It doesn't feel like it's been a year since the last November PAD Chapbook Challenge began, but I suppose we're almost there. (Click here to read about the 2009 November PAD Chapbook Challenge.)

To get everyone in the November PAD Chapbook Challenge mood, I thought I'd interview the 2008 winner: Shann Palmer. Her 11-poem collection, Change, was chosen by Tammy and I from more than 50 chapbook submissions.

Here's a personal favorite of mine:

Patience

There must be a place
where old men wait
for wives to be ready
to couple and uncouple,

give foot rubs after
they shop for couches,
remember to buy bulbs
for living room lamps.

Bearded men who regret
haste having discovered
the wisdom of a light touch,
a dark room, a cool breeze.

A mountain understands,
endures what nature brings.

*****

What have you been up to the past year?

This year I read at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts "Art After Hours" program, a real honor. In April, I participated in the National Poetry Month Pledge Drive for the American Academy of Poets and was one of two national winners--they sent a box stuffed with books, CDs, doodads, and flair! Published in Shakespeare's Monkey Review, the Twitter poets issue of Ocho, a poem in a new chapbook out by the Private Press coming soon. In July, I attended the Writers Workshop at West Virginia University (my sixth time) workshopping with poet Shara McCallum. Somewhere in between we've been repairing/redoing our kitchen and bathroom (like my poems, yet undone).

On November 13, I have a poetry reading with local SlamRichmond champ Tom Prunier called "Big Man, Little Woman" at art6 Gallery where I run regular readings and local art events for poets. I also play piano for a local musical improv group, Iprov--we have a festival performance on November 7. Plus all the regular life and job stuff!

What were you expecting to get out of the November PAD Challenge last year? And did you get it?

I always expect to create a group of poems to refine and hopefully, publish. If five out of thirty find a home, I'm pleased. Writing is a skill, like piano playing or composition--you have to constantly work at the craft so when the perfect motif pops into your head, you can assemble the best words (in the right order). To have my collection picked as winner was very gratifying. I'd say this was my most successful attempt! (I also PADded in April and July).

You self-published your collection Change as a chapbook. What appeals to you about self-publishing your poetry?

Self-publishing is immediate, I've been making chapbooks for myself and friends since 1997. At readings, people seem to always ask for a copy of certain poems, by doing small chapbooks, I can easily provide a copy. I suspect it also makes me lazy, since I continue doing small books instead of compiling a larger collection to submit. Not having a 'real' book probably prevents me from being asked to read or panel at some literary events.

Also, I've had the good fortune to check out some of your other self-published pieces, such as A Little Bag of Love (a little bag with love poems inside) and Poems from the apron pocket (a small chapbook made from a single, multi-folded piece of paper). Both are inventive ways to package poetry. How do you go about distributing these poems?

So many ways! I stick them in between poetry books at bookstores, leave them in coffee shops, hand them out at readings, sell them at art galleries, give them as gifts, teach workshops on how to make them, hand them to strangers on the street, send them to friends in letters and cards. I thought about stapling them to telephone poles but I'm pretty sure it's against the law in Richmond.

What do you feel makes a great collection of poetry?

Compelling poems. Great stories. Details that draw me in even when I don't have a reason to read on. Poems that don't tell me everything, give me room to bring my experiences to the page as I read. Themed collections are not my favorites--though Colosseum by Katie Ford (this years VCU Levis prize winner) is excellent. I prefer the loosely organized work of Tony Hoagland; he's my favorite poet.

Do you have any advice for poets taking on the Poetic Asides November PAD Chapbook Challenge?

Write about anything, keep it simple, don't worry if you think it's awful. These poems should be considered drafts, not finished. I've written some of my worst and best poems during challenges, the rewrite, rethinking process is where the magic happens. Most of all, don't sweat it--the poetry police will not come to your door if you miss a day--it's your words in the end that matter.

Monday, October 26, 2009 6:38:55 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [7] 

For this week's prompt, I want you to write an overextended poem. That is, I want you to write a poem about someone or something that is being stretched too thin. For instance, a co-worker with too much work to do, or a balloon that is being filled with air to the point it is about to pop.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Too many balls"

In the air. A wind,
a whistle. We found him
in the ditch along 73,
a smile on his face. No
telling if he swerved
for a deer or for himself.

Online, we tweet and
twitter like birds. Can we
exist in more than one
place at once? We can,
we must. Our smiles will
tell the stories we can't.

We found him and
that is the end. Or is it?
We scrape and scatter
theories off the road,
the grass. We rule out
everything we can't touch.

The sun is the wind
is the weather that covers
us in rain. We're having
an American party--
one with no reason,
one with no end.

*****

Advanced Poetry Writing workshop with Joyce Ferman Wells begins tomorrow (with registration open until 10/27/09). If you're interested, click here. 

