And, Yes.

Standing up on one's own. 

I know.

Ted Kooser, and Me in Heaven

TED KOOSER

Be still, my heart. Yes, Ted Kooser, two-time United States poet laureate, of the blue overalls, and brown suede elbow patches on his beige jacket, is holding my poetry collection in his perfect hands, and smiling at me with those mystical blue eyes of his. No, it could not get any better than this. One of the greatest moments of my poetic life. Yes siree, Bob!

AND!, he waited for me, until I was finished with the NPR interview. AND, instead of giving me 15 minutes or so, we sat together and chatted a few hours plus some! AND, I kept saying "Mr. Kooser," and then he said, "Please, I want you to call me 'Ted'." **Swoon** AND, he showed me the green ear plugs in his left front pocket, which he said were dirty. I agreed; then I told him the way to clean them was with a lingerie bag in the washing machine. Rather a blunder. Men like this, hearing the term "lingerie," hesitate to participate in any sort of anything, much less "cleaning," no matter if it involves work ear plugs. However, he'll still get his bag, and if he tries it, he'll see how well the plugs actually do get cleaned. Oh joy. We talked about soldering water heaters, and his home in country land, and what kind of work he performed in the insurance biz, and how much he loves to teach, and he confided a secret about what he'd do if he had to give an interview, which proved to be awfully telling about him. Which I hold close and cannot disclose. But I can tell you he's a giant of a poet, a gentleman in the truest sense, a man of honor and of his word. They do not make men like this very much anymore. I know a blessing when it's bestowed upon me.

Cynthia with Ted Kooser

Signing a specially-made copy of "Old School Superhero Loves a Good Wristwatch" for Ted Kooser

Ted jotting down notes about our conversation with his handsome and utilitarian fountain pen

In Heaven, with a man for all seasons, Ted Kooser 

My First NPR/PBS Interview!

So I skedaddled right after the art and poetry event in downtown Phoenix back home to pack and prep for my trip to Lincoln, NE. Okay, I'll only use this word once, but believe me, between every word you see written in this post and the other Nebraska posts to come, just insert this hypnotic term ~magic~, for that is what it felt like. My host, Mike Edholm (master cartoonist and illustrator), was the best host in all the land. Here's Mike, who you will be hearing more about in the near future, as he created the magnificent cover for my forthcoming chapbook from Dancing Girl Press, OLD SCHOOL SUPERHERO LOVES A GOOD WRISTWATCH.

Mike Edholm, Master Cartoonist, at The Oven Restaurant

Yes, he's wearing a Mickey Mouse-on-a-surfboard shirt. 


The next day, we trekked over to The Mill in coolsville, red-bricked, welcoming, downtown Lincoln, where the Nebraska NPR/PBS FRIDAY LIVE show is taped. I interviewed with Genevieve Randall, host of FRIDAY LIVE. During the interview I read one of the poems which will be in OLD SCHOOL SUPERHERO..., and which recently won the Red Hen Poetry Prize, "Super Dan Comics Question Box Series #18." Oftentimes, people say I have a lovely speaking voice. I tell you, to me, my voice sounded like gravel and cat litter were in my mouth, compared to Genevieve's absolutely angelic tone. You can hear the entire interview and poem reading here. My reading starts at 52min, 40sec. I hope you like it! I felt sincerely fortunate for the opportunity to be on-the-air with NPR. 

with Genevieve Randall

This downtown Lincoln intersection stole a portion of my heart, and I promise I'll skip back there in a heartbeat, when so called:

The Oven Restaurant, The Mill and Crescent Moon across the street

Thank you,Tusculum Review, for your Poetry Prize ~ and ~ Poetry, Say Hello to the Visual Arts

So April, Nat'l Poetry Month, has come and gone. May is almost over. Hello, sweet blog. Yes, I have been somewhat busy. Grand news to report on the prizewinning scale: I won the 2014 Tusculum Review Poetry Prize for my poem, "The Timekeeper." Much gratitude goes out to editor Wayne Thomas, poetry editor Clay Matthews, and final judge of the competition, Jericho Brown. The prizewinning poem, along with the prizewinning fiction by John Blair, appears in TTR 2014/vol. 10. 

The Tusculum Review, vol. 10

In May, Sandra and Larry Ortega, owners of Obliq Art Gallery, created a really special art/poetry event I was lucky enough to be part of. 15 poets from the West and Hawaii were paired up with 16 visual artists, all coming together under the banner, "Ekphrasis: Sacred Stories of the Southwest." 

Each poet created a new poem responding to an artist's piece. I had chosen Seamus Berkeley's portrait, "Prayer." My poem is titled, "Patience, with Blue Shawl and Unrevealed Loom." Here's a photo of his exquisite portrait, with me in dramatic half-shadow beside. To the right of the portrait is my poem. What a joyful, special event that was to participate in. I'll surely be happy to participate again next year. The portrait and poem will hang in the gallery together through much of the summer:

Seamus Berkeley's "Prayer"

After this, I packed my bags and got on the big jet plane to Lincoln, NE. It was time for me to give my very first NPR/PBS interview and poetry reading. In addition, I would meet a man of royalty to me, a man for all seasons, Ted Kooser.

