Kelli Russell Agodon's Blog, page 83

It's April 6th, do you know where your poems are? - A Lesson in Writing a Poem-a-Day

A reminder that First Drafts do not have to be perfect




So, I've been writing a poem a day.



What amazes me with this practice is how discipline, deadlines, and accountability produces poems.



Okay, you may be thinking, those are not the words normally associated with poetry.  Where is inspiration, creativity, and flow?



Um ya, I have basically have sent those words to the back of the line because I promised my friend I'd email a poem to him every day this month.  And here's the thing-- by being disciplined, saying "I'm going to sit down and write a poem today" - I do it.



Okay, it may not be the *best* poem, but I've accidentally been surprised at some of my drafts, and I've found there is definitely something to work with.



When I was in grad school, Marvin Bell would give us an assignment.  As a class, we'd come up with 10-15 words and he would say, "Now go write a love poem with those words and don't use the word 'love'.  Bring it to class tomorrow morning."  At first, some poets were freaking out--I can't write a poem in a day!





Here is what Marvin said, "If someone had a gun to your head and said, Write a poem or I'll shoot, you would write a poem.  So maybe at 9 pm you won't have a poem, and at 10 pm you won't have a poem but sometime before your bedtime because you need to have something for class tomorrow, you will write a poem.  It may not be the best poem, but you will write a poem."



And it was true.



Everyone arrived each day with a new poem.  We did this process for a week.



What it was to teach us?  -- We can write poems on demand, they may not be the best poems, but they are drafts, starts, something to work with.



It's hard for our mind to bump off and be inspired by a blank page, but put a few words down, a few images or ideas and your mind starts to connect things, starts to dig deep into past experiences and the poem grows.



My experience in writing a poem-a-day to my poet friend each April is this-- I am a loyal friend and I keep promises.  I don't let him down.  Every day I produce a new poem to send to him. He also doesn't miss a day.  It's our unspoken rule, we know if someone misses a day it gives us both permission not to work as hard.  So we don't.  We write a poem day.  Every day.



Sometimes they are shorter than we would like.  Some poems aren't very good.  Some poems may be revised to better poems.  Some poems come out pretty dang well.  By the end of this month, I will have 30 new drafts of poems to work with.  30 poems where there were none.  To me, that is a miracle, that is April is the Coolest Month in word form.



I know if I waited for inspiration to knock on my door, I might not hear it or it might only arrive a couple times a year.  Inspiration might arrive and I might be taking a bath.



So, I'm writing a poem a day, a hopeful act, a belief that it's important to create, to be inspired by a month full of poetry and participate, to fall into the flow of writing and lose myself.  See, these words did come up, but just in a different order.  Sometimes we need deadlines to produce inspiration, accountability to begin creativity and discipline to achieve flow.



Don't wait for the muse to come, she could be busy writing her own poem-a-day and forget to show up. Or maybe, she's already with you, just waiting for you to sit yourself down and write.



Happy writing, Friends.Kelli Russell Agodon
www.agodon.com

Confession Tuesday

Dear Reader,



It's been a week of crazy spring cleaning and 5 boxes to Goodwill since my last confession. I feel as while I am sorting out my house, I am sorting out my life, my mind, my projects.  But I have to tell you, it feels so good to get a lot done.



But let me tell you, my thoughts are all over the place, watch out, I have no idea what I'm going to say...



To the confessional--





I confess I've been thinking about simplicity lately.  About money and priorities.  Fears and concerns.  Along with abundance.  And thankfulness.



I wish I had something smart to share here, except I don't. Except I feel I am constantly relearning the same things again and again.  I'm the fish swimming around in my bowl constantly amazed every time I see the castle, the treasure chest.



~



I confess I have a love/hate relationship with Adsense.



For those those who don't know, Adsense ads are the ads you might see on a blog.  I put one under my main post because as I mentioned last week, I'm needing new ways to earn some extra $ to help out my family with their goals/dreams.

