list that I want to try that end up revolving around games in some way.
—And now I’ll get back to revising 
Feel free to post your work in progress and comment on mine. They will come down a week from today.
In other news I finished drafting all the poems I wanted to for the project I was working on last. I now have 31 poems to go through (don’t think all are keepers) for what I think might be a chapbook. Not sure when I’ll feel the chapbook is ready to start sending around to publishers, but I am looking forward to reading through it to see what came from those months of working on the project.
Didn’t have any poems to submit this week, but had some rejections, including one from what I’d consider to be a “1st tier” journal that I really want to get into someday. This rejection had some comments so that keeps me going. I also sent out my full length manuscript again this week as well as the poetry craft essay I’m trying to find a home for.
It was a week of getting back into the game. For those who didn’t see the previous post I am adding a list of services I hope to do as a freelancing in 2013 (although some of them can start now) so I’ll continue to update that list, and I hope some of you will join me.
As sort of a writing prompt for the week I’m thinking about the movie Crash (2004) that I FINALLY got around to watching. It is a really interesting look into the different faces of racism, but also – I think – more at the core is how we are all flawed in some way. That is something to perhaps think and write about this week.
Look forward to hearing what everyone has been up to!
Jessie, I loved The Full House and the game idea . .. how you worked it , in the poem. I thought that 2nd and 3rd stanza were wonderful . .. and the part of how mom didn’t collect on loans or ever win. You made me remember the things we would play as kids . .. my cousin and I played Life every time she’d spend the night.
My brothers and I had these complex scenes that we made out of modeling clay.
I’m excited about that for you. You are such a good teacher.
I checked out your services and asked a question there!
Just a random question, do you have to pay each time you send your full length manuscript out? Do you have to inquire as to if they would be interested or not, or just send it?
I have something from the NOVPAD challenge, day one . .. ( I didn’t make it through the whole month this year.)
–poem is gone
Thanks for your questions, Debbie! Funny the poem I’m typing up today is called “The Game of Life.” I had to try that one. It was a favorite in our house as well. On the manuscript question, I’m reading them and helping get them ready for submission, but I could do a blog post sometime just about the process of submitting manuscripts/chapbooks. I also may have some older posts about that. Most places have contests or reading periods so that is when you send them.
And now on to your poem! And, I love it
I think it could definitely be one that would fit in at “Referential” (or other places). Woot!
Love your poem too, Deb!! Another keeper…so keep on submitting!
Heh! Debbie, I like that too. Fitted sheets hide some many things…and are hard to fold.
Debbie is right Jessie the way you work stuff into poetry is wonderful, I am trying that with this poem…something that comes to mind after working in ethnic restaurants and still friends with the chefs, you learn so much about culture. I am still working this one out, any suggestions are welcome. Otherwise I have been writing micro fiction after dreams wake me up laughing!
–the poem is on a journey
I love all of the places and cultural things in this, E! I get a bit confused around the 5th stanza, but I love the part about Ganesh lead in smaller and smaller circles….
So many wonderful lines in this, Elizabeth! I loved the great jagged knife cutting into dreams part and elephant clouds. ..great job , full of flavor and culture and imagery!
Thanks guys! After rereading from bed on hubs iPad, I already see the 5 stanza problem and this was fresh off the mental press this week
lots of work. I am also working with an editor, so we shall see where my writing will go. And a Princeton English grad at that!
Val, hubs has had a cold for three days and now I woke up really stuffy…this time of year is the worst!
love the storytelling vibe
in fact I think you should go with that and your fiction dreams!
This piece was not from a dream- some real life, a movie and a conversation about Indian food and people of my past. I got some interesting feed back concerning my use of words and their meanings, so I will rework this one, but not sure into a story…but I am open!
Okay, this darn cold is really beginning to take over my life!! I didn’t blog either day this week, haven’t read anyone else’s, and now, I just remembered this, my favorite blog, a day late!!
I have no poem for today, I didn’t get anything done with revising/submitting/etc this week, but I did jot down some ideas for some poems revolving around Medieval torture devices for some reason….perhaps I feel more tortured than usual due to this cold?? Ha ha.
I love the idea for the games poems, Jessie, and I love the one you’ve shared here. The lines about your mother are so clever and powerful. Good luck with those, and all of the other zillions of projects you’ve got going on!
I’m so glad you’ve added this services deal to all of the “zillions” of things you do! You are so good at critique and always have the best ideas. I don’t think I’ve ever shared one poem on here that you haven’t helped me with. I’ll be paying for your chapbook services as soon as I get some more poems written!!!
I may be slow and flaky lately with all things writerly, but trying for a chapbook is definitely on my agenda– and in my mind you were the one who critiqued it anyway! LOL. I’ll be more than happy to pay for your more than reasonable fees when the time comes!
Hope your cold is gone by now, Jessie, and I hope everyone else is in good health! Have a good weekend all!
Oh, and PS– I’m interested in some of the workshops too, of course!
So sorry to hear about your yucky cold! ( my daughter has had one over a week now too. blah!) I just thought the regular stuff was keeping you busy and away from blogging. Praying you get over it soon. Laughing at the Medieval torture devices! and when you get your chapbook ready to sell, I want one!!!!
LOL, you can have a copy for free!!
Yeah, the mind is a strange place– Medieval torture devices don’t seem very poetic. ha ha.
Hope your daughter feels better soon too!
Val and Deb, our marching cry is ‘Write On!’ LOL but it reminds me of the sixties… I look forward to both of your books.
ugh the cold stuff is so annoying! I have one chapbook manuscript coming my way for critique and I’ve heard some interest in the workshops so hopefully I can have some freelance cash to get by in tr spring!
Yep, that would be awesome!
….and yeah, what up with this cold?? It just won’t quit.