Friday, August 19, 2005
In favor of blogging
I've seen a couple people on po-blogs in the last couple weeks say they were burned out, taking down their blogs, considering taking down their blogs, etc. And I totally understand that. I've done so many things in my life where I over-committed myself and then felt obligated to do it even when I was spending time that I shouldn't have in the long run, I have to understand it.
But for me, poetry-blogging: here it is 2:30 AM, I'm drunk as all get-out, not ready to sleep, writing in my blog because I can always think of some little thing to mention about poetry or me--this is (so far) a nice thing for me to be doing. I only do it when I want to. It's just that I have so many stupid little things to say about whatever...
I've met very few of the people who read my blog. I mean, I told my non-po friends, and most of them read the blog once and then said "It's nice that you write poetry, but we really don't care about this trivia" and never visited again. Nonetheless, I appreciate every one of you. Thanks for visiting. And to be honest, I'm always a little scared when one of my in-person-poetry-friends mentions something they read on my blog. Not that they should stop reading it.
We have a surprisingly great poetry community in Colorado Springs, one that I'm often thankful for. This blog enables me to interact with people from across the US and the world, which is an amazing thing I hope I never get tired of. I think we as poets almost owe it to ourselves and each other to take advantage of the global reach we have now.
P.S. I finished 2nd of 45 in a poker tournament on Tuesday. I'm running a lovely string of something like a dozen consecutive rejections of poetry submissions since late June. I rock!
But for me, poetry-blogging: here it is 2:30 AM, I'm drunk as all get-out, not ready to sleep, writing in my blog because I can always think of some little thing to mention about poetry or me--this is (so far) a nice thing for me to be doing. I only do it when I want to. It's just that I have so many stupid little things to say about whatever...
I've met very few of the people who read my blog. I mean, I told my non-po friends, and most of them read the blog once and then said "It's nice that you write poetry, but we really don't care about this trivia" and never visited again. Nonetheless, I appreciate every one of you. Thanks for visiting. And to be honest, I'm always a little scared when one of my in-person-poetry-friends mentions something they read on my blog. Not that they should stop reading it.
We have a surprisingly great poetry community in Colorado Springs, one that I'm often thankful for. This blog enables me to interact with people from across the US and the world, which is an amazing thing I hope I never get tired of. I think we as poets almost owe it to ourselves and each other to take advantage of the global reach we have now.
P.S. I finished 2nd of 45 in a poker tournament on Tuesday. I'm running a lovely string of something like a dozen consecutive rejections of poetry submissions since late June. I rock!
Comments:
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I come at this from a different angle: I'm grateful for the opporunity to talk words with people who love language as much as I, and to learn poetry from those more accomplished than I - it's like a virtual apprenticeship, in a way, and the blog - sometimes - feels like my workpiece.
Then Mom stops by and I spend three days explaining what I meant in a post three weeks ago. Did young swordmakers explain their edges to their medieval mothers?
Anyway, I think the time has come for a Po-Po - a Poet's Poker Tournament. It could even be a fundraiser for a journal, and we could repeat the process every few months for a different journal, too. I think Pokerroom.com could accommdate it. You think anyone would play?
Then Mom stops by and I spend three days explaining what I meant in a post three weeks ago. Did young swordmakers explain their edges to their medieval mothers?
Anyway, I think the time has come for a Po-Po - a Poet's Poker Tournament. It could even be a fundraiser for a journal, and we could repeat the process every few months for a different journal, too. I think Pokerroom.com could accommdate it. You think anyone would play?
Steve,
I blog here because I don't really have a community. I appreciate your blog because of the take you have on poetry. I especially like the bullet statement blogs you give.
You see, I don't write nearly enough poems to make myself happy. It's been probably a month since I wrote a complete poem, but in your last entry, you alluded to the idea that most of us aren't writing as well or as much as we think we should.
I'm also right up there with you on rejections. The last place to accept my poetry was the 11th Muse in December of last year. Of course, I have only been rejected from 6 of the twn submissions I have made since then. See, I told you I don't write nearly as much as I should.
I blog here because I don't really have a community. I appreciate your blog because of the take you have on poetry. I especially like the bullet statement blogs you give.
You see, I don't write nearly enough poems to make myself happy. It's been probably a month since I wrote a complete poem, but in your last entry, you alluded to the idea that most of us aren't writing as well or as much as we think we should.
I'm also right up there with you on rejections. The last place to accept my poetry was the 11th Muse in December of last year. Of course, I have only been rejected from 6 of the twn submissions I have made since then. See, I told you I don't write nearly as much as I should.
I'm with you, Steve - the encouragement from like-minded people is very sustaining. For instance, I called home after I found out about my book being published and my (immediate family member)said "what book? You were writing a book?" So I was happy to have the blogging gang to celebrate with me. Wish I could bake everyone online a cake.
Blogging is addictive. I just recently joined the blog club and for a while, it was once every couple of weeks, now, every day. I love the idea of the blog, though and I love the people who post. I read blogs (okay, just afew), but it's great. I love yours. Keep it!
Because I'm neurotic as all get out, I keep wanting to delete my ridiculous blog, but can't bring myself to do it. My rationale? It is the place where I have ALL of the blogs of YOU GUYS linked, for my convenience! So if nothing else, I can go out and read. I really really should be writing instead of doing any of this.
Sigh.
Sigh.
Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere just yet.
David, I'd play in a poetry poker tournament, but I don't know how many other poets are poker players. :-)
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David, I'd play in a poetry poker tournament, but I don't know how many other poets are poker players. :-)
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