Wednesday | March 26, 2008

Dozer

My poem "Dozer" is available for viewing in the March 2008 issue of Current Events.  Stop in and have a look there, if you are so inclined.  I'll welcome the visit!
Posted by poetically challenged at 21:35:21 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Tuesday | March 25, 2008

Commissioned Work

OK, I know this is a small thing, but I was still pleased with it.  

A friend of mine has commissioned me to write a poem for the kindergarten graduation at the Shanghai Singapore International School.  The poem will be memorized and read aloud by some of the students who are finishing their time in the preschool and moving on to the primary school.  

There are about 100 children in the preschool department at the school.  I don't know exactly how many people will be in attendance at the graduation, but it is kind of nice to know that my poem will be read out there.  

My first commissioned work!  Tongue out
Posted by poetically challenged at 22:24:35 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Friday | March 21, 2008

Noo Journal

Noo Journal looks like an interesting place to submit essays and poetry for publication.  I've been looking through the website, and like what I see.

They are open to new or published writers, so feel free to send in your submissions.  
Posted by poetically challenged at 21:54:54 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Sunday | March 09, 2008

Is Reading Poetry Really That Hard?

Some of my students have expressed frustration at the process of learning to read poetry.  For most, I find they just give up, trying to hide behind reading everything around poetry, but never touching the poem itself.

I wrote this entry as a way to show students how to begin the process, and how to really approach a poem (i.e., get up close to it and engage it directly).

What do you think?  Is it really that hard to read poetry?  Why are so many people so intimidated by it?
Posted by poetically challenged at 09:50:15 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Friday | March 07, 2008

Submitting to Gulf Coast

There is a literary journal that is kind of special to me because of geography.  Gulf Coast is based in Houston, my own hometown.   It accepts poetry, fiction, and essay submissions.  Readings close during the summer months, so you will need to send your submission in before May 1.  Please note that they only accept snail mail submissions, no electronic manuscripts.

Response time is usually 4-6 months.
Posted by poetically challenged at 22:51:21 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Saturday | March 01, 2008

A good exercise

I was tagged for a meme that I posted on my main blog that seems to me to be a good exercise for any poet.

The game is to write a six-word memoir, like that Hemingway famously wrote to win a bet.  The exercise is good because it seems to me that it demands an economy of language that is very closely akin to poetry.

For me, the exercise meant I had to land on an image first, and from there, find the best words to express what the image says to (actually, in this case, about) me.  It was a very good writing exercise to go through.  

Even if you weren't tagged for the meme, feel free to post the entry on your blog.  Consider this your tag!
Posted by poetically challenged at 19:25:16 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |