10:02 a.m. — Atlanta
listening to Piano Man sung by Billy Joel
Snarl. You know those days when you start behind? Two hours at the dentist removing a crown started my day. The forecast says maybe snow. SNOW! Home now and can’t have my second cup of coffee until the temporary crown has settled. Grump.
Hello all. Thank you. I just needed someone to growl at. We have two things today, each of which some of you know about. It’s that time of year: National Poetry Month, when all sorts of nifty poem things happen as we celebrate our passion. I’m talking about two, today.
The first is something all who participate look forward to, The Big Poetry Giveaway (which you will never see me call the same thing twice). Started by Kelli Russell Agodon, a couple of years ago, the Giveaway is being guest curated by Susan Rich. Last year, about 50 or so bloggers each gave away 2 books [or more] to their readers. Some bloggers gave away subscriptions to poetry journals. For more, visit The Alchemist’s Kitchen.
For readers who are visiting because they are on the Big Poetry Giveaway trail, welcome. Briefly, I am a writer who thoroughly enjoys keeping a blog because of the wonderful people I meet. The blog has three purposes: on Tuesday I present an exercise which, hopefully, results in a poem; on Thursday I provide links and some editorial comment on various things poetic; and on Fridays I give a roundup of the week’s poetry prompt sites.
The rest of my time is spent writing poetry, submitting poetry, having poetry accepted and rejected, and working towards a chapbook.
The official start of the Big Poetry Giveaway is now and will last through April 30, 2013.
Leave a comment, in this post, saying you would like to win a book and your email [so I can get in touch with you if you are one of the winners of the draw], anytime before the end of April, and at the end of the month, I will randomly choose three winners and mail them out the books. I shall put reminders in upcoming posts.
Make sure you enter your email when you leave a comment and note which book you would be interested in winning if you did win [you can leave it up to me, but if you already have one of the books you might want to let me know]. I will pick three winners on May 1st.
I have a diverse collection this year. Cati Porter, of Poemeleon, has her new chapbook, The Way Things Move The Dark, out. Dave Bonta, of qarrtsiluni, has a lovely collection of Odes to Tools. Finally, poet, Jee Leong Koh’s chapbook, Seven Studies For A Self Portrait, is fascinating. Sound good? Well, put your name in the hat.
That took longer than I expected. I shall save my talk of the second item for next Thursday. I will, however, give you a link to the press release about the challenge I am involved in, for April, Pulitzer Remix.
See you tomorrow for the Roundup; next Tuesday for our image prompt; and next Thursday, for some thoughts on the Pulitzer Remix.
Happy writing, everyone.
Maybe if I drink sips from my un-numb side.
barbara_y
21/03/2013 at 11:03 am
I’d love to get my hands on Dave’s book. If I’m one of the lucky, briarcat@gmail.com is the best contact.
margo roby
21/03/2013 at 11:08 am
You head the list!
Renee
21/03/2013 at 11:41 am
I’d love to win TheWayThingsMove chapbook!
margo roby
21/03/2013 at 11:44 am
Your name is down, Renee.
Anne Higgins
21/03/2013 at 11:50 am
Hello, Margo! I am right before you on the blog roll. I am very interested in the books you’re offering, so please put my name in the hat!
Thanks! And I enjoyed visiting your blog and will return.
Best wishes from Anne
margo roby
21/03/2013 at 11:51 am
Hi, Anne. I forgot that part! Your name is down and now I must head over and add myself to various blogs.
warm regards, m
julespaige
21/03/2013 at 12:13 pm
hmmm. The Self Portrait books sounds good. You’ve got my address.
That Press Release looks like something I could only tackle when I have absolutely nothing else to do. Good luck with that!
Oh and you might like this:
http://julesgemsandstuff.blogspot.com/2013/03/speaking-same-language.html
I’ve got a busy weekend with family – Looking forward to Tuesday already.
margo roby
21/03/2013 at 12:26 pm
It’s different, Jules, but I like what he does.
The challenge has taken hours, nay, days of my life and I have loved every minute. Nine days and counting.
