I really would like to get comments. The stats tell me that I have readers, but no one ever leaves a comment. Until yesterday.
I was so excited to have a comment until I read the comment. It was for "Obama on Travon". The commenter said Travon was a thug. Travon was the aggressor. And Obama should keep his mouth shut about this. If Obama had a son, he'd be a thug.
Not exactly the response I was looking for. And, of course, it was sent anonymously.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
A Happy Side Effect
Writing news print poems has a side-effect. It makes me pay more attention to the news. I have to read the paper thoughly to find the best story to transform into a poem. And then I get interested in following the story.
So News Print Poetry blogging has made me a more well-informed person.
So News Print Poetry blogging has made me a more well-informed person.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Outrage
The sensless killing of a teenaged boy, guilty only of "walking while black", has me so outraged that I broke two of my rules for news print poetry today.
First, in the last stanza of the poem, I used the words in the story, but took the liberty of adding a few words so that the lines would make sense and have impact.
Second, I usually only write one or two sentences to comment on the poem. Today a wrote two paragraphs. I had to express my outrage, the outrage that I couldn't fit into the poem. I understand that a newspaper reported has to be restrained, but a poet doesn't.
I broke my arbitrary rules so that I could add my voice to the calls for justice.
Read the poem by clicking the link below.
http://newsprintpoetry2012.blogspot.com/2012/03/call-for-justice.html
First, in the last stanza of the poem, I used the words in the story, but took the liberty of adding a few words so that the lines would make sense and have impact.
Second, I usually only write one or two sentences to comment on the poem. Today a wrote two paragraphs. I had to express my outrage, the outrage that I couldn't fit into the poem. I understand that a newspaper reported has to be restrained, but a poet doesn't.
I broke my arbitrary rules so that I could add my voice to the calls for justice.
Read the poem by clicking the link below.
http://newsprintpoetry2012.blogspot.com/2012/03/call-for-justice.html
Thursday, March 8, 2012
News Print Poetry Readings Scheduled
I'll be doing a reading of news print poems tomorrow at 7pm at "Coctails and Culture" at the Maitland Art Center.
In April, for National Poetry month, I'll be doing an hour long presentation about News Print Poetry at the Maitland Library. It is being held on Suanday April 29th at 2:30 pm. It's free.
The more I do these poems, the more I understand the power and beauty they have. I wish I knew how to get more people to my blog because these poems really should be read. I've been invited to do these readings, and maybe they will help attract followers.
See the poems at http://newsprintpoetry2012.blogspot.com let me know how you like them.
In April, for National Poetry month, I'll be doing an hour long presentation about News Print Poetry at the Maitland Library. It is being held on Suanday April 29th at 2:30 pm. It's free.
The more I do these poems, the more I understand the power and beauty they have. I wish I knew how to get more people to my blog because these poems really should be read. I've been invited to do these readings, and maybe they will help attract followers.
See the poems at http://newsprintpoetry2012.blogspot.com let me know how you like them.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Suddenly, It All Falls Into Place
Todays, poem was about the school prayer bill that passed in the Florida legislature last Thursday. A minister wrote a column opposing the bill, giving many reasons to show that it was a bad idea.
I was beginning to think that it was a bad idea for me to have slected that story for my poem today. I was struggling to turn it into a poem. The words I needed just weren't there, and when they were there, they were in the wrong place. And then suddenly it all fell into place. I found the poem that was hidden in the story.
It hapens that way quite often. It is such a thrill when it does. It's better than completing the New York Times crossword puzzle.
I was beginning to think that it was a bad idea for me to have slected that story for my poem today. I was struggling to turn it into a poem. The words I needed just weren't there, and when they were there, they were in the wrong place. And then suddenly it all fell into place. I found the poem that was hidden in the story.
It hapens that way quite often. It is such a thrill when it does. It's better than completing the New York Times crossword puzzle.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Slowly but Surely
I hit a new high yesterday for number of viwers to the News Print Poetry 2012 blog. My all time high is now 40. I wish it were 400 or 4000, but I'll get there.
I'm guessing I owe part of the success to Rush Limbaugh. I wrote a poem about him on Saturday brimming over with my disgust for his unprovoked attack on a young woman college student. I posted it Saturday, but I bet some people didn't get around to reading it until Sunday.
It is one thing to attack politicians. They quickly grow thick skins. I saw interviews with Sandra Fluke on TV. I could see how emotional she was about the attacks on her, coming close to tears at one point.
I'm guessing I owe part of the success to Rush Limbaugh. I wrote a poem about him on Saturday brimming over with my disgust for his unprovoked attack on a young woman college student. I posted it Saturday, but I bet some people didn't get around to reading it until Sunday.
It is one thing to attack politicians. They quickly grow thick skins. I saw interviews with Sandra Fluke on TV. I could see how emotional she was about the attacks on her, coming close to tears at one point.
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