New Testament by Jericho Brown

I have decided to try and put more diverse works into my reading endeavors this year.

I wanted to get out of my own head, and into a richer experience.

This post at the Millions inspired me to inter library loan a couple of poetry books, "Hustle" and "New Testament."

I have to say that my subsequent examination of New Testament blew my mind.

I loved it. I can't say enough about it. I recommend it to every poet I meet.

Brown's use of language was rich and dynamic, and I was able to feel movement, emotionally and physically. The work transported me.

I loved how he left the work open enough that I could relate - and fit (my white female self) into the work.

An example of one of the works is listed on this blog .

The work mentioned (Heart Condition by Jericho Brown) ends this way:

"My name is Slow And Stumbling. I come from planet
Trouble. I am here to love you uncomfortable."

The lyric sound of the lines is wonderful. The meaning, moreso.

I was transported out of my life, and beneath the skin of another's experience.

This is a work I will re-read many times, and I can't wait to get a copy of his earlier work, Please.

Bravo, Jericho.

And Please - write on!

Update to my pubs.

May 25, 2014. Acceptance. Forthcoming May 29 in Melancholy Hyperbole . "Getting Religion at the A&W" and "Love is."

June 12, 2014. Acceptance. Red Fez . Modified version of "Vegetable Dreams"

September, 2014. Publication - (listed above): Skin Hunger, Invite me In and After the Tornado. http://neo.edu/Academics/CommunicationFineArts/English/Portmanteau

September 7 2014, Acceptance & Publication of Washed: in Intima .

October 19, 2014, 10th place, (1 of 10 poems submitted): In which I Crash the Graduate Student Poetry Reading (content warning - 18+ for language) "In Which I Crash the Graduate Student Poetry Reading" Winners announcement on blogtalk radio.

Juicing and Poetry

Recently, my sister and her sweetie, Merle Stiner, started "juicing" and posting pictures of their healthy breakfast options to their personal pages on facebook.

The pre-juice pictures looked delicious, and I was inspired to try my own variations.

I did a little research, and finally started with a modified version of the Dr. Oz drink and started drinking it every day as breakfast.

I leave mine thick like a shake, and add different items every day to keep up the diversity.

One of the things that amazed me about this was not the drink itself, but how much I loved the process.

There was something about the deliberateness of washing fresh vegetables and fruits, then cutting them up and putting them in the blender. I enjoyed the rhythm, and the simpleness. I liked how the different things combined into one taste, and yet still retained their individual flavors.

And I liked how preparing it took a while. It deliberately slowed things down in the morning. It gave me time to think.

I'm a rush rush in the morning person, and this changed everything for me. I long for more deliberateness in my life. More time, more simplicity.

Later, this was directly related to the satisfaction I felt when I was drinking the veggie smoothie.

It was kind of like drinking poetry.

Here are two new poems up at Melancholy Hyperbole. They specialize in publishing poetry about longing. If you enjoy them, please comment on Melancholoy's website. And if you are poet - please submit here! They are great to work with.


Getting Religion at A&W

Love Is

Here's to a little deliberateness in your day.

Best wishes,

C

Update to my Publications

I spent most of the day reading a back issue of Rattle and chasing down more of what I liked online.

Then I re-read some of my stuff and wanted to cry. There are days I really hope nobody read my work. This is one of them.

Sometimes I go back and look at old work and go - EGADS.

But - then I read something I wrote and see that it's the beginning of something. I believe that someday, my writing will mature.

In the mean time, here's a list of people who like my growing pains:

October 15th - "Reclaimed: Original" Reclaimed (3rd place Journey Through The Genres Contest 2011) won the Ocean Magazine Fall 2013 Contest.

October 2013 - Tied for 7th place in the Poetry Superhighway Washed (one of 12 poems I submitted, so I had 11 losers there too hehe).

December 2013 - Acceptance - Strong Verse. Navigating the Hasty Waters & She Said.

February 6, 2014 - Acceptance. Skin Hunger "Skin Hunger" and Invite me In, A poem in Three parts "Poems In Progress" ((ask me for the pass code) Neo's Portmanteau (Upcoming Issue).

Keep writing!

Best,

C

Two new works up at Muddy River Poetry: http://www.muddyriverpoetryreview.com/Fall%202013/Christine%20Nichols.pdf
To submit here, visit: Muddy River Poetry Review

One Book One Community

The Stillwater Public Library and OSU Library have teamed up to offer a program called "One Book One Community."

The idea is the entire town reads the same book and meets for discussion sessions and they hold various events (song writing class, movies). It's a very neat idea, and this year I am participating. The book is Bound for Glory by Woody Guthrie.

I never would have read this book without the program.

It's a little hard to get into because of the spelling and the feel of the thick local dialect. It kind of reminds me of how I first felt about Shakespeare, a little lost until I picked up on the rhythm and got a real sense of the language.

Also - the first chapter is not the best one of the book. I am afraid a lot of people will give up. I pushed on through.