In March, I made $6.42.  Not enough for a vacation to Hawaii, but over a year, that's about $77.  Again, not much, but there's an evening out, a few books, or a couple Kiva loans.  I didn't really like having an ad on my blog (and in fact, I added the ad then removed it quite a few times over), but I confess, I liked the extra surprise money. And I'm a true believer in the idea that small things add up.

Recently however, an ad I don't agree with showed up, in fact it was an "anti" ad to an organization I believed in, so I decided to make this space Adsense-free.

I confess I don't know what other people think of ads on blogs. Or if we do think of them. Sometimes I don't think I see ads, but I'm sure I do.  And while I don't necessarily like ads, I liked that corporations (and not individual readers) were paying me to write.

~

I confess when I go to other blogs I like (and read often), I sometimes click on their ads as a way of saying "Thank you" to the blogger.

So if you have a blog with ads and randomly earned some income-- You're welcome.  ;-)

~



I confess I love the magazine Real Simple.



I learned in the last issue if you put your iPhone in a bowl, the bowl works as an amplifier.  This saved me from having to go out and buy some gadget/speaker with batteries.  I feel so high-tech Zen putting my iPhone in a bowl on my desk--old meets new--and I feel as if I've invented something magical.



~



I confess speaking old things for a new world, I downloaded Boggle onto my iPad (it's my favorite game, even more than Scrabble) and the iPad version is fantastic.  And I hate to say it, the iPad version is even better than the 25 year-old Old School version I play with against my family.  It has some extra features that offer some more advanced playing which I love.



~



I confess, I kick butt at Boggle.



And I confess, I have to tone it down when I play with my family or they won't play with me.



~



I confess I was at a Young Writers Conference recently and an adult author who was giving a talk to the kids told them, "You don't get rich as an author."  And well, it really bothered me that he said that.



I think because he was talking from his own experience and calling it fact.



I think because there is more than one way to be rich.



And I think what really bugged me is that he gave his limiting belief to a room full of students he didn't know and who may not have this belief.



I didn't want him to lie, saying something like "You *will* get rich as a writer" because that's not necessarily true either, but I was bothered that he said, "You don't get rich..." instead "I didn't get rich" or "Some people don't earn a lot as a writer" or "I may not have made a lot of money at it, but it fulfills me in ways money can't buy..." anything else but stating his life as our fact.



~



I confess when I'm annoyed with other people I try to figure what it is about that person that reminds me of myself or connects with me them.



I think in this case, I realized I don't like other people to limit mine (or others) possibilities.



Plus, "rich" is subjective.  And you can be rich in more than one way.



And maybe his "rich" lacks perspective.

His rich doesn't look very far and definitely not over into other borders.



Let me explain:



If you make more than $25,400 a year than you are in the richest 10% of the world.



If you make $33,700 a year, you're in the top 5% of the world's richest people.



And if you make over $47,500 a year, congratulations, you're one of the world richest people.  You're in the top 1% of the world society.



(These stats are from the Global Rich List. You can go here and plug in your own income---no worries its anonymous-- to find out where you rank on a global level..



So I think when that author said, "You won't get rich," I wanted to say, "We already are."



~



And I confess maybe my annoyance with him was really an annoyance with myself for also forgetting to look at the bigger picture as well.



I can easily live in my American world with my iPad, and hot showers, and typing to you on my laptop, and opening the window to my bedroom where no one is being shot or bombed below my bedroom window and I forget.  I constantly forget how much I have.



~



I confess this is not at all what I thought I'd confess today. Isn't that always the way?



Amen.Kelli Russell Agodon
www.agodon.com

46 Bloggers Giving Away 96+ Free Books for National #Poetry Month! #NaPoWriMo

Okay, have you checked out these blogs?  There are some incredible poetry books being given away.  And even better, I'm finding new blogs to follow.



So look below, here's 46 members of our poetry community sharing with you their favorite books.  46 x 2 = 92 free poetry books.  Amazing.



This is what I love about the Big Poetry Giveaway, our lives and minds expand a bit.  You're able to be introduced to new poets and blogs.



