Sunday, October 14, 2007
Featuring Elena Ray
I love her art. This one is titled The Secrets of Paradise Live In Your Soul (click to enlarge)
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Li-Young Lee Interviewed
I love this man's poetry. Very good interview in Poets org.
This is the beginning of the interview...
Tina Chang: In your most recent book, Book of My Nights, night is many things. Night is: "abyss and shuttle," "the silence tolling after stars / and the final word," "all of night / the only safe place," and "All the nights are one / night." Why did you feel a calling to the night as opposed to the day?
Li-Young Lee: It's because I'm an insomniac. In fact, I haven't gone to bed yet. I was up a lot. And, I didn't know this, but I think my insomnia came from trying to quit writing poetry. As soon as I started doing that, I couldn't sleep.
Chang: Why did you want to quit writing poetry?
Lee: It was a weird time. I was involved in a lot of activism, and I came to this conclusion that poetry couldn't "do it." It couldn't change the world, or something like that. I was involved with this group, and we were trying to change the world [he laughs]. It's ridiculous. So I thought I'd stop writing. And I couldn't do it. I started losing sleep and I didn't know why. So I had to find a way to justify my own writing. I was involved with this person who told me I had to give up my poems.
(click the above link to continue)
This is the beginning of the interview...
Tina Chang: In your most recent book, Book of My Nights, night is many things. Night is: "abyss and shuttle," "the silence tolling after stars / and the final word," "all of night / the only safe place," and "All the nights are one / night." Why did you feel a calling to the night as opposed to the day?
Li-Young Lee: It's because I'm an insomniac. In fact, I haven't gone to bed yet. I was up a lot. And, I didn't know this, but I think my insomnia came from trying to quit writing poetry. As soon as I started doing that, I couldn't sleep.
Chang: Why did you want to quit writing poetry?
Lee: It was a weird time. I was involved in a lot of activism, and I came to this conclusion that poetry couldn't "do it." It couldn't change the world, or something like that. I was involved with this group, and we were trying to change the world [he laughs]. It's ridiculous. So I thought I'd stop writing. And I couldn't do it. I started losing sleep and I didn't know why. So I had to find a way to justify my own writing. I was involved with this person who told me I had to give up my poems.
(click the above link to continue)
Flu Shots, Beauty and Dying Young
An online friend recently asked if I'd gotten my flu shot for the year. The question prompted this outpouring of family history:
I don't get the flu shots. CFIDS docs are split on that but most say no...don't get. I remember my mother got them when she got older and had at least three days of flu-like symptoms after. In her retirement apt down here, a number of people would actually get the flu after a shot. I decided if I was going to get the flu, I would get it on my own :-)
Historical sidenote...my mother was next to youngest of six children and then didn't have me until she was 35, so my roots go back further than most my age. Her mother had the killer flu that swept our country in 1919. Everybody did except mother, who'd had it the year before when it was killing people in Europe. Mother was 13.
Her mother got up, feeling well from it, then relapsed. It soon became obvious that she wasn't going to make it, so the family doctor who was attending the dying all over town had her taken to the hospital. My grandfather was sick too, but pleaded with the doctor to go with her. There was no heat in cars in those days so the doctor told him one of them had to survive for the six children and my grandmother's elderly parents who also lived with them.
My greatgrandparents are seated left and middle, with my grandparents and children standing. A family friend is to the right. My Uncle Herman hadn't been born yet. Mother is the towhead clinging to her mother's skirt.
When she was in the final stages, however, the doctor sent word. He said that if my grandfather wrapped himself in blankets he could come. To his relief, he was able to be there and hold her hand as she died. My Uncle Herman was only five. Grandfather kept his wife's parents even after her death. They were part of the family and any other choice was unthinkable to him. Her father, W.B. Dickson, had fought in the Civil War, meeting his wife, Anne Harris, when a dying buddy asked him to deliver a letter to his sister after the war for him. Unbeknownst to my grandfather, it was a 'letter of recommendation' saying that there would be few men left after the war of marrying age and he could vouch that W.B. Dickson was a good man.
Uncle Herman and his father, my grandfather, after my grandmother's funeral.
Five years later, my grandfather was killed by a drunk driver. Mother was 18 and had just entered college. Her oldest brother was married and willing to take him in when the house was sold and the Dicksons moved in with another of their children, but his wife who was rather sharp tongued refused to take him on. He went to my grandfather's half brother whom he barely knew but I think turned out to be better.
