Kelli Russell Agodon's Blog, page 102

The Simpsons Version of Poe's "The Raven"

I post this every year. It's Halloweenish, it's funny, it's literary, and it's a FANTASTIC way to introduce your kids to the words of Edgar Allan Poe (they won't even know they are learning something!)

Check out the Simpson's version of Poe's THE RAVEN:

(Video) The Simpsons Version of Poe's "The Raven"

Hi, My Name is Kelli & I'm Here To Read...

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So I've been doing a lot of readings lately because of my book and I'm realizing I am still learning how to present these new poetry children to the world.



What I mean is, when I begin reading sometimes I'm not sure what I need to say to before I begin.  Sometimes I feel I'm shoving the poem into the room when I should really be holding its hand.  Sometimes I've made such a big dramatic entrance for the poem and then the poem walks in with its hands in its pocket and its head down, sulking.



I get it right occasionally, but there have been mistakes.



I am a new mom stumbling around, not sure if I've dressed my baby for the weather.  Shoot, she's without socks again!



I'm still learning with these poems.  I'm learning how to make them better for the audience, to put on their socks, but leave off their overcoat indoors.



Listening to a poem is so much different than sitting with the poems in your lap.  When you own a book, you can return to a poem again and again. I love that about books. But at a reading, we are in the air and we must find a place to begin together.  I don't just want to start off reading without helping the audience get to that grounded place.  I want them to have just enough information so the poem makes sense.



And because I feel the book is its own conversation, its own larger letter, I've found that taking out one poem on its own and reading it is like holding a peacock feather-- it's lovely, but the feather is so much a part of something and you can see even more of its beauty when you see the bird strutting its tail feathers.



I never felt that about my first book.  My first book felt very much like a table of appetizers, have one thing or sample a bit throughout.  It didn't matter.  Those poems didn't seem to get much power (or lose much power) whether read together or not.  I'm surprised to find that these new poems are a little bit stronger when read from front to back, in the way I ordered them and to read all together.



So when I give a reading, I'm struggling a bit with what to read and where to begin.  I am learning all over again, wearing my poems in a Baby Bjorn and heading to the podium.  They are teething.  They are crying. They are trying to walk on their own.  But I'm still not the confident mother yet, so I stick a pacifier in their mouth until I'm ready.



I'm trying, in that new mom place observing them, seeing who plays well with who.



I don't think I know yet.  But I'm learning and thankful for warm, easy audiences who allow me to trip over their toys on floor, who allow me to show the baby photo of even my most ugliest duckling as she too, may go on to be a swan.

Thankful Thursday

Apple Brown BettyThe color of the leaves changingEverything autumnHalloween costumesHomecoming mumsEyesight

Sandra Beasley Talks about Poets & Writers

I found this interview with Sandra Beasley very inspiring and loved the very last thing she says in this interview (but you'll have to watch it to find out.)

Kristin Berkey-Abbott & The Gift of Real Mail -

Kristin Berkey-Abbott did a lovely write-up of receiving my book and the packaging of it.  You can read the whole blog post here.





She writes:



I knew that Kelli Russell Agodon was doing something special with the packaging of her latest book of poems, Letters from the Emily Dickinson Room. I ordered a copy for both me and my dad (it was his birthday, and I love giving volumes of poetry as presents), and my dad's got to him first. He mentioned how unusual the package was that came in the mail. So, I couldn't wait to see what she had done. And it impressed me so much that I decided it was worthy of a blog post.





***One thing people might not know about me is I'm a huge fan of Mail Art, sometimes called Postal Art. 





I love to send letters, postcards, and create unique packaging for what I send.  I have *always* loved receiving real mail in my mailbox.  And now, in this time of email and inboxes, I love it even more.





So when I sent out my book to people, I wanted them to feel as if they were receiving a gift.  Poetry by mail needs to be celebration and honestly, I truly appreciate people who purchase my book and support my work.  





And I feel if someone takes the time to buy their book directly from me at full price ($16) and not Amazon's reduced rate, they should be rewarded.  





I set up PayPal on my website so readers could by the book directly from me as I know when I buy a book, I like to buy it from the poet first (so I can have it signed).  





I think all authors should offer this to their readers.  It is a bit more work as the author then needs to sign it and send it out, but I think it's another way to connect with readers in a more personal way and I know, when I get a book directly from the author and it comes signed, I am such a happy camper.





~





Kristin also writes:

Some cool approaches to book marks. I'm guessing that she made the bookmark in the shape of Emily Dickinson. I'm still researching post cards and book marks. I can't determine whether or not it's cheaper to do these things on the home computer or to pay to have them done.





****Susan Rich and I had LONG discussions and did much research on bookmarks.  We both wanted them and weren't really sure how to go about them.  





In the end, it was www.vistaprint.com that came through for both of us.  We basically took a postcard and divided it horizontally down the center creating 2 unique bookmarks.  And with Vistaprint prices, they were quite cheap (we got 100 free and just paid shipping!)





