By the way . . .

I AM sim-subbing. This is a newish development. Before, I never simultaneously submitted my work. Now, because of the wonders of my magic spreadsheet, I can keep track of everything and color code poem packets.

Of course, if a journal doesn't want me to simultaneously submit work I've sent to them, I don't do it. I get it. It's work for them and if they like something of yours and you pull it after they've devoted space to you, they get pissed. I totally understand.

Happily, last year's endeavors with the spreadsheet were fruitful. I sent a total of 7 packets of poems ranging from 4-6 poems per packet. From those seven packets of poems, I had about 25 poems taken. Mind you, this is work I generated over 4 years and had finally sent out in one big shebang, so don't get uppity. ;-) It had been awhile since I sent out anything.

Anyway, I'm still in my office. I did NOT go to the gym. I wanted to make the most of my non-child-care time and take care of my professional life.

Right now . . .

. . . I'm in my office at school and I'm arguing with myself. Should I walk across campus to the parking lot, drive to the gym, workout for an hour and a half, drive back to campus, and wait until 5:00PM? Or should I just sit here, read other people's blogs, and wait till 5:00PM?

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This is a good album

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Sending poems out today and tomorrow . . . RIGHT before the quarter gets crazy.

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It's starting to get really cold. It was in the 30's this morning.

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Hmmm . . . I should go to the gym.

Fall Harvest

Tonight we'll be headed to the annual Foothills Fall Harvest party where cider will be served and where perhaps performers from the Subdued String Band Jamboree may be performing.

We went to this shindig last year and it was tons of fun--lots of food and locals. If you haven't figured it out yet, I live out in the boonies.

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At any rate, it's certainly Fall. The maples are starting to turn and it's becoming scarf weather. I have to say that Fall is actually my favorite season. I can't stand being too hot or too cold. And I love coats!

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I've been following this AIG and Lehman Brothers collapse. Locally, we've also been dealing with the WaMu problems. I almost got a home loan from WaMu. Scary stuff, and even though I'm financed through a different lending institution I'm sure that it'll effect my loan in some way. Fingers crossed.

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My goal is to send work out next week. Hold me to my goal please.

School Daze

Yesterday I had to stop many times for school buses unloading its cargo. We up at Western Washington U. haven't started classes yet, but to be sure, that day is coming in the next couple of weeks.

I'm always excited about school starting. This year, though, I expect some major adjustments will be in order. Meredith heads back to the classroom and we've been trying to adjust our schedules to accommodate L's needs as well as our own as active people. She's got her classes lined up for the mornings up until 12:00PM. I start at 12:00PM and go until 4:00PM. So basically, I'll have to take L. to school and pass him like a relay baton right at my classroom door. It's far from ideal and I'd rather have at least an hour between my class and Meredith's class, but such are the breaks.

At any rate, something will have to give and already I'm cutting back.

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Back to the poem-a-day thing in August. It was quite productive for me and already I had three poems from that "celebration" picked up. The Chattahoochee Review will be publishing three of my "Self Portrait" poems. Very cool. Anyway, I need to start sending more of the poems out. The plan is to have everything off my desk by the end of the month . . . before the quarter is in full swing.


I owe Didi Menedez some poems and I fully plan on honoring my word. Sorry Didi, life happened. So did teething.
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Forgot to mention that the reading at SAM went really well, and it was great seeing Shin Yu. We both read new work, which felt really good. I was nervous as all heck.

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I've been breaking my own writing taboos lately, which has been refreshing.

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Two classes for the Fall: ENG 453--Advanced Poetry Writing (I always teach this as a poetic forms class), and ENG 460--Multigenre: The Short Prose Form (A way for me to teach prose poems, short-shorts, and lyric essays).

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On spin in iTunes:

Blitzen Trapper
Silversun Pickups
Bon Iver
Ra Ra Riot
Okkervil River

Admittedly I've been buying music . . . even though I have no money. Don't read this, Meredith.

Pistola is Up!

Thanks to Miguel Murphy for selecting some of my work! Click here for the poems!

Farewell, Reginald Shepherd

The lovely and brilliant poet, teacher, and blogger Reginald Shepherd has passed away. He had been battling illness for quite some time. I've linked you to his last blog entry. Please say goodbye when you get a chance.

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Manifest by Reginald Shepherd

Reading at the Seattle Art Museum

Hey y'all. I'll be reading with Shin Yu Pai at the Seattle Art Museum on Thursday, September 11th from 8:00-9:00PM.

Here's the info:

Date: Thursday, September 11, 2008
Time: 8:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Seattle Art Museum, South Hall
City/Town: Seattle, WA

Poetry reading with Oliver de la Paz & Shin Yu Pai

Shin Yu Pai is the author of Haiku Not Bombs (Booklyn Artists Alliance), Works on Paper (Convivio Bookworks), Sightings: Selected Works [2000 - 2005] (1913 Press, 2007), The Love Hotel Poems (Press Lorentz, 2006), Unnecessary Roughness (xPress(ed), 2005), Equivalence (La Alameda, 2003), and Ten Thousand Miles of Mountains and Rivers (Third Ear Books, 1998). She is the recipient of awards from 4Culture and the Cambridge Arts Council.

