94% lists.
In a sudden flurry of organizing, I came across the notebook I used last March when I lucked into a poetry writing workshop with Thomas Lux. And thought I should write my notes up for posterity/those that like this sort of thing.
"I can't see any way you can have a unicorn in a poem. Maybe if you had it shot between the eyes."
"I think stamina is the most important thing the poet needs. You just have to keep doing it no matter what."
Whitman's "entire poetic career is 94% lists."
ulteriority as opposed to meaning: "what's human and alive beneath the surface of this poem."
"We don't love poems because they're neat and orderly."
Paraphrased: Anything that might turn up on a post card we want to avoid in a poem: moonrise, sunsets, beach scenes, sailboats on the water.
He said each one of his poems goes through 15-30 drafts.
And, paraphrased:
You can make things up to tell the truth.
Good weekend: party on Friday night, followed by dancing around the bus stop to keep warm in the frigid air. (Winter has shown up abruptly.) Yesterday I also made an amazing discovery, which requires backing up to explain that I'm a douchebag who spends far too much time hanging out in coffee shops, since I realized I'm far, far, far, far more productive when I get out of the house to do work. (How different college would have been if I'd known!) Which requires trying to triangulate the perfect venn diagram overlap of coffee quality + atmosphere (amount of seating + direct sunlight + wifi) + food availability. And so far I've been unable to find anywhere that managed all three and was also conveniently located, despite all my Yelping and coffee slurping. BUT yesterday I tried out a place I thought was a frozen yogurt shop and had thus been scorning (there are 6 froyo places within a few blocks of my house and almost no ice cream; I am morally outraged). And they had amazing coffee! And tons of seating and big windows! And soup and oatmeal! And Miranda July books and people talking about Evernote, aka my kind of wretchery. And then I realized it's not even a frozen yogurt place, it's a YOGURT place, like regular yogurt, I LOVE YOGURT, I EAT IT EVERY DAY. And it's like a five minute walk from my house. I cannot overemphasize how privately exciting this is. I am going to move in and never leave.
Today I worked on my econ reading over French toast and new coffee, then we biked over to the farmer's market for eggs and apples and brussel sprouts and mushroom soup. I've spent the afternoon belatedly getting organized for the semester and cleaning up my desk (is anything nicer than a clean desk?), then we kicked the soccer ball around the playground behind the apartment in the cold and falling dark. And now: repurposing the leftovers from last night's homemade fish tacos for huevos rancheros.
"I can't see any way you can have a unicorn in a poem. Maybe if you had it shot between the eyes."
"I think stamina is the most important thing the poet needs. You just have to keep doing it no matter what."
Whitman's "entire poetic career is 94% lists."
ulteriority as opposed to meaning: "what's human and alive beneath the surface of this poem."
"We don't love poems because they're neat and orderly."
Paraphrased: Anything that might turn up on a post card we want to avoid in a poem: moonrise, sunsets, beach scenes, sailboats on the water.
He said each one of his poems goes through 15-30 drafts.
And, paraphrased:
You can make things up to tell the truth.
Good weekend: party on Friday night, followed by dancing around the bus stop to keep warm in the frigid air. (Winter has shown up abruptly.) Yesterday I also made an amazing discovery, which requires backing up to explain that I'm a douchebag who spends far too much time hanging out in coffee shops, since I realized I'm far, far, far, far more productive when I get out of the house to do work. (How different college would have been if I'd known!) Which requires trying to triangulate the perfect venn diagram overlap of coffee quality + atmosphere (amount of seating + direct sunlight + wifi) + food availability. And so far I've been unable to find anywhere that managed all three and was also conveniently located, despite all my Yelping and coffee slurping. BUT yesterday I tried out a place I thought was a frozen yogurt shop and had thus been scorning (there are 6 froyo places within a few blocks of my house and almost no ice cream; I am morally outraged). And they had amazing coffee! And tons of seating and big windows! And soup and oatmeal! And Miranda July books and people talking about Evernote, aka my kind of wretchery. And then I realized it's not even a frozen yogurt place, it's a YOGURT place, like regular yogurt, I LOVE YOGURT, I EAT IT EVERY DAY. And it's like a five minute walk from my house. I cannot overemphasize how privately exciting this is. I am going to move in and never leave.
Today I worked on my econ reading over French toast and new coffee, then we biked over to the farmer's market for eggs and apples and brussel sprouts and mushroom soup. I've spent the afternoon belatedly getting organized for the semester and cleaning up my desk (is anything nicer than a clean desk?), then we kicked the soccer ball around the playground behind the apartment in the cold and falling dark. And now: repurposing the leftovers from last night's homemade fish tacos for huevos rancheros.