Early this New Year’s morning, I had a dream of teaching a creative writing class in an apartment. All my students showed up gradually, starting at 1:00 a.m., since the class time hadn’t been announced. I had them all do calisthenics to warm up and dreamt up several ideas for class. I probably won’t makeContinue reading “New Year’s (blog) Resolution”
Category Archives: Writing
Finding Myself
One of the joys and pains of authorship is finding yourself in print. Of course, it is a joy when you have slaved over a manuscript and seen it through to publication. Nothing compares to the moment a new book comes out or a poem appears in a magazine. But is it vain or isContinue reading “Finding Myself”
It Could Have Been Music
As I turn from grading exams and essays back to getting ready for this year’s Eudora Welty Writers’ Symposium, coming up in less than two weeks, I am thinking about this year’s theme. It could have been a musical theme, at least judging by our poets. Shirlette Ammons’ book includes an extended play CD withContinue reading “It Could Have Been Music”
The Real Point
I’ve been thinking about my last post, and though I’m happy with what I wrote, I do feel I fell into the trap that most educators get caught in when talking about the value of what they do. We tend to think of the future. We educate students so they can go out into theContinue reading “The Real Point”
Back to Normal
Life must be getting back to normal a little (if summer can be considered normal around here). Despite the fact that we were heading into finals, we made the plunge to foster another puppy. Tomorrow he leaves for a new home in the North, but we’ve enjoyed him for nearly three weeks in the meantime.Continue reading “Back to Normal”
Tribute to Jean C. Lee
Jean Lee was an amazing artist, writer, editor, and human being. I first met her when I was a student at Knox College and she was the technical advisor for Catch, the student literary magazine. She taught me most everything I know about editing and design. Later, after I had worked in Chicago for aContinue reading “Tribute to Jean C. Lee”
Poetry and Politics
This has been another busy week, which is to be expected, since it’s the last full week before finals. What I didn’t expect (until recently) was the news of Governor Barbour’s proposal to merge MUW with MSU. This has put everyone in high gear to respond and keep up with classes! I’ve laid down theContinue reading “Poetry and Politics”
T Minus 6 and Counting
Six days from now, the Eudora Welty Writers’ Symposium will begin. In the meantime, I’ll have lots to keep me busy, but the main tasks are taken care of. Now it’s down to tying up loose ends and getting everything ready. The perfect time for a little preview or two. I’ll be giving one, aContinue reading “T Minus 6 and Counting”
Thoughts on narrative poetry
I taught a class on narrative versus non-narrative, associative or dissociative poetry today, and had the joyous realization that most of the class prefers narrative poems. That’s great. I love narrative as well, and often find myself writing poems that tell stories in one way or another. I’ve taught other essays that argue any poemContinue reading “Thoughts on narrative poetry”
Apologies to Chicago or ‘Truth’ in Poetry
As I wrote awhile back, we visited Chicago this summer. I got to read at the Uptown Poetry Slam and see old friends. We also drove around the city (driving the Loop on Sunday morning was delightful!), took the dog to the Montrose dog park, had Leona’s pizza in my old neighborhood, and had aContinue reading “Apologies to Chicago or ‘Truth’ in Poetry”
Kendall Dunkelberg 