NEW POEMS PUBLISHED: I have three new poems in The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature. You can click here to go directly to the poems. This issue also features work by Sherry Chandler, Felicia Mitchell, Doug Ramspeck, Jeffery Beam and many more.These poems all had unique histories. "Secret Origins of the Super-Villains" is a poem from 2001 that was discarded from Wake after one of the many re-sequencings because it seemed to cover some of the same ground as other poems in the collection. I'm glad it found a home here. Anyone remember Lion Country Safari or the old Grant's department stores?
"Reconstruction" was written for the My South competition conducted by the now defunct Turner South cable channel. I rarely write about growing up in the south (that's coming eventually), so this is a bit of a departure.
"Katrina: Origins" was written in response to Hurricane Katrina and after an evening of listening to Billie Holliday, thus the reference to "Strange Fruit" in the last stanza. I was also experimenting with writing short lines and making quatrain stanzas. Of course, this doesn't have any kind of rhyme scheme, but I don't do rhyme.
Thanks again to Helen for asking to see these and deciding to publish them.
Comments
GAV
The verification sounds like a Welsh woman's name:
Ladiy
Ladiywn
Justin
I love the tile of this journal: what a hoot.
And the blue trailer on your poem page is perfect.
I'm sure you have heard the joke (please don't be offended):
Q: What's the difference between a hurricane and a Southern divorce?
A: Nothing: in both of them you lose the trailer.
Helen Losse
Sorry to hear the issue has been such a pain, Helen. It looks good.
If you're into Super Villains (or Heroes for that matter) you might like Jeanine Hall Gailey's work.
What a great triptych of poetry--shows your versatility.