Poetry Readers Challenge discussion

Hi -
Want to say hello and find out who the people here are? Here's the place. Tell us which poets you like, or don't, link to your site, an outside review, whatever.

It's taken two years to put up this note, so, yes, we're kind of slow, but not unfriendly.

If you have any question about where to post stuff, just ask, either here, or in a message to me.

cheers
sarah

Well, I'll bite the bullet and go first!

I'm Trevor. I'm 18. I just joined the group this year. Here's my list so far: Trev's List. My favorite poets are mostly current and not necessarily writing poetry in the "traditional" form. I'm a huge fan of SLAM (performance) poetry. For example, Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz is my all time favorite.

I want to extend myself into other types of poetry, though. So if anyone has any favorites, I'd love to hear them so I can check them out myself! :)

Hi Trevor -
We're really happy to have you.
I think I've read some Cristin Aptowicz!
I hope this group will turn you on to new poets, too. It has certainly done so for me. If you have any questions, feel free to ask here.
best

I'm Nina. I much prefer contemporary poetry. I'm a writer as well-poetry and non-fiction.
I'm a 60s hippie, social activist, and classic rock band chick.

My website is: http://transcanalwriters.com/Home_Pag...

I'm Allison. I'm a retired lawyer, but really, I'm a poet and have been since my teens. I'm now 44. So, I've been a poet much longer than I was an attorney. I like formal structure poetry (sonnets and waka are my current obsessions, although a good villanelle...) and NY poetry is also a favorite, as well as HOWL and its precursers and progeny. Love Emily and Sylvia. So many more, but would have to go to my shelves as I'm bad with names/titles. My own poetry is free form based on formal structured poetry, such as sonnets and waka.

How do I post my list? How do I post my poetry? Is that allowed?

Thanks! Allison

Oh, also, I put a book of poetry I'm reading and it's on the front home page - I think that was the wrong thing to do...

Hi Allison -
Welcome to the group. Thanks for telling us a little about yourself. It's totally fine if you post the book you're reading on our page.
To add your list, click on the subject called "Members' 2012 Book Lists." When you get the new page, you'll see in the upper right corner "new topic." Click on that and call it "Allison's list" (or whatever), and write your list in the window.
hope that helps

hmmm...don't see a subject called "Members' 2012 Book Lists" where is that? and thanks!

Hi Allison -
This is the "General" discussion grouping. Below this group of posts, you should see it. Can you see other people's lists? When you do, just go up to the heading and you should see "Members' 2012 Book Lists." Sorry if you're having trouble. Ask again if it's till now showing up for you and I'll try to help further.

Hi Sarah,

I'm Ujjvala, and as you will see in my profile, I have a fledgling publishing company, Mason-Dixon Publishing, and one of our genres is poetry. This is because my partner and I both love poetry, to read and to write. I will get a list up here soon.

I like all forms, but I do have a list of criteria for poetry. Do we discuss that topic in this group?

Sincerely, Ujjvala
www.masondixonpublishing.com

Hi Ujjvala -
Best of luck in your noble enterprise! We are always happy to have a poetry-reading new member.
You may discuss anything you like here - you can also begin a new thread if you'd like to start a new topic.
best
sarah

S. wrote: "Hi Allison -
Welcome to the group. Thanks for telling us a little about yourself. It's totally fine if you post the book you're reading on our page.
To add your list, click on the subject called "..."

THANKS, GOT IT!

Hi Everyone,

I'm new, or not so new but freshly back from AWP Chicago with bags full of new poetry books and chapbooks to read! Did anyone else make it?

Jen

Ujjvala wrote: "Hi Sarah,

I'm Ujjvala, and as you will see in my profile, I have a fledgling publishing company, Mason-Dixon Publishing, and one of our genres is poetry. This is because my partner and I both l..."

I registered on your website, and am trying to find criteria, deadlines and fees for your contests...?

Jennifer, I envy you, I was not able to make it to AWP. Can't wait to read your reviews!

I'm Ruth. I'm a retired college art teacher and professional artist and active poet. I've been writing poetry for almost 20 years now. My poems have been published in Nimrod, Tar River Review, North American Review, Rhino, Poetry East, Atlanta Review, and Poetry New Zealand, among others. I am included in book Twelve Los Angeles Poets and in the anthology Wait a Minute I Have to Take Off My Bra.

Nina, very cool idea to create a website for a writing group.

The other Jennifer, I also envy your AWP experience. You've reminded me to start watching for when it ends up in the South again.

Ruth, love the name of that anthology!

I'm always baffled about what to say on these intro threads. Here are a couple of links, one about me and poetry generally, http://jppoetryreader.weebly.com/abou..., and one to a list of publications, http://jenpearson.weebly.com/backgrou....