Wednesday, October 21, 2009 2:06:29 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)    Comments [191] 

That's right! We're still getting April sorted out, but the 2nd annual November PAD Chapbook Challenge is just around the corner. Every day in November, I'll post a prompt and poem. If you want, you can join in the fun, too.

At the end of November, each poet should have 30 (or more) poem rough drafts. During the month of December, you can edit, revise and organize a manuscript of 10-20 pages of poetry (no more than one poem per page) that you'll submit by January 2, 2010.

Then, Tammy and I will go through the manuscripts and select a winner, which will be announced on February 2--along with a handful of honorable mentions.

I'm not sure what the prizes involved with the challenge may or may not be, but it's more about the challenge of writing a poem a day in November and getting a chapbook manuscript together. I know I'm getting excited thinking about it.

More details will be on the way, but I just want everyone to start preparing and getting psyched up for the challenge now!

Saturday, October 17, 2009 12:05:39 AM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)    Comments [34] 

As we get ever closer to announcing the completionists and Top 50 poems of the 2009 April PAD Challenge, I wanted to at least share some great news about one honor that's been officially decided: Marie-Elizabeth Mali has been named the 2009 Poetic Asides Poet Laureate!

Not only did Marie-Elizabeth help screen poems for two days of the challenge (and volunteered to do even more), but she also made the first cut of many other screening judges. So, she's not only a great friend and help to the poetry community, but she also has excellent writing skills.

This year's challenge produced some truly amazing work. As my wife Tammy can verify, there were days where I had to cut 20 or more great poems down to five. And these are early drafts--so the talent of this group just continually amazes me!

More April PAD Challenge updates are coming soonish, but in the meantime, please congratulate Marie-Elizabeth on her wonderful accomplishment.

I'm not going to share her poems just yet on the blog--just to try and keep her poems anonymous for any guest judges who read this blog, but you can hunt for some on the blog by viewing the Poetry Challenge 2009 category posts.

*****

In the meantime, do you have any nominations for other award categories, including who you think is most deserving of the award?

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 5:02:03 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)    Comments [92] 

For today's prompt, I want you to take the phrase "I think (blank)" and fill in the blank with a word or phrase. Make this the title of your poem for today. Then, write the poem.

Here's my attempt for the day:

"I think the world is a pin cushion"

There's a space between everyday matters
that makes someone feel every day matters,
a breath or sigh in the darkness. We surround
our time with excuses and distractions, bind
those we love with commitments when we
should be splashing in puddles while the rain
covers us in nothing more than what it is.

*****

Thanks to the Kind Over Matter blog, which has posted my attempt for the day on their weekly Wednesday poetry feature. Click here to check out the poem with an accompanying (and appropriate) image. (Thanks to Amanda Oaks at Verve Bath Press!)

*****

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Wednesday, October 14, 2009 1:49:08 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)    Comments [167] 

We had our 2nd weekly poetry conversation on Twitter today. Find it by searching for #poettues at Twitter.com.

Here are some of the highlights today:

I started off by asking: So, what's everyone's goals as a poet? Trying to get published? Write better poems? Notice the world around you? Something else?

Then, I added that, "For me, I've just always liked playing around with patterns and combinations, whether it involves numbers or letters," and, "Writing poetry is also a way of entertaining myself. Like making up music videos in my head or singing songs about whatever."

@Janet45 said, "There's something spiritual about poetry for me, a way of connecting with stillness, of going inside. It can be playful too."

@rebunting said, "Goals: fame & fortune! But really, I'm not going to lie - publication is a goal. Definitely," as well as, "Writing poetry also is a way of reducing the boil of soup in my head to a slow simmer."

@nivermoore said, "I like playing around with sounds, finding the right vowels in the right words to convey the feeling/image/subject."

And many more poets shared their goals. In this way, we all began to talking with each other and branching out into various directions.

For instance, I was really into making T-shirts today: "We should make T-shirts that read: Yes, Publication!" and "That's the next T-shirt idea: Serious la-la-la-la-la," which'll make sense in a moment, because...

We talked about making writing stick and making it important. My quote: "I love sinking into the writing, but I also love skipping along and singing la-la-la-la-la. Combine both, and I'm hooked."

Strategies for overcoming writer's block were tossed around, including listening to music, mind-mapping, reading, etc. @renkath had some great Tweets throughout the poetic discussion, but I especially liked this one: "I put myself under too much pressure and am hypercritical. That kills the muse. Then she starts to stink up the house."

Poetic forms were shared and discussed with @auntieflamingo introducing me to Scifaiku. Check out www.scifaiku.com.

We talked about how the valuation of poetry and writing has ruined (or contributed to the ruination) several relationships and marriages. We recommended poems, poets, journals, contests, writing groups, revision tips, and so much more. It's really a blast, and we do it basically as long as everyone's willing to talk shop. So, feel free to show up next week and talk poetry at Twitter.