The Emily Dickinson bookmarks were something I came up with because I thought it would be kind of cool to have Emily peeking out of a book.  Those I print out on my printer at home and since I own a laminator (you can get the same one very cheap on Amazon, which is where I got mine-plus laminating sheets: Scotch(TM) Thermal Laminator)  I laminate them at home and cut them out.  They are probably my favorite bookmarks ever. 



~



Kristin has photos of the bookmarks and packaging over at her blog if you're interested.

Gig Harbor Reading Tonight at 7 pm

Hey Northwest Friends (esp. in Tacoma & Kitsap)- 

I'm reading tonight at the Gig Harbor Pierce County Library 4424 Point Fosdick Drive N.W., Gig Harbor, WA at 7 pm. 

Q&A after the reading. 

Hope to see you!

Poems in Diode...

I have 3 poems in this issue of diode!



There are also 6 new poems by Bob Hicok!  Also great poems from Justin Evans, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, JP Dancing Bear, Jesse Lee Kercheval, Amanda Auchter and many others!



Enjoy some poems today!

Confession Tuesday

Dear Reader,



I am on time this week.



I confess, I have been late too often on my confessions.  I decided to be on time.  Much of life is deciding to do something then doing it, isn't it.  Funny how that works.



It's been a weird week with me dressed as a man to the inside of a hospital, I better let you know what's up.  To the confessional--



I confess on Friday night during a full moon my family insisted I go to the ER because one of my pupils was noticeable larger than the other.  Noticeable.  I looked as if I had wonko eye, as if I was Bill the Cat.



Given my history with optic neuritis (where I lost the vision in each of my eyes--first the right then the left--during a six week period a couple years ago) and recent minor head injury from my mountain biking, they felt I should just go in to check things out.



Dear Insurance Bill... You are the reason I did not want to go in.  -- But alas, I was talked into it because people were freaking out over my new look.



Dear Cat Scan, I love you for your quietness, you are not the techno sound of the MRI, you are a soft whisper of wind.



After everything from my eye being numbed then dilated (I felt as if I was a character in Clockwork Orange), it seems I am okay, just a funky freak of nature (though I still have an upcoming eye exam pending to give me the full A-OK), but mostly okay. I feel okay and I can still see.  My pupils look normal.  And I now have a wealth of material for new poems all revolving around the interesting ER details and things I overheard (I confess I almost went running for the doors when I heard "bacterial meningitis!"  Sheesh!)



Dear Doctors -- You impress me to no end.



~



And the man thing, well, that came the next night.  A Halloween party, which I was not going to miss despite the eye issue the previous night.



I confess I love to dress up like a man.  I'm not sure I realized this until this current Halloween costume, but I can definitely understand why cross-dressing is so much fun.  That said, if you looked at my normal everyday clothes of blue jeans & plain t-shirts, I am pretty much a cross-dresser year round, minus the fake facial hair and side burns.



So here are a couple photos of me dressed like rocker Bret Michaels for my friend's yearly Halloween party.



And yes, I stayed in character all night.



I love this photo because it looks as if I came with this guy, but no, he just happened to be wearing a Poison t-shirt and became my instant back-up band.  I also love how my hand looks superimposed on that photo.



This was my "no paparazzi" photo.









By the way, up until a day ago, I had never seen the Rock of Love - ( eek, what a show, I couldn't even watch the whole thing, I felt as if my eyes were burning.) But learned about Bret Michaels when I was watching Donald Trump's show, The Apprentice because Cyndi Lauper was on it (and I love her).  And three things I noticed about him -- he was a hard worker, had good manners and was kind.  Three things I so like in people.



I confess though, it's mostly kindness that determines my like for people.



So that's me this week - Rockstar and hospital patient.  Let the good times roll...



Amen.

Confession Tuesday on Wednesday...

Dear Reader,



I am on time this week.



I confess, I have been late too often on my confessions.  I decided to be on time.  Much of life is deciding to do something then doing it, isn't it.  Funny how that works.



It's been a weird week with me dressed as a man to the inside of a hospital, I better let you know what's up.  To the confessional--



I confess on Friday night during a full moon my family insisted I go to the ER because one of my pupils was noticeable larger than the other.  Noticeable.  I looked as if I had wonko eye, as if I was Bill the Cat.



Given my history with optic neuritis (where I lost the vision in each of my eyes--first the right then the left--during a six week period a couple years ago) and recent minor head injury from my mountain biking, they felt I should just go in to check things out.



Dear Insurance Bill... You are the reason I did not want to go in.  -- But alas, I was talked into it because people were freaking out over my new look.



Dear Cat Scan, I love you for your quietness, you are not the techno sound of the MRI, you are a soft whisper of wind.



After everything from my eye being numbed then dilated (I felt as if I was a character in Clockwork Orange), it seems I am okay, just a funky freak of nature (though I still have an upcoming eye exam pending to give me the full A-OK), but mostly okay. I feel okay and I can still see.  My pupils look normal.  And I now have a wealth of material for new poems all revolving around the interesting ER details and things I overheard (I confess I almost went running for the doors when I heard "bacterial meningitis!"  Sheesh!)



