Heh heh. This is a good one, gentle readers. Staten Island Parks Department is running a haiku poetry contest enticing poets to write a traditional haiku form meditation on the natural transformation of Freshkills Landfill into Freshkills Park, the city's most important new Park in 100 years. Go to this site and click on the e-mail link to enter the contest by - Friday, April 24 at 5:00pm. All I can say is - Talk about lipstick on a pig!
Haiku, in short form (pun intended), is written in 17 syllables divided into 3 lines of 5, 7, 5 syllables; in order to qualify as traditional Haiku Japanese verse the haiku must mention some element of nature or one of the seasons. Good luck to all who enter this unusual endeavor! Now... 1...2...3... everyone... grab your lipstick!
And now, just to mention a few of my favorite haiku haunts: an old friend, Paul David Mena, the Haiku Poet; David Rheins Blog, Haiku.com; and Like My Haiku.com.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Gordon College posts poetry as podcasts on iTunes
Massachusetts' Gordon College melds age-old poetry tradition to 21st-century technology by recording a variety of poems as podcasts on iTunes. As many of you know, podcasts are digital recordings available on the Internet and can be downloaded onto iPods or listened to through your computer speakers.
The college chose favorite poems that were recited out loud this spring by students and faculty. Communication arts major, Natalie Ferjulian, a junior, recorded the poems and coordinated getting the poems posted as podcasts on iTunes. A new poem is posted every day during April, National Poetry Month.
A few of the poems representing poetry recorded include Langston Hughes' Harlem, warning of the danger of deferring dreams read by Jo Kadlecek, senior communications writer to John Ciardi's whimsical Why Nobody Pets the Lion at the Zoo, read by Jan Carlberg, wife of college President R. Judson Carlberg.
The college chose favorite poems that were recited out loud this spring by students and faculty. Communication arts major, Natalie Ferjulian, a junior, recorded the poems and coordinated getting the poems posted as podcasts on iTunes. A new poem is posted every day during April, National Poetry Month.
A few of the poems representing poetry recorded include Langston Hughes' Harlem, warning of the danger of deferring dreams read by Jo Kadlecek, senior communications writer to John Ciardi's whimsical Why Nobody Pets the Lion at the Zoo, read by Jan Carlberg, wife of college President R. Judson Carlberg.
Win up to $500 at museum's poetry slam - DETROIT
Here's how: Enter the Wright Poetry Slam Open-Mic Competition sponsored by the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History on April 15, 2009, 7-9pm, by calling 313.494.5823 to provide your name, e-mail addy and phone number. This event has no admission fee and the museum is located at 315 E. Warren Ave., Detroit, MI.
Visit the museum's website for more information and while you're at the site check out the Current Exhibition I Have a Dream: An International Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., which runs from March 18 through May 3, 2009. The exhibition is organized by the Maricel Museum in Spain as a tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s philosophy of freedom and justice - for all. The Curator, Gabi Serrano, amassed 70 works created by artists around the world, all the works fall under the main theme, "the dream".
Visit the museum's website for more information and while you're at the site check out the Current Exhibition I Have a Dream: An International Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., which runs from March 18 through May 3, 2009. The exhibition is organized by the Maricel Museum in Spain as a tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s philosophy of freedom and justice - for all. The Curator, Gabi Serrano, amassed 70 works created by artists around the world, all the works fall under the main theme, "the dream".
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
I want to make you famous, Marcee Lee!
This is a story written by Jacquelyne Smith (Bless her!), run in the Independent Florida Alligator. Marcee Lee Winthrop is the kind of woman that inspired Janet Leigh's poem Ode to Woman. Ms. Winthrop has what's called the "irrepressible spirit" of woman; she has courage, resiliency and a vision of how she wants to be seen. She sees herself as "poet," and she's even come up with the title of her first poetry book, Poverty Revolution Part 1: Skimming the Surface. Winthrop wrote her first poem as a part of a New Year's resolution to live up to her potential and improve her life. The poem was written based on her own experience living in poverty. Winthrop is raising her 13 year old daughter after being left on their own by her husband who left in early March.
Winthrop faces a number of obstacles in her daily life. Starting with a full set of teeth, she now has 3 left, all in the front, and because of this physical characteristic and her lack of job experience, she remains unemployed. The loss of her teeth has been personally painful and brings her much anguish and hurt. Unemployment rules out medical and dental care, leaving the dental work she needs to improve her appearance, out of reach. Nevertheless, she manages to get past the resulting insecurity of her appearance to take the stage to read her poetry at places like UF's Orange and Brew during open mic nights. She hopes to educate people through her poetry to the hardships of poverty and stir action to eradicate it. I love that she is taking this initiative to help others while helping herself.
Winthrop wrote her first poem, I am a Face of Poverty in America, to address her anger with the government which she feels treats her as an "expendable soul" because of her poverty. She says her experience trying to get assistance from the government is frustrating because, for one thing, she lacks transportation. Winthrop says many poor people feel like "a number," or "cattle wandering from building to building."
A neighbor, Edwin Luciano, has known Winthrop since she moved into the neighborhood several years ago and admires her for "stepping out and doing something special. It just goes into people's hearts and makes a difference."
May the stars be aligned in favor of Marcee Lee Winthrop's goal to "live up to her potential and improve her life" through publication of her poetry.
pssst... Winthrop needs a kind benefactor. From my lips to God's ear!
Winthrop faces a number of obstacles in her daily life. Starting with a full set of teeth, she now has 3 left, all in the front, and because of this physical characteristic and her lack of job experience, she remains unemployed. The loss of her teeth has been personally painful and brings her much anguish and hurt. Unemployment rules out medical and dental care, leaving the dental work she needs to improve her appearance, out of reach. Nevertheless, she manages to get past the resulting insecurity of her appearance to take the stage to read her poetry at places like UF's Orange and Brew during open mic nights. She hopes to educate people through her poetry to the hardships of poverty and stir action to eradicate it. I love that she is taking this initiative to help others while helping herself.