Use and/or search for the hashtag #poettues, and if you're not following me on Twitter yet, I go by the handle: @robertleebrewer

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 12:35:54 AM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)    Comments [8] 

One reliable test for checking out the effectiveness of a poem is to read the poem out loud. Even if you never plan on reading the poem in public, it's a good exercise to find stumbling points in a poem. In fact, an even better exercise is to have other people read your poem to see if they stumble in certain spots. I'm telling you this, because this week's workshopped poem is one I felt compelled to read out loud from the first line.

Here it is:

Surrogate, by Kisha Hughes

To be a godmother means to hold the baby and shut your mouth.
The job is kind of morbid--it doesn't become official until death takes everyone else.
In the meantime, I smile and appear at family functions.
It takes my godson a few hours before he remembers that I'm OK,
that I'm family--although I look nothing like his mother and father.
He rubs my face to see if the color comes off on his tiny hands,
to see if I'm just dirty although he doesn't know the word.
He grabs my lips and wonders at their fullness.
He pulls my hair and thinks of lambs.
Bah, bah black sheep.
is this what they call wool?
I have to wonder if this is what he'll think;
if one day I'll have to answer the question, "Why are you brown"
or "How are you mommy's sister if you're black?"
Not hard questions to answer, but will he understand?
Will he look at me like his father does.
will he wonder why I'm here?
Wonder why this black bitch is holding and cuddling and loving
his son like he does?
These looks hold me back, but my friend, his mother,
Her looks hold me there.
The smile in her eyes when she sees him surrender to sleep on my breast:
the giggle in her voice when she muses on how he's always been
comforted by me.
It is also the memory of holding him until my arms went numb
and my back tied itself into knots like a boy scout manipulating a rope.
It is the memory of the first time he smile at me,
The memory of dancing him around the kitchen while he sucked my thumb.
The hardest part of being a godmother is not holding the child, but holding my tongue.

*****

I really love that opening line: To be a godmother means to hold the baby and shut your mouth. And I really love the closing: The hardest part of being a godmother is not holding the child, but holding my tongue. Plus, there's a lot of really great material in between, but how do we get the most effective poem possible between the awesome beginning and closing?

First, we need to figure out what is essential to this poem. The opening and closing lines are soooooooo good that I really think that's where the strength of this poem lies.

That said, I think this poem really needs to focus on the content that underscores the godmother's dilemma of holding (or not holding) the baby but also holding her own tongue. Since there is an obvious tension between the narrator and her brother-in-law, this relationship should probably be the focal point of that middle part of the poem between the beginning and the end.

In fact, I'd recommend making the middle of the poem a scene or encounter where the narrator has to hold her tongue, even though the reader of the poem would totally support her giving the brother-in-law an earful. Maybe she's even on the verge of cussing him out when the godson grabs her hand, looks up into her eyes and smiles--forcing her to remain quiet.

Plus, I also recommend breaking the lines slightly different to make them a little more punchy.

Here's kind of what I'd envision a 2nd draft looking like:

Surrogate, by Kisha Hughes

To be a godmother means to hold the baby
and shut your mouth. The job is morbid with nothing
official until death takes everyone else.
Like my brother-in-law, who...

(...description of a scene or encounter in which the brother-in-law does or says something bad, or he does a series of bad things that drive the narrator to her boiling point when...)

I feel a tiny hand grip my fingers; I look down to see
my godson looking up at me, a smile on his face, full
of love. The hardest part of being a godmother
is not holding the child, but holding my tongue.

*****

Of course, I'm sure Kisha can phrase that better than me, but I just wanted to give an idea of what I think would serve this poem best.

There's a lot of great material in here that will have to be cut to service this poem. That's the price of writing a great poem, and I believe this could be a great poem. Any excised material can always be used in other poems.

One last thought: I would give the godson a name. That way you can refer to him by an actual name, which will make him more real for the reader. Maybe give him a name loaded with meanings, which will make it more fun for your more sophisticated readers.

So here are the recommendations on this poem:

• Keep the opening line
• Keep the closing line
• Connect the two lines with a scene or exchange that shows the truth in those lines
• Break the lines for more effect
• Give the godson a name
• Have fun with the revision process

*****

Do you want one of your poems workshopped? Click here to find out how you could possibly make it happen. 

*****

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• For poetic forms, CLICK HERE
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• For 2010 Poet's Market, CLICK HERE

Friday, October 09, 2009 12:23:03 AM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)    Comments [12] 

We had a fun poetry discussion on Twitter yesterday. It went so well that I think we'll continue meeting on Tuesdays. If you want to find what was said, just go to Twitter and search for #poettues. Today's prompt was actually inspired during the conversation (thanks to @martinjason and @ronbaker).

