Katie's Blog

Am I the only one who can get absolutely absorbed in editing a piece? I've been reworking reworking reworking a poem, Miscarriage, that I wrote maybe three weeks ago. And it's morphing into something strange. Anyway - here's just a stanza, and it's three different stages as an example: Version 1 The toothless smile of satisfaction – rose across her dimpled abdomen. Her breasts hang above, the heads of a widows in prayer. Everyone watches – eyes taking in the color of bare skin – skin bending in the hurricane that blew past. She sways to the music that couldn’t carry her home. VERSION 2 All the eyes are on her toothless smile–the rose lips that cut across her dimpled abdomen. Her breasts hang above, the heavy heads of a widows in prayer. Her bare skin bends in the hurricane that blows past as she sways to the music that couldn’t carry her home. VERSION 3 As she dances - her voice thunders in the hum of fronds, and all eyes are on the toothless smile – the rose lips that ...

Ah... ok... so what's the news today? Another rejection - this time from Sycamore Review. That one came in on Friday evening, and it didn't really bum me out at all. Yay, thick skin! However, I am bummed out by a bit of a cold coming on. And the fact that I ended up missing the Ambrosia open mic. First, I wasn't feeling the best on Friday. Bruno got out of work late and wasn't in the mood to go with me, either. And then, Saturday was my first day working with Upward Bound, so I figured it would be a good evening to stay in and relax. So relax I did. And Saturday - I had a pretty good first day working with the kiddos. I just forgot how utterly exhausting working with youth can be... zzzzzzzzzzz.... So this week I'm ready to tackle the following tasks: Find my stamps, still haven't done that yet... and send out those two submissions Write a leaping poem for class Focus on getting rest, and getting better. I can't afford to let being sick bring me down.

Tonight at Ambrosia! Open mic starts at 8:00. I think I'll be reading but no promises, ok? Ah who am I kidding I'll read.

Well all the sudden I have my poetic hands full again. Woot! First of all, I had a wonderful poetry class last night. We talked about Blake and Neruda, about leaping and taking chances in writing. I is for a poetry contest that I'm helping judge. That's right. Me. Katie. Judging a poetry contest. Ok so it's not a huge deal. But anyway I'm pretty excited to crack into that stack of poems and choose a few winners. You know what, in retrospect I should have posted the contest details up here. Ah well, hindsight is always 2020 excuse my cliche. It's morning and the coffee I made is too weak. So I'm judging the Green Living Poetry contest here, for the McAllen Chamber of Commerce. Yay! Co-judging, along with my good friend the Poet Mariachi. Wait a second... how come I don't have a cool nickname? Ok, from here on out I will refer to myself as La Guerita de Maiz. :-D Love it. Other news? Why yes, yes there is some. A very nice gentleman by the name of Pablo conta...

Yay! They updated the Borderlands website to reflect the latest issue - the issue in which my poem North on 281 appears! Hurray! :) Here's the website in case you're interested in ordering a copy of this lovely and professional publication (I'm throughougly enjoying my contributor copy): http://www.borderlands.org/issue_34.html In other news... I start working a second job this coming Saturday. I will be working with Upward Bound as an English instructor here at UTPA. I have a bit of mixed feelings about it. On one hand - it's going to be GREAT experience for me. I'll be working with secondary students, something I've never done before. Plus, it looks nifty on my resume: English Instructor at UTPA But on the other hand - I'm a bit afraid. Bruno (who used to be in charge of the computer labs at the university here) tells me that he dreaded when the kiddos would come into the labs to use the computers because they were rowdy. I taught middle school for two yea...

Yesterday, after my goal oriented post, I proceeded to finish a poem I'd been working on AND prep the two submission packets that I declared 'due by friday'. I just didn't pop them into the mail yet. I always have trouble locating my stamps. That's the biggest hurdle in my writing. Finding my stamps... Anyway... how about for today? Well, today I'm going to journal and freewrite... maybe work on a bit of editing, but the focus will be on new creations. What's the next big thing, Katie? Don't know. Oh... a tidbit from yesterday's poem! : Now, years later my body lays still next to his, and I hide underneath covers and sheets as I watch the evening news – men in combat boots crossing over the eggshells of peace into Kuwaiti desert. While Bruno studies the bank statements, sprouting fresh gray hairs, I study the way those hairs curl at the first folds of tired skin, wondering when our next mistake will blossom into a shining yellow yolk across the expan...

Unmotivated... again. Another rejection came in this weekend, this time from Ante Review. Its ok - I'm over it. A World of Warcraft Marathon and pot of homemade black bean soup later I felt like myself again. Oh, and a trip the the gym. My favorite things in the world are cooking things from scratch, playing video games, and exercising. Oh, and poetry. But not when I'm angry with poetry. And don't forget coffee... Ok - so I'm determined to make this week better. More productive. What are my goals? Get some serious ass to chair time and focus on this poem that's been sitting in my notebook for weeks. I would LIKE to have it ready for my workshop on Wednesday. If not, that's ok - I have an arsinal of poems that desperately need workshopping as well. Prep and send out TWO submissions . One for PRISM International, one for Southern Review. Deadlines, Katie, deadlines! Eat more veggies. Yes, for some reason this helps me tremendously. In mood and spirit primarily....