The list is up-to-date, so if you're not on the list, email me Kelli (a) agodon. com  - I should have everyone, but these posts have been coming in fast & furious, so I may have missed someone.  If I missed you, please do not hesitate to email me with a 1) a link to your post  2) Your name  3) Your blog name and I'll get you linked up.

(Guidelines on how to participate are here.)





So here's the big list as of Monday, April 4th at 7:49 am (PST).  Click on the blog names to get to the 46 different & unique giveaways!  Happy winning and reading--





BIG POETRY GIVEAWAY! -- List of Blogs Participating...A. Book of Kells: Kelli Russell Agodon
B. Jessie Carty Blog: Jessie Carty
C. November Sky Poetry: Christine Klocek-Lim
D. Being Poetry: Erin Hollowell
E. WordGathering: Margo Roby
F. Danka's World: Danica Grunert
G. Utopian Fragments: Guy Traiber
H. Ribbons of Intonation: Jim K.
I. Wait! I Have a Blog?!: Kathleen Kirk
J. Latoyalikestowrite: LaToya Jordan
K. Modern Confessional: Collin Kelley
L. One Poet's Notes: Edward Byrne
M. Tribe of Mad Orphans: Ren Powell
N. Ophelia Unraveling: Carol Berg
O. The Scrapper Poet: Karen J. Weyant
P. The Alchemist's Kitchen: Susan Rich
Q. Matthew Thornburn Blog: Matthew Thornburn
R. Naming Constellations: Joseph Harker
S. Drowning the Field: Katie Cappello
T. Who are "They" & Other Writing Advice: Laura Moe
U. Red Lion Square: Amy Watkins
V. Poet 2.0: Iris Jamahl Dunkle
W. Art Happens 365: Margaret Bednar
X. Alphabet Soup: Jama Rattigan
Y. The Lizard Meanders: Luisa Igloria
Z. Fredericks' Reflections: O.P.W. Fredericks
Za. One Man's Trash: Justin Evans
Zb. Joe's Jacket: Stephen Mills
Zc. Myself the only Kangaroo Among the Beauty: Sandy Longhorn
Zd. Risa's Pieces: Risa Denenberg
Ze. Ghosts in Parentheses: Barry Napier
Zf. Notes fro the Gefilter Review: Jehanne Dubrow
Zg. A View from the Potholes: Marie Gauthier
Zh. Habit of Poetry: Rita Mae Reese
Zi. Desire Seven Small Delicious Fruit: Cati Porter
Zj. The Graphic Haibuneer: Cindy Bell
Zk. Dear Outer Space: Laura E. Davis
Zl. Lorna Dee Cervantes Blog: Lorna Dee Cervantes
Zm. Jeannine Blogs: Jeannine Hall Gailey
Zn. Kristin Berkey-Abbott Blog: Kristin Berkey-Abbott
Zo. Writing With Celia: Celia Lisset Alvarez
Zp. Weaving a New Eden: Sherry Chandler
Zq. Rachel Dacus: Rocket Kids
Zr. Poemeleon: Cati Porter
Zs. Brian Spears Blog: Brian Spears
Zt. On Writing: Tawnysha Greene
Kelli Russell Agodon
www.agodon.com

Deb Ager (@32poems) Adds to National Poetry Month with a daily updated LIST of Recommended Poetry Books!

Here's the list for each day, poets and what they are sharing.  

My day is April 22!  





