National Poetry Month prompts

O.K, so I told myself I'd participate and write a poem a day this month...not having written anything in over 3 years. I'm 6 days behind.

Here's the link for Poetic Asides. Hope you have more luck than I have so far!

Starting Today: poems for the first 100 days

I still don't find time to write anymore. maybe when the kids start school. But here is inspiring poetry: Starting Today: poems for the first 100 days - poetry for the first 100 days of President Obama!

Hundred White Daffodils by Jane Kenyon

So I'm reading this collection of essays by and interviews with Jane Kenyon. She has some beautiful things to say about Spirituality, as well as the role of poetry in our lives, and of poets in our society.

I am fantasizing these days about having time to write poems about my wonderful babies. But I just hope to get around to posting the things I loved from this book sometime soon.

10 months, no new poems!

Well, I think I have a good excuse. I had a baby on May 13th. :-) I hope to write lots of poems about having been pregnant, and about new motherhood, and of course, my precious little angel baby. I am inspired by poets like Sharon Olds and Gayle Roby of the Alewife Poets. But as any poet knows...you can't have these powerful experiences and emotions and write about them the next day. At least I don't think most poets can. They need to sit and percolate...and in the meantime, I'm enjoying every little snuggle and coo...and the occaisional bit of sleep! :-)

Violet - a new poem

This is a "mimic" poem on Denise Levertov's "Stepping Westward". Apologies in advance to Denise Levertov fans. ;-) - Amy

Violet

What is violet in me
Deepens, amethyst.
All is royalty
passion, sensuality.
To be a wild woman,
Of freedom, of fantasies,
And love.
Stroking skin,
Crushed velvet
Soft and supple.

Sharon Olds

Sharon Olds has long been one of my favorite poets. You can find links to her poems and biographical info. on my old website, but since she's one of my favorite poets I thought I should devote one blog entry just to her. My favorite poems of Olds (right now anyway), are The Clasp, and "Bathing the newborn".

I read about her again recently, when she declined an invitation to the White House from Laura Bush. Here's an article with the letter from Olds. You can read more on my opinion on this at my blog. Needless to say this act of protest made me respect Sharon Olds even more!

So what IS it you plan to do with your one, wild and precious life?

This page is from the Social Venture Network, and it is what they call their Portrait Project. It is a page of their members, each responding to the question posed by Mary Oliver, part of which it the title of this blog. "What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?".

I love the idea of posing this to people and presenting their answers publically.
I invite anyone who stumbles upon this blog to do the same. Leave a reply in which you answer the question. I'll do the same.

Blessings,
Amy

VG: Voices from the Gaps

I have loved the website "Voices from the Gap" for many years. Now, VG: Voices from the Gaps has been totally revamped and improved. It has become an even more vibrant learning community.

I encourage all poetry students and teachers, and anyone interested in learning about a wider group of women writers, to visit this site. As their site will tell you, this is a website dedicated to women artists and writers of color. Now, "VG/Voices from the Gaps is a web-based trans-national academic community including students, teachers, artists, and scholars. VG provides resources about artists and writers. VG forges a collective effort of scholars who digitally interract with each other. VG contains biographical and critical analysis, pedagogical information, and histories of translation. VG archives recorded sound, film, and image collections; interviews, and online conversations with web logs (blogs)."


To learn why they use this photo by JEANNE GOLDMAN, go to this page of their website, and scroll all the way down.