It has been a rough summer. With two little kids at home - one that talks constantly, and one that is learning words rapidly - I often feel I don't have time to have an independent thought, only time to react, correct, direct. I haven't completed a poem all summer, though many sheets of paper … Continue reading The difficult balance of parenting and writing
Category: publishing poetry
Coffee, Books, and Pastries
We just returned from a week at the Outer Banks with our family, a trip that is the highlight of our year. One of our favorite hangouts there is Duck's Cottage, a bookstore/coffee shop with comfy couches on the porch, a small selection of books (from local and literary to "Shades of Grey"), and the … Continue reading Coffee, Books, and Pastries
Shaping Grief
Our nation mourns the terrible events of Friday night in Aurora, Colorado, and holds those who suffered - and those who are still suffering - in our hearts. From H.D.'s "The Tribute:" 7 As we lift the bright heads of the wild flowers, compare leaf to leaf, as we touch the hemlock and poppy, may … Continue reading Shaping Grief
Midsummer nights
Today I'm letting Adrienne Rich say something inspiring about this sweltering night, which has me camped in front of the A/C register. I love the coolness of her images here: the blue stones in the moonlight, and her solitude "half-blotted by darkness." Here is an excerpt from the final poem of her "Twenty-One Love Poems:" … Continue reading Midsummer nights
Debris of a derecho
On June 29, many residents of the D.C. area learned a new word: "derecho," which is an intense windstorm. We were traveling in California when it hit, but were able to see the devastating results all over the internet and Facebook. During a time of record heat, the power outages throughout the area - which … Continue reading Debris of a derecho
The Artists’ Salon
On Saturday night, I attended the first meeting of Steve and Katy May's "salon," with a number of other writers and visual artists. Steve and Katy run Plan B Press, which specializes in poetry chapbooks of astonishing, handmade detail. We passed the chapbooks around, admiring the hand-stamped letters on covers, pressed-flower linings, and of course, … Continue reading The Artists’ Salon
“I don’t understand it…but I can tell it’s good!” – Explaining poems to non-English majors
I have a friend who’s very smart and educated – but like many people I know, has a mental block when it comes to reading poetry. I don’t know why this happens. Maybe being exposed to Shakespeare or T.S. Eliot too early (really, did any among us have the maturity to appreciate Hamlet or Prufrock … Continue reading “I don’t understand it…but I can tell it’s good!” – Explaining poems to non-English majors
From paper to Kindles to iPads to…hay?
This week, Lindesay Irvine of The Guardian describes how the first 300 copies of Margaret Atwood’s newest book are being printed on a new type of paper, made completely of recycled paper and straw (read article here). Given her enormous influence in the literary world, it is heartening that Atwood chose this type of paper … Continue reading From paper to Kindles to iPads to…hay?
Creating the book cover for “Between Gods”
The book cover for "Between Gods" is now on display on the publisher's website here, along with blurbs and sample poems. The cover was designed by graphic designer Terri Edillon, featuring artwork (“The World”) by German artist Catrin Welz-Stein. (The print is available for purchase here. ) My publisher usually designs book covers in-house, but I … Continue reading Creating the book cover for “Between Gods”
Submitting poems to journals: the mathematics of yay or nay
Now that my book publication date is six months away, I want to see more of the poems in print before the book comes out. So I am searching my Poet's Market book for the right places. Submitting poems to journals can be an agonizingly slow process. I have waited nine months for responses from … Continue reading Submitting poems to journals: the mathematics of yay or nay
Between Gods 