"Heaven is a discotheque"

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Alumnus News, J.D. Smith

As one of the oldest Younger Poets in captivity, I am pleased and amazed to announce that I have been selected for an NEA Fellowship in Poetry. I would be interested in finding out if there any other Younger Poets on the list, which appears at the following link:

http://www.nea.gov/news/news06/Announce12-06.html

I hope this finds everyone enjoying the holidays.

Best,

John
www.jdsmithwriter.com

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

I adore this "Carolina" poem by Matt Siegel. I just got engaged and this poem seems to really be hitting my mood right now. AH! The sun-bleached beginning. And don't we all do the same thing...just walk away as quickly as possible and try to regain normalcy through some routine action...hands through hair, picking teeth, gazing with fake interest at some now mundane and colorless sun...

If I'm in a store and this happens, I grab the nearest rack of sweaters and pretend I'm feeling the fabric for quality or I'm considering the color. How stupid.

(maybe it's the current state of things that has me looking for this in this poem, but) So this wave of possibility washes over the guy, he foresees a conversation with parents, and the essential question is: "Am I allowed to feel this>?" Is the conclusion, then, "No, it's too much, I have to leave the store?" Or is it just, more simply, that he's surprised himself. The tinge of embarrassment. I love it I love it I love it. It IS embarassing...but why...b/c it seems so unwarranted?

Thoughts? Mr. Siegel?

All hail Ron! What a gorgeous idea to do interviews! You have such a wealth of great ideas. I haven't looked at this blog in awhile but now I'll keep peeking in for some wonderful poems. How often do you hope to do them? Once every few months? It's a lot of work with your schedule, I'm sure, but I, for one, really enjoyed this one!

Meg Lav, '04 group, teaching elementary school in Korea and missing my language TERRIBLY