April 1: John Poch
April 2: Jonterri Gadson
April 3: Eric Weinstein
April 4: M.E. Silverman
April 5: Arielle Greenberg
April 6: Lucy Biederman
April 7: Eric Pankey
April 8: TBD
April 9: Collin Kelley
April 10: Jennifer Atkinson
April 11: Luke Johnson
April 11: Interview with Terri Witek
April 12: Holly Karapetkova
April 13: Daniel Nester
April 15: Carolina Ebeid
April 16: M. Scott Douglass
April 17: Adam Vines
April 18: Elizabeth J. Coleman
April 19: Bernadette Geyer
April 20: Sally Molini
April 21: Interview with Jeffery L. Bahr
April 21: TBD
April 21: Kelli Russell Agodon
April 22: Jeannine Hall Gailey
April 23: George David Clark
April 24: Rachel Zucker
April 25: Lisa Russ Spaar
April 26: Carrie Jerrell
April 27: Ren Powell
April 28-on: TBD



You can more about this event at Deborah Ager's list here at 32 Poems.Kelli Russell Agodon
www.agodon.com

Spring Cleaning - What I Learned from Letting Go...

I'm Not June Cleaver, But I Play Her in Real Life



I hate spending my time doing housework-- like the quote, "That's right sweetheart, dreams and goals are satan's way of distracting you from cleaning the house"--because I feel as if I'm wasting my writing time.



However, there is a part of me that *loves* organization.  I am a list maker.  I am detailed-oriented.  I choose quality over quantity and appreciate beauty.



Walking into my house over the last six months, you may not have noticed that. What you may have noticed were the shelves in the guest room (which is also our art room) overflowing.  You may have not been able to find a pair of scissors.  You may have wondered if there had been a huge tornado in my daughter's room and if that tornado had also snuck into all the closets as well.  And maybe you wondered why there was a box of wrapping paper halfway under the bed and why the room was decorated in colored tissue paper.



Well, I will tell you-- I have had no time in the last six months for being a domestic goddess and my family can stand a lot of clutter and disorganization than I can.



But after my last reading on Friday night, my writing self told my domestic self, she needs to get her act together because all this clutter and mess is causing havoc in my writer's ability to write.  I was finding my mind was feeling as cluttered as my home and I realized I have had enough of living this way and have reclaimed my house.  I have done a mega-spring cleaning tossing out everything that is broken and donated all my extra stuff to Goodwill and our used bookstore.



And how do I feel?



Lighter.  Relieved.  Ready to write again.  Open for more good things to enter myself because they can find me now.  They will not trip over the bag of books on my office floor or turn around because how can such a small family of three have so many boots?  Yes, my family loves two things-- books and boots-- and now they are all back in their places.



June Cleaver, I will wear your apron for a few more days, then back to my writing life already in progress.





Nothing is Free





So part of my organization is because I'm trying to return to my life of living simply and creatively.  For me, that means I need time.  Some people thrive on busy days, I do not.



As I decluttered my house, I felt I was decluttering my life.



I listened to an audio book about organizing - there is nothing better than to motivate me when cleaning than someone talking in my ear about ways to be more organized (Capricorns love this stuff).  Anyway, she said, "Nothing is free."  Then went on to say that whenever someone gives you something free (I'm thinking off all the papers, flyers, swag I picked up at AWP this year), you pay for it in time.  Basically, you are now responsible for that item.



It's the idea that once something comes into your life you must 1) care for it  2) find a place to keep it  3) do something about it  4) throw it away  5) recycle it  6) give it to someone else  7) donate it.



I realized this year, I've become a middle manager for my stuff.  I'm responsible for it and honestly, that's not a job I don't want.



So I went through my house and kept only my favorite things.  I gave away the Hello Kitty sushi keychain (seriously, how did this end up in my life?), I took pictures out of old frames to keep and donated the frames they were in that had been living in a box, my daughter donated a box of old toys and books (though she also couldn't part with a good number of them--her books are her memories, she says and I understand this--so we put them in a bin and moved them to a safe spot for her to sort through at a later date), I donated bags of everything from ugly cups I never used to extra prayer flags (extra?!) and we loaded up our van.



By giving these things away, what I'm giving myself is time.



With things thing out of my life I have time to write and not worry about "the things"- not worry if they break, if they need dusting, if they need to be put back--none of it because they are gone and off to someone who will love and appreciate them.





What I Learned?





1.  I am happier with less stuff and more experiences.



It's a good reminder on how I should spend my money.  I'd much rather have a fun time with friends, then bring home a new throw pillow.