Though I've written poetry in the past, now I'm mostly a reader of it. Since there are few of us who do (especially out here in rural Alabama), I enjoy this group immensely and thank Sarah again for creating it.

Thanks all. I have gotten so many good tips from this group.
Ruth, great list of pubs and I love the name of that anthology, too.
Jen, I'm on vacation at the moment but will definitely be checking out your links when I have more time.
thanks

I'm here as Ellen; my writing name is Ellen Roberts Young. I've started putting reviews on this list, and reading those posted, because it is a great way to stretch my reading and learn a new skill. But I'm not sure I'm following the rules. And I haven't tried making a list because I never know what someone will recommend next.
I joined Goodreads to publicize my book, John Emerson Roberts: Kansas City's "Up-to-date" Freethought Preacher. I'm now focusing on poetry again and looking particularly for examples of books which are conceived as a whole: like Kyrie for which I just posted a review. Any suggestions?
www.freethoughtandmetaphor.com

Ruth wrote: "I'm Ruth. I'm a retired college art teacher and professional artist and active poet. I've been writing poetry for almost 20 years now. My poems have been published in Nimrod, Tar River Review, Nort..."

Maybe you have some tips on which publication/contests to submit poetry...I'm having hard time sifting through the milieu of journals!

Howdy, I'm Mignon. And I'm a poet-holic. I read a lot of poetry, write and try to stay active in two workshops, and edit two online journals.

I just got here and I'm already confused. So we don't pick books to review, we choose from a moderator-chosen list?

Allison wrote: "Ruth wrote: "I'm Ruth. I'm a retired college art teacher and professional artist and active poet. I've been writing poetry for almost 20 years now. My poems have been published in Nimrod, Tar River..."

Sorry if I put my intro in the wrong box. Sigh. The current Poets & Writers mag has a section on contests. Frankly, after twenty years of phases of contest entering, cursing, and avoiding, I think it's very subjective. I enter maybe two contests per year--and only if they seem super compatible with my work.

Hi Mignon!
I believe we are acquainted....
You're in the right box here I think. Welcome to our group. You choose all your own books! The goal is to review twenty poetry books a year. It's easy to read that many but more difficult to say something about them, I find. That's why I started the group. Ask about anything you need help with.
In the 'Members' 2012 Lists' section you list the books you aim to read. You can also just keep adding as you read if you prefer.
Reviews go below in the 'reviews 2012' section.
I hope I'm getting the labels right.
cheers
sarah

Allison wrote: "Maybe you have some tips on which publication/contests to submit poetry...I'm having hard time sifting through the milieu of journals!..."

I wish I did. But I'm too busy sifting through the milieu of journals!

Hello!

my name is Patrick. It's great to see a community of poets and poetry lovers, it's hard to find these days. I'm happy to be part of this group and to hear and get all of your recommendations for poems and new authors =)

I've also published a new book of poetry myself, titled "rogue," and I have some poems in there if anyone would be interested in reviewing them and critiquing them. I really would appreciate it.

I look forward to a fruitful membership !! =)

Best
Patrick B

Hello! My name is Gabriela. I'm a student, heading (hopefully) towards a major in literature. There are so few people interested in poetry, though, even among literature students!

I'm a bit particular in really only liking the poetry in languages I'm fluent in, so that would be Czech and English. I love 20th century American poetry - right now I'm in love with Sylvia Plath, and one of my very favourite poets is Frank O'Hara. I hope I can make the requirement of reviewing twenty poetry books. I will certainly try...

Almost forgot the blog. www.cluelesspixie.blogspot.com

Hi and welcome to our group. We are very much a reading and reviewing group, all interested in poetry, no matter when or where or even how.

Hello there! I'm Louise and have just joined. I love reading and writing poetry & I will do my best with 20 poetry books a year. I've just had my first collection published, and am currently working on a 2nd. I also edit an online e-magazine that showcases the talent of a small poetry group formed in 2011 on twitter (The Grass Roots Poetry Group) It's great to be here and make new friends who love poetry :) Oh, and my blog is at http://louisehastings.net/

Welcome, Louise! Congrats on a first book. I look forward to reading your reviews. Let us know if you have any questions about the group.

Jen wrote: "Welcome, Louise! Congrats on a first book. I look forward to reading your reviews. Let us know if you have any questions about the group."

Thank you, Jen! Very nice to be here & involved in a poetry reading group :)

Hi, I've been lurking on this group for a few months now, but should finally introduce myself. I'm a midwesterner living in north Texas where I teach, write, and read poetry. I appreciate hearing about poets, poems, and collections, as well as discussing them.