Winthrop wrote her first poem, I am a Face of Poverty in America, to address her anger with the government which she feels treats her as an "expendable soul" because of her poverty. She says her experience trying to get assistance from the government is frustrating because, for one thing, she lacks transportation. Winthrop says many poor people feel like "a number," or "cattle wandering from building to building."
A neighbor, Edwin Luciano, has known Winthrop since she moved into the neighborhood several years ago and admires her for "stepping out and doing something special. It just goes into people's hearts and makes a difference."
May the stars be aligned in favor of Marcee Lee Winthrop's goal to "live up to her potential and improve her life" through publication of her poetry.
pssst... Winthrop needs a kind benefactor. From my lips to God's ear!
Poetry for an America yearning for awakening
Poetry by Uncle Sam for Uncle Sam is the catch phrase for a featured poet in the annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, which will run April 25 & 26, 2009 on the UCLA campus. Uncle Sam, in this case, is poet Sami El-Soudani who will be having a book signing at the Xlibris Publisher's Booth, booth #238, from 11am-12pm on Saturday, April 25.What I like about this poet is his intention to shake us up with a message about a "great nation in sedation, presently subjugated to the point of being captive by its homegrown military-industrial-media complex, which is dedicated to the service of special interest groups and personally profiteering war advocates." Whew! That's a head full.
But wait! There's more. Sami Uncle Sam El-Soudani is sounding an alarm, long overdue, that America's sword is being turned, slowly but surely upon its own people, as America's preemptive war escapade has already been set in motion, wrecking havoc in the world at large, and unleashing the dogs of war, skillfully trained by wicked war kindlers. This war is given the misnomer title of "war on terror," but in reality it is being waged with a mindset aimed at capturing Islam, as "a clashing culture" as prescribed in a recipe for World War III per Samuel P. Huntington. With such a mindset, Islam is regarded as "a threatening warring civilization," just another buzzword title, with both references being as bogus as a witch's broom. People of America: Awaken!" Wow! This is serious stuff, eh?
As serious as Dr. Sami El-Soudani's credentials; "an aerospace materials scientist specializing in fracture mechanics and failure analysis and has been engaged for over thirty years in averting failures of aircraft structures. For the past twenty years, however, he has been conducting independent theological and sociological research prompted by regrettable world events clearly showing that failures of the human spirit are of far more devastating consequences than failures of aircraft structures." [emphasis mine]
Actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers will wow us with *his* poetry - after retirement
Aside from being one of my favorite actors, Jonathan Rhys Meyers claims he also writes "terrific" poetry (according to a newKerala.com item), and of this claim I have no doubts. Why, just look at how "terrific" this man presents himself. Then, think of his acting abilities! Surely a man who looks this good, writes just as well, no? All kidding aside, I will have to wait to pass judgment on his poetry at this time, however, I'll be an olde, fading raisin by the time Meyers retires."Maybe when I'm a lot older and I won't be so embarrassed, I'll publish it," he added.
Well, to this I say to Meyers, there's nothing to feel embarrassed about writing poetry; it's the language of the soul. And,, and - your eyes tell me a different story. You have the eyes of one who approaches life in a studious, meditative manner with great awareness and contemplation. Add sensitivity and stir. Voila! Poetry! Prove me wrong. Leave a poem here in Comments (and your phone number. Just kidding..:)
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
National Poetry Month kick-off!
What better way to jumpstart Poetmeister 4 Poets! after a longish hiatus than start off National Poetry Month with a shout out to all my favorite poetry sites & blogs, and then some! I've truly missed, over the past months, my usual blog-hopping forays; it looks like the dust is settling over our homestead at last which will allow me to resume my blogging
These few highlighted sites ought to keep you busy kicking off April's National Poetry Month! At least until I return with more places to check out - and more poetry, of course.. ;>
- I shall start things off by giving a high-five to Joe Felso, er, David Marshall, of Joe Felso: Ruminations, for his newest start-up blogs, Haiku Streak and Signals to Attend, which I'm just starting to "get to know." You may remember that Joe Felso/David Marshall is one of my favorite online educators and excellent writer of haiku! Welcome back to the blogging world, David! I'll be stopping in again soon to catch up with your comings and goings.
- You must go to Poets Who Blog and give some luv to Sara who puts in endless hours of superb writing on All Things Poetry - for a community of some of the most talented, unique, innovative poets in cyberworld. Poets Who Blog site has undergone a new look which really pops! Great job, Sara. Kudos to you for your tenacity and perseverance in providing the best information hub to the online poetry world!
- Don't forget to check in with these great blog sites, too; World Class Poetry, Billy the Blogging Poet, Blogsboro Poetry Club, Asphalt Sky , Glenn Buttkus' Feel Free to Read & Silliman's Blog!
- Rick Mobb of Mine Enemy Grows Older still continues to amaze me with his enormous talents and vision, and heart for social justice. Read Rick's newest poem, and now she's awake here. And Just Paisley continues to awe us with her poems & writings with their perfect complementary photo or artistic embellisment. Scot Young's Be Not Inhospitable to Strangers still rocks for me. Go give some luv - now!
- I'm totally taken by several new blogs I've discovered or been introduced to recently: Bryan Borland's SHAKE and David Rheins Blog.
These few highlighted sites ought to keep you busy kicking off April's National Poetry Month! At least until I return with more places to check out - and more poetry, of course.. ;>
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