One-liner

New line waiting on a poem to be written above, around, and below it:

"It's pretty hard to see a movie that doesn't have even one gun in it."

Superabundant Spring Reading!

Spring is almost here, which is good news. Also good news: I have new poetry just out in fine literary journals and an superillustrious anthology! Here's a tip o' the hat and thank you to each one:
Brand new anthology from Minor Arcana Press, DRAWN TO MARVEL: POEMS FROM THE COMIC BOOKS.

 I'm delighted to have poetry in this anthology. Check out this literally superawesome contributors' list!

New poetry just out from CUTTHROAT: A JOURNAL OF THE ARTS. Such a marvelous journal, stewarded by the exemplary poets/editors Pamela Uschuk and William Pitt Root. Copies/subscriptions can be ordered from their website.

Delighted to have a happy moniker as the Editor's Choice in the new issue of FJORDS REVIEW. Orders accepted at their web page. Many thanks to editor John Gosslee for choosing my poetry for this honor.

Happiness is. 
Happiness for me? To have my poetry published in three remarkable---and eclectic---literary publications. 

Saints, Wine, Brides

Martha Schulzinger and I, as is our habit, went out for a two-hour lunch yesterday and didn't return home until 7pm. How that happens, I just don't have a clue. But there is a pictorial to show some of our more illustrious moments. 

Some years back I passed a store in downtown Chandler which stopped me in my tracks. Things I saw in the window defied description. Finally, yesterday, I went there with Martha. I'm sure we spent almost two hours there looking at every single thing. Impossible not to. The place is called The Religion Store. Inside there were perfumes called "I Overpower My Man," "Job Wanted," "Holy Trinity," "Six Drops of Desire" and on and on. Those were just the oils and spritzers. Here are a few photos of the merely indescribable:

     

Oh, if you're wondering, I was pretty much enamored with these figures. One found its way home with me. The proprietress said she was called a "Warrior Angel." I knew we were meant to be together. Below her is a "pond" reflecting her face and the face of the wolf she's holding. It sits atop my writing desk now.

Wearing Native American dress, barefoot, sporting mature, powerful wings, stroking a wolf, with another wolf patiently waiting beside the pond -- I was entranced. She spoke to me. 

Lunch at Postino. An amazing bruschetta selection. Wine. Three hours of conversation that remain in the vault. Lovely place to go for lunch. The place was packed, yet still so inviting and amenable:

Our traditional after-meal photo:

And on the way home to pick oranges from one of the trees in my backyard for Martha to bring to her home to share with her husband, David, we passed near the railroad tracks. Martha saw them first. She pointed, "Look! Two brides!" Two gorgeous brides had evidently married each other. How often do you see two brides in full wedding gowns on railroad tracks being photographed with a dreamy background? I know. I jumped out of the car, ran uphill to the tracks and asked the brides and the photographer if I could take a photo of everyone. Gorgeous last sunset rays in the background. Beautiful couple. Photographer with a great eye.

Best Wishes, Ladies!

I hop back in the car, and Martha's astonished I just did that:

Martha Schulzinger

Pretty sure it's the warrior angel in me. And yes, I did get a perfume. No, I'll never wear the perfume itself, but the title of it is so darn cool I have to use it in a poem some time. I guarantee you will know it when you see it in a line of poetry. Great day with a wonderful friend.

Super Dan Comics Question Box Series

Before coming down to land in a full-length verse collection in 2016, my Superhero series of poems will be celebrating its very own exclusive chapbook launch this year, in late summer 2014. It is titled OLD SCHOOL SUPERHERO LOVES A GOOD WRISTWATCH and will shine its light out from the capable and refined environs of Dancing Girl Press. I am thankful to editor Kristy Bowen for her delighted response to this  series. 

Here is a very early pencil sketch, a tiny partial view, of what will become the cover. And yes, this time I'm giving you a complete coax.

Super Shoes in conversion

The final version is going to be nothing short of magnificent. The illustrator for the cover is, well, nothing short of genius. I'm privy to every step of every drawing, and I cannot believe how intense, deliberate and complicated this work is. When it's completed, I will post photos on this blog from the very first sketch all the way through to final cover, and you won't believe the remarkable transformation that happens. I mean, jaw-dropping. Not only am I staggered by the process of illustration, but I believe I've stumbled upon new material for yet a third collection of poetry. You never know where the material's going to turn up, but you know it when you turn it over.

Wouldja Believe...Oh How Happy You Have Made Me

I've been reading some blogs written by various poets and writers. Jeez, some of these people are masters at the art of self-promotion without making it sound like they're promoting a book, or a reading, or they want to cozy up to "so-and-so," so they drop that person's name a few (many-few) times -- or on facewatch, that's krazy with a "k," it's like they're actually licking the screen where the person's name and their little "deer markings" appear. No, you "fill in the blank." 

Everybody has their own curious tone, usually kind of a side-hush-wink-nod kind of thing. Hmm. I have the promotion etiquette of a mule. I just plunk it down in front of you and say, Hey, well, here's this and this is happening next year, and oh look here, this is comin' up, and I got asked special to do this -- that sort of thing. I'd call it "sobering" because it feels unnatural. 