When all this happened, though, he begged mother to go with her and stay in her college room. He said he would hide in the closet and be very very good. It was heartbreaking. Uncle Herman, by the time I knew him, was a man who kept his feelings close to his chest. I think those losses created that survival technique in him. Mother tended to hold her emotions in a lot, too. She may have been 18 but had no home to go to and no space at her two married sibs over holidays. She spent some holidays with roommates and stayed many at the dorm.
Mother's college graduation photo.
When she graduated, times were rough My father was then a school principal, out 4 years, himself. He hired her to teach first grade and they married a year later. She was beautiful. Whe was voted 'most attractive' in her senior class , and resembled Greta Garbo.
This is me with my father. He was 40 when I was born.
I don't get the flu shots. CFIDS docs are split on that but most say no...don't get. I remember my mother got them when she got older and had at least three days of flu-like symptoms after. In her retirement apt down here, a number of people would actually get the flu after a shot. I decided if I was going to get the flu, I would get it on my own :-)
Historical sidenote...my mother was next to youngest of six children and then didn't have me until she was 35, so my roots go back further than most my age. Her mother had the killer flu that swept our country in 1919. Everybody did except mother, who'd had it the year before when it was killing people in Europe. Mother was 13.
Her mother got up, feeling well from it, then relapsed. It soon became obvious that she wasn't going to make it, so the family doctor who was attending the dying all over town had her taken to the hospital. My grandfather was sick too, but pleaded with the doctor to go with her. There was no heat in cars in those days so the doctor told him one of them had to survive for the six children and my grandmother's elderly parents who also lived with them.
My greatgrandparents are seated left and middle, with my grandparents and children standing. A family friend is to the right. My Uncle Herman hadn't been born yet. Mother is the towhead clinging to her mother's skirt.
When she was in the final stages, however, the doctor sent word. He said that if my grandfather wrapped himself in blankets he could come. To his relief, he was able to be there and hold her hand as she died. My Uncle Herman was only five. Grandfather kept his wife's parents even after her death. They were part of the family and any other choice was unthinkable to him. Her father, W.B. Dickson, had fought in the Civil War, meeting his wife, Anne Harris, when a dying buddy asked him to deliver a letter to his sister after the war for him. Unbeknownst to my grandfather, it was a 'letter of recommendation' saying that there would be few men left after the war of marrying age and he could vouch that W.B. Dickson was a good man.
Uncle Herman and his father, my grandfather, after my grandmother's funeral.
Five years later, my grandfather was killed by a drunk driver. Mother was 18 and had just entered college. Her oldest brother was married and willing to take him in when the house was sold and the Dicksons moved in with another of their children, but his wife who was rather sharp tongued refused to take him on. He went to my grandfather's half brother whom he barely knew but I think turned out to be better.
When all this happened, though, he begged mother to go with her and stay in her college room. He said he would hide in the closet and be very very good. It was heartbreaking. Uncle Herman, by the time I knew him, was a man who kept his feelings close to his chest. I think those losses created that survival technique in him. Mother tended to hold her emotions in a lot, too. She may have been 18 but had no home to go to and no space at her two married sibs over holidays. She spent some holidays with roommates and stayed many at the dorm.
Mother's college graduation photo.
When she graduated, times were rough My father was then a school principal, out 4 years, himself. He hired her to teach first grade and they married a year later. She was beautiful. Whe was voted 'most attractive' in her senior class , and resembled Greta Garbo.
This is me with my father. He was 40 when I was born.
Monday, October 08, 2007
More torture memos..Washington Post online
We already know George Bush has repeatedly lied to us about the increasing intrusion into our privacy without the need to go through due course legal proceedings--yes Big Brother is alive and well, folks! We also know about the interrogation techniques Bush secretly authorized and still authorizes our forces to use with prisoner. Read thiswashington post article online for more and weep.
Does anyone remember the years when we used to decry the use of these very same techniques on our own troops? Have we become the face of the enemy? Will all of our dreams die before our days on this planet are over?
We repeat our mistakes and amplify them. It sickens me.
Does anyone remember the years when we used to decry the use of these very same techniques on our own troops? Have we become the face of the enemy? Will all of our dreams die before our days on this planet are over?
We repeat our mistakes and amplify them. It sickens me.
Friday, October 05, 2007
Cat Stevens-Father and Son
This song was popular when I was going through a period of angst in younger years. Even though the singer is male, I identified with that need to run from the old to the new to anywhere to find myself. Every time I hear that song now it brings back that person I was then, sitting on the edge of my bed in the commune, this song on the LP, feeling all sorts of emotions bubbling through.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
An interview with Didi Menendez by Edward Nudelman
Click on the post title for the link to Edward Nudelman's blog. Note that this interview took place earlier and some parts are outdated (this is stated in a comment by Didi), but it's an excellent overall interview. Didi Menendez is publisher of all MiPo productions--journals, both print and online, and radio.