Oliver de la Paz is the author of two collections of poetry, Names Above Houses, and Furious Lullaby, both published by Southern Illinois University Press. He is a co-chair for the advisory board of Kundiman, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the creation, cultivation, and promotion of Asian American Poetry. A recipient of a NYFA Fellowship Award, his work has appeared or is forthcoming from many journals like the Quarterly West, The Virginia Quarterly Review, North American Review, Tin House and in anthologies such as Asian American Poetry: The Next Generation and Language for a New Century: Contemporary Poetry from the Middle East, Asia, and Beyond. He teaches creative writing at Western Washington University.

I hope you can make it!

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I've been really busy with Fall Academic Advising. Students are starting to trickle in to my office hours and my e-mail's been saturated with questions about courses and the major, so sorry it's been awhile since I've posted.

On top of the job duties, there's the parenting duties and my futile attempts to maintain some balance. I'm sure it'll work itself out soon.

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I haven't seen a theater movie in a month, which is a long time for me. Though, Netflix has been good of late. Got any recommendations?

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I need to revise.

Now back to your regularly scheduled cuteness.

IMG_2330
Originally uploaded by odelapaz.

See Title.
* * *

Done with the poem-a-day thing for August and I'm coming away with a knowledge of some habits and of the fact that I think I have a manuscript and a half between 2007 and this new 2008 material.

My habits/observations--when I'm in a rut, I fall back to cataloging lines or lists. Nothing wrong with this, but I know I get tired of what's going on and there's only so far I can take said catalog.

When I get stuck, I quit on a poem or I cannibalize it into another poem. Just an observation.

Writing in such a deliberate way became a chore and at many points, I hated the process--a community helps at this point, so I'm grateful for the five other poets who were doing this with me.

I only cheated once, otherwise thirty of the thirty-one days were filled with new work.

Mostly, I learned how hard but doable it is to create new work with an infant in the house. The bottom line--you need to have someone to support you, so thank you Meredith! You're a saint. Really really really.

August Poem A Day

Once again, I'm writing a poem a day with a fabulous group of writers. I'm putting the poems in various states of completion up on my blog for added incentive.

Pressure works for me.

The poems will live here for the day. The poems will disappear within 24 hours.


*****




Poem draft for August 31:

*POOF!*

A Happy Tale from Stacey

Congrats, Stace!.

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Having my parents here has made quite a difference. I can actually enjoy my meals instead of wolfing them down. I can also get some writing, reading, and administrative work done.

They're actually here to not only visit their grandson, but to look for a retirement house, and I think they found one. Yay!

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Books that came in the mail:

Mistaking the Sea for Green Fields
All-American Poem
Colesseum
Meteoric Flowers
Rimertown

Thanks for the book suggestions MB, PB, EM, & JC!

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I've got 'bout 90 something pages of poetry that I've got to whittle down for a new something-or-other. As I've mentioned, I'm pretty sure I've got two books, one more finished than the other. I need to spread all my pages out on the floor and sort--figure out where the gaps are, and proceed from there.

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Big debate/row involving translation in the Letters to the Editor section of Poetry Magazine. The links might not bring you to any text . . . suffice it to say that the fight's getting nasty.

Good Readers

I just finished up commenting on a friend's manuscript and I was surprised that she said she had never had so much feedback before. I actually felt like I didn't give her enough (3 pages, typed).

Often, I just call the friend who's sent the manuscript and we talk, which works too.

Maybe I've been spoiled, but I'm used to getting, say 2-3 pages of typed feedback from friends who've read my manuscripts. Now, I know not to expect that all the time, but it's happened enough times for me.

I've also gotten some good feedback on poems . . . not 2-3 pages, mind you, but lots of annotation. So I'm curious . . . what's the most feedback you've gotten on, say a manuscript of poems? I know it's a vague question, especially if feedback came in the form of conversations, but maybe you can distill that to a number--like an hour conversation, for example.

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My parents are coming tomorrow. Yippee! Mere n' I would LOVE to be able to go to a restaurant without having to get up at least 3 or 4 times a meal.

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Noticing some very bad habits with the poem-a-day thing. I've fallen in love with the catalog and I need to "break up" with it. So I'm reading lots and lots of long narrativish (yes, I know that's not a word) poetry.

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Unseasonable weather. It's been in the mid to low 60's and rainy. Good for the dogwoods I planted. Bad for my bald head.

A Cautionary Tale from Stacey

Welcome to the blogosphere, Stacey Lynn Brown who also serves up a cautionary tale.

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Stacey's husband and my good friend, Adrian Matejka had his manuscript, Mixology chosen for the National Poetry Series! Congratulations!

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My parents are coming this week . . . thank goodness. Meredith & I are in need of a minor rescue.

