Lunacy
In grade school, I used to love those assignments where the teacher gave us ten vocabulary words and said we had to use all of them in a story. Those were good times, and I’ve already tried to revive them here in prose and poetry. Today, the NaPoWriMo prompt at Read Write Poem invited us [...]
Whys
The NaPoWriMo prompt at Read Write Poem asked us to ponder metaphysics, while the one at Poetic Asides asked for some reflection on miscommunication. This seemed like a good time to try a fibonacci poem. The words I had only filled out a shorter sequence at the end. I decided I liked it that way. [...]
Master the Art of Writer’s Block With Strunk and White
I wrote (or rather, pirated) this for the “How-To” prompt at Read Write Poem with inspiration from Geoffrey K. Pullum’s recent essay in the Chronicle of Higher Education. _______________________________________________ Master the Art of Writer’s Block With Strunk and White Avoid a succession of loose sentences. Use definite, specific, concrete language, place yourself in the background [...]
Recognition
Thanks to Sam Proof at Dash 30 Dash for featuring my poem, “Packing,” and selecting me to be one of the Poets of the Day for Day 8 of National Poetry Writing Month. It’s a great honor to be among the other fine writers there.
Protected: A Career Path Not Taken
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A New Constellation
The NaPoWriMo prompt at Read Write Poem asked us to open a few different poetry books, choose some lines and work them into a poem. I selected lines ( in italics) from the works of Mary Oliver, Rainier Maria Rilke, Pablo Neruda, Paulann Petersen, and Sharon Olds (more detailed citations below). This piece is also [...]
Grand Canyon Senryu
The NaPoWriMo prompt at Read Write Poem called for reflections on rites of passage. I already wrote one poem on my son’s coming of age ceremony (bratabandha) in Nepal. I’ve also written a long chapter on it in the ethnographic memoir I’m finishing. So the Poetic Asides call for a haiku inspired me to explore [...]
city frog
Written for prompt #18 at PAD. city frog pond _______________________ city frog in my barrel pond one pacific tree frog croaks I hear no answer _______________________ _______________________ ______________________________________________
Morning Headlines
This follows the prompt at Read Write Poem to take 50 words and make “word salad.” My words came from book titles, news headlines, and various objects around me this morning. I used all the words, changed the form of some, and added a few articles, conjunctions, and prepositions. I also added the subheadings. I [...]
Questions About Anthropology
I didn’t have a lot of time today to respond to the “instead of …” prompt at Read Write Poem or the “Poem Title” prompt at Poetic Asides. I’m tearing down and rebuliding the farm chapter in my ethnographic memoir on Nepal and also, coincidentally, designing a website for the farm I worked on. Trying [...]
Floating
Based on a recent trip I got dragged into, this image came immediately to mind when I considered the random words given for NaPoWriMo at Read Write Poem. It also vaguely fits the “hobby” prompt at Poetic Asides, although it’s not my hobby. ___________________________ Floating Impugned by eco-warriors the Star Princess – a floating hotel [...]
Protected: So We Decided to Move Inland: A Sestina
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Protected: Dissection or Poetry
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