<![CDATA[Michael Allyn Wells - Poet Home Website - Poet Notes]]>Tue, 29 Jun 2021 00:52:22 -0600Weebly<![CDATA[June Update...]]>Sun, 27 Jun 2021 19:04:47 GMThttp://michaelwells.ink/poet-notes/june-updateSo how is my month going?  Thank you for asking...  
  • I have submitted 16 pieces of work this month 
  • Have a total of 20 pieces pending response
  • I've been reading Notes for a Late Blooming Martyr by Marlys West
  • I have been doing the June Grind. A daily write and submit to the others within your group. It is largely for accountability but you get to see some good work by others as well.  This was recommended to me by Kelli Russell Agodon, who also sponsored me. It requires a serious commitment to yourself and the group.  It has been an awesome experience so far, and I am assissing if I want to recommit for July. Currently I am leaning towards it. 




Thought for the day.....

"Every secret of s writer's soul, every experience of his ( or her) life, every quality of his (or her) life, every quality of his (or her mind), is written large in his (or her) works."   --  Virginia Woolf]]><![CDATA[June Already....]]>Mon, 07 Jun 2021 15:09:57 GMThttp://michaelwells.ink/poet-notes/june-alreadyOMG.... it's June Already...    How did this happen. 

Things going on:  
  • I am participating in The Grind for June.  This is where we write poems daily and exchange them within the group for accountability.  Not only am I writing poems daily, I'm seeing some great work by other poets. 
  • This weekend I submitted poetry work to three venues. 
  • I recently  finished reading Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair by Pablo Neruda, Easy Does It by Jennifer Moore, Dialogues  with Rising Tides, and The Naomi Letters.   Some great Stuff there. 
  • Looking for reading opportunities.

But seriously, the year is nearly half over.  The anxiety of it all... 
]]><![CDATA[AWP21 Recap Part 1]]>Sat, 13 Mar 2021 00:16:13 GMThttp://michaelwells.ink/poet-notes/awp21-recap-part-1Picture
  AWP 21 has come and gone.  It will likely be remembered as the Pandemic Conference. The conference that was to be in Kansas City, Missouri, and for me it was, but not in the way I had hoped or wanted. I did the conference from my living room on my laptop virtually.  I would like to tell you it sucked, but it didn't. I would tell you it was great, but that too would be incorrect. 

In the end, I benefited from it. It was cheap with no hotel or air flights.  No meals out. No Uber rides to off site location. 

It was in some respects a lonely event.  It was harder to connect directly with friends and meet new people, although I was able on a very small scell to do so.  There was no swag. There were no hugs. I did enjoy some readings and a couple of the panels i felt were very beneficial to me. There were quite a few instances where my mind seemed to be challenged in my thoughts about literature in various genre, not just my own.  I also feel the conference suggested to me that I should try to move beyond to poetry in some ways. Memoir and essay  most came to mind. But these thoughts were more like giving me permission to try, to explore a bit, not driving me to abandon poetry or  even implying that  I should follow such efforts seriously.  I

I of course ordered books and they have started to trickle in. I missed not bring a suitcase full of new books home and promptly unpacking them and exploring them right away. 

So far I have received the following: 
  1. Plunder by Dorsey Craft. Published by Bauhan Publishing.  Dorsey was new to me and I was so impressed with her on one of the panels and from poems I heard her read that I considered this new connection a a big plus from the conference. 
  2. Come the Slumberless to the Land of Nod by Traci Brimhall  - Copper Canyon Press  I already knew of Traci. 
  3. Our Lady of the Ruins by Traci Brimhall - Copper Canyon Press
  4. The Whimsical Muse by Darnell Jones - two sylvias press (one of my favorite small presses)
  5. All Transparent Things Need Thundershirts by Dana Roeser - two sylvias press
  6. The Inspired Poet - Writing Exercises to Spark New Work - by Susan Landgraf - two sylvias press
  7. Deathbed Sext by Christopher Salerno - two sylvias press
 I've got more on the way... I will update you on me new library editions as a result of AWP21 as they come. in. 



]]><![CDATA[The Poet's Soul]]>Sat, 20 Feb 2021 17:24:31 GMThttp://michaelwells.ink/poet-notes/the-poets-soul
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Meet the Poet Car.  This is my new Kia Soul.  In a recent email exchange with Kelli Agodon she has asked if I got my new car. Upon telling her that I had, and that I got a KIA SOUL, she responded...  "Can I say--I cannot imagine what a better car for a poet than a SOUL!!!---I hope you write about that."  The challenge is there, so I must get busy. 

​We have had a terrible cold spell here and snow. The snow has not exactly been that problematic, but the stretch of over a week with sub freezing  days, several sub zero, have compounded the pandemic doldrums here. 

I have started receiving the first of several pre-ordered books.  The number of new titles by poets I adore is unreal.  Sandra Beasley's Made To Explode has arrived .  Also ordered are Kelli Agodon's Dialogues with Rising Tides, and Jennifer Moore's Easy Does It. ​ Then there will likely be more as a result of AWP 21.

Moving into March brings us to the AWP Conference. The one that was supposed to be in Kansas City (he says bitterly) but instead will be virtual. No AWP HUGS, No AWP SWAG.... trying to remain optimistic but it isn't easy.  There are some  presentations that look really good, but the atmosphere of sitting at home for this is not exactly alluring. I want to be able to interact with friends and meet new ones. 

​If anyone sees me virtually at AWP - be sure and say hi!
 
]]><![CDATA[Mid-day Sunday]]>Sun, 20 Sep 2020 17:56:35 GMThttp://michaelwells.ink/poet-notes/mid-day-sundayPoetry Submissions off and it's not even 1 p.m. yet.  Time yet to read and write for the day. 

​Presently I am reading The Silent Woman by Janet Malcolm.  Biographical work on Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes. I've read so many bios on the two.  Malcolm pretty much trashes Anne Stevenson's Bitter Fame. Stevenson just passed away Friday or Saturday. I'm not far into Malcolm's book to provide a critical assessment. I'd say I am open minded, but slightly critical of some of her commentary, but I'm hopeful she will provide more substance to support her statements.  Stay tuned.
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]]><![CDATA[Checking In]]>Sat, 15 Aug 2020 20:28:39 GMThttp://michaelwells.ink/poet-notes/checking-inJuly and early August have been hectic to say the least. My writing has been causality of my August 4th election win for a Democrat County Committee seat.  I served in that capacity for 14 years in the past as well as Chairman of the county Party. It was a lot of work - a lot of very hot days and evenings, but it was successful. Winning with 61.26% of the vote. 

I have managed to finish reading Blood Sisters, a collection of poetry by Jenifer DeBellis. I recommend it. Gave it 4 stars on GoodReads. 

Have a zoom reading tonight at 6 p.m. Central time. There is a link on my events page. 
]]><![CDATA[What I'm Reading]]>Sat, 18 Jul 2020 22:57:39 GMThttp://michaelwells.ink/poet-notes/what-im-reading3793536Picture
 
I'm currently reading Diane Zinna fist novel. It arrived at my home on Tuesday and this is a somewhat  busy and stressful time as we are coming up on the August Democratic Primary Tuesday the 4th. 

I'm so proud of Diane - I can tell this. has been a labor and while I suspect in many respects it is one of love, something like this doesn't come without stress tears, and much sacrifice. 

I met Diane through AWP, and she is like a household to members because of her dedication to the Writer to Writer mentorship program. 

When I have finished to book I'll tell you more about it, but without spoilers. 

@dianeZinna  

@randomhouse

#TheAllNightSun
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