21 October 2013

Practicing What I Preached

True to what I implored all of you to do for the National Day on Writing, I wrote today.  (Most of) My students did, too.  They came away with quite a few projects that they are anxious to pursue, too.  A successful day if a do say so myself.  Here's my draft:

“Melancholic Block”

I flip blankly
through the curling blue-covered notebook
in my hands—
seventy pages of college-ruled nothingness—
and chew the end of my eraser,
along with my thoughts,
spitting out nothing—
digesting even less

Memory’s phonograph drones
its nondescript tune
until it reaches the inner-most
circumference of the aged vinyl—
song over;
the needle, abandoned and forgotten,
trips incessantly—
going nowhere

Melancholy wanders over
and notices that I
don’t look up

she drapes her dusty arm
over my shoulder,
her wispy tresses trailing
like a metaphoric afterthought
that means nothing in particular
and listens to the same slow symphony:
sad

a glance from her ashen eyes
clarifies:
words won’t work today—
the muse is absent—
home with a sore throat

but even without words,
understanding exists,
as she places a
tepid hand over mine—
not grabbing
not holding
not squeezing—
just there

it’s reassuring,
knowing these doldrums
of unmoving lines,
will be weathered,
but for now…
I break out the oars
and strike for the other side

As always, comments and criticism are welcome.

18 October 2013

It's That Time of Year Again!

Time for zombie haiku.  To kick off SFJH's 4th annual zombie haiku contest, I have penned ten new zombie haiku for your reading pleasure/disgust.  Please feel free to try your hand at this undead tradition by dropping a limb, I mean a line or three in the comments.

“let’s give her a hand”—
zombie’s attempt to find a
snack for his daughter

hand and foot in mouth
is a meal for young zombies
not another plague

watching The Walking
Dead reminds zombies of old
fam’ly videos

rude teenage rebel
learned painful lesson; she told
zombie, “Just bite me.”

zombie kids always
fight over the human prize
hiding in the box

philosophers turned
zombie are often tempted
to split their own skulls

refrigerated
remains are never as good
as fresh flesh served raw

intestinal tug-
of-war ends when zombies hit
the end of the line

when sunbathing near
zombies, be careful or else
more than skin might peel

the hunger games are
undeniably zombie’s
favorite pastime

13 October 2013

Reminder and a Plea for Help (or The Well is Running Dry)

First and foremost, I need to remind everybody that next Sunday, October 20th, is the National Day on Writing.  Since it falls over the weekend, I am going to celebrate the day twice.  First, I will celebrate on that day individually.  Second, I will celebrate on Monday with my students.  Awesome, huh?

I just have one problem.  I'm not sure how I want to celebrate this year.  I started this blog for the NDoW back in 2009.  In 2010 I asked for feedback for help with a publication decision.  Only two people responded.  I guess not that many people read this blog.  The next year was a complete bust, and I blamed it on Fall Break.  Instead of celebrating on October 20th, I began my first of two failed attempts at NaNoWriMo.  2011 definitely doesn't make the writing highlight reel.  Last year, in 2012, I reminded everyone else to celebrate.  I gave my students the assignment to "impress me."  That actually produced quite a bit of good student writing across multiple genres.  I also decided to share the story behind Average Joe--a little history behind the name.

And that brings me back to now.  I have a couple ideas kicking around in my brain.  There's a presentation that my colleague and I are working on that I'd like to squeeze an article or two out of.  The muses have also whispered a poetic line or three; they just didn't show me how to connect the dots.    My committee chair would probably be happier if I buckled down and finished my dissertation proposal.  I'm trying to figure out how to approach NaNoWriMo.  And, like always, sixty-three and a half assorted ideas remain percolating on the back burner.

If any of you have any ideas, please feel free to share.  Anyone have a challenge or something?
I think I'll post a little writing every so often...some polished...some rough. And I welcome any comments or criticisms or cupcakes you care to throw my way.