Pris
Pris
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
I've not disappeared....and OCHO 12 is out! Read about it.
This cold is dragging on so I've not been posting or visiting. Sorry about that. I did have some nice news. One of my haiga will be in the Spring Moonset, a very nice print journal and some poems are coming out in Tom Blessings next Quickzine. Thank you, Tom!
I received the latest OCHO in the mail yesterday, the print companion to Mipo digital, published by Didi Menendez and guest edited by Grace Cavelieri. Besides featuring poets such as Billy Collins and Ted Kooser, the journal is packed with excellent poetry. It's available through lulu press. Jim Knowles has an excellent review of this issue on his blog, including the URL for ordering.
When I finished reading the poems, I was blown away. For me, the most outstanding aspect of the selection was the feeling that each poet was speaking directly to his or her audience and in a way that stayed with you long after the cover was closed. I've read and reread these poems and will do so again. This is a 'must have', in my opinion.
I received the latest OCHO in the mail yesterday, the print companion to Mipo digital, published by Didi Menendez and guest edited by Grace Cavelieri. Besides featuring poets such as Billy Collins and Ted Kooser, the journal is packed with excellent poetry. It's available through lulu press. Jim Knowles has an excellent review of this issue on his blog, including the URL for ordering.
When I finished reading the poems, I was blown away. For me, the most outstanding aspect of the selection was the feeling that each poet was speaking directly to his or her audience and in a way that stayed with you long after the cover was closed. I've read and reread these poems and will do so again. This is a 'must have', in my opinion.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Experimenting....
Kim Komando's recommended sites have been safe ones, in my experience. A recent site was wwww.deezer.com. You can find most music and create an online music box. It's not downloadable, but there's a code to share the box of music on a blog. Try it. Minimize the screen and listen while you do something else. I picked some REAL oldies and then moderately old. See if it works for you. Oh, I had to double click on the first song to start it. I didn't set it to autostart.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Thank you, Boxcar!
I just found out this morning that Undertow,the poem that won May's Peer award in Boxcar Poetry Review was nominated The Best of the Web 2007 Anthology (Dzanc Books). I feel good about this poem, but nominations are coming in from everywhere and the competition for acceptance is steep.
To learn more about this competition, go to Dzanc Books Anthology Page
The note arrived this morning with these three nominations:
"Virginitiphobia" - Patrick Ryan Frank
Virginitiphobia at Boxcar
"Undertow" - Pris Campbell
Undertow at Boxcar
"The Death of Head and Leg" - Marco A. Dominguez
The Death of Head and Leg at Boxcar
Best wishes and happy writing!
Neil Aitken, Editor
Boxcar Poetry Review
I earlier posted and thanked the The Dead Mule for nominating one of my poems for The Best of the Web at Sundress Press:
Sundress Press Announcement Page. Thank you again, though, Dead Mule!
Pris
To learn more about this competition, go to Dzanc Books Anthology Page
The note arrived this morning with these three nominations:
"Virginitiphobia" - Patrick Ryan Frank
Virginitiphobia at Boxcar
"Undertow" - Pris Campbell
Undertow at Boxcar
"The Death of Head and Leg" - Marco A. Dominguez
The Death of Head and Leg at Boxcar
Best wishes and happy writing!
Neil Aitken, Editor
Boxcar Poetry Review
I earlier posted and thanked the The Dead Mule for nominating one of my poems for The Best of the Web at Sundress Press:
Sundress Press Announcement Page. Thank you again, though, Dead Mule!
Pris
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Days I wish I married a puter tech
I've not disappeared. Dealing with a pulled back and, today, an update on my logitech cam made my computer have a four hour nervous breakdown. Lost the mouse, the cam, the scanner, etc. Pulled all my tricks out. Deleting the cam, reinstall from the CD. System restore, etc. After all this, each time I reboot from a step towards goal, something is again missing. It's working for now. Tomorrow, who knows??
Kind of like life, eh?
Going to go drool for a while. Can make no logical sense and my back is crying 'pamper me, mama!':-)
Kind of like life, eh?
Going to go drool for a while. Can make no logical sense and my back is crying 'pamper me, mama!':-)
Monday, September 10, 2007
Where's your favorite posting place for creative work?
