I've had some interesting snippets of conversation over the last day or so about my dislike of nostalgia, and it's gotten me thinking about memory and the difference between having a personal comfort with our own past versus Golden-Age nostalgia. I still maintain that the latter is a bad thing, and that that's what Keillor … Continue reading A Little More on Nostalgia
How to Memorize Poems
I saw this piece earlier today, but I got so caught up in Garrison Keillor (here, on Twitter, and at The Rumpus) along with my class prep for this evening that I haven't had the chance. Anyway, the article is on memorizing poetry, and the author wants to know how she should do it more … Continue reading How to Memorize Poems
Oh, Garrison
I came across this piece in the NY Times by Garrison Keillor bemoaning the new world of self-publishing via the twitter feed of Austin Kleon, who suggested Keillor should "just put a gun in your mouth & spare us yr 'you missed the good ol' days' monologue." How could I not click on a link … Continue reading Oh, Garrison
Selling Out in Poetry
There's a Twitter conversation happening on the #poettues hashtag over the question of selling out when it comes to your poetry. The question that started it all was from Robert Lee Brewer: Do you alter your poetry to try for publication? My answer was that if a poem gets rejected a number of times, I'll … Continue reading Selling Out in Poetry
New BP Logo
My old friend Neal put this together, and I wanted to share it. Also, if you're a writer and you want to contribute some work, Poets for Living Waters is looking to respond to current disaster. I'm working on a couple of pieces to send them right now.
3-D Poetry
Amy is having an(other) effect on me. She's making me think that I can do more with words than just type them. She's been working on, among other things, three-dimensional stories. That, combined with a trip we recently took to the Jaffe Center for Book Arts, has gotten even me interested in trying something I … Continue reading 3-D Poetry
A New Poetry App for the iPhone
Currently, on my iPhone, I have the following poetry-related apps: Vogon Poetry, Poem Flow (reviewed here), iPhrase (like magnetic poetry), WGBH Poetry (videos mostly), multiple e-reader programs, and now, the app from the Poetry Foundation. I've had the Poetry Foundation app for a few days now and I have to say it's a fun little … Continue reading A New Poetry App for the iPhone
Family and Facebook
I haven't been close to my family outside of my daughter for a long time. Even my sister and I have been distant of late, both overwhelmed by the space between us and the pressures of our lives. (She's had it worse, by far--her husband has had incredible health problems, and the economy caused her … Continue reading Family and Facebook
Leaving NASCAR
I tend to write about political subjects over at Incertus, but this is personal too, and I suppose if I'm going to give David Biespiel crap about not seeing poets involved with politics, I should at least occasionally come through. As I've mentioned before, I grew up in the south, and NASCAR was a part … Continue reading Leaving NASCAR
The Old Bridge
From Fort Lauderdale, drive south. It doesn't matter whether you take the Florida Turnpike or I-95 because you'll drive beyond where they end, through Florida City, off the mainland, into the Keys. Follow the trail Henry Flagler laid out, more or less, when he connected the mainland to Key West with a series of rail … Continue reading The Old Bridge
Another Poem to Love 