My Poem, "Wobbly," Featured ☕📚

So pleased to announce that my latest poem, “Wobbly,” was featured tonight as part of Lee Ann Berardi Smith’s wonderful series on Facebook of poetry videos during the pandemic, with the hashtag: #poemdemic.

Check out Lee Ann’s amazing video reading (clickety links above), my poem text (below), as well as other excellent videos of Lee Ann sharing verse from many inspired poets.

“Wobbly”

 

the stack of books

beside the nightstand

beside the bed

got wobbly again

I wouldn’t know why—

 

I only added three new

hardcovers last week

to the tippy-top

 

so I sat on the floor

this morning

on the carpet

with the tea stain

 

my knees tucked in a way

that would let me know

when I stood up

that they loathed to be tucked

that way, and I sorted

and pulled two or three mid-stack

 

volumes of softcover poetry

to send to an out-of-state poet friend

and a thick historical novel

that had been so-so

but a swap with another friend

 

and the memoir

about the 1980s painter

to toss into the free

book box by the gift shop

the next time I go past

 

and the rest,

like elementary-school

friends, I set out

for indeterminate recess

 

I let them group together

still holding hands

beside the printer

 

I know, despite my efforts

at any minute,

they might sing that song,

 

might play that game,

that goes

we all fall down

Photo Courtesy of Alfred Kenneally on unsplash.com

Photo Courtesy of Alfred Kenneally on unsplash.com

✨ "3 Suggestions on a Saturday Night" ✨

I have the pleasure of guest blogging today at Nicole Pyles’ wonderful blog, World of my Imagination.

Check out my “3 Suggestions on a Saturday Night” for some literary, movie, and audio amusements.

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My Poem Featured :)

Cool news this week: I was honored that a poem from my This Passing Fever collection was chosen and read online by Lee Ann Berardi Smith as a part of an awesome poetry project. Catch it here.

Care to get your own signed copy of This Passing Fever? I’ve got you. Here.

Want to learn more about writing poetry? I’ve got that, too: here.

I’m in the midst of exciting music collaborations with the poems. More details later this year. Stay tuned!

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Poetry in a Time of Pandemic

It’s my honor to have a poem published in the St. Charles Arts Council’s project, Poetry in a Time of Pandemic. My poem, “Quarantine III,” was just published. May these poems bring comfort, insight, and hope to us all as we wait out this terrible virus.

“Quarantine III”

I cracked open a window, to be touched

by chilled arms: shrill April winds better

than nothing. Sister says she’s started

having nightmares about social distancing.

She wandered through a hall, body shaking,

shaking a fist at duos in sweaters carelessly

entwined in chaste hugs. Last night, I dreamt

of an anniversary party in a giant ballroom.

I asked at every festooned food table for

pretzel rods. I was that specific; they weren’t

just pretzels. The punch was Hawaiian red but

all I could scoop into my cup was pale pink,

square ice pellets that tasted of run-off and

blankness. Not even water could quench

as it vanished.  I took more anyway.

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National Poetry Month <3

Break out your pens! Happy National Poetry Month!

Here are a few ideas for sharing, writing, reading, and enjoying poetry while quarantining.

Let’s make bunches of verse this month!

Image courtesy of Nicole Honeywill at unsplash.com

Image courtesy of Nicole Honeywill at unsplash.com

Backchannels

It’s been a terribly difficult, tiring, anxious, confusing time, hasn’t it? Feels like we went to sleep at the end of February, and woke up in a stark dystopian novel in March.

My emotions are a snarl of quicksilver uncertainties and kindnesses and fears and back again. I feel so inarticulate, because even this attempt at description doesn’t come anywhere near close enough to the realities we’re living in.

We’ve been self-quarantining for three weeks here on the East Coast, and the governor has just issued a stay-at-home warning through April 30th; I know many states and communities have already been stay-at-home quarantining. May this keep us safe and save many, many lives. <3

As we all try to adjust to unprecedented circumstances that COVID-19 has triggered, sending you my best.

A special shout out to medical personnel, emergency crews, store clerks and other necessary-business personnel, my fellow teachers, and parents at this time— your compassion and bravery make a difference.

I’ve been making art, pondering and reflecting, walking into rooms only to stare into space with perplexity, sharing with students and friends and family, trying to listen more than I usually do, grateful for work online, and attempting to get rest whenever it’s possible (sometimes, it’s just not been possible, as we all know).

How are you coping, dear ones?

I’ve waited to blog until I had GOOD NEWS. Can’t we all use some good news right about now? One of my poems was just published at Backchannels.

Please feel free to share your good news and gratefulness, no matter how big or small, to uplift us in the barrage of near-constant virus coverage.

Sending big virtual hugs (I so miss hugging) and much love and health to you all.

By Ron Smith on Unsplash

By Ron Smith on Unsplash

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