Pantoums and Pain and Other Stuff
So I'm reading Ordinary Genius, right?
My goal was to get through the book and do the writing exercises this summer, but I had taken some time off because - well - sometimes I don't feel all that inspired. Actually, this summer I've been pretty sick and I know that's not an excuse but I'll use it as one.
Today I was feeling pretty inspired (still not feeling WELL though, so see, there's proof that its not an excuse), and picked up the book. Low and behold - a chapter on... Pain! Perfect! :)
The exercise was to write a pantoum about your pain body, to invision it as an object and write about it. Cool! I don't know why, but I always picture my pain as a black olive. I LOVE to eat olives, but I'm always afraid of the little pits. So I buy them shredded or sliced, even though really I enjoy eating them whole.
I've tried to write pantoums in the past but I always give up frustrated. But this time I saw it through, and actually... it's pretty ok! I'll post a little excerpt:
My pain would come on an olive branch
Shining black in the Grecian sun
But instead I pick it up at HEB
Canned and in a salty broth.
Shining black in the Grecian sun
Pain, ah, I know you so well
Now canned and in this salty broth
I’ll use you in a salad, I think.
And of course it goes on and on and in the end I have to swallow it whole to - maybe - digest another day. Do pits digest in the stomach? Who knows.
Anyway, one thing I do know - my stomach is feeling a bit better. So maybe I should continue writing? Nah, I have actual work to do~ Hah!
Oh - in other news... I submitted to Memoir and... last week. According to Duotrope, though, it has a really low acceptance rate. So I'm not getting my hopes up.
And I've been wondering, how often do most poets submit to journals? I aim for once a week, but usually its more like twice a month. I know its more important to write than to submit, but I just wonder how often others submit. Hmm...
Ok for real this time - off to do some real work.
My goal was to get through the book and do the writing exercises this summer, but I had taken some time off because - well - sometimes I don't feel all that inspired. Actually, this summer I've been pretty sick and I know that's not an excuse but I'll use it as one.
Today I was feeling pretty inspired (still not feeling WELL though, so see, there's proof that its not an excuse), and picked up the book. Low and behold - a chapter on... Pain! Perfect! :)
The exercise was to write a pantoum about your pain body, to invision it as an object and write about it. Cool! I don't know why, but I always picture my pain as a black olive. I LOVE to eat olives, but I'm always afraid of the little pits. So I buy them shredded or sliced, even though really I enjoy eating them whole.
I've tried to write pantoums in the past but I always give up frustrated. But this time I saw it through, and actually... it's pretty ok! I'll post a little excerpt:
My pain would come on an olive branch
Shining black in the Grecian sun
But instead I pick it up at HEB
Canned and in a salty broth.
Shining black in the Grecian sun
Pain, ah, I know you so well
Now canned and in this salty broth
I’ll use you in a salad, I think.
And of course it goes on and on and in the end I have to swallow it whole to - maybe - digest another day. Do pits digest in the stomach? Who knows.
Anyway, one thing I do know - my stomach is feeling a bit better. So maybe I should continue writing? Nah, I have actual work to do~ Hah!
Oh - in other news... I submitted to Memoir and... last week. According to Duotrope, though, it has a really low acceptance rate. So I'm not getting my hopes up.
And I've been wondering, how often do most poets submit to journals? I aim for once a week, but usually its more like twice a month. I know its more important to write than to submit, but I just wonder how often others submit. Hmm...
Ok for real this time - off to do some real work.
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