It’s spring break, finally. My body chose to take advantage of the time off by succumbing to the sickness that’s been percolating in the back of my throat for the past few weeks. I woke up this morning feeling better than I have in days, though, so I plan to be back to normal soon.
In the meantime, most of my time since Thursday has been spent sleeping, listening to audiobooks, and surfing the internet. And then sleeping some more.
I haven’t really looked at the news in weeks, so while I’m sure there are a hundred things going on that I could be blogging about, I don’t know what they are. But I will tell you about this poet Amazon recommended to me.
Her name’s Julia Copus (so I was predisposed to like her). She’s posted a few poems: my favorite is “Hymn to All the Men I’ll Never Love” (you have to scroll down a bit).
She’s no Louise Glück (whose new book I just ordered), but then, who is?
When you talk about Amazon recommending something to you, I imagine an Amazonian woman with her left breast removed wielding an enormous bow. She shoots an arrow which follows a perfect arc ending at the wall next to your computer monitor. Attached to it is a note that reads “Hi, Julia Rietmulder-Stone! Judging by your recent reading, you might like Julia Copus.”
I don’t know anything about the news, either. I am trying to meditate every morning and night. That’s enough for me.
Really liked the Julia Copus..Thanks, Ill be ordering her book.
I spent Sunday morning watching the national news shows, and here’s what I learned:
1. Iraq/war on terror is (still) a mess;
2. People hate Bush (even more than before);
3. Democrats might win back Congress in November (if they can find a unified, positive message); and
4. Many people are considering a presidential run in 2008.
In other words, you haven’t missed anything really.
1. Glenn, how did you know? I actually have a posse of Amazonian women who send me notes in exactly the manner you described. Sometimes they have helpful and/or fun recommendations; more often they say things like, “Girl, why don’t you get off your butt and *do* something?” But I usually don’t listen to them because my left breast is easily in my top two favorite breasts of all time.
2. Amber, I’m glad you liked her! Knowing that I inspired someone to order a book gives me the warm fuzzies.
3. Thanks, DC. I’m not sure if I’m glad to know I haven’t missed anything or…well, you know…there’s always the hope that things have taken a turn for the better while I wasn’t paying attention. Alas.
4. I woke up this morning in an almost euphoric good mood. It could be that I can breathe through my nose again. It could be that the sun is shining and there’s just enough moisture in the air that it feels almost mystically dewy. It could be that my just-before-waking dream confirmed my long held suspicion that the journey to the afterlife takes place in a bus driven by a jolly man handing out bacon cheeseburgers in paper orange wrappers. Whatever it is, it’s making me silly.
Your Poem:
I Woke Up This Morning In An Almost Euphoric Mood.
It could be that
I can breathe through my nose again.
It could be that
the sun is shining and there’s just enough moisture in the air that it feels almost mystically dewy.
It could be that
my just-before-waking dream confirmed my long held suspicion that the journey to the afterlife
takes place in a bus driven by a jolly man handing out bacon cheeseburgers in paper orange wrappers.
Whatever it is, it’s making me silly.
i like the rhym between dewy and silly
“In other words, you haven’t missed anything really.”
sometimes i feel like if i never received another piece of news again in my life and just acted on what’s directly around me i wouldn’t be missing anything. in fact, i might be better off. i don’t know though.
Hehe.
The current assignment for the creative writing class I’m taking this semester is to write a poem that uses a list or deliberate repetition. Maybe I could just use “I Woke Up This Morning In An Almost Euphoric Mood”, written by JRS, directed by Snow.
🙂 Wow
if ya do play further with the breaks.
I love yr expression mystically dewy. Whatever you choose could I see it down the road. I like list poems.
I have some repetition insight that you may or may not find helpful. Hosey thinks that we should choose every single word in a poem, that they all should have a purpose no throw-away phrases. Decesare (on a similiar vein) thinks that a repeating line is a great responsibility.
“sometimes i feel like if i never received another piece of news again in my life and just acted on what’s directly around me … i might be better off.”
It’s the old “ignorance is bliss” theory, and, although I don’t know whether you would be better off, I suspect you’d be happier. The weight of knowledge can be overwhelming.
I agree absolutely, especially with Hosey, and, more tongue-in-cheek, with Decesare. Whatever I come with, I’ll either e it to you, or inflict it on the readers of the blog.
i think the middle path is best for this knowledge thing. i could certainly spend all day surfing the net for atrocities and become hyperaware of all that goes on but in my case that would only paralyze me.
for me it’s better to know some and then discover more as i act upon what i know as best i can.