81st Virtual Poetry Circle
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Welcome to the 81st Virtual Poetry Circle!
Remember, this is just for fun and is not meant to be stressful.
Keep in mind what Molly Peacock’s books suggested. Look at a line, a stanza, sentences, and images; describe what you like or don’t like; and offer an opinion. If you missed my review of her book, check it out here.
It’s a new year, and if you haven’t heard there is a new feature on the blog this year . . . my first ever, poetry reading challenge. Yup, that means everyone should be signing up because all you need to do is read 1 book of poetry.
I'm going to highlight a poet I've interviewed for 32 Poems Magazine, Danielle Sellers, whose interview will appear on the blog on Feb. 9, from her book, Bone Key Elegies:
Elegy for a Living Girl (page 40)
She's autistic, with thick glasses. Her eyes are koi eyes under pond-sheet.
She earns a jellybean if she spells her name. A-S-H-L-E-Y is rice glued to cardboard. Her voice rises an octave on the Y.
She moves heavy fingers along the letters as she says them. She likes pink jellybeans. I persuade her to spell her name again.
Behind the curtain wall Miss Dapper plays Für Elise out of tune for Wally. The awful strains hang above our heads.
Ashley eats her prize. Hands, moving free from her body, flutter against her face, wave the air, telling me she's happy.
Can you sing a song? I ask. She sings second alto, slow with effort: I can sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow...
She slaps me hard in the ear and, like church bells, chants God damn it. God damn, damn, damn, damn... Let me know your thoughts, ideas, feelings, impressions. Let’s have a great discussion…pick a line, pick an image, pick a sentence.
I’ve you missed the other Virtual Poetry Circles. It’s never too late to join the discussion.