I’m looking forward to nothing but buying a toy cow to hold up to the Skype cam!
julespaige
21/03/2013 at 12:34 pm
I think they make one of those night light animals in a cow. You know the ones that make stars shine on the ceiling at night. Some educations stores have cow puppets too.
margo roby
21/03/2013 at 1:19 pm
A puppet might work. Hazel can recognise a black and white cow and knows what it says, so we thought we might try it with skype.
julespaige
21/03/2013 at 1:41 pm
Deborah Kate Hammond
21/03/2013 at 12:59 pm
Loved reading your entry and can certainly relate….oh the crowns we bear. Wear. And I hope you are sipping happily. Please do enter me in and thanks for participating!
margo roby
21/03/2013 at 1:22 pm
Deborah, if I were still grumping, your line ‘oh the crowns we bear. Wear.’ took care of it. I had to smile. Coffee successfully drunk, but whatever the dentist gave me, I am out for the day as far as cogency, or doing much of anything! Your name is down.
Pamela
21/03/2013 at 10:27 pm
Hi Margo, Please sign me up. I hope the tooth thing isn’t too bothersome. The dentists here don’t even give an anesthetic unless you ask for one, imagine my horror when I first visited a dentist here, yikes! I am working on the list poem prompt, and will probably have something done by tomorrow.
Pamela
margo roby
22/03/2013 at 8:04 am
You are signed, Pamela!
SJane
23/03/2013 at 3:14 am
Hi Margo,
Consider me in. sjanesloat at yahoo dot com.
margo roby
23/03/2013 at 8:26 am
Okay, I have you.
Patrick Dixon
25/03/2013 at 3:39 pm
I’m in! These sound great! Thanks!
margo roby
25/03/2013 at 4:26 pm
Okay, I have you, Patrick.
Allyson
30/03/2013 at 12:35 am
Nice to find another Pulitzer Remix participant! We have one heck of a month ahead of us….
I’d like to be entered into the drawing for any of these. whipplea [at] gmail [dot] [com]
margo roby
30/03/2013 at 9:39 am
Welcome, Allyson. Your name is down.
It is nice. I love seeing now familiar names around.
wordcoaster
30/03/2013 at 11:53 pm
I’d love to win any of these
margo roby
31/03/2013 at 9:30 am
Okay, you’re in!
renarossner
31/03/2013 at 10:00 am
Hi there! So excited to be part of this!
Count me in!
- Rena
margo roby
31/03/2013 at 10:09 am
I have you down, Rena.
Stephanie Davies
31/03/2013 at 4:42 pm
Putting my name in the hat!
margo roby
01/04/2013 at 8:36 am
It’s in, Stephanie!
Evelyn
31/03/2013 at 7:12 pm
I love this giveaway idea! Thanks.
margo roby
01/04/2013 at 8:36 am
You are welcome, Evelyn
.
Donna Vorreyer
01/04/2013 at 5:54 pm
I’m in, Margo!
margo roby
02/04/2013 at 7:30 am
I have you, Donna!
amber decker
02/04/2013 at 4:38 pm
Margo, such interesting choices…love the sound of all of these books. Please, count me in!
margo roby
03/04/2013 at 7:53 am
Amber, you are counted!
debwain
02/04/2013 at 11:48 pm
Please add me to the draw. I hope your dentist-y pain is subsiding by now!
Cheers,
Deb
debwain(at)gmail.com
margo roby
03/04/2013 at 7:54 am
Thanks, Deb. Subsided until next week when I get the crown put in!
Your name is down.
Jennifer
03/04/2013 at 11:26 am
such an interesting assortment. Thank you
margo roby
03/04/2013 at 11:33 am
Somewhere there may, or may not, be another comment floating around. I have you name down, Jennifer.
