R.L. Martinez's Blog, page 10

Startling Poetry: The Hollow Men

The Hollow Men by T. S. Eliot Mistah Kurtz-he dead A penny for the Old Guy                        I We are the hollow men We are the stuffed men Leaning together Headpiece filled with straw. Alas! Our dried voices, when We whisper together Are quiet and […]

Startling Poetry: The Bells

 The Bells by Edgar Allan Poe I. HEAR the sledges with the bells — Silver bells ! What a world of merriment their melody foretells ! How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, In the icy air of night ! While the stars that oversprinkle All the heavens, seem to twinkle With a crystalline delight ; Keeping […]

Startling Poetry: An Open Letter to Meghan Trainor

An Open Letter to Meghan Trainor by Erin Anastasia     Dear Meghan Trainor, I really want to like your song. I want to shake it shake it move and groove and booty-bump along but there’s just one small problem. I’m still waiting for my booty to arrive you see, I ordered it in the […]

Startling Poetry: In Which She Satisfies A Fear With The Rhetoric Of Tears

In Which She Satisfies A Fear With The Rhetoric Of Tears by Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz This afternoon, my love, speaking to you since I could see that in your face and walk I failed in coming close to you with talk, I wanted you to see my heart. Love, who supported me in […]

Goodreads Giveaway Time!

Yay! I’m so excited to announce I’m doing my very first giveaway… ever. Three lucky ducks will win a signed copy of In the Blood. Head over to Goodreads now and enter. Almost 300 people have already put their names in the hat – and it’s only day 1 – so don’t get left out. Giveaway lasts […]

In the Blood’s Origin Story

Another short essay I wrote for In the Blood‘s blog tour. I wanted to share it here for those who haven’t had a chance to read it over on the Fangtastic Books blog.   Years ago I bought a story collection called, The Maid of the North: Feminist Folk Tales from Around the World. One of the […]

Startling Poetry: Mirror

Mirror by Sylvia Plath I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions. Whatever I see I swallow immediately Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike. I am not cruel, only truthful ‚ The eye of a little god, four-cornered. Most of the time I meditate on the opposite wall. It is pink, […]

Top 13 Favorite Romantic Comedies

Anyone who knows me at all, is well aware that I LOVE love stories. And I adore romantic comedies. But not all romantic comedies. Like it or not, love is not blind, or deaf, when it comes to picking a great rom-com to watch. I gravitate towards smart and snappy rather than sappy and cute. And, […]

Startling Poetry: Traveling Through the Dark

Traveling Through the Dark by William Stafford   Traveling through the dark I found a deer dead on the edge of the Wilson River road. It is usually best to roll them into the canyon: that road is narrow; to swerve might make more dead. By glow of the tail-light I stumbled back of the […]

Startling Poetry: The Bear

The Bear by Galway Kinnell   1 In late winter I sometimes glimpse bits of steam coming up from some fault in the old snow and bend close and see it is lung-colored and put down my nose and know the chilly, enduring odor of bear.            2 I take a wolf’s rib and whittle […]