Fantastic news about Sometime During Eternity!!1 I realize that the flip of the calendar isn't going to change much, but having things to look forward to in a new year has become one of life's simple pleasures, right? I can't wait to preorder.
Raymond Carver's poems definitely sent a jolt into me when I was 20 or so. (And, based on the Guide's title this week, I imagine he's reflected some of that inspo back into you.) Wallace Stevens, too! Extremely beautiful stuff, and the kind of poetry you can set your watch to.
This post brought back a memory I hadn't thought about in years--when I was in 7th grade my English teacher, Mrs. Bailey, chose me and a gal named Alexandra to go to another school for some sort of day-long, multi-student poetry workshop. I think the idea was to bring two kids from all the northern New Castle County private schools together to learn about and write poetry for the day? At 37, I'm honestly kinda getting agita just thinking about this premise!
I also need to note that I was a horrible student at this time. Maybe I was pretty good at English and History and/or Social Studies? But that was it. I watched Growing Pains and tried to skateboard and procrastinated about everything, every night. My compass was almost always wrong.
To this day, I can't fathom how I was chosen to join Alexandra (who--I've just googled--has a fucking M.A. in theatre and an M.D. from NYU!--a dual threat) and her bright peers to write poetry for 6 hours in an unfamiliar setting.
Anyway, I have no real memory of writing or sharing poetry that day, but I'm certain I did. What I do have, however, is an anecdote that my friends Russ and Nick shared with me the day after the poetry workshop from the day before where my Spanish teacher (the dreaded Jorge Pardo!) saw me missing and asked out loud to the class, "where is Martín?!" And when my buds told him that I was at Poetry Daycamp he replied, "Martín? A poet?? Martín is NO poet!"
Since then, it's been my life's work to prove Señor Pardo wrong--I'm going to become a poet. Or, at the least, release one new MP3 in 2021.
Bill! Wow, first off I have to commend you for writing out the most thoughtful 'comment' this newsletter has ever seen. Señor Pardo can suck it!
Don't sell yourself short here Bill. I imagine Mrs. Baily saw in you a budding creative - maybe not ready for the limelight - but one just yearning to be set free. Im sure see thought that the multi-day student poetry workshop would be the place for you to do that. Im sure you shared something beautiful.
Do you think Alexandra has googled you?
Martin IS a poet!! I cannot wait to hear the new MP3s you are working on.
Fantastic news about Sometime During Eternity!!1 I realize that the flip of the calendar isn't going to change much, but having things to look forward to in a new year has become one of life's simple pleasures, right? I can't wait to preorder.
Raymond Carver's poems definitely sent a jolt into me when I was 20 or so. (And, based on the Guide's title this week, I imagine he's reflected some of that inspo back into you.) Wallace Stevens, too! Extremely beautiful stuff, and the kind of poetry you can set your watch to.
This post brought back a memory I hadn't thought about in years--when I was in 7th grade my English teacher, Mrs. Bailey, chose me and a gal named Alexandra to go to another school for some sort of day-long, multi-student poetry workshop. I think the idea was to bring two kids from all the northern New Castle County private schools together to learn about and write poetry for the day? At 37, I'm honestly kinda getting agita just thinking about this premise!
I also need to note that I was a horrible student at this time. Maybe I was pretty good at English and History and/or Social Studies? But that was it. I watched Growing Pains and tried to skateboard and procrastinated about everything, every night. My compass was almost always wrong.
To this day, I can't fathom how I was chosen to join Alexandra (who--I've just googled--has a fucking M.A. in theatre and an M.D. from NYU!--a dual threat) and her bright peers to write poetry for 6 hours in an unfamiliar setting.
Anyway, I have no real memory of writing or sharing poetry that day, but I'm certain I did. What I do have, however, is an anecdote that my friends Russ and Nick shared with me the day after the poetry workshop from the day before where my Spanish teacher (the dreaded Jorge Pardo!) saw me missing and asked out loud to the class, "where is Martín?!" And when my buds told him that I was at Poetry Daycamp he replied, "Martín? A poet?? Martín is NO poet!"
Since then, it's been my life's work to prove Señor Pardo wrong--I'm going to become a poet. Or, at the least, release one new MP3 in 2021.
best regards... Bill
Bill! Wow, first off I have to commend you for writing out the most thoughtful 'comment' this newsletter has ever seen. Señor Pardo can suck it!
Don't sell yourself short here Bill. I imagine Mrs. Baily saw in you a budding creative - maybe not ready for the limelight - but one just yearning to be set free. Im sure see thought that the multi-day student poetry workshop would be the place for you to do that. Im sure you shared something beautiful.
Do you think Alexandra has googled you?
Martin IS a poet!! I cannot wait to hear the new MP3s you are working on.
Peace and love my dude!
Peace and love, Dan! Hoping to see you next week in the "fantasy football" finals... we just gotta get there first!