2.  If I don't know where something is, then it's just like not having it.  Like the scissors, in cleaning up I found no less that 7 pairs, these would have been useful over the last 6 months had I known where any of them were.



3.  I need to be aware of everything I bring into this house--what I bring in costs me time in upkeep & care at a later time.



4.  I do not need anymore envelopes.  I seem to have a dysfunctional relationship with envelopes and paper.



5.  Be mindful and don't accidentally throw away your dustpan (um, I did this on day 2).



6.  There is way too much packaging in the world.  Really, do all DVDs need to come in a *plastic* box?  DVDs manufacturers: put them in recyclable paper box or something smaller.  I don't even use these boxes, I just put the DVD in a DVD holder.



7.  The DeClutterer's Good advice--If you don't love it, have a use for it, or need it-- get rid of it.



~



So here we are, with space to write and receive.



Do others do a big spring cleaning?  A purge of all the stuff you've accumulated over the years?



Do you have a good advice tip for me on organizing, decluttering, and/or living simple? Please feel free to leave me a comment if you do.  I'd love to hear it.Kelli Russell Agodon
www.agodon.com

No Foolin' - Free Poetry Books for National Poetry Month! #poetry

33 poetry-lovers and just generally good people have signed up to participate in the Big Poetry Giveaway.  Here's the updated list of Friday, April 1st at 8:54 am PST.



(If you've posted and aren't on the list, email me at kelli (a) agodon.com and I'll add you.)



Here's the current list (click on the blog names to be linked to the contests):





BIG POETRY GIVEAWAY! -- List of Blogs Participating...A. Book of Kells: Kelli Russell Agodon
B. Jessie Carty Blog: Jessie Carty
C. November Sky Poetry: Christine Klocek-Lim
D. Being Poetry: Erin Hollowell
E. WordGathering: Margo Roby
F. Danka's World: Danica Grunert
G. Utopian Fragments: Guy Traiber
H. Ribbons of Intonation: Jim K.
I. Wait! I Have a Blog?!: Kathleen Kirk
J. Latoyalikestowrite: LaToya Jordan
K. Modern Confessional: Collin Kelley
L. One Poet's Notes: Edward Byrne
M. Tribe of Mad Orphans: Ren Powell
N. Ophelia Unraveling: Carol Berg
O. The Scrapper Poet: Karen J. Weyant
P. The Alchemist's Kitchen: Susan Rich
Q. Matthew Thornburn Blog: Matthew Thornburn
R. Naming Constellations: Joseph Harker
S. Drowning the Field: Katie Cappello
T. Who are "They" & Other Writing Advice: Laura Moe
U. Red Lion Square: Amy Watkins
V. Poet 2.0: Iris Jamahl Dunkle
W. Art Happens 365: Margaret Bednar
X. Alphabet Soup: Jama Rattigan
Y. The Lizard Meanders: Luisa Igloria
Z. Fredericks' Reflections: O.P.W. Fredericks
Za. One Man's Trash: Justin Evans
Zb. Joe's Jacket: Stephen Mills
Zc. Myself the only Kangaroo Among the Beauty: Sandy Longhorn
Zd. Risa's Pieces: Risa Denenberg
Ze. Ghosts in Parentheses: Barry Napier
Zf. Notes fro the Gefilter Review: Jehanne Dubrow
Zg. A View from the Potholes: Marie Gauthier
Zh. Habit of Poetry: Rita Mae Reese


Kelli Russell Agodon
www.agodon.com

Thankful Thursday - Sheila Bender & Turning to Poetry in a Time of Grief

Today I am giving thanks for a friend of mine, Sheila Bender, who was also my teacher many years ago when I was a freshman in college. I remember taking her class and being introduced to poetry in a way I hadn't before--she made it so fun and exciting.  Nothing like the poetry classes I had in high school.



Her class changed me for the better, it gave me a glimpse of poetic life, but still not sure what I was doing and with life continuing on, I lost my way a bit, went hiking into the corporate world for about 5 years, while she continued her passion for writing.



