From the Arabian Peninsula to South Dakota, from minimalist Ireland to humming Seattle, you put poetry on the map this National Poetry Month.
As it turned out, South Carolina was sweetly competitive and helped her state almost tie with New York, through the use of a similar fun-devious strategy employed by our Manhattan-Brooklyn contingent: double posting—though our mischievous New Yorker actually posted from different locations, most evident through the use of actual street signs).
You found poems in so many places. The side of a Dodge:
Spend your whole life
dodging
the bullet,
one long wild
chase across the desert,
only to find out
it was the
running away
that killed you.
Outflank your lifetime complex.
Think, if you can, in
several directions at once.
Master one in 8
strategies.
Organizing
Stretching
Drinking
Cooking
No problem
Every job
Feels better
Every life
Becomes
This
Pennsylvania helped tip the eastern seaboard, while Texas brought rhythm to the southwest and Arkansas spiced it up. Mississippi tickled a literary spine while Tampa stitched hopeful riches.
Charleston, New Smyrna, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois (oh, Illinois tied with Indiana). And let’s not forget Missouri. Each of you put poetry on the map with your own special geography.
What? You didn’t get mapped? Be sure to join us next year. Let’s put poetry on the map together, across the world.
Photo by Heather Truett. Post by L.L. Barkat, author of The Novelist: A Novella.
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Buy a year of Every Day Poems, just $5.99— Read a poem a day, become a better poet. In May we’re exploring the theme Swans, Swallows, Phoenix.
L.L. Barkat
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Elizabeth W. Marshall says
This was so much fun. I loved it 🙂 WOO HOO.
My concrete slab poem was from Murrells Inlet, SC and my Imported Shrimp post was from McClellanville. I covered two counties in my “sweet” (really??) competitive spirit. 🙂 Charleston County and Georgetown County. Caught on a technicality for broad labeling. Bowing to New York in her ability to out maneuver me 🙂 🙂
Can we have a wake or a something for the end of poetry month. What shall we do??
This was a blast and I met new poets. Do you think UPS will let me ship a fried green tomato with friend shrimp salad from about fifty paces from the shrimp phone post?? If so coming your way. Might be soggy. You must come to it, L.L.
L. L. Barkat says
You are making me smile so much! 🙂
Ah, the specificity of the poet was needed. Hmmm. Next year I think Scott Edward Anderson will have to cross over to Staten Island as well if he wants to win New York for us 😉
Freeze the dish. I’ll take it.
L. L. Barkat says
Write us a farewell poem for NPM? Put Murrells Inlet and McClellanville in it. And the shrimp. And… the fried green tomatoes.
And still… freeze the dish and send it 😉
Heather Truett says
All such beautiful places. I was raised in Columbia, SC. It’s a wonderful state.
L. L. Barkat says
thanks for putting Mississippi on the map. It was fun for *us* to see where all our poetry friends are doing their thing.
Monica Sharman says
Loved the map idea! It was an eye-opener, too, seeing where all the poets hang out. But I know there are more poets here in the Rockies. Just gotta find ’em. Maybe they’re up on a mountain somewhere. Or fishing a stream.
Thanks for helping me celebrate NPM!
L. L. Barkat says
ha, on the Dodge-basket sandwich 🙂
yes, it was interesting to note that we seem to be tipped towards the eastern U.S. At least for the poets who chose to be seen 😉
Ann Kroeker says
John Blase is a Rocky Mountain poet, Monica. http://thebeautifuldue.wordpress.com/
Monica Sharman says
Oh, I didn’t know. Thanks, Ann!
Elizabeth W. Marshall says
He has become one of my absolute favorites, just saying. Today’s piece on his blog was beautiful. Obviously I am a fan 🙂
Monica Sharman says
and thanks for making my day! Pretty fun being sandwiched between a Dodge and a basket. 🙂
Su Layug says
Thank you so much for letting me play! I so loved this project, I have an idea how to make it go beyond poetry month. Where can I email you?
Love,
Su
L. L. Barkat says
we’ll chat. 🙂
and i love how you play!
Ann Kroeker says
What an honor for both my poem and my state to be highlighted in this project–thank you. It got me going on Instagram, too, which was a fun side benefit of participating. One of the photos I snapped shortly after creating the poem got a lot of comments. You’re helping me venture into new social media territory.
L. L. Barkat says
Oh, cool, Ann.
Yes, I think it’s fun to do something a little different from Facebook now and then 🙂 Gets us thinking differently.