Friday, December 31, 2010
Sunday, December 05, 2010
Sloth
I asked Meg Harris of Blue Moon Northeast for a poem that I could post, and she has kindly agreed. I am so glad to share her work, and this poem in particular, as it so nicely mirrors something about the undertone of the season...the scaffolding of slowness and observance during these long, dark months. Please enjoy.
Sloth
On day four the prompt was, "write a poem about an animal." I had the idea to write a double sestina about a sloth. I always felt bad for the sloth; a sin named after it. Or did they name the animal for the offense?
I thought I'd personalize the poem by tying in my reclusive tendencies, the clinical depression, my dormant ways. The sloth keeps an inconstant body temperature – almost reptilian. My normal body temp is 97.3 degrees.
The sloth’s known to maintain a grasp for some fifteen to twenty hours after death. I grind my teeth, even during afternoon naps – when shoved by a resolute drowse into a cavernous sleep.
The sloth is sedentary enough that a symbiotic alga grows in its fur. It is not a disinclination to work, I don't think. But that’s how Webster’s would couch sloth.
In the treetops – that’s where it all takes place – the sloth eats, sleeps, and gives birth while hanging from tree branches.
I'd even planned the end words for the sestina: sleep, bough, suspend, hermit, nocturnal and sloth. All month it’s made me feel out on a limb, this poem, sluggish, idle, like I wasn't getting things done.
There are days when stillness, like a death, is the place where I'm suspended, there, sometimes for hours, I hang.
Sloth
On day four the prompt was, "write a poem about an animal." I had the idea to write a double sestina about a sloth. I always felt bad for the sloth; a sin named after it. Or did they name the animal for the offense?
I thought I'd personalize the poem by tying in my reclusive tendencies, the clinical depression, my dormant ways. The sloth keeps an inconstant body temperature – almost reptilian. My normal body temp is 97.3 degrees.
The sloth’s known to maintain a grasp for some fifteen to twenty hours after death. I grind my teeth, even during afternoon naps – when shoved by a resolute drowse into a cavernous sleep.
The sloth is sedentary enough that a symbiotic alga grows in its fur. It is not a disinclination to work, I don't think. But that’s how Webster’s would couch sloth.
In the treetops – that’s where it all takes place – the sloth eats, sleeps, and gives birth while hanging from tree branches.
I'd even planned the end words for the sestina: sleep, bough, suspend, hermit, nocturnal and sloth. All month it’s made me feel out on a limb, this poem, sluggish, idle, like I wasn't getting things done.
There are days when stillness, like a death, is the place where I'm suspended, there, sometimes for hours, I hang.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Friday, November 05, 2010
Blue Moon Northeast
Amazing Meg Harris has posted a review of Ghost Fargo and a little interview with me on her gorgeous blog. I am honored.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Monday, August 02, 2010
Bemidji!
Monday, July 05, 2010
Some Photos From Upon Arrival's Book Launch, May 7th, 2010
Judy O did amazing menhdi!
John Colburn prepared an incredibly warm and kind introduction.
The crowd was amazing and supportive.
Jerry Belich, my very new theremin teacher, accompanied me for The Poor Choruses.
My favorite kid worked the book table!
Dobby Gibson's raffle ticket number won him the box of metaphors.
My henna tattoo (the next day).Wednesday, June 09, 2010
GF Receives its First Review: Fun with Links
Jordan Davis wrote a very generous review of Ghost Fargo for The Constant Critic.
(Also, it has been a month since the GF book launch, and I still plan to post photos. My camera's batteries died early, and I am amassing a better photo collection from friends.)
(Also, it has been a month since the GF book launch, and I still plan to post photos. My camera's batteries died early, and I am amassing a better photo collection from friends.)
Monday, May 17, 2010
A Little Update & A Question About Who's Commenting
The Little Update:
I love failbetter.com, and they kindly published two of my poems a few days back. It makes me so glad.
The Question About Who's Commenting:
Why am I getting so many bad comments and links to who knows what in my comments? Will you please stop? Will some real person tell me how to make that stop?
I love failbetter.com, and they kindly published two of my poems a few days back. It makes me so glad.
The Question About Who's Commenting:
Why am I getting so many bad comments and links to who knows what in my comments? Will you please stop? Will some real person tell me how to make that stop?
Sunday, May 02, 2010
a KFAI visit and a book launch
This Thursday, May 6th, I'll be a guest on KFAI's Write On! Radio, which airs btw 11am-12pm central time. I'll be reading from my new book and hoping to persuade all of you kind people to attend this launch party on Friday the 7th:
Saturday, April 03, 2010
If you'll be at AWP...
So many simultaneous things going on, and so many people I hope to see... Here are some places I will definitely be camping out if you'd like to stop by and say hello!