Fast-forward ten years--I've quit my corporate job & returned to a writing life. Somewhere along the writer's path, I bump into Sheila at a local reading, I reintroduce myself and thank her for her inspiration she gave me as a young writer.  We hug, she is gracious and giving and just as I remember her.



Life continues on.  I continue with my own writing and more and more, I hear about Sheila in the writing community.  We are on similar, but unique paths until our lives come together when her close friend and my mentor, Paula Jones Gardiner, passes away in 2008 and Sheila & I along with many wonderful donors, work together to create the Paula Jones Gardiner Poetry Prize for Floating Bridge Press.



For me, I definitely turn to poetry in a time of grief and Sheila has used her gift as a writer and poet to help us all.  So today, I give thanks to Sheila, her words, and her book that can help us all during difficult times.  Here's a description--



 A New Theology: Turning to Poetry in a Time of Grief:  Poet and essayist Sheila Bender tells the story of her family and the family of her son's fiancée coming together, understanding that 25-year-old Seth Bender would be taken off life support. She writes about the months they faced together before the upcoming day that would have been his wedding day, and she tells the story of using poetry to write her way out of grief and find a way of carrying her son's life in her own, a way of understanding mortality and immortality. A New Theology: Turning to Poetry in a Time of Grief is accessible, absorbing, and a bringer of peace to those who mourn.









 A New Theology: Turning to Poetry in a Time of Grief. This book about how poetry helps us understand what is most important to understand: our love, our mortality, our immortality.



Also, what's really wonderful is I learned you can order directly from the author and receive an autographed copy. $20 includes an $8 dollar donation to the Seth Bender Memorial Summer Camps Scholarship Fund, plus shipping and handling.





And if you're interested in what authors have said and/or purchasing the book, you can click here 





Sheila has a lot of great books from journalling, to writing essays, to writing poetry from personal experiences, even writing an essay to apply to college.





I think there are some people who were put here on their earth to inspire others, Sheila is this person for me.  Generous, loving, and so caring about her students, I am thankful to have her words in all our lives.  







Kelli Russell Agodon
www.agodon.com

NaPoWriMo: 30 NEW Writing Prompts for National Poetry Month 2011

Since many of you do a poem a day (See this website: NaPoWriMo) for National Poetry Month (and I am planning on doing this too, but not on my blog-- with a friend by email), I've got 30 NEW never-been-seen before poetry writing exercises for National Poetry Month.  One for each day...



Enjoy and happy NaPoWriMo!









30 NEW Writing Prompts for National Poetry Month 2011



1. Grab the closest book. Go to page 29. Write down 10 words that catch your eye. Use 7 of words in a poem. For extra credit, have 4 of them appear at the end of a line.



2. Write about a poem about a superhero coming to your house and confronting you about something. Somewhere in the poem, you have to state what your superpower is.



3. Write a poem that is really a love letter to an old flame. To make sure it's doesn't slip into sappy make sure one or more of these words is in the poem: dung beetle, politician, nuclear, exoskeleton, oceanography, pompadour, toilet.



4. Make a list of seven words that have the same vowel sounds (like bee, treat, pepperoni, eagle) and use them in a repetitive way throughout a poem.



5. Write a poem about a weird fact or facts that you know.



6. Write a poem in two sections about two completely different things. Have the title link both items today in a surprising way.



7. Find a favorite recipe. Now write a poem inspired or in the style of that recipe about a family secret, yours or someone else's.



8. Turn your paper so that it's in the landscape position. Write a poem about God or the universe or the horizon of the ocean with longer lines and see what happens.



9. Write a poem to your favorite letter of the alphabet.



10. Write a poem about the one of all of the 7 sins that only contains seven words lines.



11. Write a poem that begins with the last thing you can remember someone saying to you today or yesterday. See if you can use that line two or three times.



12. Turn on the radio to any channel. Write a poem inspired by the first thing you hear (lyrics to a song, a commercial, etc.)



