I'm Sorta Of a Poet, Dontcha Know It?

I've grown to love poetry over the last few years.  As a teacher and a writer.  In the course of lesson planning, I once came across this definition of poetry: "poetry is distilled language" - communication in its purest form.  Expression whittled down to its essence.  

I like that description.  A lot.

When it comes to reading poetry, I favor the classic scribblers, and when I do read modern poetry, it's by folks who actually SAY something - like Andrei Guruianu - or poets with a solid sense of lyricism, such as Joe Weil. 

So while I feel decent enough chops to edit something The Terror at Miskatonic Falls, I'm a little leery of my own verse.  I've had a poem or two published.  Here or there.  And I've had a few accepted that are yet to be published.  And MAYBE there's a collection somewhere too, that'll probably never see the light of day.

But honestly, I'm a dabbler.  A lazy poet, really.  Not that my poems are lazy (I don't think), I just don't spend as much time on poetry as a real poet does.  I've workshopped with those folks, and they attack poetry the same way I attack prose, get up in the wee hours of the morning to hammer out those lines of verse like I do a story.  

One of these days I'll make a concerted stab at poetry - maybe for that 365 Days of Creativity jazz - but for now I only write poetry when gripped with the need to do so, which doesn't happen much, honestly.   

Anyway, a recent poem of mine - "Physics" - was published in a special "Students & Teachers" edition of the poetry journal Solo Cafe.  Now, I don't expect ANYONE to drop $12 bucks for ONE of my poems, but I've got to put SOMETHING on this blog thingie, so...

Solo Café 8&9

Gerald Locklin • Laura Boss • Earl Sherman Braggs • Sally Buckner • George Burns • Kelly Cherry • Perie Longo • Ray Gonzalez • Michael S. Harper • George Kalamaras • Carol Lem • Kevin Lucia • Teddy Macker • Shayla Hawkins • Michael McFee • Maria Melendez • Susan Meyers • Lenard D Moore • Terre Ouwehand • Randy W Pait • Nancy Simpson • Barry Spacks • Lamont Steptoe • Gina Streaty • Jerry W. Ward, Jr • Bruce Weigl • Carolyn Beard Whitlow • Mary Ann Cain • John Bradley • Joseph Gastiger • Patrick Lawler • Karen McKinnon • David Rigsbee • John Tritica • Shelby Stephenson• Mel Weisburd • Jackson Wheeler