Thursday, April 8th
Catch me at the bookfair:
8:30-10:30 AM: the Black Ocean table with Allison Titus
12:00-1:30: the Nightboat Books table (official Ghost Fargo book signing from 12-1)
and come to a fantastic reading!
7:30 PM: Action Books, Litmus Press, and Nightboat Books poetry reading
Location: The Thin Man Tavern, 2015 E 17th Ave Denver (just a quick cab ride or take the 20 bus at 17th Street & Welton Street, get off at 17th Street & Race Street)
Featuring Paula Cisewski, Brenda Ijima, Sandy Florian, Lara Glenum, Johannes Göransson, Dawn Lundy Martin, Laura Moriarty, Abe Smith, Stacy Szymaszek, and Edwin Torres.
Saturday, April 10
2-3 PM the Nightboat Table
Thursday, April 8th
Catch me at the bookfair:
8:30-10:30 AM: the Black Ocean table with Allison Titus
12:00-1:30: the Nightboat Books table (official Ghost Fargo book signing from 12-1)
and come to a fantastic reading!
7:30 PM: Action Books, Litmus Press, and Nightboat Books poetry reading
Location: The Thin Man Tavern, 2015 E 17th Ave Denver (just a quick cab ride or take the 20 bus at 17th Street & Welton Street, get off at 17th Street & Race Street)
Featuring Paula Cisewski, Brenda Ijima, Sandy Florian, Lara Glenum, Johannes Göransson, Dawn Lundy Martin, Laura Moriarty, Abe Smith, Stacy Szymaszek, and Edwin Torres.
Saturday, April 10
2-3 PM the Nightboat Table
Sunday, March 28, 2010
My Poorly Combined Words Pet Peeve, continued
Oh, no. I thought "shrimptastic" or "webinar" won for worst, but it I see now I was waaay off.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Birds, LLC, y'all
Here is Birds, LLC, a very attractive new press with titles you can pre-order from Elisa Gabbert and Chris Tonelli:
SPECIAL PRE-SALE OFFER: Buy the first two Birds, LLC releases for just $20. Pre-Sale offer lasts until March 31st. Books ship the first week in April.
About The French Exit:
It’s a pleasure to listen to the opinions of the narrator of The French Exit. Clear-eyed imagery and wit control the anxiety: “[A] boy at the counter disappears / or I can see through him.” Likewise, in a fine prose poem: “Do not be afraid of angering the birds. What angers the birds is fear.” The energy throughout Gabbert’s collection has the clip of the French exit itself – allons-y! – self-aware, self-sufficient, in control, in touch.
- Caroline Knox
About The Trees Around:
Full of the will and the weather, that great skeptic Wallace Stevens walked to work and wrote his poems, poems you may well already love and believe. (Good, as they say, for you.) And as for Chris Tonelli, he walks in that integrity: read him, and be merciful unto yourself. His foot standeth in an even place. This book’ll make you bloom.
- Graham Foust
SPECIAL PRE-SALE OFFER: Buy the first two Birds, LLC releases for just $20. Pre-Sale offer lasts until March 31st. Books ship the first week in April.
About The French Exit:
It’s a pleasure to listen to the opinions of the narrator of The French Exit. Clear-eyed imagery and wit control the anxiety: “[A] boy at the counter disappears / or I can see through him.” Likewise, in a fine prose poem: “Do not be afraid of angering the birds. What angers the birds is fear.” The energy throughout Gabbert’s collection has the clip of the French exit itself – allons-y! – self-aware, self-sufficient, in control, in touch.
- Caroline Knox
About The Trees Around:
Full of the will and the weather, that great skeptic Wallace Stevens walked to work and wrote his poems, poems you may well already love and believe. (Good, as they say, for you.) And as for Chris Tonelli, he walks in that integrity: read him, and be merciful unto yourself. His foot standeth in an even place. This book’ll make you bloom.
- Graham Foust
Thursday, February 04, 2010
The MaCaHu Blog! The Etsy Shop!
MaCaHu Press has titles up on Etsy now. Pleeeease look at all the beautiful designs by artist Mary Behm-Steinberg. STUNNING!!!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
An Upcoming Reading
4th Annual SASE/Jerome Celebration!
Saturday, February 20th
7PM at Intermedia Arts
2822 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis
$5 Suggested Donation; No one turned away!
Everyone Welcome.
Featuring readings by 2009 SASE/Jerome winners Paula Cisewski, Scott Muskin, Ethan Rutherford, Sherrie L. Fernandez-Williams, Michelle Matthees, Heather Bouwman and Elisabeth Workman.
Saturday, February 20th
7PM at Intermedia Arts
2822 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis
$5 Suggested Donation; No one turned away!
Everyone Welcome.
Featuring readings by 2009 SASE/Jerome winners Paula Cisewski, Scott Muskin, Ethan Rutherford, Sherrie L. Fernandez-Williams, Michelle Matthees, Heather Bouwman and Elisabeth Workman.
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
