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My thoughts on writing and other random things as they come up. |
| This is a blog where I keep my thoughts and daily comments about writing and WDC. |
Huffington Post article on Thirteen thoughts on Poetry.  This in particular made me think: "A form will survive if it's dynamic, and if its practitioners are dynamic. It will remain relevant if its practitioners are listening for the ways in which they are needed. If a poet makes himself available to his time, and if he volunteers his service to his time, he will be of use, and if he is of use, he will find satisfaction." Did you find something thought provoking in the article? If so - please share! |
| End of semester Crunch Time! As far as school goes - I have a presentation on 5 poems by Allison Hedge Coke and a portfolio of ten poems due on Monday, along with 16 poems to workshop for Wed & Friday! AGH!Plus a daughter graduating from college in a couple weeks, (and hopefully getting a job, and possibly moving), a second daughter buying a house and moving, a third daughter going to prom and generally driving me crazy. Oh yeah - and we're getting a new roof put on due to hail damage. So - my presence and availability is about zero for the next three weeks. I don't think I'm going to get to participate in the Iowa MOOC. Just not enough time! Everyone stay safe! :) C |
My horoscope today: "Don't be afraid of words." *LOL* |
| I was updating my super short list of publications ("Invalid Item" ) today, and I noticed how long it had been since I had anything published. ACK! I have to get busy! I haven't been submitting like I should, just barely enough to keep something in circulation at all times. I have had my share of rejections lately (by rejection date - see below). Superstition Review, (10-24-14) James Hearst Poetry Prize (10-30-14) Pirene's Fountain (11-20-14) Thrush (2-9-15) Midwestern Gothic (2-18-15) Anyway - Intima is doing something kind of cool. They invite poets who have had work accepted to write a guest blog, relating another poet's work (previously published in Intima) to their own work (published in Initma). My guest post was posted today, so I'm counting that as a publication! *LOL*.Anyway - I love how this creates deeper engagement with the work, and consequently, greater investment by the author in the journal. Great place to submit if you have any poetry medically related. Now - I'm off to dust off something to submit! Best, C |
| Today I loved this: Poet Jane Hirshfield On How To Read Poetry And Restore 'Amazement .I needed this! And this made me think (reposted from Rattle Facebook page): In his note today, Tony Gloeggler refers to the argument between Claudia Rankine and Tony Hoagland—I assumed everyone knows about it, but many people have asked, so … Hoagland published this poem, "The Change," in 2003: http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/change-audio-only At 2011's AWP Conference, Rankine talked about her reaction to the poem: http://www.poets.org/…/text/open-letter-dialogue-race-and-p… Hoagland later responded this this open letter: http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/…/dear-claudia-letter-response Race in America is an extremely complicated issue, of course, and so this small debate has generated much discussion among poets. Personally, it's one of those situations where I can see both sides of it—I think they're both right, though Rankine is more courteous in her rightness. Anyway, if you were wondering, that's what Gloeggler was talking about after writing his own poem about the n-word. |
| I read somewhere recently that sometimes a book needs time. In other words, it needs to be the right time in your life for you to be receptive to it. When I first started learning about poetry, I bought a bunch of poetry books. I skimmed through them, looking for secret 'get rich quick' techniques that would help me improve my work quickly. Now, a full three years later, I find one of these books on my shelf, and open it again, and realize that the time is now. (And I just need MORE time to read).What I read before, I'm not sure I remember, and I need what is in here - desperately. And I get it now. So - I am reading Can Poetry Matter, and How to Read a Poem and The Pursuit of Poetry .Oh, and my assigned works, Allison Hedge Coke's Blood Run , Streaming , Dog Road Woman , and Off Season City Pipe. .Hedge Coke is for my final project in my advanced poetry class - A poet affiliated with Oklahoma (She lives in Guthrie, a city about 30 miles away). She also fits with my overall reading mission for this year to read more diverse books. She's apparently a blond, with Indian background, and a very diverse life experiential base. I need a week just to read!!! EEK! Luckily, the weather here is good - so far. It's been easy to spend weekend afternoons on the porch swing, reading. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** I hope the sunshine finds you today! Sil |
I LOVE Book Riot. If you don't follow them - you should. They have a great video out on how to get free books (i.e., Giveaways).Another way to get books is via Book Bub . They have some free, and many discounted books offered on a daily basis. Many of the discounted books are best sellers.And of course - don't forget your local Library - many libraries now have E-catalogs in addition to their great regular book service. Hope you find something wonderful today! (If you are reading something wonderful - let me know what it is!) Best, Sil |