Dear Doctors -- You impress me to no end.



~



And the man thing, well, that came the next night.  A Halloween party, which I was not going to miss despite the eye issue the previous night.



I confess I love to dress up like a man.  I'm not sure I realized this until this current Halloween costume, but I can definitely understand why cross-dressing is so much fun.  That said, if you looked at my normal everyday clothes of blue jeans & plain t-shirts, I am pretty much a cross-dresser year round, minus the fake facial hair and side burns.



So here are a couple photos of me dressed like rocker Bret Michaels for my friend's yearly Halloween party.



And yes, I stayed in character all night.



I love this photo because it looks as if I came with this guy, but no, he just happened to be wearing a Poison t-shirt and became my instant back-up band.  I also love how my hand looks superimposed on that photo.



This was my "no paparazzi" photo.









By the way, up until a day ago, I had never seen the Rock of Love - ( eek, what a show, I couldn't even watch the whole thing, I felt as if my eyes were burning.) But learned about Bret Michaels when I was watching Donald Trump's show, The Apprentice because Cyndi Lauper was on it (and I love her).  And three things I noticed about him -- he was a hard worker, had good manners and was kind.  Three things I so like in people.



I confess though, it's mostly kindness that determines my like for people.



So that's me this week - Rockstar and hospital patient.  Let the good times roll...



Amen.

Twitter #PoetParty - What I Know Now --

So it was my first poetry party on Twitter and let's be clear here, it was my first time really I wasn't just writing randomness and tweeting my blog posts.  An actual set-up event with a start time 9 pm (ET) and an end time 10 pm (ET).



Deborah Ager organized the party for us.  She invited D.A. Powell, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Susan Rich, January O'Neill, Collin Kelley, Oliver de la Paz, and me.  It was a party even if no one showed up, which I liked.



But I'll be honest-- I was nervous.  I really wasn't sure what was going to happen.  Would I be the girl in the corner?  Would have to change my Twitter name to: wallflower?  Would I be able to keep up, understand, follow the conversation?



The answer was yes to most of those questions.



But here are a few things I learned, a couple things I did wrong, and some thoughts I had about the whole event--



1)  What I did wrong:  Post a tweet and forget the hashtag (#poetparty).



The minute you forget to do this, you leave the conversation.  It's like making your grand statement about whatever topic in the hallway to the potted palm.  Without the #poetparty hashtag, no one can hear you.



It has made me understand the answer to this profound question:

" If a tree falls  in a  forest  and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"  





Answer:  Not if it doesn't have a hashtag attached to it.





The best way to follow a Twitter party is to create a saved search of the hashtag you are following (in our case #poetparty), then all the tweets just magically show up on your screen.









2) Learned:   Q1 = question 1  A1 = answer 1.  





This way you can go back and read specific answers to specific questions.









3)  Learned:  I'm kind of chatty for 140 characters.





I realized when someone asks me a question about ordering a collection of poems, my answer could not be kept in one tweet.





Instead that answer spanned 3 or 4 comments for me-- and that included major editing on my part.









4)  Learned:  It can seem that everyone is talking at once, but it's kind of like living in a parallel universe where conversations are taking place at the same time, but are really happening separate to each other (and yet, somehow together).





Twitter is very much the chaos theory - where there looks to be no pattern, look closer and you will see how it untangles.







5)  Some thoughts-- Poets are generous people & I like the instant community showing up online.





I was appreciative of what the poets offered into the mix--answers to the questions, community, ideas--all the stuff you'd expect from friends.  It was pretty cool how all of a sudden the room was filled.  The idea of connecting at a certain time and people showing up.





I have never really done a chatroom, so I imagine this might be a similar thing except the whole thing in public.  And I think that adds to people feeling invited and included as well as keeps people on their best behavior (which personally I liked!)  









If you're interested in the whole conversation, you can a transcript read it here.









D.A. Powell wrote a poem throughout the event based on ideas, suggestions from Twitter guests at the party.  





Here it is here:







October Variations/October Surprise



I come here often but nobody knows. I'm virtually late, with late-season tomatoes I've retrieved from the market like a faithful retriever.   I might have brought popcorn, there's nothing out of bounds, here on the verge of autumn .

You know that moment when the empty train tracks hum& you think "how does this work, this sound?"

Put your ear against my veins, against the small bones of my hands.I want back the taste of October.

Bluejeans, flannel, the birds as they leave.Time alone knows how beautiful it is.

Goodnight.





With contributions by "Orphan," @tracy_seeley, @kelliagodon, @CollinKelley, @EvelynNAlfred, @susanrichpoet, @stickpoet, @januaryoneil, @RomulusDubb, @katelinkelly, A. Mincey, Orion, A. Ottaway & Samuels



****I love the idea of this and would love to do a Twitter party just focused completely on creating.   Maybe something where every Twitter post was a line to a poem either a collaborative one or an individual one.  Still thinking about that.

Anyway, I will do a poetparty again.  I had no idea how much fun virtual parties could be.