My poem “The Bus Stops Here” has been posted among today’s offerings of the Tupelo Press 30/30 Project (9 poets have agreed to write 30 poems apiece in 30 days, to raise funds for Tupelo Press, a non-profit literary publisher). Many thanks to Jim Feeney, who provided this title and also last year’s “Never Drink Anything Blue.”

Click here to see the rest of the poem.

Tomorrow’s poem, “The Trees Burn at Midnight,” was sponsored by Charlotte Hamrick, who also sponsored last year’s “With Summer’s Purpled Awe.”

Title sponsorships and 3-word sponsorships are still available. And remember, you can combine the two to force me to use not only your title, but also three words that I’d likely not use on my own. And can anyone challenge last year’s co-winners of Worst Title in the History of the 30/30 Project, Ron, Plain Jane and Mek?*

The  sponsored poems are a blast to write, and the titles lead me to poems I’d not otherwise conceive. If you’re inclined to sponsor a poem, Donate to Tupelo, and please let me know as soon as possible what your title is or which three words you’ve foisted upon me.

If you can’t think of a title, Think Dink! A $30 donation will get you my 2015 chapbook If Your Matter Could Reform, Barton Smock’s Infant Cinema, Jamie Hunyor’s A New Sea, and Tim Kahl’s full length book, The String of Islands, thanks to the generosity of Dink Press founder and editor Kristopher Taylor!  A limited quantity is available, so order earlier rather than later.

For information on sponsorships (and my other incentives), click here.

Thank you for supporting poetry! Only 25 poems to go!

* The titles are, respectively, “Calvin Coolidge: Live or Memorex,” “Your Armpits Smell Like Heaven,” and “Reduce Heat and Simmer Gently Without Cloud Cover, Till Sundown. Serves 2 – 7 Billion.” “Nose-Picking Reese’s Hider” is definitely a strong contender for this honor.

My poem “The Underbelly of This Seam” has been posted among today’s offerings of the Tupelo Press 30/30 Project (9 poets have agreed to write 30 poems apiece in 30 days, to raise funds for Tupelo Press, a non-profit literary publisher). Many thanks to Ursula, who provided this title and also last year’s “Before We Knew.”

The Underbelly of This Seam

Slides beneath your gaze, unnoticed,
but the joining satisfies that particular

urge, combining two separates
into one whole, creating this new…

Click here to see the rest of the poem.

Tomorrow’s poem, “The Bus Stops Here,” was sponsored by Jim Feeney, who also sponsored last year’s “Never Drink Anything Blue.”

While title sponsorships are steadily dwindling (about half remain), plenty of 3-word sponsorships are still available. And remember, you can combine sponsorships to force me to use not only your title, but also three words that I’d likely not use on my own. And can anyone challenge last year’s co-winners of Worst Title in the History of the 30/30 Project, Ron, Plain Jane and Mek?*

The  sponsored poems are a blast to write, and the titles lead me to poems I’d not otherwise conceive. If you’re inclined to sponsor a poem, Donate to Tupelo, and please let me know as soon as possible what your title is or which three words you’ve foisted upon me..

For information on sponsorships (and my other incentives), click here.

Thank you for supporting poetry! Only 26 poems to go!

* The titles are, respectively, “Calvin Coolidge: Live or Memorex,” “Your Armpits Smell Like Heaven,” and “Reduce Heat and Simmer Gently Without Cloud Cover, Till Sundown. Serves 2 – 7 Billion.” “Nose-Picking Reese’s Hider” is definitely a strong contender for this honor.

My poem “Doing the Dishes in High Heels” has been posted among today’s offerings of the Tupelo Press 30/30 Project (9 poets have agreed to write 30 poems apiece in 30 days, to raise funds for Tupelo Press, a non-profit literary publisher). Many thanks to Pleasant Street, who provided the title. Pleasant also sponsored last year’s “A Cheese Omelet at Midnight.” Hmm. Is she conspiring with my wife to keep me in the kitchen?

Doing the Dishes in High Heels

I have seen you mowing the grass in open-toe
sandals, cigarette in mouth, cursing the dogs’ ill-placed

deposits, and I’ll never forget the night you sashayed
around the bed in negligee and flip flops while singing…

Click here to see the rest of the poem.

Tomorrow’s poem, “The Underbelly of This Seam,” was sponsored by Ursula, who sponsored last year’s “Before We Knew.”