| It's snowing again - and I am off work and youngest is out of school because of the weather. And our family has been fighting illness since Feb. 11th. Youngest - sick the entire time. I had a bout myself, but I'm better. Hopefully this snow day will help us get rested and back on our feet! The good news is that I have a day to catch up on homework, I have a fire, plenty of food and water, and two very spoiled puppies! ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** I hope it is safe and warm where you are! Blessings to you, Sil |
| Recommended reads My teacher recommended that I read a poet named Jake Adam York. My library doesn't carry any books he has written. I have one "Abide" on ILL. I have read several pieces online. Have you read any of his work? |
| My first two poems are due in my class on Monday. EEK! *LOL* The first is about Place Names. The second is about "The Unsaid." I'm more interested in #2. I'm going to have to get busy. I've done some free writing and the teacher has given us some prompts to help us get started, but I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself. I know I've just got to let that go and get something down. We'll see what happens! That's what I will be doing with my weekend. What will you be doing with yours? |
| I have been waiting for a specific book to come out for a long time. It's called Father Brother Keeper, by Nathan Poole, who is one of my favorite writers of all time. It's out now on Kindle. It's a series of short stories that have a southern gothic feel. My Amazon Review has been posted.As has one on goodreads that says essentially the same thing. I don't think I did a very good job conveying just exactly how wonderful I think this work is. I'll have to work on my persuasive essay skills! A few other books I would recommend that I read this month are all Young Adult. Bright Side by Kim HoldenThis book was recommended by a facebook friend. For the first half of the book I couldn't figure out what the big deal was. Then I figured out the big deal. Ugly Cry book big time, but also about hope and love, and dealing with grief. The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy NelsonAnother YA with a romance involved, but mostly about dealing with grief. Puddle Jumping by Amber JohnsonAnother YA romance, with an unexpected diversity angle that I loved. What's on your recommended read list? |
Just a simple wish for a safe and happy holiday - I hope you have time to relax and enjoy the time with your loved ones. And good food - and good weather! Blessings, Sil |
| "If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry." Emily Dickinson. I'm a soccer mom, or pretty close to one. I am well aware that diversity is lacking in my life, and in my reading, both fiction and poetry. This flattens me as a person, and as an artist. In order to counteract this, I read as much "diverse" works, including poetry, as I possibly can. I don't always understand it, or get it. I also am sort of 'against' anything that feels alarmist or extremely political. I don't like to have my neat little world tinkered with I guess. So I try to expand, carefully. If that makes any sense.... But - today - I got a book on Inter-library loan, and it's flat blowing me away. I'm just kind of walking around shaking my head, and I'm only three poems in. I wonder if it's just me, or if it will open up windows in the soul of other poets as well... New Testament .GOT to have my own copy. Yowzer. Way to go Jericho Brown! I'm shouting from the rooftops, sharing it with everyone I can. This is a work that will change my life. Best, Sil |
| Don't really need comments on this - just need to get it out I think. I am startled sometimes by the hidden depth of grief. Today, I am uncharacteristically participating in a Christmas party with the next door office suite. First, I'm not all that social when not required to be, and second, I'm not feeling all that much like Christmas. Also - I don't feel all that confident, so it's like I'm not confident enough to not participate. Which is kind of crazy. Anyway - one of my co-workers was helping me look for a extension cord for a crock pot, and I mentioned that I was kind of forcing myself to participate in things, because if I didn't I would be so sad all the time. There was a sharp edge to that, and it sank right into my gut, and it felt so true - almost like it was like it was cutting me, and I started to cry. How can it be Christmas. Why should I make myself try to enjoy it? How come I feel so alone, when I am not the only member of my family going through this? I can feel depression lurking in the wings, and I'm combating it with exercise. I know it's probably NOT only that Barbara passed away. I know it's a combination of things. But it's mourning all the same. And I'm fighting it, the only ways I know how. I read a book yesterday called The Sky is Everywhere . It's a book I would consider a recommended YA read.It's about a young girl, and her sister dies. It's about coping with death, and the magnitude of emotions. It's a little bit angsty, but the overall message was a strong one, and I enjoyed the book. I felt like it helped me in several ways, although reading sad books about death is probably not the best way for me to get out of this pit. Although, in some ways it feels necessary. One line in the book really resonated strongly. To paraphrase, "I will grieve forever, because I will love you forever, and grief and love are inexorably intertwined." That felt very true. And reading the book made me feel a little less alone. Sorry to be such a bummer at Holiday Time. Blessings to you and yours. Sil |
