a few of my favorite things

I wouldn't say all of them make me a better writer, but they certainly make being a writer more fun.  My top 5 tools are as follows:

 1. The moleskine notebook.   I personally prefer the unlined softcover sketchbook pocket edition.  I've filled about 10 of the since I started writing seriously, and I like being able to start a new one every few months.  I have purchased them at Barnes and Noble in the past but I just saw a display this past week at Target, so they may be avaiable, in a limited selection, at Target. 

2. And to write in it, of course, the pilot G2 black gel pen.  I don't know why you would want to use any other pen, really... they last forever... or I should say they last longer than I have ever been able to hang on to one. And they always write.  Always.  I've never picked up on that didn't write. 


3. docs.google.com.   Again, I'm not sure what's not to like here.  I can create documents from any computer, save them, and then edit them again from any computer.  I can share them, email them, download them, upload them.  I could go on, but I won't.  I am still waiting for a compelling reason to not use googledocs. 

4. Poetry Magazine.  This is where it happens, as far as I can tell.  This journal, to which I admittedly have never subscribed but which I read regularly, is pretty much the ultimate place where poetry is published.  I regularly day dream about needing to buy extra copies of the next edition so that my family and friends can read something I've written that was published here.  Maybe one day.

5. The Public Library.  Meanwhile, I'll keep reading Poetry and the authors who have been published therein at the public library.  We live about 5 blocks from the Richland Public Library, which is a great one, but there are a few other good ones around.  In Kansas City Sarah and I used to visit different public libraries for fun on Saturdays, but lately we just swing by ours to pay our fines and look at what's new. 

Englewood Review of Books

If you read books, you need to follow this site.  They have some fantastic reviews, often of books you might not find out about other places.  I have the honor of reviewing a book for them, which should be finished soon, so look for my name.  But mostly, just subscribe.  Or at least follow the online reviews.  Seriously.

Re-Re-Starting. Again.

I hate it when I find a link to a blog I think is going to be interesting only to find a the latest post is from two years ago and says "I know I haven't been blogging much later but I'm going to start now.  I swear."

Sadly, I'm that guy. 

I've got a few new projects I'm working on right now, none of which are this blog, and one of which is a child, which is due in July.  So, needless to say  I want to be writing more, and we'll see how that goes. 

One of the most exciting thing I have going on is reviewing a new book. And when I say "new" I mean I got it in the mail from the publisher before the publishing date.  It's pretty good so far, and the review will be at the Englewood Review of Books soon-ish.

Reading Poems I didn't write.

I used to hate reading poetry I didn't write.  Sounds pretentious.  Ok it is pretentious.  But I don't anymore.  Actually, I've found several authors I prefer to me;  Billy Collins, Ted Kooser, W.S. Merwin, Franz Wright, and Kay Ryan to name a few.  Kay Ryan's new collection came out last month and I was the first to check it out from my local library... how nerdy am I?  Turns out, it was really good.  Not just normal good, where every tenth or so poems can be both started and finished... I find myself finishing almost every page, each containing almost exactly one poem.  This one is called "Age"  and I think it's one of my favorites, although it's hard to tell, there's at least one thing great about almost all of them. 

As some people age
they kinden.
The apertures
of their eyes widen.
I do not think they weaken;
I think something weak strengthens
until they are more and more it,
like letting in heaven.
But other people are
mussels or clams, frightened.
Steam or knife blades mean open.
They hear heaven, they think boiled or broken.


I'm not sure if Ryan is a religious person, but the ideas of "something weak strengthens"  and "letting in heaven" are, I think, the gospel in two beautifully crafted lines.   

summer

I have always loved you, summer. 

Maybe it's because when I was a kid summer meant weeks at my grandma's at the beach.  Or because in high school it meant arts festivals and marching band camp.  Or because in college it meant spending more time with Sarah.  Or because it's synonymous with 2.5 months of vacation.  This year, it's meant coffee, libraries, camps for just about every possible age-group, and a revival of my blogging habit.  As of today. 

ok embarrassing admission... I almost teared up a little in the car today, the theme to "Dawson's Creek" came on the radio... I watched a few episodes of the show in high school, and I remember it dealing with some of the same issues that I was dealing with at the time.  listening to it today made me wonder 1) what shows / songs / books / etc.  are speaking to the issues that people are dealing with today and 2) why was I in such a hurry to move on then... and why do I sometimes feel like I haven't ?   

not really going anywhere with this... i guess maybe I've lost my knack for blogging.  or I never had it.  or I never really went anywhere with my posts and I am just now realizing it... who knows. 

traduccion

I've been thinking for a while about trying to do some translation of Spanish poetry, and this post is my first attempt. Gotta start somewhere. The original is available here if you want to fact check me.  Or read it in Spanish, if you want.  Even if you can't there is an element of beauty to the Spanish language that is sadly lost in English.

Quieto
José Manuel Pintado

Suddenly everything is still around the edges
and so it is time to reach down deep
take the pulse of the floor
get a vision of what is looming
what will not wait even a little in coming
in the hole that will host the next step
like an ear of corn stringing kernels across the sky
making stars to walk on nocternal paths
further out than the sun
who hides them with it's brilliance
further than the moon
who gives clarity to the quiet
of this silence.

lent, et al

I took lent off from social media; most of it anyway, twitter, blogs, and facebook... and so now I'm back. I did, however, start a new notebook, which is always fun.

Here are some prayers, breath prayers, I suppose you could call them, that I wrote down (some of them were even somewhat original, I think...) in said new notebook:

All the vein things
that charm me most
I sacrifice them
to his blood

Smash all my meedoms
Be patient with me // give me patience for others
Help me feed on you and friends // instead of on myself
Crucify me // give me life
Teach us what you meant // by moving mountains
Move the mountains // in me...