Poetry Fix

Some exciting poetry extravaganzas are approaching. John Gallaher will be in Rubber City next week. He will be reading with Michael Dumanis and Amy Sparks next Wednesday, October 8th at The University of Akron.

Friday I am heading to the first meeting of a spectacular writing group. This is definitely something I have been looking forward to attending. I am a poetry nerd.

My current poetry fix is C. Dale Young's The Second Person. If for some reason you have not read this book, get on Amazon right this minute. It's worth every cent. Here is the ending of a poem called "Infidelity."

For consolation, you carry a fistful of sand.

You carry yourself over the dunes with a fistful of sand
and a newly discovered love of the second person,

your shirttails small flags left in your wake.

The Pet Blogger

I can't remember where I read it, but somewhere I read a rant about poets who blog too much about their pets. You're either an animal person or not. And with pugs, well, they are similar to Jeeps...if you don't have one, you might not quite understand.

In any case, I do think I need to blog more about writing. I think about writing so much that I rarely write about it. I should.

At the same time, if you want to see my work, you can check out the journals I have listed to the right. I love reading a variety of blogs and I especially love reading blogs about the poetic craft.

So I apologize about the dog pictures and nonsense, but I know you sorta like it too.

I am a real poet, I swear. The way I look at it is like this. I need a space where I can be gushy about Telemachus and Edith. This blog helps me keep that sentimentality out of my work. Okay, well once in a while it seeps into my work. But these dogs provide me with so much love and entertainment that I can't keep it all to myself.

Factory Farming & Poetry

Ashley Capps, author of Mistaking the Sea for Green Fields, emailed me (and many other poets) to ask if I would consider posting links to both a poem she published in Boston Review and a youtube video.

What I loved so much about her email was that she said, "I absolutely don't believe people have to be vegan or vegetarian to care about the treatment, and living/dying conditions, of farm animals, or to advocate for farm animal welfare." She also selflessly mentioned that it is more important that someone watch the video than read the poem.

Hopefully, you will read the poem and watch the video. Both are worth your time.