Thinking in Poems

I watched The Way of the Gun at 6 this morning. Why was I up that early on a Saturday, you ask? Well because Boone was--we're still struggling with the crate thing. But I forgot how much I enjoyed that movie. As far as action flicks go, it's up there. Truth be told, Boone and I fell asleep together on the couch soon after the movie started, but I did get to see that great opening scene (Sarah Silverman!). I really love when the Carrot Top guy says "man dance."


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I've been lucky lately to trade some poems with great people. It's been nice to put that hat back on, after spending much of the Summer (aside from Sewanee) not thinking too much about poems and how they work. But many thanks to good pal Will for his lighted comments on some of my newer poems and for indulging me by listening to what I have to say regarding his work. Thanks, too, to Keith for agreeing to looking at my manuscript and sharing his newest with me. I've also got Lisa Fay and my online writing group. And the list of generous souls goes on.

All of this as a long-winded way of saying: Thank God for generous, intelligent people, folks who care about poetry. It's often such a slog to get the work out there, to find someone who cares enough about the work to read it, let alone to try and say something worthwhile about it. I'm thankful for the many happy accidents that crossed my path with all you good-for-nothing poets.


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September 1st is right around the corner: where are you sending your first batch of Fall submissions?


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Have you read this poem? It pains me that I've taken so long to discover Alan Shapiro's work...


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Killer opening line of the now:

"The pilfered nest rests easily on the palm,"

from Cathryn Hankla's "Not Having Read The Poetics of Space"
(Last Exposures, LSU Press, 2001)


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I have a house phone for the first time since I lived with my parents. I feel so...domestic.