Comments on: Drown the Resume

By: Ange

Ange — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 18:11:31 +0000

Thanks for your kind words. I haven’t seen Dale’s book, though I’d like to (at the moment it’s hard to pursue new books unless they come as review copies in the mail – hopefully this too shall pass). My earlier post suggested, I think, that if one is to write about mothering, the world must enter into it. I trust Dale does just that, as does Daniel Bouchard, whose Some Mountains Removed combines political reflection and personal (fatherhood) reflections.

By: Jenny Browne

Jenny Browne — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 12:02:16 +0000

Thanks for linking to Dale’s poem. Wondering if you’ve read his new book, Black Stone (Effing Press)? Reading it made me think about your earlier post regarding how one might (should? must?) write about mothering in a world about which one feels highly suspect. Dale’s is a lovely book both to read and hold. Also nice to find a man writing so intimately and honestly about the bigger implications of birthing.
I end up reading this blog in big fits and starts but I’ve enjoyed a number of your posts and find myself returning to them. Thanks,.

By: Ange

Ange — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 23:34:59 +0000

I corrected the wording…

By: Steven Fama

Steven Fama — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 19:27:50 +0000

The words attributed to “Interview with Clayton Eshleman” are actually the words of the questioner in that interview — the great Seattle poet John Olson. I’m just clarifying the source here.
Eshleman in the interview does make relevant remarks on the topic at hand, including the following: “The poetry scene today is flooded with young, talented, unoriginal writers who are trying to write significant poetry based on their given lives; they adhere to the given because most are part of the educational system, and thus they belong to their parents, and are without what I would call a viable self-initiation.”

By: Simon DeDeo

Simon DeDeo — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 20:34:47 +0000

The best piece of advice on the ‘career” side of poetry I ever received was from John Hodgman (the guy who plays “PC” on those Apple commericals, and who I found through McSweeney’s.) The advice: it is fine to submit your work to a journal, but as soon as you mail forget you ever sent it.
His series Ask A Former Professional Literary Agent is fantastic, and I’m really glad I found it when I did (just leaving college.) Best quotes:
Josh: When do I get to go to the cocktail party with clever, uninhibited women and chummy, eccentric men who admire and respect me?
JKH, FPLA: If by “chummy” you mean smelling of shark bait, then this can be arranged immediately. Otherwise, I’m sure I don’t know what you’re referring to, and please don’t ask me about this again.