BPJ Revisited

As you might recall, last week's post was a review of Beloit Poetry Journal--based upon a reading I did of it four years ago. Tastes change. And let's face it, I don't always do a thorough job on...well...anything, much less my homework assignments. So it's only fair that I give BPJ a second chance.

The best way to approach this magazine is with an open mind about literature. This particular publication likes their poetry on the wild side. It's more about language and poetic presence than it is about plot lines and narration. To be more clear, it's far less prosey than most other journals.

Contemporary poetry has drifted toward a sort of story-tellers approach. It makes for clear, coherent works. And I like that, but I also like the idea of a poem being created just for the sake of language. Isn't it alright to write something just for the sake of it being written?

I believe what my training has taught me is this--yes, one can write anything ABOUT anything but it should also be a priority to maintain the integrity of a poem. All writing has potential; it's the poets job to make sure his or her work has reached it's fullest.

Which leads me to conclude that next Friday (or Saturday whenever I actually get around to posting) I will not be posting a review. Since I've already discovered two journals that I'm willing to send submissions to, I will take next week to prepare to do so. I will be posting whether or not I go through with it....

Because it's scary as all hell to me and I need the help of a blogging website to talk me into it.

Once we tried to make a cake entirely out of frosting, which turned out to be better in theory than in actual execution.

Is it just me, or are a lot of shoes trying too hard to be something they aren't these days? Not to say that I don't commend the fashion industry for creating bold designs. I, in fact, think the worlds need some more bizarre-chic icons to keep the looks fresh and ideas popping. However, I don't see the need for these hybrid, half-breed high heels I've been seeing so much of.

Three days ago, I nearly crashed my cart into a shelf of Garanimals at Wal-Mart because there was a display of pumps designed to look like moccasins. Fringey, hideously brown moccasins...only with a 4 inch stiletto attached to the heel.

It's as if some designer aspired to be a formal footwear creator, but grew up being told he'd never amount to anything more than a petty, slipper-shaper. Hate to say it, but Mommy and Daddy were right on this one. Give it up, dude. You can polish a turd all you want, it's still a turd...only shinier.

But on rare occasion, you can shine your turd into a pretty cake. Yeah, I just transitioned the hell out of that sentence! Seriously though, this cake could and should have turned out to be the biggest piece of crap pastry. I managed to salvage it.




I volunteered to make it for my meetup group's first anniversary. The plan was to just make some simple piping on a white buttercream icing. Unfortunately, that stuff smears easier than most celebrity reputations. So after a panic of blending, I realized that the blue-white swirling looked a lot like Starry Night.

For a while it just looked like Van Gogh threw up on it, but I think it turned out decently after taking a spoon and some toothpicks to it repeatedly.



Today's subject line quote is Rory Gilmore, "Gilmore Girls" (2000) {Happy Birthday, Baby (#3.18)}.

BPJ

Since my actual life has gotten in the way of the life I'd like to have, there's been no time for reading this week's "assignment." I was planning to review Beloit Poetry Journal for today's post, but instead I got the flu and made a cake that looks like Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night. Not simultaneously, of course. But you'll have to wait for Tuesday's post for that story.

Fortunately enough, I had reviewed Beloit's publications before for my publishing practicum back in 2006. From what I remember, it was an odd little magazine heavy on the more experimental poetry. It was full of work that appeared to be trying too hard to be poetry instead of being a good read. Funny enough, it's still considered a decent publication to be accepted by.

In short, some of my poems that came off "too abstract" might be a good fit. But do I really want that to be the case? Or would I rather have some pride in my work and keep revising those particular poems to make them a good fit in a regular journal? And as for those few gems I'm most proud of, are they publishable by Beloit?

I really hope not.

I'm willing to give the journal another chance since it's hardly fair to judge it based on the brief encounter I had with it nearly 4 years ago. I'll review the newer archives and reassess next week.

It appears I underestimated your stupidity.

This post may not be as sparklingly brilliant as some of my previous work because this week's blog is sponsored in part by the plague that I've been cursed with since Saturday night. And even though I've been waking up with a fever and dreams of Joss Whedon informing me that my destiny is to slay purses because they were sewn with evil thread...I haven't seen my doctor in over a year because she's a freaktard who moved her office and didn't leave a forwarding phone number. So that brings us to today's topic: people who are working jobs they really shouldn't.

I've had my share of experiences with these people of late. Saturday at The Times Grill I was supposed to be meeting some of my friends from the Mommy Meetup group. When I went to get our table, I simply informed the hostess that we would have 3 but a couple more might show up.

With a horrified look as if I had just asked her to do calculus on the back of a napkin, she asked me in a very cross tone "Ohhhkaaay, how many is a couple?" I really and truly tried to keep it in, but the snark must have been visibly coming out of my mouth before I realized it because the second hostess started snickering as I answered, quite honestly and harshly, "Two."

And this wasn't my first encounter with Hostess Von Smartenpants. The last time I came with a group she had the same demeanor--which was that of a Popsicle. I even complained about her on a survey. Well her and the server that thought the definition of "server" was to not serve us food and drinks and hang out in the back all night. Luckily, I got a handwritten apology by the owner of the grill and a $10 gift card.