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving we got learned that my Mom-in-law wasn't doing too well, and was not expected to live much longer. So I gave up on Nanowrimo this year (and we cancelled Thanksgiving). She died last Tuesday (December 2), but I was able to spend a lot of time with her before she passed. Since then, we have been busy with funeral arrangements and tending to each other. I know I was determined to power through, but this was more than I could stand, and I'm glad I let it go. I have a feeling it's going to be a while before I feel much like writing again, but that's okay. I'm glad I had kind of cleared my plate for Nanowrimo, because that made it easier to spend time with Barb. And of course, some things are just more important than writing. She was a great lady and will be so missed. Blessings to you this Holiday, Sil |
| 25,013. I might write a little more today, I'm feeling compelled. And also a little freaked out. I'm half way through the book and drawing closer to the climax (planned for about 38-40k words). That doesn't seem like enough time for me to flesh out everything that needs to be fleshed out before then - but I'm determined to get the structure right this time. My goal this year is to finish a story in 50k words. Novel? Maybe not - but at least I will have the structure down, instead of a barely tacked together series of scenes that bare little relationship to each other. I want rising action. I want a solid narrative arc. Inciting incident, climax, turning points. All the things I resisted when I first started writing three years ago. Let's see what happens when I do it right. Words that used to terrify me now make me kind of happy. *LOL* Some days I feel like it's sagging, some days I feel like it's rocketing along too quickly. But I guess that is what second drafts are for ... Here's to the half way day. *cheers everyone on* And no matter where you are in your word count - remember one thing. Any words are better than no words. Even if it is just one word, you are ahead of where you were before. Plod on - one finger, one character, one word at a time. WRITE ON! |
I've spent the last several weeks with one mantra echoing around in my skull. "Not particularly creative." Out of all the things I could have zeroed in on, among a multitude of positives, the one pretty heavy negative seems to be following me around like a caboose. And it's bringing down the train. Maybe because in my secret heart of hearts, I feel like this is true. I'm not particularly creative when it comes to writing. I'm average with my ideas, on a good day. But - I am wondering if creativity can be cultivated or taught. I always thought it went hand in hand with things like talent and luck. Creative = Talent + Unique/original idea+ vision + cool + meaning + persistence I keep hearing and reading that people constantly doubt their own talent or creativity. But I keep having this feeling, that in my case, at least, it's probably true. I'm not really looking for cheerleaders here, just honest answers. Do you think creativity, at least when it comes to writing - can be cultivated, or taught? |
My husband, the devoted hunter, gets a little crazy around hunting season. For instance, when I leaned to kiss him goodbye, he stepped away and said, "Please don't get your womanliness all over me!" I had to laugh. I'm not a scented lotion/perfume kind of woman. That just made it funnier! Oh what a difference 25 years make! *LOL*. An hour later, as I was getting ready for work, I was drinking coffee and looking out our picture window. My husband was freezing in the dark in a tree start about 20 miles away. Some how that made the warm coffee in my hand even nicer. I saw the deer when the dog started barking. A whole passel of them. Five angry does, and one very busy buck. The little bitty buck was chasing one of them around in circles, then another. It was an exercise in futility. The rest of them stood around and watched, I could almost hear the dialogue. "Run Mabel! Don't let him catch you." It looked like a comedic stage production. My husband didn't see any deer this morning. Probably because they were busy cavorting in my yard. There ought to be a story in there somewhere! C |
Someone said that Adrienne Rich's book: The Dream of A Common Language was a must read. My library didn't have that one, so I'm reading Adrienne Rich's "Diving Into The Wreck." One of the strands I follow, the thing but not the thing... So far the poem "After Twenty Years" has resonated deeply with me. So I started more research. And I came upon this Poem Talk from Kelly Writer's House. .I have a feeling I will be thinking about her work "Wait" most of the day. It will require my own close read. My initial feeling is to want to resist political poetry. I'm not sure why and must consider in greater detail. How do you feel about political poetry? Best, C |
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