Susan Rich's Blog, page 81

Meet Her Here or in Porter Square: January O'Neil, November 17th

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I first met January O'Neil last year on a sunny April day in Boulder, Colorado. No, I met her late at night, the previous winter while up way too late on my computer. January is well known for her Poet-Mom blog and while I am not a mom, I still think it's a blog well worth checking out for information on poems, poets, Spike Lee, and the creative life.


Meeting January for lunch at AWP was one of the weekend high points for me. I am much happier meeting one new person over onion rings than I am in a hotel ballroom. In fact, the lunch was such a success that we traded books and casually said it would be fun to read together one day. One day is almost here! January and I will be reading together 7:00 pm, Wednesday, November 17th at Porter Square Books, Cambridge. I am looking forward to hearing her poems in the air - as I have come to love many of them on the page in Underlife.


Q. Many writers seem to collect quotes on writing. What is one of your favorite quotes on poetry or on the poet? Can you say a little about why these words speak to you?
Toi Derricotte, my professor as an undergrad at Old Dominion University, used to quote Robert Creeley who said, in terms of poetry, "Sometimes you have to make an ass of yourself." It reminds me to take a risk and worry about the outcome later. Also, I like the Sam Beckett quote on my blog, "Ever Tried. Ever Failed. No Matter. Try Harder. Fail Harder. Fail Better."


Q. I'm always intrigued how other poets balance making money with making poetry. How have you been able to lead an artist's life and still pay the bills? Do you see ways in which the two sides of what you do are complimentary? 
In my case, the two sides are complementary. I work in the marketing department a college as a writer/editor. I feel lucky to have full-time work that allows me to make money and be creative. And with poetry, I've able to use my marketing skills in the promotion of Underlife, which has been a huge help in reaching an audience. Although, as we all know, there's very little money in poetry.


Q. The poet Stanley Kunitz wrote, "The first task of the poet is to create the person who will write the poems." I love that quote because it declares that the poet must work on herself at the same time she works on the page. Over the years you've been writing, do you think that there's been any discernable relationship between your development as a person and the development of your work? 
That's a great quote! I certainly have more life experience then when I was a grad student New York University. Getting married, working full time, having kids, getting divorced—all of those things have shaped my writing over the years. But I'm thankful for those experiences. There's a certain depth and edge to my work that wasn't there before. I take more risks in my poems now more than ever.

Q. Your new book, Underlife is absolutely lovely. Can you talk about the process of putting this book together? What is the backstory to the book?

Back in 2006, I had a toddler and an infant who needed my full attention. I wasn't able to attend poetry readings or writing workshops with any regularity, so I started to blog. Reaching out to the virtual community was a big push for me to write and share poems. Before I knew it, I had a full manuscript. I sent it to two contests and two publishers. CavanKerry Press took it right away, to my complete surprise. To this day, I still can't believe they took Underlife. It's so hard to get published these days—I feel very, very lucky.

Q. Would you choose one poem which is a favorite of yours from the book and talk about what makes it a favorite?
Honestly, my favorite is Sex and Pizza, because it's not just about sex and pizza. It's about putting a new spin on an old topic. Yes, there's sex. Yes, there's pizza. But it's about craft, and that's what I see when I read that poem.

Q. The question you would have liked me to ask you goes here. ??? 
Don't have one. Any opportunity to talk about "Sex and Pizza" is a good one.
Thanks, January! For more information on Underlife, January O'Neil or Poet Mom -- click here.

Are You Interested In Authoring Change? Fireside Chat This Friday!

 A Fireside Chat on the relationship between artists and social change.
The Sorrento Hotel
October 22nd (this Friday)
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm


Hosts Nassim Assefi - author of Aria, filmmaker, TED fellow and global women's health specialist - and Amy Wheeler - director of Hedgebrook and nationally produced playwright of Weeping Women - lead poets Susan Rich and Carletta Wilson, and novelists Erika Bauermeister  and Bharti Kirchner in a discussion on activism and the artist.
Located in the Sorrento's Top of the Town room. For information on tickets
check out this link.



