My Seal of Life: Poetry

     Everyday life can be surprisingly dangerous, but I have a defender. True story.

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~Erika

Poetry: October

     Reading poetry in front of an audience was somehow different from making speeches in public speaking class. My hands almost didn't shake, and I actually enjoyed it. I felt like I was telling my poems they were at last really ready to go out into the world. Which is really providential, since it wasn't until six a.m. the morning of the literature conference that I finished writing 2 of the 3 poems I read.

      Interesting fact: I learned in American Lit II today that there is no such thing as silent reading. Even when your lips aren't moving, your larynx is vibrating.

       With that in mind...

As for NaNoWriMo, I decided I'd rather try and fail than not even try simply because I'm afraid I might fail. I'm not off to a great start, I'm at zero words right now, but I'm not going to freak out.  I created my writing space, I'm getting solid pre-writing done, and I have a Saturday on which to novelthon. Besides, nothing's impossible, is it?

And the Results...

     ...I placed! I'll be reading "Many Are the Masters" at the university literature conference on Saturday (plus two more poems, if I can speed-polish them in time). :D

Poetry: Many Are the Master of the Beasts

     It almost seems like a trademark of the British romantic poets to have radical theological and philosophical views. I was rather shocked when I met them at the beginning of the semester. And as an English major I feel bad to say so, but most of their work is gibberish to me. I think Wordsworth's in "Preface to Lyrical Ballads" and Shelley in his "Defense of Poetry," are digging too deep and being too analytical.

     Despite my muddled response to 17th century British literature, I hope I will end up taking something meaningful or useful away from it. I did sort of connect with one of Blake's ideas in his poem "London," to which I make an intertextual reference in my latest poem "XX."

     "XX" is posted below. I know it is rather pensive, and I hope to someday be inspired to write the more uplifting counterpart, but until then it stands alone. I ask you to read, reflect, and (in the actual sense of the words) RSVP, répondez s'il vous plaît, answer or respond, if you please. I'm turning this in to the university creative writing contest on the 15th and appreciate your criticism!

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Happy 1st Birthday!

     Today is the first birthday of the Well in the Wood. I didn't realize until I put this list of pieces together how productive this year has been, or how much more poetry I've written than fiction. Hmm...
     Anyway, help me celebrate by finding something below that catches your interest, and leave a comment!

Free photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

POETRY

"Goodbye Long Summer"

"Something More Than Dye"

"Assignment One"

"The Centaur"

"By Definition, Gentleman"

"For Goodness' Sake"

"Prisoner's Lament"

"Umeboshi"

"I Know Why the Groundhog Hides"

"February"

"The Lark"

"i can only lay my thanks"

"Sonnet One: Memories"

FICTION

A snippet from: "The Soldier"

"The Umbrella" Part I (audiosnippet)

"The Umbrella" Part II (audiosnippet)

"The Presidential Endeavor"

"Charles and Winifred" (audiosnippet)

A snippet from: "The Cricket Apocalypse"

NON-FICTION/EXERCISES
"The Igloo" Part I
"The Igloo" Part II
"The Igloo" Part III
"The Igloo Part IV"
"The Sweet Taste of Success"
Fun Facts

"Boot Polishing" a snippet about Wynna

King Anders & Sir Sventall (dialogue)

On Board the HMV Lark (setting)

Map from "Eleanor, Princess of Atlace"
"You Never See Them Coming"
 And the author interview isn't really my "work" but it was a memorable post from this year. 5 Questions for Heather Dixon About Entwined