[4/6/08] I've been so busy with life lately - sorry to everyone on AllPoetry for not spending enough time here recently! *sighs*
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"The Flood" - The Acorn
Lift your head from wild and wicked sleep
where seven-headed serpents hiss soliloquies
and while picking snails from the river of the valley
you don't see the storm clouds piling up so quietly
The rushing river rattlesnakes your legs
and baby boy has got you drinking from the dead
you lick your lips and paddle for the levee
the sinking banks are sifting through your teeth
As you float up, see the river skins the valley
and strips the sleeping sediment of memory
You lift your head from wild and wicked sleep
the withered river sputters at your feet
and all around the sound is slow and muddy
the sunlight scatters pennies through the leaves
As you wake up see the river skins the valley
you'd love to wash this summer from your memory
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I am not everyone, but that doesn't make me a no one.
I've always thought of myself as a prose writer. I think my real problem was that I never had anyone to show me poetry. I mean, I had the traditional smattering of Shakespearean sonnets and such, but it was all very sparse, archaic, and difficult to understand. Imagine my surprise when I found out that I do actually like poetry...a lot. And even though I find that it's incredibly difficult to write, I'll never get better without exercising my mind to the task.
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If I ever seem critical, I am only trying to be helpful. I don't mean to step on toes or make people feel belittled by comments, and I am certainly anything but a poetry goddess, but I believe that the only way to get better is to have people challenge you. I expect to be challenged and told I'm wrong by others on AP, and you can expect the same from me. It's all part of growth and the artistic process. Please don't take it the wrong way
A note about how I distribute applauds: I am not an indiscriminate applauder, so please don't be offended if you don't get an applaud from me. Typically, my applauding scheme looks something like this:
1 applaud - a very good piece that I could read again.
2 applauds - an excellent piece that is both well-written and intriguing; something I will read again.
3 applauds - if you ever get three applauds out of me you will have done the impossible and have probably written a piece that has significantly changed my world. I'm not cheap with the triple clappers.
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"The thing about small towns is that ... in cities you can escape. In small towns you have to deal with everybody. ... You can't simply walk past the poster in the restaurant that announces the auction for the family with the house that burned down. In New York City you habitually walk past people in far more desperate straits than that. You're more your brother's keeper in a small town."
~ Richard Russo
- Last seen on Aug 24 12:31 PM. Member since April 16, 2005.
- I'm a tigereye texture poet for 1232 comments.
- My mood is , and quote is Life's secret can be found in the rain.
- I am a 23 year old woman (United States)
- When I'm not writing, I'm a graduate student.
- I am in the groups The Commenting Community, a poetry critique
- I have 1,232 comments, 8 contests
Poems I'm focused on
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My first attempt at writing lyrics. *gulp* Help?48 lines, 12 comments, December 8, 2007. In lyrics
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And you compare my hair to almonds as it runs through32 lines, 19 comments, October 31, 2007
My Poetry
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All I could offer you was hot rice soup
and a rug woven of my loose dreams16 lines, 9 comments, April 20
My Stories
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This is a practice query letter for my novelette-in-progress, Jazz Blackside and the Case of the Cliche Charlie.316 lines, 2 comments, August 25. In , Query letter
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There were five generations of Lawley women in the hospital room the night Kit Lawley died. The lights were low, but everything glowed an effervescent shade of white. Just outside the room’s door, nurses bustled from patien4785 lines, 20 comments, August 13. In 2000-5000 words, Science fiction
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This is not a story - it's set up for a contest and that's all.65 lines, August 8. In <600 words
My other items
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- Query Letter - Jazz Blackside at storywrite
This is a practice query letter for my novelette-in-progress, Jazz Blackside and the Case of the Cliche Charlie. - Being Human at storywrite
There were five generations of Lawley women in the hospital room the night Kit Lawley died. The lights were low, but everything glowed an effervescent shade of white. Just outside the room’s door, nurses bustled from patien - Column: Dialogue Punctuation at storywrite
As writers, we love to put words in other people's (i.e. our characters's) mouths. This article will help you use correct punctuation when writing that dialogue.
Visitor Book
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g r e y i s m on April 12hello. I noticed that you recently added me to your favorites list so I thought I would come by and take a look at your page. I noticed that you are a grad student and am curious as to what you study. I am a junior (will be a senior next fall) at eureka college, with a double major in art and psych. I plan to go to grad school as well. anyway, it's always nice to meet like-minded people.
I will be back when I have more time to read your work.
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NoWayJo on September 24, 2006Hi Irish! Haven't caught up with you for a while on AP, but if you're around you probably realize AP is in the midst of one of those Free Gold Membership Promotions. I still have the ballet tree image that I made mention to you for a poem of yours a few months back posted here:
allpoetry.com/Poem/2062268
I think once the promotion drive is over, images will slip away, so I don't know if you'll want to post the image to the poem. I don't think backgrounds will slip off unless to later edit the poem, though I don't know how this image would appear as a background unless you use a light-colored type with a black or darker under-type--(I think this is all available during the Gold Promotion-thing).
Anyway, I'll keep the image posted up and if you do get a chance to use it, send me a link to the poem once it's been decorated--I'd love to come by to read it again!
Take good care, Irish!
Jo
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mewithoutYou- on July 2, 2006
For You!! -
Redstormy on April 10, 2006It is in Minnesota the tail end of HWY #169 North about as Northwoods as you can get in Minnesota. I didn't care much for your critique. It's a narrative poem. I went where I wanted it to go. It's a moment a day it's not a book.
Red
