The view from my office window tonight.Had a hell of a time focusing on writing today. My end goal is to get a few more things submitted for publication but I tend to get lost in the details. The last batch of poems I sent out was rejected but with a personal letter from the editor inviting me to submit something again for their following issue. I probably will. In the meantime, I'm looking for other journals that sound interesting but what usually happens, and it did again today, is that I end up muddling around with edits instead. At least today it lead me to finally making peace with a poem I wrote some years ago and have been arguing with ever since. It was always my idea to squeeze it into a haiku but it was never right. Finally, today, I surrendered to the fact that it is just not willing to cooperate. Words have a mind of their own.
4 comments:
A letter telling you to resubmit later--that's good, right?
I am totally floundered, myself. I tell myself too many things are going on, which may be true. Anyway, I'd rather write comments than anything of substance.
Yes. A personal rejection is better than a form rejection. There are a lot of reasons a publisher might reject someone's work. In this case he said the things I sent didn't fit into the concept the guest editors were looking for so, yah, it's good.
I'm not doing much more than editing and submitting myself. It's not the same as writing but, like they say, "when fishermen can't fish they mend their nets".
Apropos of nada, I want to tell you this, since it was something which never would have happened without your influence... & I'm never gonna be in Europe & may not live beyond Xmas. (Who can Know?)
When I saw you in the basement of the Pamir House with head shaved, I was shocked... then fascinated.. & then inspired; & not long afterward, I shaved my head, too. It was February, in Seattle; & a friend & I went downtown, both hatless, heading for Shorey's bookstore.
It began to snow... & the first flake that landed on my head caused a strange thing to happen: I "saw" the flake land, as if I were looking up inside my own skull... & it became a black "star" in my mind... or my mind's eye, because the effect was as if I were SEEING it happen.. not simply feeling it. My head inside was like a planetarium dome, a neutral shade, which had a succession of black "stars" appear on the dome's surface.
What I don't understand is where the VISUAL EFFECT was emanating from... or why I visualized it, rather than simply "feeling" it as a surface sensation. Some kind of "inner eye" effect is definitely there as a part of the greater sensorium in the brain.
OK, Asha... that's all I needed to say... except to thank you for your example/inspiration & hope that your move is working out smoothly. ^..^
John "herbert" Browne ridovem@gmail.com
John, WOW. Thank you for the story from our long ago world. I remember when you shaved your head! I thought it was very cool. Also, I love the image of you seeing the snow flakes with your inner eye. I also have those experiences, even these days. Always fascinating, isn't it.
Yes. Portugal seems a good fit though, of course, the US is where my heart is . . . my family and long-time friends. Thanks for being a part of that. I don't like the idea that you might not live beyond xmas. As you say, "who can know?". of course, no one so I prefer to think you will live many xmases beyond. :)
Post a Comment