While title sponsorships are steadily dwindling, plenty of 3-word sponsorships remain. And remember, you can combine sponsorships to force me to use not only your title, but also three words that I’d likely not use on my own. And can anyone challenge last year’s co-winners of Worst Title in the History of the 30/30 Project, Ron, Plain Jane and Mek?*

The  sponsored poems are a blast to write, and the titles lead me to poems I’d not otherwise conceive. If you’re inclined to sponsor a poem, Donate to Tupelo, and please let me know as soon as possible what your title is or which three words you’ve foisted upon me..

For information on sponsorships (and my other incentives), click here.

Thank you for your support! Only 27 poems to go!

* The titles are, respectively, “Calvin Coolidge: Live or Memorex,” “Your Armpits Smell Like Heaven,” and “Reduce Heat and Simmer Gently Without Cloud Cover, Till Sundown. Serves 2 – 7 Billion.” “Nose-Picking Reese’s Hider” is definitely a strong contender for this honor.

My poem “While Listening to Fleck, Hussain and Meyer, I Consider Children’s Book Titles, Hops and the Ongoing Search for Meaning” has been posted among today’s offerings of the Tupelo Press 30/30 Project (8 poets have agreed to write 30 poems apiece in 30 days, to raise funds for Tupelo Press, a non-profit literary publisher). Many thanks to the wildly talented Stephanie L. Harper, who sponsored this piece and coerced me to use the words “monstrous glisson glop” in the body of the poem. I admit that she did not force me to use the form, but somehow it seemed necessary…

While Listening to Fleck, Hussain and Meyer,
I Consider Children’s Book Titles,
Hops and the Ongoing Search for Meaning

If we unravel the threads, removing
context, by what means do we regain it?
You say monstrous glisson glop, behooving
me to counter with a Williamette…

Click here to see the rest of the poem.

Tomorrow’s poem, “Doing the Dishes in High Heels,” was sponsored by Pleasant Street. I may have taken this one in a slightly different direction. Maybe not.

While title sponsorships are steadily dwindling, plenty of 3-word sponsorships remain. And remember, you can combine sponsorships to force me to use not only your title (can anyone challenge last year’s co-winners of Worst Title in the History of the 30/30 Project, Ron, Plain Jane and Mek?)* but also three words that I’d likely not use on my own.

The  sponsored poems are a blast to write, and the titles lead me to poems I’d not otherwise conceive. If you’re inclined to sponsor a poem, Donate to Tupelo, and please let me know as soon as possible what your title is or which three words you’ve foisted upon me..

For information on sponsorships (and my other incentives), click here.

Thank you for your support! Only 28 poems to go!

* The titles are, respectively, “Calvin Coolidge: Live or Memorex,” “Your Armpits Smell Like Heaven,” and “Reduce Heat and Simmer Gently Without Cloud Cover, Till Sundown. Serves 2 – 7 Billion.” “Nose-Picking Reese’s Hider” is definitely a strong contender for this honor.

My poem “Nose-Picking Reese’s Hider” will be posted among today’s offerings of the Tupelo Press 30/30 Project (8 poets have agreed to write 30 poems apiece in 30 days, to raise funds for Tupelo Press, a non-profit literary publisher). Many thanks to the anonymous donor who provided the title.

Nose-Picking Reese’s Hider

To paraphrase Williams, this is just to say
that I ate the Reese’s Cups, alone, in my room,
with glee – all of them – and I don’t care what
you say or think. I’ve been called worse things:

Click here to see the rest of the poem.

Tomorrow’s poem is titled “While Listening to Fleck, Hussein and Meyer, I Consider Children’s Book Titles, Hops and the Ongoing Search for Meaning.” The title is mine, but Stephanie L. Harper sponsored the poem and asked that I include the words “monstrous glisson glop” in the body of the poem. I’ll get you for that, Stephanie! 🙂

While title sponsorships are steadily dwindling, plenty of 3-word sponsorships remain. And remember, you can combine sponsorships to force me to use not only your title (can anyone challenge last year’s co-winners of Worst Title in the History of the 30/30 Project, Ron, Plain Jane and Mek?)* but also three words that I’d likely not use on my own.

The  sponsored poems are a blast to write, and the titles lead me to poems I’d not otherwise conceive. If you’re inclined to sponsor a poem, Donate to Tupelo, and please let me know as soon as possible what your title is or which three words you’ve foisted upon me..

For information on sponsorships (and my other incentives), click here.

Thank you for your support! Only 29 poems to go!

* The titles are, respectively, “Calvin Coolidge: Live or Memorex,” “Your Armpits Smell Like Heaven,” and “Reduce Heat and Simmer Gently Without Cloud Cover, Till Sundown. Serves 2 – 7 Billion.” “Nose-Picking Reese’s Hider” is definitely a strong contender for this honor.