For today's prompt, I want you to write a poem about finding something that doesn't belong where it is. The examples from the discussion were to find a collection of Pablo Neruda poetry in the children's section of a library with the counter-example of finding a children's book in the poetry section. Pure chaos! (By the way, I don't know if I belong on Twitter or not, but you can find me at @robertleebrewer).

Here's my attempt for the day:

"Note found beneath the wiper blade"

This is your last chance. If you don't
come to me today and confess
you were wrong, I'm on the first plane
back to Hawaii. If you won't
have me, the volcano gods will.

*****

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Wednesday, October 07, 2009 7:58:30 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)    Comments [208] 

Let's start assembling on Tuesdays at Twitter to discuss poetry. I'll probably roll onto the site around 10 or so in the morning ATL time, but y'all can get started before or after that.

If you're not a follower on Twitter, find me at @robertleebrewer.

If you don't have a Twitter account, it's free and only takes a minute or so.

We'll use the hashtag, #poettues on all of our Tweets. That means, you can use the search box on the right-hand side of the page to search on "poettues" to see the conversation as it's happening.

I figure we'll try this out throughout October. If it catches on, we'll continue doing Poetry Tuesdays every week into infinity. If it doesn't, we'll always have October of 2009.

*****

Looking for more poetry-related information?

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Monday, October 05, 2009 9:36:37 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)    Comments [8] 

Today is the first day of October, and we're more than a week into autumn now. So, I think it's appropriate that we look at a poem from the season that has just passed: summer. From Alberta, Canada, Kathy Larson has provided us with "Summer School."

Here's the original draft:

Summer School, by Kathy Larson

They file in each morning slack-faced,
Sleep still in their hair, and on their cheeks;
It falls in dusty crustlings from their eyelashes.
They barely acknowledge my cheery 'good mornings'.
Sometimes, a mumbled "lo', but no eye contact.

That's okay, though, I get it.

It's summer, and they're IN SCHOOL.
I feel sorry for them; wish they were still in bed,
To wake hours from now tangled in sweaty sheets.
Rising, like the undead,
In rooms filled with the fumes of their fetid mouth breathings,
Their hair plastered in greasy strings across shiny foreheads,
Pawing blindly, dumbly for the one thing with power enough
To move their leaden limbs - the shrill, siren call of a cell phone.

Believe me,
I am sincere in my wishes.
Far too soon the realities of life will prohibit
Any chance of sleeping in through lazy summer days,
Being surly, smelly and obnoxious.
Serious relationships, jobs, rent to pay, a car to finance,
Perhaps the ball and chain of tuition will take car of that.
In that not-too-distant-future,
They will rise programmed to face each day
With smiles and enthusiasm,
Driven by necessity, not desire.
Right now, a little slack is all they need.

Far too soon, they'll be me.

*****

First off, I love the idea of looking at summer school. And I love the idea of taking it from the teacher's perspective. For me, though, there's not a point in the poem as it currently stands where something sticks with me. That said, I think Kathy has plenty of options for her next draft.

Option 1: Make the poem more personal. This poem is written in the 1st person, so it would make sense for the narrator to explain why summer school is so important to her. Sure, this narrator talks about how she empathizes with the students, but we don't get a picture of how that relates to the narrator. Was she a summer school student? Did she not take things seriously? Let the reader know why it's so important to the narrator to share her views on summer school.

Option 2: Make it funny. Perhaps, you want to lighten the mood on summer school. You can do this by highlighting the ridiculous nature of summer school--perhaps with the intent of saying, "Cut them some slack." Maybe even make it rhyme.

Option 3: Make it specific. Instead of focusing on the whole big idea of summer school and all of the students, focus on a specific exchange between the teacher and a student or between two students (perhaps overheard by the teacher). Don't focus on the BIG idea, because that only muddies the waters for readers; specificity in small scenes can grab readers so much easier and allows them to come at it with their own lens.

Option 4: Do all of the above. Suddenly, this feels like one of those multiple choice tests where students can circle their answers. But seriously, one option is to make the poem more personal, funny, and specific.

Anyway, that's my take on the poem. If you agree or disagree or have other comments to make on Kathy's poem, feel encouraged to comment below.

I believe this poem has a lot of potential, Kathy. Thank you so much for sharing with the group!

*****

Do you want one of your poems workshopped? Click here to find out how you could possibly make it happen. 

*****

Looking for more poetry-related information?

• For poetic forms, CLICK HERE
• For interviews with poets, CLICK HERE
• For the free monthly Poet’s Market newsletter, CLICK HERE
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• For poetry listings on WritersMarket.com, CLICK HERE
• For 2010 Poet's Market, CLICK HERE

Thursday, October 01, 2009 3:40:44 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)    Comments [14]