Dialectical Migrations

Saturday, April 30, 2011

I wrote three drafts to poems last night. I was up VERY late. Thank god the workshop was rescheduled. I may work on revising them today. I thought about posting the drafts up here, but I've decided it's best if I don't. Time to slow down and revise.

There's an article about Centro Victoria up at la bloga which I suggest you read, as this group will do a lot to support Mexican-American artists and writers in the future. Of that I have no doubt.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

A good day. I revised a problematic poem titled "Feeding Season," and I think due to some insightful suggestions, it is a much better poem now. It has more details and more interesting line breaks, and I suspect could improve even more with time and care. I'm growing impatient, so maybe it's now to hold back and revise. Now this leaves me wondering if I should send the manuscript back now or at the end of the summer. I think I will call to see if they read over the summer or not. Yes, I will do that. I'm scared I've been taking too long.

I've written a number of new pieces, but think I will work on them throughout the summer and send them out in the fall, since that's when most magazines start reading again.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Today, I am learning patience. I like the way he says in life we look back on the journey with a new light.

I just love this song!!!!

I just love this life!!!

I am trying to write poems tonight, but first I must cook dinner. Then I'll just let the feelings roll on by. Someone said they didn't like the word "flow" in poems, so I suddenly feel like using it.

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Here's something I just wrote. I may take it down. Not sure.

Today clouds graying and a blue sky hangs below
beautifully indifferent to the coming storm.
I drew a window with what’s hidden behind a curtain
and what’s open, penned with colors and pastels,
rubbed to a stained glass look. And even what’s seen
hides what’s unseen. Longing for magic, words that pop
but all that comes is a strange silence. The spring trees
still look like autumn, and winter is estranged in my mind.
Today clouds largely over the blue, and the bare trees
Sprouting only buds, a boy, a young man wearing a bandanna
rips off a branch for stick, it is green where the life was torn.
The ripping upsets us, though we use furniture and all kinds of abuse.
We wear abuse daily, but the sky saves us from ourselves
And the trees go on in their beauty, traumatized or not,
They grow on, teaching us a stillness, a way to wait and praise.

Peace and patience. I know I need to work on them.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Many Mountains Moving took two of my poems. Yay! I need to write some more poems and send some more poems out. Yet again I sent a snail mail submission to a magazine that has an online submission manager. But luckily they took some poems. I'm off. I have a working printer and semi-online access at the end of the month. I realize that writing this summer will be pertinent. I really need to zero in and focus on the poems themselves. It feels great to get some work accepted after so long being out of the action. I feel like rock-n-roll. I feel good. The poems taken are new ones which are not in the second manuscript, so I think I'll start a third. Yipee! I love having the opportunity to write for it is a privilege to be able to write, to have the time to write. Any one who says otherwise is crazzzy.

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I will be going to Canto Mundo!!!! Yay!!! Thank God I got that worked out. I'll be driving with my mom. Right on!!! She will stay with my sister in Dallas, then we'll head back to El Paso to visit with family.

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After 2008, I thought I would never be able to write again, so having two poems taken is huge for me. I feel very, very blessed despite the IRS and Colorado State Taxes, but I'm still grateful for I have some time to focus and write and read which has become more difficult for me to do over the years, so people liking some of my poems means a whole lot to me.

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