tags: a lemon tree, Adam Fell, Elegy with Jack Daniels, Erika Meitner, female aquanauts, Great Twin Cities Poetry Read, in which the ghost of Adrienne Rich appears and doesn't vanish, Kara Candito, maps, poetry, writing process
Second wave poems were drafted between 3-6 months back. I still have attachments that keep me from making the best choices. But this is also where I begin the experiments–swapping nouns for other nouns, mating two or three (or more, oh my!) poems together, collaging texts from other sources, trying out different forms and rhetorical gestures. Lots of simulating and being influenced by current interests…
Third wave poems are just drafted. They are unruly. They lack perspective. Lots of wipeouts. I should never share them with anyone but, foolishly, I do. I tend to feel too good or bad about these poems,
The point of these waves (and why I share my “wave” outlook with students) is that I can rarely claim to have writer’s block. If the third wave–the one most closely associated with inspiration–isn’t happening, I can always go to the others. There’s always something to work on.
Tomorrow I’m driving up to St. Paul with Adam Fell and Kara Candito to read in the Third Annual Great Twin Cities Poetry Read. Show starts at 7 p.m., at Hamline University. Adam is promising to drive like Ryan Gosling in Drive.
Have you read Erika Meitner’s beautiful “Elegy with Jack Daniels, maps, a lemon tree, female aquanauts, in which the ghost of Adrienne Rich appears and doesn’t vanish”?
Have you read this incredible essay, “What We Hunger For”, by Roxane Gay?
You’re welcome…
