You know what I'd like to see in poetry? Franklin W. Dixon. Dixon was the "author" of the Hardy Boys mystery series, actually a pseudonym for the Stratemeyer syndicate, a bunch of authors who all wrote novels in several different children's book series with the same basic characters and style and using a collective pen name. I'd like to see a group of poets with a similar aesthetic form a single collaborative "poet" and all send out work under that pseudonym. You could even set up readings for this "poet" using a particularly charismatic reader.

Of course I must take this opportunity to note that fill-in-the-blank (Suarez, Lifshin, Van Cleave, Perchik, Waldrep, Clay Matthews) already appears to be such a publishing collective (you're everywhere, Clay!), but I think it would be an interesting project to actually do. There's not a whole lot of profit in poetry, but I don't know if that would be a plus or a minus in terms of getting people involved. People might crave the individual attention more, or they might be more inclined to join the project for the sense of fun.

Those of you what have published books or manuscripts in circulation, what principle(s) do you use for ordering your poems in the manuscript?

One of the things I've never been especially happy with on my manuscript is its division into 5 sections, essentially by thematic subject matter, which I think is rather heavy handed. However, ordering all the poems seems like such a big task that it'd take far more time for me than actual writing, so I broke it down and took out too much upside potential by doing so. It's sort of like how I play poker.

Sorry I didn't post all weekend. My brother and I took an impromptu trip to visit our dad and stepmom (who had an also impromptu family gathering) up near Glenwood Springs. My stepmom was recently diagnosed with a malignant liposarcoma--she had it surgically removed, and she's going to be going through chemo, but she seemed to be doing well.

We all hiked up to Hanging Lake in Glenwood Canyon, where my dad and stepmom got married about five years ago. The trail has a vertical rise of a quarter mile over a mile-long trail, so it's pretty strenuous. I felt good about the shape I'm in after the hike, because I zipped up it faster than pretty much everyone else who was going up (and since it was Labor Day Sunday, the trail was busy). Hanging Lake itself was gorgeous--I took a couple pictures that I should upload soon.

Today I took my car in for some much needed work, which is going to cost nearly $1,000 (and might well cost more once it's all done). It needs new tires (the old ones have been on forever and are getting worn smooth), and it apparently needs a new power steering pump (which was causing a horrible groaning noise when I turned). Good thing I haven't had any other major expenditures recently. Also good thing that my dad and stepmom were getting rid of a TV that still works well, so I can replace mine that has the dying picture tube.