I'm starting to enjoy the book, and appreciate the humor and the home spun feel of the book. I feel like I'm getting a real sense of the time Woody lived in. It kind of reminds me of the Shepard of the Hills book I read when we went to Missouri.

There are some lines in Guthrie's book just make me die laughing. Here is one:

"Leonard! You Dead?" Grandma said to him. (page 65 - Bound for Glory by Woody Guthrie).

The dialogue, while it can be a bit distracting due to spelling, is often very humorous, and part of the charm. Give it a chance.

Does your Library have a one book one community program?

If not - you should get one started!

I'm enjoying this one.

Best,

Christine

Bah humbug.

I am never going on a cruise.

I decided that after battling an inner ear issue for the last few days.  I am not constantly dizzy but often enough that I can't drive or go to work.  The worst are the spells that hit when I am just laying down.

My eyes go crazy too.

Hope this passes soon.

Hard to write much like this!

Best,

Chris

BUSY!

It's been a while since I posted anything here. Work has been extremely busy! I'm very excited to announce a new program, Just Fiction. I've been working with New York Times bestselling author William Bernhardt to bring a workshop series to Stillwater, and I'm proud to say it's well underway. Registrations are open, and we have a great video on the website that talks a little bit about the program. In addition, I've taken over as webmaster for Stillwater Writers. I"m no expert, but it was time their info was updated. I also set up a facebook pagefor their group. Make my day, become their friend. hehe. In the meantime, I was able to send in (4) entries to OWFI this year. A long unrhymed poem, a short unrhymed poem, a flash fiction story, and a short-short story. Wish me luck! If I add one more thing I'll be almost as busy as Akeith! Haven't written any new poems in a while, I've been focusing on short fiction. Hope all is well!

Zane Grey? Really!

My poor husband. He must get this no-win feeling every time I sit him down and say, "let me read this to you."

He doesn't like or 'get' most of my writing. Especially poetry.

So I try to just make him beta read only a few of my stories. I try to save it for when I really need an opinion. I know family is not the best judge, they are biased, but sometimes I just need to bounce things around a bit. Talk through what is not working.

Last night, I needed someone to read a story I have started for this off-site contest. So I tied him to the chair and read it to him.

When I got finished, he said "Wow, that's really detailed, kind of like Zane Grey." Zane Grey? Really? I was writing like a published author. How exciting!

"Yeah, you know, when I read Zane Grey, it's too much. He stops to describe every flower of every field, and then, when he's describing the horse the guy is riding on, he details every conch in the saddle, every hair on the horse's head. I just want to know what color the horse is. Not it's whole life story."

Oh. Maybe not as much a compliment as I thought!

"So you're saying I need to lighten up the description?"

"Yeah, that story sounds like a really long poem."

Back to the drawing board!

Thank you honey for your patience. Oh...and by the way, I have this poem...

As some of you already know from my excited facebook post - Vox Poetica has accepted Spring, After the Drought. I'm very excited about this poem. It was part of the April initiative on writing.com. Some friends and I did a 30 day challenge, we did 30 poems in 30 days. I wrote "Spring After the Drought" about my husband, and it's one of my favorites. It's scheduled to appear the night of Sept. 19th. I've also included an audio file, my first recording of one of my poems. This is all so exciting! Thank you so much to Vox Poetica for giving "Spring" a chance.

Reposted from Facebook: Yeah! I have had two poems accepted! WEEE!!! "I am delighted to accept "Lovers" and "Trollop", and will let you know when each is posted, ten days or so." This is a great place to submit poetry. Be sure to send a photo, and read the submission guidelines carefully. http://thecamelsaloon.blogspot.com/ The moral of this story? Think about the intended audience when you submit. I wrote/modified pieces that I thought might fit the feel of the venue (A virtual bar) and submitted those. And keep submitting! Best wishes Sil

Sitting in Ellen's Office

Sitting in Ellen's office, I find
remnants of her pre-retirement days.
A pair of tortoiseshell reading glasses
tucked askew at the back of a drawer.

Did she think she wouldn't need them?
Or did she have so many
they are like sticks of chewing gum
used and thrown away.

I am a pale imitation - a shadow
sitting behind her desk
looking out the dusty window,
watching clouds and foggy trees.

I look down the endless hallway
and listen to the slap of the staples,
the aluminum ping of a microwave,
the "Firework" ring of a cell phone.

I take a chair out so it
won't feel so crowded.
But in reality, the ghosts of those
who sat here before me
keep the office full.

One of my 30 for 30 - "Poem a Day" for April: Sitting in Ellen's Office Sitting in Ellen's office, I find remnants of her pre-retirement days. A pair of tortise shell reading glasses tucked askew at the back of a drawer. Did she think she wouldn't be reading once she retired? Or did she just have to so many pairs they are like sticks of chewing gum used and thrown away. I am a pale imitation - a shadow sitting behind her desk I see out the dusty window, clouds and foggy trees. I take a chair out of the office so it won't feel so crowded. But in reality, the ghosts of those before me keep the office full.

