Thursday, August 23, 2012

Origami Lotus Post

Hey, everyone! Kathy over at Origami Lotus Poetry has chosen me as one of her featured writers/artists for her August Blog Bash. She asked me for two pieces to share--poem, haiku, story, photo, artwork, craft, whatever. Instead of a poem, I selected a photo and a non-fiction story I wrote a while back for a competition. And today is the day.

I sort of wish I'd chosen a different photo. I think I have better ones but was feeling sort of sentimental that day and somehow drawn to this one. So it goes. It matches the mood of the story.

I'd be happy-dance happy if you would check it out and leave a comment.

Check it out HERE.

And while you are at it, don't forget to read some of the other features this month.

Speaking of features...

Someone I know has his first book coming out. I'll be writing about it next week. Monday, I think. Be sure to stop by then.


Combining Colors and Verbs

In my last post I told you about the August Poetry Project and explained the problem with overseas mail. I had only received two or three postcards two weeks into the project. Well, I got four more. For my response poems, I used the topic from one, borrowed a phrase from another, and took a word from the title of the third as prompts.Tomorrow I will write in response to the last one, and hopefully I will receive some more postcards soon. I am enjoying getting snail mail once again and the surprises that come with the project such as Who will the next postcard card from? Where do they live? What will be pictured on the postcard? What topic is the poem about? Do I like the poem?

One of the new postcards I received was from Phillip Brown. Guess what? He made his own postcards, too. Thinking about my store-bought cards, I felt like an under-achiever. But then I figured, hey, it's summer and I am busy and I'm also participating in the 100 Days of Summmer Project on my other blog and...  Oh, well. Let's get back on topic.  

What I thought was really neat about Phillip's postcards is that he paired colors with random verbs as a starting point for each poem. Mine was the color yellow and the verb thread, and he worked them into his writing very well and so descriptively that I could picture it all as I read it.

Did you ever read something from someone new and know right away that you would like to read more of that person's work? Well, that is how I felt after reading Phillip's poem. Lucky for me, he also wrote his blog address with his signature, and I couldn't wait to check out his work at The Camera Poetica. I am so glad I did. I really like his style. Some of my favorites are Gold/Wade, Cerulean/Hurtle,Green/Collide, and Blue/Varnish. Why not go check it out? You might find something you like as well.

As for me, I seem to be two poems behind and I need to buy more stamps. So I'd better go now.

Thanks for stopping by.


Tuesday, August 14, 2012

August Postcards

I left it sitting on the kitchen table next to the other mail. I'd only had a chance to quick read it before stepping out. When I came home, my husband was home. He'd seen it. Not only was it the first August postcard, but it was handmade.

I hadn't told him anything about the August postcard project. In fact, I only stumbled across it the day before it began. I like poetry. I write it. I like travel and postcards and sharing. So, I emailed the person in charge and asked if it was still possible to participate. Luckily, he agreed to add me.

The August Poetry Postcard fest works like this. Each participant receives a list of 31 names and addresses of other poets and each day in August you write a poem on a postcard and send it to the person that follows your name on the list.


So that first postcard had arrived. Ironically, it was from my home state. Pennsylvania. It was made from cardboard with a nice poem on one side, a abstract painting in gentle hues on the other side. I felt bad, because the first six days of August had already passed. All the postcards I'd sent were store-bought, and this person took the time to not only write a poem but personally craft a postcard for me. Well, in my defense, I did try to buy interesting postcards. 


As we're taking our evening walk, as we do almost every day after dinner, my husband mentions that he saw the postcard. I explain the postcard poetry project to him and recognize that look in his eyes. I know what he is thinking. So, I say, "Think of it this way. It could be worse. Some men marry nerds who spend their time taking part in poetry projects. Others marry women who spend their time and money shopping." He responded with something like "Yeah. You're a nerd but I love you anyway." He said it jokingly and probably in the back of his mind he added rather a nerd than a bitch or a ho. Okay, maybe. Maybe not. Who knows what goes on in the male mind? Or in any other person's mind for that matter. And, sure, he'll probably never "get" poetry. And I'll probably never "get" some of his interests. So it goes. But as much as we love spending time together, we also need our time apart doing things we love. So each day I write my poem, put it on a postcard, and mail it to the next person on the list.

Today I received my second postcard. It, too, was handmade. What is wrong with these people??? They are making me look bad!! I really wish I had the time to make my own. I'd print postcards with my photographs on them.

One other aspect of the project I haven't mentioned is this. The idea is to respond to a postcard poem you receive but send the response to the next person on the list and the others on the list will do the same. Unfortunately, since most of the people on my list are located in various states in the U.S. (I also have an address in Ireland) by the time most of the postcards travel overseas, August will be over. It is already August 14th and I just received my second postcard. So while I can write a responding poem based on this one, many of the others are just written to a prompt I find online or based on something from my day. They're rough drafts, so they aren't my best work. But it does get me writing and thinking and I can either revise them later or expand them into stories. It's a starting point.

*and a note to all my poetry friends...please don't be offended by the nerd reference. We all know the stereotype and I am using it here jokingly.  You know I love all of you.