Example! If I said, "Boy, I wish William Matthews lived next door." Well, aside from the fact that the man has passed, see, it's my way of saying I love the man's poetry, I love how he conducted himself, and I wish (yeah, if he were alive) he would pay some attention my way. Which means I wish he'd lick the screen when my name appears. That sort of thing. 

Engineers, on the other hand, especially aerospace engineers, remain uninvolved and extremely objective when they write. They have to because of their business, or some such folderol. Here's their trick: bullet points. Here's how it would look if a poet did it --

• I've been asked to give an encore poetry performance at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. The work I've written about is from Julianne Swartz's exhibition, HOW DEEP IS YOUR, and the private reception will include the artist herself in attendance. She'll be giving a talk about her work prior to the reception, and I believe there might still be availability to attend her presentation, by RSVP to the link below. That's starting out the new year with a genuine thrill for me. Yessiree!  http://www.smoca.org/calendar/artist-talk-julianne-swartz
• Next up, I've got new poetry coming out in February from Minor Arcana Press. They will be publishing a fantastic anthology I'm proud and excited to be a part of. It's called DRAWN TO MARVEL: POEMS FROM THE COMIC BOOKS. I can pretty much assure you there won't be any boring, self-important, blah-blah-blah poems in this anthology. Just the fine stuff. It's what makes superheros fly! You can pre-order the anthology here.
• Next, next up, I'll be the "Featured Poet" in a stunning literary journal in Spring 2014 which I cannot yet name, because they haven't made the announcement yet. This will be the first time I've been the featured poet for a literary journal and I'm just thrilled over this honor. As it happens, poet and major hunk-a-lunk Chris Campanioni, winner of the 2013 Academy of American Poets Prize for Poetry, is also a contributor to the Spring issue. Now that's company! {More news to come on this as it is released.}
• Next, next, next up, I am beside myself with elation that a series of poems will be coming out in mid-to-late Summer 2014 from a spectacular press. I'm so excited that if I don't stop typing about it this instant I'll give it away, I know, I do not own a poker face, that's a given...except to say this: these new poetry developments aren't said to tease, but rather, when a publisher or editor graces me with acceptance of my work, I make it a personal rule that they then have the privilege to make the initial announcement. {So again, even more news to come on this one as it is released.} I want to share it with you so much!
• I'm loving these bullet points. Keeps you on track. But in an oh-so-serious, "hey, we're having a conference here" kinda way.
• 2014 can't get here soon enough. This is going to be a wondrous new year. I'm ready, and there's a seat right here for you!

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art and "Art Out Loud" Poetry in the Galleries

Didn't we have a time!! 

The SMoCA reading was an immense experience and delight, and filled with a kind of "holiness." I use that word because, to read within the confines of a museum, beside and surrounded by artwork created by visual artists, in addition to the dim mood lighting specifically hued to highlight the exquisite artwork alone, and, in addition to that, the packed, standing hushed crowd of people...all giving their undivided, powerful attention to each poet reading their poems on a personally selected artwork --gracious, it was a truly unforgettable evening. I feel blessed to have been invited to participate in this event.

Here is SMoCA's link to the event, and when you click on the circles within the "speakers" photo, you'll see further photos of the poets who read that night: Logan Phillips, Allyson Boggess, Pinna Joseph, Sally Ball, and me. Mark Haunschild and Myrlin Hepworth also read, but apparently they were camera-shy enough not to supply a head shot.

Very few photos were taken inside the gallery as most of the artwork remains unauthorized for capturing in private use. However, Martha Schulzinger, a wise, clever, wonderful woman did happen to capture a photo of me reading beside artwork created by Julianne Swartz. In this photo, my chosen piece of artwork is, in fact, the lidded box at my feet, just to the right of me. That was the piece I selected, and I'm so happy I did. The piece is called "Open," and when you open the lid, something striking and marvelous is heard. 

My poem is called "In Which Case I Could Stay/Open." 

That's another Swartz artwork behind me, multi-colored wands that almost touch, but don't. Very delicate, very tenuous, hardly storm-proof.

This is the link to Julianne Swartz's art installation at SMoCA. It displays more selections of her art which were in the exhibition.

And this is Julianne Swartz. A superb artist.

I'm looking forward to meeting her personally, in January.

And so it goes! Again, I have wonderful poetry publication news from a variety of fronts, Yes!, which I can't disclose just yet, but I will be able to do so after the new year. Stay tuned for all these fabulous announcements! I'll keep writing poetry, as I turn my attention now to the deep blue tones I love so well. I'll be venturing into the "corrals" of a few creatures of great charisma and unpredictability, both the 4-legged and 2-legged sort. As more than a few folks know, I've never been one to play it safe.

It feels as if December is running away with itself -- the pecan leaves are dropping off the trees in great cascades of amber and sticky brown. Soon the limbs themselves will be completely bare, with only the pods of pecan nuts as ornaments. Because this is indeed a holiday season. Be merry. The ride so brief, the view so beautiful. Glad tidings to all of you!