After a great discussion with poet Rachel Hadas yesterday about some poems I’ve been working on, I’ve been thinking about revision nonstop. One of the funny things about writing is that so much of it takes place in private (often in pajamas). Even if you’re in a workshop, like me, you rarely get to see [...]
Archive for October, 2008
28 Oct
Patricia Smith’s Blood Dazzler
This post is a little belated. I got my copy of Patricia Smith’s critically acclaimed collection of poems Blood Dazzler last week. Even still, it’s never too late to talk about a great book. In case you didn’t already know, this book is Smith’s tribute to the people of New Orleans and their struggle before, [...]
24 Oct
Featured Poems on Splinter Generation
Splinter Generation is an online anthology of work by and for people under 35. Three of my poems are featured on the website. Yay. It’s worth mentioning that “It Means Something Different in Arabic” originally appeared in the May 2007 issue of StorySouth.
24 Oct
Scholarship Opportunity for LGBT High School Students via Limp Wrist Magazine.
As many of you know, in April 2008, I started an online magazine called Limp Wrist, and I am proud to promote Limp Wrist as an e-zine with queer sensibility. I am also proud to announce that Limp Wrist is offering a small scholarship to a LGBT High School Junior or Senior via a poetry contest. [...]
23 Oct
Writers @ Newark Reading: Richard McCann and Matthew Klam
Last night was the second installment of the Writers @ Newark Reading Series. Matthew Klam, author of Sam the Cat, and Richard McCann, author of Mother of Sorrows, reading excepts of their work and took questions from the audience. What’s interesting is that although both authors have very different styles, the pieces they read seemed [...]
21 Oct
The Case for Writing in the Morning
I’ve always prided myself on being a night owl. I used to brag about avoiding homework, writing, reading, anything important until around eleven pm. Whenever the subject of preferred writing times came up, I argued that I did my best work with a can of red bull beside me.
That was before I started graduate school. [...]
20 Oct
This Week’s Form: the Villanelle
As you know, I’m in a workshop this semester with formal poet Rachel Hadas. I must admit that, in the weeks leading up to school, I was a little nervous about the thought of iambic pentameter and such. Rachel’s workshop, however, has turned out to be quite a joy. Yes, form is challenging. Yes, sometimes [...]
19 Oct
Christmas in October
I just walked into my apartment carrying seven packages. I didn’t expect all the books I ordered on Amazon to arrive at the same time. Anyway, I can’t even pretend not to be excited. This is geek Christmas, people! I had to honor the holiday by taking pictures with my blackberry.
And because I want you [...]
18 Oct
Broadsides Reading Series
Last night, after a quick jog down sixth avenue because I was running late, I attended the Broadsides Reading Series – sponsored by the Center for Book Arts. For just $10 (a donation to this wonderful organization), I got to hear Aracelis Girmay and Ada Limon read their work AND I received a broadside of [...]
18 Oct
Submission Opportunity: Calling all black poets
Rattle, a pretty hip poetry magazine, has a theme/tribute for each issue. For Summer 2009, the theme will be African American Poets. They are accepting submissions on February 2009. Here’s a quote from their website:
Every issue of RATTLE gathers poems from a specific ethnic, vocational, or social group, comprising a special section of about 20 [...]