Michael Hebb
+ one pot <http://www.onepot.org/>
+ night school <http://www.nightnightnight.com>
  <http://www.nightnightnight.com>
+ city arts festival / co-creative director <http://www.cityartsfest.com>
+ songs for eating and drinking <http://www.songsforeatinganddrinking.com> 

"Paradise Now" at Highline Community College on NPR / KUOW

My poem "Paradise Now" at Highline Community College airs today on KUOW the University of Washington - Seattle affiliate of NPR.Thank you, Elizabeth Austen.

Here is the link, if you want to listen. It strikes me that just seeing "Community College" in the title of a poem is a rarity -- never mind poems about teaching students. This seems odd to me as so many writers are also teachers. I know the famous Theodore Roethke poem for his student, Jane --- but after that, my mind goes blank. Are there other poems about the relationship of teacher to student that I am forgetting? It's a subject that I return to often. I've been teaching at Highline Community College for eleven years. Eleven! That's by far the longest time I've done anything in my life.

And on another note: if you are looking for a poem on punctuation - check out Garrison Keiler's reading of Elizabeth Austen's poem, "On Punctuation." It is not only an excellent poem, it's also a great teaching tool. Best of all, it's quite funny.

CONGRATULATIONS to Kelli Russell Agodon: A Superb Reading

What a delight! There's nothing like a five star reading at Open Books, the all poetry bookstore in Seattle.  Kelli Russell Agodon gave a stellar reading of superb poems this afternoon. She was generous with her audience providing the back story to many of her poems. One example: "Coming Up Next: The Attack of the Killer Blue Irises" was inspired by an NPR story "Coming Up Next: The Attack of Killer Flu Viruses." Kelli's poems mix humor and pathos -- she has her listener laughing out loud one moment and contemplating death the next. Her poems mirror some of the strange experiences of 21st century life and we recognize ourselves in this drama of living.

There were prizes and Dove chocolates (instead of real doves); there were keys for each audience member to discover her (or his) own Emily Dickinson room. Thank you, Kelli for a memorable afternoon. This was a reading of great poetry, but this was also a literary community coming together to support one of our own. If you have not heard Kelli read, check out her blog for upcoming events!


Kelli and Rosanne Olson chat before the reading begins.

Notice Emily perched above the books over Kelli's left shoulder. Ms. Dickinson was overseeing the proceedings of the afternoon. I believe she was very pleased.
Jennifer, Anne, and Annette listening and watching Kelli; Geo intently listening.

I recognize that smile! It means I'm so glad I've given my reading and now get to go have dinner with my family and friends. But before it's over there is always ... Book signing!
And a glass of red wine at the amazing Kabul! The perfect end to the perfect afternoon.

Friday Words: 20 Awesomely Untranslatable Words from Around the World

There are so many situations, emotions, and ideas we have where words fail us. I love this list of 20 words that we can borrow from other languages to say what we need to express. I learned the English word from India, "prepone" a  few years ago; it means to take care of things in advance - the opposite of postpone. The words listed here are from Spanish, Japanese, Czech, and Inuit as well as Portugese, Scottish, and many others. Here are a few of my favorite.
Iktsuarpok
Inuit – "To go outside to check if anyone is coming." (Altalang.com) TartleScottish – The act of hestitating while introducing someone because you've forgotten their name. (Altalang.com)To read them all: go here.
Happy Friday! Thank you Logan Jenot for this link!

In Honor of the Chilean Miners: Pablo Neruda

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I know Pablo Neruda would have something to say about this astonishing story of life. Here's what I found this morning from his The Book of Questions published by Copper Canyon Press.

LXX111

Who works harder on this earth,
a human or the grain's sun?

Between the fir tree and the poppy
whom does the earth love more?

Between the orchards and the wheat
which does it favor?

Why a flower with such opulence
and wheat with its dirty gold?

Does autumn enter legally
or is it an underground season?

                          Pablo Neruda, translated by William O'Daly

Coming Attraction: Taboo Against the Word Beauty - 4 Northwest Poets at the Frye Art Museum

2:00 pm, Sunday, November 7th @ the Frye Art Museum, doors open at 1:30.
704 Terry Ave, Seattle, WA 98104 





Taboo On the Word Beauty: Four Northwest Poets Perspectives on the Visual Arts Kelli Russell Agodon, Allen Braden, Oliver de la Paz, and Susan Rich, poets
Frye Auditorium (FREE/FREE PARKING)


Poetry and painting have long been called the "sister arts," but what exactly does the phrase mean? Join four local poets as they explore the connection between poetry and art. New poems, inspired by the Frye's Founding Collection, will be read by each of the poets. Refreshments will be served.


