Confession Tuesday

If it’s Tuesday, it’s time for your confessions! Share a bit of yourself with us and we promise to do the same.


First Tuesday in December and I am recovering from another kidstastic weekend. Alex and Ella had seven play dates between them. Great weekend, but man am I beat. I even cooked meals for two of the seven get togethers. Whew!

I have a habit of saying yes to opportunities and clearly I may have overdone it. But we had fun. Can’t say I would have done it any differently, I guess.

****

Still thinking about my reading with Afaa on Friday night. Specifically, I’m thinking about how to bridge old, established poems with work from my second manuscript.

Have you ever been to a poetry reading where a poet reads from a new book but hasn’t found the rhythm between poems yet? He or she doesn’t know where to pause. Or worse, hasn’t considered the order so the reading seems like a mishmash of disconnected pieces? Well, I do not want that to be my story, which is why I’m testing the waters in every reading with new work. I want to get my timing down before Misery Islands is published, figure out what to say in between the work.

And of course, with the difficult subject matter or divorce and repair, reading these poems give me an opportunity to redefine myself.

****

I’ve been wondering if the lettered shirt I wore on Friday night was overkill.

****

This weekend, I’m traveling with friends from my writers’ group to Mendham, NJ, for what is turning out to be our annual writers retreat run by Maria Mazziotti Gillan and Laura Boss. I’m looking forward to getting away from the daily distractions and focusing solely on my work. In other words, mommy needs a play date of her own.

****

“The universe does not like status quo.”

Comments

Nin Andrews said…
I think it's also reading style. Some people talk too much btw poems, and seem so anxious, while others, like you, move with a kind of natural grace and confidence . . .
I doubt you will have any problems mixing and moving btw the work. And I, for one, can't wait to read/hear the new poems.
Jessie Carty said…
I like to start readings with new work :)

Today's confession: I'm trying to ignore drama, but it is stalking me ...
January said…
Jessie, hope you were able to ignore the drama!
January said…
Nin, I think practice and being mindful of the audience makes a difference. Also, being comfortable with the poems helps.

At least in my case, it takes a lot of work to make reading aloud seem effortless.

Popular Posts