Reverse Advertising (Poem Just for Fun)

Alternative Title - "I'll Keep My Old Wife Thank You."

Sale streamers flutter at me
Like a flirtatious look from a new wife
Come hither, they call from the street.

I step out of the shadowy afternoon
And into the brassy showroom.
I am showered with flowered guises.

They parade on stage, tufted, or buttoned,
Pink petals, pert and perky.
Their frames, flexible yet strong.

Their looks hold up well under these conditions.
But what, after the turn of twenty years,
and the weight of bouncing of children?

In front of me, a taught one shimmers.
A butt so firm, it’s quarter worthy.
THAT one would promise me no rest.

Over there, another advertises,
"No springs" - and dreams fit for a King.
Her sighs are silvered whispers.

I turn to go and she tugs me back,
"I promise an unforgettable memory -
and I know how to not spill the wine."

But I know better.

In one soft exhalation, she would return to her former state,
And welcome a new lover without giving me
a second thought. So much for remembrance.

I think I’ll keep my old one.
She’s saggy in all the right spots,
And knows which side I sleep on.

Who cares what they look like anyway?
No one ever sees them naked.
Except maybe for a few minutes in the spring,
when we air them out on Sunday.

Grief

It ricochets off the walls,
a push here, a pull there,
on the hunt
for a weakened seam.

I know
if it finds one
it will unfurl
and fill all the space

like an automatic lifeboat
expanding,
sucking in all the oxygen,
a balloon
of unwanted air.

Until fully bloated
it displaces everything
and crushes it
beneath.

So I clutch my fingers
over my belly,
and will it
to stay
inside.

Reclaimed

Reclaimed

Hot sand refracts and cakes
gritty on sinking soles.
Mirrored shards in waiting
reflect the wave’s laughing children.
Their foamy tongues lap and tickle
between grips of loamy toes.

There for an instant they hang
until reclaimed by their mother.
The sea’s grasping hairs
pull rivulets in undertow
and the very ground beneath me
disappears.

I have copyrighted your underwear. Be warned.

Ok, so I have completely lost my mind and I am participating in Nanowrimo.

In an effort to carve out a little more time, I have written a letter to my kids.

The link to the letter is below:

Letter to my kids:

I thought it was hilarious.

My kids - not so much!

I guess have no future in comedy!

All the same - I hope I finish my goal and write a 50k novel in 30 days.

Wish me luck!

#whyiwrite

Today is the National Writing Project's Why I Write: A Celebration of the National Day on Writing

It's made me stop and think a lot about why I write.

I write because it's an opportunity to explore my creative side. As a busy wife and mother, with a job at OSU and a family business to keep going - I don't have much time to be creative.

Writing lets me make the most of my creative moments. There are no limits. I can explore so many things - my soul, the lives of others, language, even imaginary worlds.

I also write because I am fascinated by the power of words. How things can be communicated, both successfully and unsuccessfully, based on word choice and word order. I love things like connotation, denotation, and context. I love to explore the aspects of language.

But mostly - I write because it's good for me.

And if I get good enough - Perhaps someday it will be 'good' for you too!

Why do you write?

Have a great day. Happy Thursday!

Chris

Book Recommendation: David Orr’s Beautiful and Pointless * * * * *

I greatly enjoyed David Orr’s book Beautiful and Pointless.

It is intended to be an introduction to understanding modern poetry. I found the book to be interesting, enlightening, and well written. I was surprised and pleased with the unexpected humor found in the book.

I appreciated Orr’s examples and poetry recommendations. I now have several new artists to investigate.

I felt a kinship to Orr and his writing, as well as his take on poetry. I’m sincerely grateful someone recommended this book to me.

This week I’m reading The Discovery of Poetry by Frances Mayes (which I found mentioned in an Amazon review of Orr’s book), and Edge by Jeffery Deaver.

I think the Mayes book is going to be really good. It already made me cry, and I'm not even through the first chapter.

Relevant references:
Amazon Link to Beautiful and Pointless.

OSU library link to Beautiful and pointless.

OSU Library call number:
808.1
075b

Happy reading!

Odd Thomas

I have been reading Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz. I'm not a big scary book fan. I am more into suspense. But I've been struck by the poetry in Koontz's writing.

It really amazes me how it is written. Like this:

"The soft features of his wan face brought to mind pale mushrooms that I once glimpsed in a dark dank corner of a basement, mealy puffballs clustered in a moist mounds of forest mast." Dean Koontz - Odd Thomas

Now that's a whole lot different than saying perhaps - He had a pale mushy face. There is a greater depth of description, and it's beautiful.

I also liked this -

"She served it hot, kissing plate to counter without a rattle, as she always does." Dean Koontz, Odd Thomas

What a depth of meaning in two short lines. I love it.

I've been using the Stephen King principle in my writing (KISS), just tell the story and get it done, don't put too many ruffles on it. But when I get good - really good - I hope I have some flavor of Koontz in my writing.

King doesn't seem to think much of Koontz. Go figure.

Luckily - I can love them both. Who do you think is better?

Happy Thursday!