At least football season's starting up again.

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Still dealing with the ebb n' flow of inspiration. Some days I want to do this poem-a-day thing, but most days I'm coming to the computer pretty spent. I'll keep at it. Only 7 more days . . .

Jewel Box Poetry Series

Jewel Box Poetry Series
Originally uploaded by odelapaz.

Had a great time at the Jewel Box Poetry Series in Poulsbo, WA.

Here's the crew from L to R:

Me, Meredith, Lucas, Henry, Oskar, Sarah, Todd, and Jenifer.

Thanks to Jenifer for setting up the reading!

Wearing Out

Oh boy . . . I'm getting tired of writing a poem a day. I feel I started with quite the flourish, but now I'm laboring . . . my drafts are feeling more and more forced and my inner critic is getting more critical.

I'm going to persist, though. Maybe something workable will come from the schlock.

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All that being said, I printed out all my pages and it's clear I've got a book and a half between what I've started here, and my other writings. I know it's two books because of the content and the tone. The half book is a lot darker and external while the whole book does have some darker poems, but also has junctures where the "I" doesn't take itself seriously.

For the "whole" book, I need a "pivot foot," to use a basketball term--a poem or an idea that allows the body of the book to rotate. Yes, there are several similar poetic sequences, but tonally, many of them are quite distinct.

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I'm finding that it's easier for me to write narratives while donning a mask. Maybe that's my latent Catholicism preventing me to lie as myself.

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Man, that VQR Book Series makes gorgeous books. Just read through Boy, now I'm reading Field Folly Snow. I had read The History of Anonymity, of course, and I love it. It's really interesting to see this book series come together. The voices are quite different, which is an admirable thing for a book series. The covers--lovely, and I wouldn't mind having a book published with that series.

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I need to pick up a book that's highly lyrical--so much so that the narrative or the concept of the narrative is emotive. Weird request, I know, but got any recommendations?

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I'm going to try to finish up my new prose poem project this September . . . I've got a ton of "Dear Empire" poems that need to be typed.

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I want a Hershey's Dark Chocolate bar.

Reading this Sunday

I'll be reading this Sunday for the Jewel Box Poets Sunday Reading Series.

The reading will be at 3:00PM with the fabulous Sarah Vap. It'll be a real treat 'cause I'm such a fan!

Anyway, I'd love to see some of you there.

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I'm watching the Olympics quite a bit. I mean, really . . . I stayed up late watching the clean & jerk. Crazy. I hear it's stunning in HD. I can't imagine what the opening ceremonies looked like in High-Def.

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The geek in me wants to see this.

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What are you listening to? Just curious.

File Under Heartache

IMG_2232
Originally uploaded by odelapaz.

How I Write

I've long said that I'm a binge writer--that I store up materials over a long period of time, digest them, and then spit 'em all out in a quick and furious burst.

I'm beginning to rethink that. Only one of the poems I've written in the past 6 days was from stored materials. The other poems just happened. I'd write a line or think of some scenario and suddenly "poof" out of curiosity I've pursued a poem to its end.

Yes--curiosity. I am at once surprised by lines that I'm writing and I'm curious about where they'll eventually take me.

I still write in poetic sequences--I'll pursue a trope, an idea, an image, a story, and I'll write several poems from that. I'm making a conscious effort this time to break up each day so that I'm alternating between lyrics and narratives.

So I'm feeling somewhat schizophrenic about the poems I'm writing--like I can't bite down to any one artistic series. But I'm also aware of the fact that it's allowing me to continue writing without fatigue. Again, a thing I've found when I've been writing poetic sequences at previous junctures: I'd get supremely bored of the sequence I was inhabiting.

One thing I know, however, is that I'm still a planner. I want my exercises to fit a scheme and I'm quite deliberate about the trajectories these August poems travel. I'm sure you've all noticed a pattern (if you're out there). In my mind, I think I'm working on two manuscripts, one that's very involved with the self and one that's political, darker, and from a distant POV. I can't see the lyrics I'm writing dwelling with the lyric-narratives of, say the Nocturne poems. (Oh god . . . I wrote a sequence of Aubades and now a sequence of Nocturnes? Kill me).

I realize I'm rambling but ain't that what blogs are for?

It's a Knockout

KNOCKOUT LITERARY MAGAZINE POETRY CONTEST

Knockout, a print literary magazine that publishes a 50-50 mix of work by LGBTQ and straight authors, announces its first poetry contest. Judge: James Bertolino. Winner receives $100 gift certificate to Powell's Books (redeemable online) and publication of their winning poem. All poems submitted considered for publication in Knockout. Submissions of up to three poems of any length must be received by August 31, 2008. $5 entry fee per submission. Multiple submissions allowed. Simultaneous submissions allowed (with prompt notification if accepted elsewhere). For complete guidelines and for more information about Knockout, visit www.knockoutlit.org/contest.htm

An announcement and some aphorisms.

Barbara Jane has some news!

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I'm feeling philosophical

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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

I laughed.