Just curious. I started out on blogger and have been keeping an off and on blog here for around 2-3 years. I like it, but my webmeter shows a lot more people read than leave comments so I don't know who's been here.
I've had a website since around 2001, though it's gone through a number of mutations. I keep all of my poems on it, but many are hidden away into archive pages that only I can access. The website acts as both a place to show my poems and to file everything in a place not on my computer or my external hard drive. A friend had an electrical fire and his hard copies of everything were destroyed. His computer was damaged but a tech managed to retrieve most of his work. He's published extensively, so can replace those but since he dates back to Bukowski, Creely, Norse (and published/knew) them, many of his publications are no longer available. The only problem with a website is that you REALLY don't know who's reading you and you have no interaction with them.
I started a blog on MySpace when poets started moving there. I like the bulletin system there, a way of getting messages to people you know. I like the more extensive feedback, but it takes too much time so I've backed off from there. I also don't leave poems posted there long. The other thing I like about MySpace is that I've met a lot of good poets and editors. Several publications and a chapbook have come from my contacts there.
Recently a poet editor/pusblisher moved her group blog to Facebook. You can't edit anything you post there. A definite drawback. The print is small. Someone is forever sending you a zombie invitation or a question invitation and that's getting overwelming, too. I started an Art For Fun group there and keep an eye on it and RSS feed my posts from blogger there, so it's low maintenance.
I'm thinking I should go back to writing my poems on bathroom walls. Lots easier:-)
Pris
I've had a website since around 2001, though it's gone through a number of mutations. I keep all of my poems on it, but many are hidden away into archive pages that only I can access. The website acts as both a place to show my poems and to file everything in a place not on my computer or my external hard drive. A friend had an electrical fire and his hard copies of everything were destroyed. His computer was damaged but a tech managed to retrieve most of his work. He's published extensively, so can replace those but since he dates back to Bukowski, Creely, Norse (and published/knew) them, many of his publications are no longer available. The only problem with a website is that you REALLY don't know who's reading you and you have no interaction with them.
I started a blog on MySpace when poets started moving there. I like the bulletin system there, a way of getting messages to people you know. I like the more extensive feedback, but it takes too much time so I've backed off from there. I also don't leave poems posted there long. The other thing I like about MySpace is that I've met a lot of good poets and editors. Several publications and a chapbook have come from my contacts there.
Recently a poet editor/pusblisher moved her group blog to Facebook. You can't edit anything you post there. A definite drawback. The print is small. Someone is forever sending you a zombie invitation or a question invitation and that's getting overwelming, too. I started an Art For Fun group there and keep an eye on it and RSS feed my posts from blogger there, so it's low maintenance.
I'm thinking I should go back to writing my poems on bathroom walls. Lots easier:-)
Pris
Friday, September 07, 2007
The question rises again. Does a blog or website constitute a 'publication'?
Some editors are beginning to say yes, it does.
The issue is being discussed currently byStephen Morse and his readers on this MySpace post. It explains why I've been putting up fewer of my poems. I still like to publish You'll see my opinion of the issue on his blog. Stephen Morse is a published poet, editor, and professor. If you're not a member of MySpace, you won't be able to post on his blog, but please do leave your opinions here.
Thanks!
The issue is being discussed currently byStephen Morse and his readers on this MySpace post. It explains why I've been putting up fewer of my poems. I still like to publish You'll see my opinion of the issue on his blog. Stephen Morse is a published poet, editor, and professor. If you're not a member of MySpace, you won't be able to post on his blog, but please do leave your opinions here.
Thanks!
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Hey, more neat news!
Moonset, a very fine journal of haiku, haiga and other short forms, held its first annual contest, ending this month. I can write a decent haiku but not great and I love the form. Decided to enter, anyway. To my surprise, I came in third, earning a year's extension of my subscription to the journal. It's print and comes out twice a year. After it's been published, I'll post the haiku. So wheeeee!
Pris
Pris
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Best of the Web nominations from The Dead Mule. Thanks!
The Dead Mule: An Anthology of Southern Literature has posted its nominations for Best of the Web entries for 2007. This includes fiction and poetry.
Go to Helen Losse's blog, poetry editor at The Dead Mule, to see the nominations and read the poems by clicking HERE.
I'm honored to be in such good company in these nominations, so thanks again!
(This is the main Best of the Net website)
Go to Helen Losse's blog, poetry editor at The Dead Mule, to see the nominations and read the poems by clicking HERE.
I'm honored to be in such good company in these nominations, so thanks again!
(This is the main Best of the Net website)
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