Dear Poets,
Before we slam the door say good-bye to this dumpster fire of a year (at least for me), I wanted to wave hello again. 👋 I hope your holiday season is going well and you are looking forward to good things. I am not kidding when I say I am thinking up New Year’s rituals, intentions, affirmations, that might shift energy and I welcome any suggestions. I’ll never forget how, in January of 2020, a friend invited me to a ‘plan your year’ workshop a local life coach was offering. We spent a very pleasant afternoon sketching out aspirations for various quadrants of our lives, allowing ourselves to ‘dream big,’ but then list tangible steps to take towards our larger visions. Barely six weeks later, the world as we’d known it was changed forever.
This is all to say while I love the jolt of renewal a blank calendar page invites, I am humbled and wary at how unseen realities lurk at all times. In some sense, perhaps that is the very essence of writing a poem — you start with an intention towards meaning-making, then succumb to the shadow, (or the light), that follows that idea. I’d like to think a better creation then emerges — something with more depth. At least, that’s an optimistic spin on it.
For now, I remain available (and eager!) to work with writers on their manuscripts — poetry, nonfiction, and yes, even fiction. Always glad to give feedback on individual poems, advise about sending work out, and generally be in touch! 📝
So many gift guides flooded my inbox these past few weeks I started to compile one of my own. I realized it’s not discovering new objets that intrigues me as much as the idea of curation. Consider these listings a curation meant for you. 🎁
Since I just sent out a new nonfiction piece about holiday cards I offer my LA Times Op-Ed that published in 2020. Much still applies. “Let 2020 be the year we do away with glossy perfection on our holiday cards.”
Sharing with you:
I’m sure your (actual and virtual) inboxes have been deluged with requests for donations. But what could be better than helping fund a Secret Poetry Room? The brainchild of my beloved teacher, Molly Peacock, she writes that it “recreates a hidden room that I discovered in the heart of Bartle Library when I was a first generation student there. It was a refuge room, so important for working class and financially challenged students who might never have had a room of their own to foster creativity.” I love this idea so very much. You can donate here.
Another cause dear to my heart is WriteGirl, where I volunteer when I can. You can purchase their book of writing prompts, What’s Behind the Blue Door? published by Chronicle Books in August, as a gift for someone else — or yourself.
I saw this article make the rounds this past November, “This Walden Pond–Inspired Writer’s Studio Holds a Trove of More Than 1,700 Poetry Books.” Indeed, this studio looks idyllic. I have a feeling I know who it belongs to — email me your guesses if you’d like. Note the discreet mention of “retired executive [person who didn’t make a living in the literary world] (and lifelong poet).”
This Onion article — meant to be parody — seems far more true to life. “Sellout Poet Made Over $150 In 2023 Alone.” “… sacrificed all of his principles in a ravenous pursuit of fame and fortune that had allowed him to earn $153.50 and reach an estimated audience of 35 readers through his four appearances in print.” The two articles juxtaposed seem an astute commentary about commerce and poetry.
I might publish this too late, yet sometimes recordings are still posted. Join in a Poets’ Solstice on December 21st for a collective reading from Midwinter Constellation (Black Lawrence Press, 2022) inspired by Bernadette Mayer’s book Midwinter Day (written 45 years ago on the solstice).
Speaking of Black Lawrence, I was impressed with their page of free resources, including this series of audio clips in which panelists discuss themes in the book Far Villages: Welcome Essays for New and Beginner Poets. If you’re looking for new audio to accompany your morning walk (or long drive), panels on “The Poet’s Journey” and “Reclaiming Artistic Space” or “Poetry as a Way of Seeing the World Readings” all seem intriguing.
For those local to L.A., I just got my (free) ticket to this event at the Getty on January 27th (5 p.m.) with poet Tess Taylor: “Intimate Addresses: Recording Artists Live.” Taylor hosts the Getty’s podcast and this will be a live recording.
On January 14th (at 7 p.m.) Library Girl is hosting “I Was a Late Bloomer - A Tribute to Sharon Olds” with many stellar local poets reading, including the wonderful Nancy Murphy. From their publicity: “"I was a late bloomer. But anyone who blooms at all, ever, is very lucky." ― Sharon Olds.
If you’re looking for gifts for others (or yourself) this one is free. Poet Joseph Fasano has just launched “The Poetry Lifeline.” See below.
If you need literary merch, one of my favorite go-to’s is the amazing Brooklyn Poets, founded by my graduate school colleague, Jason Koo. It has grown by leaps and bounds and is a kind of first cousin to Writing Workshops Los Angeles (past tense). Their Walt Whitman-inspired “Yawp” tees are wonderful (I have two) and there’s a new series — one in homage to Richard Wright and one for June Jordan.
Imagine my surprise when I was perusing the Levenger site (down my annual planner rabbit hole) and came across a product called “Emily Dickinson Notebooks,” apparently sold in partnership with the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst, MA. You could go directly to the source and have the museum get all of the profit.
Finally, I stumbled over this site “WTF Muse” with its wry take on writerly swag + cats! I like their tagline: “Sometimes writing is hard. Actually, all the time. WTF MUSE!!!”
Not that you need reminding, but the best gift for a writer is often 1.) time, uninterrupted and 2.) faith that what they’re doing is worthwhile. Of course, there are always books and classes (will gladly announce here when I teach again).
Let me leave you with two poems. “The Coming of Light” by Mark Strand is a new-to-me solstice poem I was glad to find.
In a nod to optimism, here is a very sultry reading of Derek Mahon’s poem “Everything is Going to Be All Right” by (Fleabag’s hot priest) Andrew Scott, starring in a new film (click below to hear). I dearly hope so in the New Year. ✨
Wishing you poems ahead. As ever, please be in touch! ✍️