Here’s a short interview with me published in the literary magazine of Uskudar American Academy in Istanbul, Türkiye. A 12th grader there found my poem “Our Beautiful Life When It’s Filled with Shrieks” and reached out to me from across the many waters. It’s amazing what poetry can do. Thank you to Efe Oğuz Aktaş for these lovely questions. My poem and I are humming with gratitude.
A few weeks ago I received an email out of the blue from the Head Librarian at the Uskudar American Academy in Istanbul, Türkiye, letting me know that 12th graders there were reading and excited about my poem “Our Beautiful Life When It’s Filled with Shrieks” which has a line in it about people who bicycled across Turkey in the late 1800s. They are going to translate my poem into Turkish for their school magazine alongside an interview with me. I am sending them this signed copy of my second book for their library. My little dedication doesn’t come close to expressing the deep deep joy this connection across the seas has brought to my heart.
I’m so deeply, deeply honored that Union Mutual Aid at Union Theological Seminary in NYC has asked to use “I love you. I want us both to eat well.” from my poem “Our Beautiful Life When It’s Filled with Shrieks” as the motto for their new weekly food program and pantry. My words and I bow deeply to Anna and everyone involved in this beautiful and needed endeavor.
“I love you. I want us both to eat well.” 😀
Here’s the video of me reading my poem “Our Beautiful Life When It’s Filled with Shrieks” which was broadcast 2 days ago on WPBS Weekly: Inside the Stories. I hope you enjoy it!
Ever wanted a 1.5 hour interview of me lipping off in depth about composing and revising my poem “Our Beautiful Life When It’s Filled with Shrieks” from my book If We Had a Lemon We’d Throw It and Call That the Sun? Along with oodles of nitty-gritty poetry writing talk–daily practices, radical free-writing, quelling the inner critic, lineation, creating stanzas, titling? Along with a little Dog Day Afternoon and Goodfellas content? Well, you’re in luck. One just got posted today on YouTube by 1-Week Critique.
Huge thank you to Matthew Schmidt and the awesome gang at 1-Week Critique! This conversation was such a pleasure, and I’m thrilled to share it with you!
On this warm September Monday, after three nights of frosts, I thought I’d share this video I made in June of me reading two poems (“It’s Something People in Love Do” and “Our Beautiful Life When It’s Filled with Shrieks”) from my forthcoming book, If We Had a Lemon We’d Throw It and Call That the Sun. Pandemic beard in evidence.
I just uploaded this video to my YouTube page. The squirrels seem to be hectically preparing for the coming cold.
I’m honored and delighted to share the news that my poem “Our Beautiful Life When It’s Filled with Shrieks” was selected as Runner-Up for the Brittany Noakes Poetry Award whose entree fees benefit the Live Your Dream Award, sponsored by SI of Rittenhouse Square, PA, for a single mother who has experienced hardships, to help her pursue her education. Click HERE to read (and hear me read) my poem (first published in Rattle Issue 50) along with super-kind words by Shevaun Brannigan and contest judge J.C. Todd. Thanks so much to you both!
Hi friends. My poem “Our Beautiful Life When It’s Filled with Shrieks” — a finalist for the 2015 Rattle Poetry Prize and published in issue 50 — has been posted today at Rattle.com for all to read. Go HERE to read the poem in full.
You can also listen to me perform the poem at a live reading I gave at The Downtown Writer’s Center here in Syracuse last October.
Thanks again Timothy Green and the rest of the Rattle crew!