Check out the Frye Founding Collection here.


Inside scoop: We are planning on making this an extra- fun event. Please mark your calendars now!
What does extra fun actually mean? You have to come along November 7th and find out.

Congratulations to National Book Award Finalists

Here are the Finalists in Poetry for the National Book Award;
winners will be announced in a ceremony on November 17th.
Congratulations to all! (I do have a favorite but I'm not saying who).


You can see the full listing right here at Publishers' Weekly


Poetry

Kathleen Graber, The Eternal City
Princeton University Press

Terrance Hayes, Lighthead  
Viking Penguin

James Richardson, By the Numbers 
Copper Canyon Press

C.D. Wright, One with Others
Copper Canyon Press

Monica Youn, Ignatz 
Four Way Books

Traveling Through Time and Space - This Just In!

Really, I shouldn't admit this, but perhaps you can relate. I almost look forward to the year of The Alchemist's Kitchen book publication year being done so that I can focus more on my writing than interviews and reading. Maybe it's just that I struggle not to repeat myself or send myself to sleep.

I mention this because the poet Rachel Daucus recently interviewed me and I didn't feel bored or repetitive. She interviewed me for Fringe Magazine and you can read the whole interview right here.

Thank you Rachel Daucus, thank you Fringe Magazine. Thank you, dear reader of this blog (if you are still reading) for caring enough to visit here from time to time. Here is a small excerpt.

What is the use of poetry? What place does it serve in our culture, and how do you think it needs to be brought into a more central position?Oh that's a big question. I could answer that after September 11th, newspapers across the country were publishing poems, and that poems of Naomi Shihab Nye and W. H. Auden went viral, traveling from email box to email box and back again. I received both their poems upwards of a dozen times. So yes, in times of national crisis, poems can respond to an emotional tsunami.But what about in our everyday lives?Right now my Maine Coon, Otis, best pet ever of eleven years, is dying and there is not a damn thing I can do about it. I am not turning to poetry; I am turning to a glass of prosecco. In a few weeks or months, or even tomorrow, I may find something in a poem to take me away momentarily from the horrors of death—but not tonight. It always hits me afresh that even as a poet, there are times when words seem paltry, pathetic, and fully unsatisfying. Yet, during the first year of my MFA degree, when my father was dying—and then by spring, had died—there was nothing I could do but write poems of struggling with his death—and my mother's death the year before. One poem, "Muted Gold," which I wrote because I was in a program and had to hand in something every week, now seems to me a gift of remembering. And yet, when I finished that poem, I knew it was nothing but the diapositive—the negative of the negative—of the event. In other words, words are sometimes not enough.How often, or over what period, do you typically revise a poem?I'm not sure there is much that is "typical" about my revision process. What I can say, with certainty, is that I am a chronic reviser. It isn't unusual for me to work on a poem for a year or more. I have some poems with over thirty versions on the computer—and that doesn't count the drafts done off the computer.In my essay "Reclamation: A Poem on Revision" in the recent anthology, Poem Revised, I traced the life cycle of one poem from inception to publication. Here is what I ended up saying:

The point is this: revision is the difference between the adequate poem and the excellent one. It is the magic of a word positioned just right in a harmonious line of sound, it is the title changed and re-changed again. It is believing in your own poem. Get to work.

Kelli Russell Agodon at Open Books This Sunday, October 17th

Is it really possible? Have you somehow missed hearing Kelli Russell Agodon read her poetry? Since she is a generous, funny, and prescient reader of her superb poetry --- then I'm sorry you've not been there. But here's the good news: Open Books: A Poem Emporium is hosting Kelli for her book launch of  Letters from the Emily Dickinson Room this Sunday @ 3:00 PM. Come out to the most amazing poetry bookshop to hear one of the Northwest's most beloved poets. If you do know Kelli's work from her past books Geography and Small Knots, be prepared for work that has become even more nuanced, skilled, and interesting than her past books. This is an event you just can't miss. I'd suggest arriving early if you want to be certain of a seat.