13. Run around your house and grab 5 items that all begin with the same letter. Write a poem as an ode to one of these items or that includes these items.



14. Think of the nicest thing someone ever said to you. Write a poem about a rainy day and something flooding. End the poem with the good thing someone said.



15. Write a poem that describes the wallpaper on your computer or the image on the last postcard you received.



16. Make a list of ten images of things you have seen in the last 24 hours. Use all of them in a poem.



17. Write a poem that includes these words: bamboozled, bloodlust, bibliography. Have the title include one of these words: contradiction, constellation, cranberry.



18. Write a poem about something small that is only 5 lines long.



19. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds around you. If the sounds are peaceful, write a poem with a violent word as the title. If the sounds are loud, write a poem with a kind word as the title.



20. Remove your shoes. Write a poem that celebrates your feet.



21. Write a poem with the opposite hand that you write with or if you type your poems on the computer, use only one hand to type.



22. Write a poem that only had five syllables in each line. Give the poem a long title.



23. Write a poem where the last word of the first line begins with the first letter of your name, and the last word of the second line begins with the second letter of your name until you have spelled out your first and/or your last name.



24. Write a poem that has the word "love" hidden in it somewhere. But you cannot use the word "love" by itself, it must be hidden (such as in the word "glove" or in two words like "halo venom").



25. Write a poem where a literary figure shows up and tells you something and gives you something.



26. Write a poem to your future self, but do not say it is to your future self, address the poem to a president or rockstar.



27. Write a poem made of ten metaphors.



28. Make a list of your favorite words today. Write a poem that uses 90% of the words you wrote down.



29. Write a poem about a skyscraper. Now, rewrite the poem with the last line being your first.



30. Write a poem giving thanks to a poet or to writing a poem a day. Use a line from one of the poems you wrote this month to either begin or end it.Kelli Russell Agodon
www.agodon.com

Updated List of Blogs Giving Away FREE Poetry Books for National Poetry Month!

Here's the updated list as of March 30 at 8:42 am PST of the bloggers participating in the BIG poetry giveaway for April 2011.

If I missed anyone, please leave me a comment here.  OR if you'd like participate by being one of the bloggers giving away 2 poetry books, go here for guidelines.

If you want to win free poetry books, click on the blog links below.  And yes, there are links there, they just look as if there aren't for some reason.

Enjoy & Good luck!

BIG POETRY GIVEAWAY! -- List of Blogs Participating...A. Book of Kells: Kelli Russell Agodon
B. Jessie Carty Blog: Jessie Carty
C. November Sky Poetry: Christine Klocek-Lim
D. Being Poetry: Erin Hollowell
E. WordGathering: Margo Roby
F. Danka's World: Danica Grunert
G. Utopian Fragments: Guy Traiber
H. Ribbons of Intonation: Jim K.
I. Wait! I Have a Blog?!: Kathleen Kirk
J. Latoyalikestowrite: LaToya Jordan
K. Modern Confessional: Collin Kelley
L. One Poet's Notes: Edward Byrne
M. Tribe of Mad Orphans: Ren Powell
N. Ophelia Unraveling: Carol Berg
O. The Scrapper Poet: Karen J. Weyant
P. The Alchemist's Kitchen: Susan Rich
Q. Matthew Thornburn Blog: Matthew Thornburn
R. Naming Constellations: Joseph Harker
S. Drowning the Field: Katie Cappello
Kelli Russell Agodon
www.agodon.com

Confession Tuesday- The Superwoman Edition

Trying for Supergirl






Dear Reader,



It's been one week of Spring Break, Waiting for Superman (the documentary), an incredible reading in Redmond, WA for RASP (Redmond Association for Spoken Word), dinner with Jeannine & her husband, a Young Writer's Conference, a doctor's appointment and well, let me confess, I am so thankful that April is less busy than March!





To the confessional--



I confess Waiting for Superman is currently my favorite movie this year.  It's about America's public school/education system.  This movie will be with me for a long time, and I like movies like that.