The world needs to send me more of those, especially the woman in line at the Sav-a-Lot who needs to send me a card and a gift certificate for 30 minutes of my life back after trying to abuse the WIC system. Everything she had picked up in her cart was not WIC approved and instead starting over and actually shopping, she just had the cashier go find the RIGHT item. One loaf of freakin bread at a time.

All I wanted was some bananas and Diet Dr. Pepper. Instead I got half an hour of "Whatchu mean that ain't on it? Charles, get me a juicy juice!" and a step closer to a brain aneurysm.

Also, could EVERY babysitter on sittercity.com please send me a sorry I agreed to meet for an interview but then quit emailing you whenever we tried to actually schedule a time because I'm not really interested in working so I just put this profile up so that my husband would think I'm job hunting bouquet? K, thanks.

Today's subject line quote is Dr. Dick Solomon, "3rd Rock from the Sun" (1996) {See Dick Continue to Run: Part 1 (#2.1)}.

American Poetry Journal and the Dancing Bear Reader

Turns out, homework is hard when you don't have an assignment. You know what I struggled with the most? Coming up with an actual title instead of throwing an obscure movie quote at it.

Anyway, I know the end goal of this project is to understand the journals I want to submit to, so I have a better chance of publication. But wtf does that actually mean I need to do?

Answer: read.

I started with American Poetry Journal. Editor J.P. Dancing Bear made my search for the unknown a bit easier with his personal website dedicated to his own poetry and a comprehensive page of poetry he's drawn to (The Dancing Bear Reader as he calls it). Mostly the typical, run-of-the-mill contemporary stuff by middle-aged white guys and female confessional poets and/or dead women.

So I don't exactly fit the demographic, but perhaps I can squeeze my way in. Considering some my greatest influences have been Sylvia Plath and Elizabeth Bishop, it's a distinct possibility that he'll recognize that. What doesn't work for me, is that my idol was nowhere to be found on the Dancing Bear Reader of the APJ archives. Dean Young, who I aspire to someday outwit with my own words, doesn't appear to be on J.P.'s radar. And though he may look like Barry Manilow's evil twin, he's a beautiful man with some serious verbiage under his belt.

Dancing Bear's own publications are heavy on Greco-Roman mythology. A few of mine might catch his attention with my allusions to classical music, mythologies, and such. Actually, I'm a bit psyched about some of my pieces because the major complaint in class was just that some people didn't catch the titles or works I was alluding to. Makes one wonder if it's an issue of clarity (my fault) or if the audience is just under informed (not my fault). I supposed it lies somewhere in between. I have to make the reference accessible from a general viewpoint.

The skinny on American Poetry Journal? I think it's doable. He wants a clear, easily navigable poem with strong themes. I believe the following have the greatest chance for publication here: Bjorkish, Dissonance, The History of Fashion.

In physics, twenty-five is Woodstock.

As many things that I fall fervidly in love with often do, a new magazine has made it's way into my house and I have no idea where it came from or if I will get another one.

I occasionally get mystery gifts and subscriptions, like my Woodhouse Spa gift card that ended up being from my father-in-law for Mother's Day. Or even my seemingly lifetime and free subscription to OK and US Weekly.

The magazine is called Ready Made, and it's all about how to be a new age hippie. There is a flow chart to help Bohemian up your pancake recipes! And of course, my personal favorite is a reoccurring article called "How'd You Get that F*#&ing Awesome Job?"

This issue featured a Q & A with Jason Addler, a potter and interior designer whose was recently asked to decorate a life-sized Barbie Dream House. So, how did you get that f*#&ing awesome job Jason Addler? His response? He's a terrible employee who got fired a lot and found himself playing with clay instead of working a lot.

And like any other beatnik publication, there are lots of recyclable project ideas like turning a light bulb into a flower pot and turning vintage sailor suits into a fashionable dress that only women with no boobs can wear. Because we all know that flower children didn't wear bras as a revolutionary movement, right? Riiiiighhht.

Aside from catering to tiny ta-tas, I think this magazine is a perfect fit.

Today's subject line quote is Leonard Hofstadter, "The Big Bang Theory" (2007) {The Cooper-Hofstadter Polarization (#1.9)}.

And now for something completely different...

As many of you might know already, I hold a bachelor's degree in English. It's not even a boring, literature degree either. It's a special one with lots of words in it--English with a concentration in creative writing and an emphasis in poetry. Or what the real world likes to call, emphasis in unemployment. It also gives me a license to wear a beret and drink ungodly amounts of coffee.

Lately, I've decided to take up my quest for publication again. I haven't written any verse since graduating in 2007. But while reviewing my portfolio, I realized that some of it might actually be good enough for submission to a magazine. Toward the end of my classes, my adviser and supervisor during my internship at Crazyhorse was coming up with less criticism. In retrospect, I think she was obligated to push me to keep improving but wasn't sure if it needed much more. At the very least she wasn't sure what direction my work needed to go in.

So I've decided that it needs to go in the direction of the mail box, addressed to various literary journals. I'm composing a database of some of the magazines we studied in my publishing practicum and will be reviewing them over the next few months. I will be providing some insight to what I find their looking for, and post my perception of what they want to see of my work on this blog every Friday.

So tune in every week and see if I've done my homework! I will still be posting my usual content on Tuesdays. This is just a project I need to post in order to motivate myself into getting any work done. Thanks for the support, guys!