Diane Kendig
04/04/2013 at 3:45 pm
Would love to be entered. LOVE these poets. Thanks for the opportunity.
margo roby
04/04/2013 at 3:45 pm
Diane, you are in
katrina roberts
06/04/2013 at 11:38 am
I’d love to play! xo, katrina
margo roby
06/04/2013 at 11:40 am
Katrina, you are in the sandbox!
ivy
08/04/2013 at 5:55 pm
I love your Tuesday exercises! Thanks for doing this — thrilled to participate
Thanks,
Ivy
ivy973 (at) yahoo.com
margo roby
09/04/2013 at 8:41 am
Ivy, welcome and thank you!
Joseph Harker
08/04/2013 at 11:22 pm
Popping my name in if it ain’t too late… I think you have my email.
margo roby
09/04/2013 at 6:51 am
It’s still April, Joseph!
dnig
14/04/2013 at 4:45 pm
hi Mario. Please enter me into the draw! Thanks!
Doireann
doireann[dot]nighriofa@gmail[dot]com
dnig
14/04/2013 at 4:46 pm
sorry margo, my auto correct insisted on calling you Mario! ridiculous!
margo roby
14/04/2013 at 4:50 pm
Laughing! I am learning to enjoy my auto correct. I did have to teach it to swear. It refused at first! You’re in.
Andrew Albert J. Ty
15/04/2013 at 10:28 pm
Count me in, and thanks for doing this! I’m looking forward to Seven Studies For A Self Portrait!
- Andrew
eldritch00 at gmail dot com
margo roby
16/04/2013 at 10:09 am
I like an optimist. You’re in Andrew.
Bet
16/04/2013 at 9:52 pm
I’m not familiar with any of these books, so surprise me! Glad I found your blog as I would like to try your poetry prompts.
luvbritlit at gmail dot com
margo roby
17/04/2013 at 11:36 am
My pleasure, Bet. Also, welcome. My regular blog posts will restart May 2, so the next prompt will be the 7th. Meanwhile, feel free to wander and ask questions!
knowledgeknut
17/04/2013 at 4:37 am
I have not had the chance to read any contemporary poetry. I don’t know who or where to begin. Entering this contest seemed like a good way to start. Thank you very much for participating in this give away.
KnowledgeKnut
Knowledgeknut@gmail.com
margo roby
17/04/2013 at 11:39 am
You are welcome and I wish you luck. It is a good way to start looking around.
knowledgeknut
17/04/2013 at 6:53 pm
Thank you!
Ron Lewis
20/04/2013 at 12:23 am
Margo: Please sign me up for your book giveaway! If I happen to be lucky enough to be an honored winner this year and receive one of your book selections, I will thank you personally and through my Vermont Poetry Newsletter (& Poetry Event Calendar), which now receives over 1M hits/year. I’d be crazy-excited to win any of the three books! I’ll be crossing my fingers and hope to soon find one of your personal selections in my personal poetry library! Thank you so much for being a part of the 2013 Book Giveaway! Ron Lewis, VPN Editor (vtpoet@gmail.com)
margo roby
21/04/2013 at 4:39 pm
Ron, I apologise for the delay. No picture + no blog, I needed to find if you were legitimate. However, I did that the same day. No excuse for the other couple of days other than April is nuts. You name is in. Your fingers are crossed? Heck, my fingers are crossed. I may throw in an extra book to strengthen the odds!
m
Angela
23/04/2013 at 1:36 am
oh, I’ve been wanting cati’s new book. Please toss my name in the e-hat.
Thanks!
margo roby
23/04/2013 at 7:29 am
Okay, Angela, you’re in.
Nandini Dhar
25/04/2013 at 4:27 pm
Thanks! I would love to win!
Nandini
nandinidhar2112@gmail.com
margo roby
25/04/2013 at 4:33 pm
Okay, Nandini. I have you down.
Moira Richards
30/04/2013 at 12:49 pm
Wheee! Sliding by at the last minute to enter
)
margo roby
30/04/2013 at 12:58 pm
Close! I have you down, Moira
Michael Wells
30/04/2013 at 10:05 pm
Margo….please add me to the drawing… running out of breath to meet the deadline.
margo roby
01/05/2013 at 7:47 am
Squeeeak. Phew. Just made it Michael.