An announcement and some aphorisms.

Barbara Jane has some news!

****

I'm feeling philosophical

****

This has been the summer of pedagogy essays. I've had multiple requests for essays on craft/essays on poetry/essays on the teaching of poetry.

I have this much to say--there are many things that I cannot teach. I can only hope to inspire.

****

Sometimes, writing while assisting in the care of an infant feels like having to mow the lawn or do the dishes. Yes, a chore.

Personally, when it comes to making a choice between creating art and being a father, I'll choose being a father.

****

Narratives tire me. I really hate listening to what I say. If I ever want to go to sleep I talk to myself.

****

When I put together a book of poems, I look for two things--tonal consistency and tonal dissonance. If a book is tonally consistent, I strive for a movement to disrupt the music. If a book is tonally dissonant, I impose an order, which may for a time be arbitrary.

Both requests are my downfall.

****

An artist should always strive to surround themselves with art--which is justification for my gigantic music and book collection.

****

In this summer of comic books to big screen, it's funny to see the marriage between so many films and comics become such a leading story in arts and entertainment circles--I've always recognized there was a relationship there: from the storyboarding process of comics to the storyboarding process of film. Both traditions are wedded so overtly and I see it happening in the poetic line as well.

*****

People wonder why is it that I talk about so little poetry on my blog--the answer is that I blog the most when I'm teaching (during office hours). The last thing I want to do is talk about more poetry. Yes, I love poetry, but sometimes I get tired of hearing myself talk.

Summers, of course, I start to miss the discussions. I also have the luxury of reading during the summer.

I just finished Insomniac Liar of Topo by Norman Dubie--one of my teachers at ASU. I love the man's work, though this book felt the most ethereal to me. My attention was stuttering, and I think that's mostly due to having one ear craning towards my son's co-sleeper.

****

I see myself gearing up for the poem a day exercise that I do every August . . . my mind is spinning.