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I confess, speaking of education, I may be taking on a few more editing/manuscript consulting/critiquing/mentoring jobs next fall for what I am calling my "Fund-a-Future-Poet" project (aka my daughter).



Let me just say, I will be needing to make a little bit more than I do to help her with her dreams, so I will be working with more writers this fall.  If you're interested, let me know and I'll add you to my calendar.  I'm still limiting it to a small group so I don't overstretch myself and also maintain time for my own writing, but still more than normal.





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I confess when I read Bernadette Geyer's comment that her pet peeve is when her friends say they don't have time to write and she can see them posting on Facebook, I thought, "That is my pet peeve too!"



It's also my pet peeve for myself.  If I'm wasting time in Facebookland instead of writing. This is why I came up with Facebook Fridays for myself.  Though I confess, I have been terrible at this for the last couple weeks and especially since I made my new page.  Had I given this up for Lent, there might be a lightning bolt with my name on it.



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I confess I visited the dermatologist to ask about the small bald spot on my head and yes, it's alopecia areata, and caused by stress.  I said, "But I've just been busy & happy, not stressed."  She said, "Even good stress is stress."



I think that is my life lesson this year.



I confess I am not someone who *likes* to busy.  I am most happy sitting on my deck with a glass of lemon-lime selzer water, some homemade granola, sunshine, a few birds, and a book.  I am most happiest sitting at the beach.  I am most happiest doing a jigsaw puzzle with my family.  I am most happiest writing. I am most happiest with unplanned days ahead of me.



I do not get a kick out of being busy for the sake of being busy and I do not think it makes me more important, more successful, more interesting, more more more.



To be quite honest, I like to do nothing.  I like hammocks and reading. I like vacations where I'm not required to do physical activity except walk and look at artwork, walk and have a meal, sit and watch people.



So I'm not surprised my body flipped out when it saw I had 3 reading (and one in Canada) scheduled in row.  It probably thought, WTF?  She never does this?  Where's our hammock gal?



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I confess I need these reminders to slow me down.  Health (emotional & physical) is so important to me.  I've had a few weird health scares over the years.  I'm not Superwoman, but sometimes I try to play her in real life.  And well, it seems that never works out so well.



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I confess at the RASP reading in Redmond, someone asked me about being a mother/wife/writer/editor and how I do it.  I gave my answer about making sure I take time for myself and she said, "So, you balance it all."  And I said, "Wait, I didn't say that!"  There was laughter.  I think because we all recognize, even the people who look like they have it together, don't.



I confess, I want people to know the whole story, not just a false persona of what might look like a perfect life.



I think I do my best to *balance* my life then look to see that I've completely forgotten to water the houseplant and it's dead.  Or realize, "I haven't been in my writing studio for over a month."  Or "I haven't written a poem."  Or "I haven't watched a sunset."  Or "I haven't given thanks." Or "I haven't had dinner home in days."  Or "I haven't talked to my mom in weeks."



And then I rebalance.



I confess, some of the best advice I've ever received came from a good friend/mentor who know longer on this earth with us told me once:  "Kelli, humans hardly ever have their lives in balance, but when you feel overwhelmed, tired, or angry, these are signals to look at your life and reprioritize.  You will do this for the rest of your life and it's okay."



So I do.  And have.



If I've been too busy, I downsize events.  If life's been too hectic, I checkout and into my safe space of home.  If I feel disconnected from the world, I go to museum, read (or listen) to books, take a hike or go mountain biking.



It's a dance.  When I feel my life dancing me over a cliff of I-said-yes-to-that!?, I waltz it back to the sofa.  If it salsas me into a busy calendar, I tango it passionately back to my writing.



I know, it's never perfect.  But it's livable, doable, and good enough, baby. I'm not trying to be Superwoman, but maybe Supergirl.  Or maybe Goodenoughwoman, she may be my superhero of choice.





Amen.Kelli Russell Agodon
www.agodon.com