It's Alive!

Dave Bonta over at Via Negativa read Barefoot and Listening as part of his "book a day" challenge for National Poetry Month!

Read his thoughts (which made me smile lots) right here!

Thank you, Dave!!!

National I-haven't-written-a-damn-thing-all-month Month

You know, I could make a million excuses about the AWP, about how Weave is in that period of crunch time leading up to our next issue's debut, about how I've got approximately eleventy billion TypewriterGirls shows this spring/summer starting this week (you should come to some of them!), about how I'm trying to spend more time with my long-suffering husband and child, but the truth is that I'm just a lazy fuck.

I have ideas - a plethora of ideas. Ideas are not poems.

I might be heading out to the Grand Midway Hotel this weekend. That usually forces me to write. Ah, old haunted hotel in a dead coal mining town - what would I do without you?

Pretty much an entry where I geek about the awesomeness of other editors

AWP was, of course, a fantastic time. I always worry about it and then it's always in the top ten favorite weeks out of the year. I realized while I was out there that I absolutely love other editors. Matt and Roxane of Pank are lovely, lovely people - they put so much work and time and energy and awesometude into Pank and it really, really shows. I endeavour to be more Roxane-and-Matt-ish.

Also, shout out of Aaron Burch of Hobart (who I may or may not have creeped out by declaring "oh my god, be my new best friend!" mid-panel). I certainly hope that he is able to make it out to Pittsburgh and read his amazing work at a TypewriterGirls show in the future. I was gunning for his presence at TypwriterGirls Gone Furry, but we shall see.

Bill and Lisa of Slack Buddha are also on my The AWP Would Have Been Significantly Less Awesome Without You list. They made the TypwriterGirls show at the Mercury a fun time. Lisa is one sexy whiskey runner. Also, good at quieting down a drunk and rowdy audience.

Also! Ohmygoodness! I got to meet Yusef Komunyakaa, who has been my favorite poet for about ten years. He was gracious and very kind and he signed my book happily and was touched when I told him that reading his poetry about the Vietnam War has made me feel closer to my father and he's going to be in Pittsburgh this year!!!! I'm really hoping that, if nothing else, they will need volunteers to help out with that reading. 'Cause I'll be first in line.

Also also! I got to meet Anne Waldman (who is lovely and sweet, too) and Gary freakin' Snyder! Gary Snyder. For reals. More book signing occurred. More rambling by me. More gracious and kind reactions from totally awesome famous poets who are probably used to fangirls like me at this point.

At some point I'll make a more substantial post wherein I talk about Deep Things regarding writing and poetry - but for now, people are awesome. Editors are awesome. I love Yusef Komunyakaa, Anne Waldman, and Gary Snyder. Yay, AWP.