Hi Mark. Glad you're moving out of lurker mode. I hope you'll share some of your opinions about books you've read and chime in on discussions. What do you teach?

Hi Louise and Mark. Very nice to have some new members. We hope you'll enjoy the reviews as well as reviewing.

If anyone wants to open a discussion, feel free to start a thread.

Louise, you have a lovely website. I look forward to your contributions here.

Thank you, Ellen. I look forward to reading some good poetry books :)

My absolute favorite poet is Louise Glück. I'm looking for suggestions of good verse novels and speculative poetry. My first book is due out in November.

Hi Sari.
Nice to meet you, and congratulations on your book.

Another congrats on your book! I think it's cool that you have an absolute favorite poet. I don't and always feel a little self-conscious about my wishy-washiness.

I see on your profile that you have an online journal that focuses on mythic poetry. To you are mythic and speculative equivalent terms? Also, do you know about the Mythopoeic Society?

Jen wrote: "To you are mythic and speculative equivalent terms? Also, do you know about the Mythopoeic Society? "

I think mythic poetry and fiction is a subgenre within speculative literature, which I tend to define broadly. It's also a relative of fantasy, though of course it can be crossed with other genres. Many of the poems and fiction on Fickle Muses are written in the style of contemporary realism, with gods as human as myth often makes them.

I'm aware of the Mythopoeic Society--committed to another, also related, subgenre of speculative literature, no?

The Mythopoeic Society's original intent was to promote scholarly attention to the works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. However, they now promote scholarly work and general appreciation of mythic fantasy. One of the reasons I ask is that they confer an annual award for fiction and scholarship but never have for poetry. I've always hoped more poetry that fit within their genre would be written so that offering such an award would be included. I'm glad you're supporting that type of writing in your online publications.

Jen wrote: "Hi Mark. Glad you're moving out of lurker mode. I hope you'll share some of your opinions about books you've read and chime in on discussions. What do you teach?"

Thanks Jen and everyone for the welcomes. I will try to post something soon. Jen, I teach freshman writing at a university.

Hi folks,

I'm a poet, teacher, and critic new to goodreads and this group seems like a great place to get my feet wet.

I have reviews posted at my blog (Olives by A.E. Stallings, Among the Goddesses by Annie Finch, Terminal Diagrams by Garrick Davis and more), The Contemporary Poetry Review (Broetry by Brian McGackin and Mayakovsky's Revolver by Matthew Dickman is forthcoming) and a few other places.

I am looking forward to posting reviews here.

I do have a book of poetry: With Rough Gods in print and on the Kindle if you're in to that sort of thing.

Looking forward to discovering poetry with you all.

Welcome G.m.! I don't have time at the moment to check out the links but definitely will later. Congrats on the book (note that we have another place for you to put a link to your book: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/2...). I look forward to reading your reviews!

Those of you who enjoy poking fun at William Carlos Williams should take a look at the first part of G.m.'s review of Broetry http://www.cprw.com/?s=broetry&x=... (the excerpt of one of the poems, and G.m.'s comment directly after). I got quite a laugh out of it. It's overall a great review as well--worth reading.

Hey GM, welcome to our group. At Jen's prodding I did read the "Broetry" review, which I much enjoyed, and think I will stop short of the book. Smile. Hope you'll enjoy it here.

Greetings GM, Louise and Mark

I've just realised I've been taking part in this group for a while without properly introducing myself. How very unbritish of me!

I joined this group because I wanted to find other people who like reading and discussing poetry and it has certainly opened my eyes to the wealth of poetic talent on the other side of the Atlantic as well as reminding me of old favourites like Auden.

I work part-time for a UK university (no I don't teach poetry) and the rest of my time gets divided up between family (two kids, one husband, four chickens and two ducks), helping out at school (I'm a school governor) reading and writing. I do blog when I can manage it http://advancingpoetry.blogspot.co.uk/

I will have a book published by Cinnamon Press next year and will no doubt tell you all about it when the time comes.

Congrats on the forthcoming book, Caroline! Definitely let us know when it's out.

Nice to 'meet' you Caroline. It is nice to know something about the other readers in our group. I will definitely check out your blog. I keep one, too: http://theraininmypurse.blogspot.com.

I loved your used bookstore find rundown on your blog, Sarah. Though I'm constrained to used sources right now due to financial problems, I would still shop them for just the reasons you do--and would no doubt drop huge sums at them if I had no budget restraints.

Thanks, Jen. I love used book stores. I was talking to a book cover designer last night, though, and he thinks the physical book will eventually cease to exist except as a collectible.