CHANCINGPOETRESS: JULY

APRIL--POETRY MONTH!

Letter From the EditorApril is National Poetry Month! Get out and celebrate and share your craft. Here are 30 ways to celebrate National Poetry Month: (Adopted from the American Academy Of Poets website) 1. Read a book of poetry"Poetry is a response to the daily necessity of getting the world right." 2. Memorize a poem"Getting a poem or prose passage truly 'by heart' implies getting it by mind and memory and understanding and delight." 3. Revisit a poem"America is a country of second acts, so today, why not brush the dust of these classics and give them a fresh read?" 4. Put poetry in an unexpected place"Books should be brought to the doorstep like electricity, or like milk in England: they should be considered utilities." 5. Bring a poem to your place of worship"We define poetry as the unofficial view of being, and bringing the art of language in contact with your spiritual practices can deepen both." 6. Attend a poetry reading"Readings have been occurring for decades around the world in universities, bookstores, cafes, corner pubs, and coffeehouses." 7. Play Exquisite Corpse"Each participant is unaware of what the others have written, thus producing a surprising--sometimes absurd--yet often beautiful poem." 8. Read a poem at an open mic"It's a great way to meet other writers in your area and find out about your local writing community." 9. Support literary organizations"Many national and local literary organizations offer programs that reach out to the general public to broaden the recognition of poets and their work." 10. Google a poem"Many people carry single lines of verse with them, sometimes for years, and are eager to remember the rest of that particular poem." 11. Hear a Poem"Often, hearing an author read their own work can clarify questions surrounding their work's tone." 12. Young People’s Poetry Week"You'll find party ideas, poem starters, crossword puzzles, award certificates, lists of poetry books for kids, and more." 13. Subscribe to a literary magazine"Full of surprising and challenging poetry, short fiction, interviews, and reviews, literary journals are at the forefront of contemporary poetry." 14. Put a poem in a letter"It's always a treat to get a letter, but finding a poem in the envelope makes the experience extra special." 15. April is the cruelest month"To mark tax day, the Academy distributed thousands of free copies of The Waste Land at selected post offices across the country." 16. Take a poem out to lunch"Adding a poem to lunch puts some poetry in your day and gives you something great to read while you eat." 17. Put a poem on the pavement"Go one step beyond hopscotch squares and write a poem in chalk on your sidewalk." 18. Recite a poem to family and friends"You can use holidays or birthdays as an opportunity to celebrate with a poem that is dear to you, or one that reminds you of the season." 19. Organize a poetry reading"When looking for a venue, consider your local library, coffee shop, bookstore, art gallery, bar or performance space." 20. Promote public support for poetry"Every year, Congress decides how much money will be given to the National Endowment for the Arts to be distributed all across America." 21. Start a poetry reading group"Select books that would engage discussion and not intimidate the reader new to poetry." 22. Read some literary criticism"Reading reviews can also be a helpful exercise and lend direction to your future reading." 23. Buy a book of poems for your library"Many libraries have undergone or are facing severe cuts in funding. These cuts are often made manifest on library shelves." 24. Start a commonplace book"Since the Renaissance, devoted readers have been copying their favorite poems and quotations into notebooks to form their own personal anthologies called commonplace books." 25. Start a blog just for your poetry."Build your own blog of poetry and spread it on the web! 26. Add verse to your email signature"Many email programs allow you to create personalized signatures that are automatically added to the end of every email you send." 27. Ask the Post Office for more poet stamps"To be eligible, suggested poets must have been deceased for at least ten years and must be American or of American descent." 28. Sign up for a poetry class or workshop"Colleges and arts centers often make individual courses in literature and writing available to the general public." 29. Read poetry to a child."Sharing poetry with a child is not only fun, it is an incredible gift to help a child read and understand poetry. 30. Celebrate Poem in Your Pocket DayCarry a poem in their pocket and share it with friends, family, coworkers and classmates.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

JULY

Heavy and sluggish the sky waits and the
Clouds ease their way across the pale blue—
It is damp to the skin and my thoughts waddle instead
Of swim and slick themselves like an eel –
My neck feels limp like a noodle and my
Tongue too hot for a meal except ice cream—

July rarely whispers a caress; I figure it’s her nature
To incite and excite the flesh to open its pores,
To steam off and choose to eat nothing but watermelon,
And soak in skinny-dipping style!

July is not my embraceable; it brings me a rash,
Dills my energy and stifles my relaxation at night—
Still, July simmers me slowly over coals of passion that
March could never do—

Lemonade just tastes better when “sweltering”
Has a lease on your lips,
Umbrellas dot each backyard and kids run about
With bare bottoms and smiles that stings
Ones memory.