“This is her way: allure. She weaves mystery. Never hands it all over. Never shows the full picture. Leaves much for the imagination. It’s her defining factor, ” says Claire Burge about author L.L. Barkat, in an article called Queue the Subtle Power of Incognito Mode.
If L.L. is about allure and mystery, it’s never been more evident than in her new collection Love, Etc.: Poems of Love, Laughter, Longing & Loss.
Take this simple poem, for instance…
Maracas
no fingers,
no sound
The poem could be about lovers, or friends. It could be about the relationship between writer and reader. It leaves enough unsaid (and even leaves the last line unpunctuated), so you can make it say what your heart wants or needs it to say. That’s the great mystery of poetry. It leaves space that invites you in. It provides the allure of possibility.
On Monday, April 14, Tweetspeak Poetry would like to launch the possibility of Love, Etc. with a special event that includes:
1. virtual share-the-love (full day via Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest)
2. a live reading via Zoom (limited to 20 fans; 2-2:45 pm EST; first 20 to sign up will be admitted and, yes, L.L. will show her face and maybe wear red)
3. the gift of chocolate
How to Launch Love on April 14
Share-the-Love. Consider sharing a love or friendship quote from WordCandy. It’s easy to share via Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Use the hashtag #loveetc and feel free to tell us about your shares by leaving a comment here in the comment box. We want to share the love you’re sharing.
Live reading by L.L. via Zoom. Sign up via the form in this post. Limited to 20 participants. Bring your copy of Love, Etc. and consider reading us one of the poems, as time allows. Instructions for participating via Zoom will be sent before Monday.
The Gift of Chocolate. Do you love someone? Order the gift of chocolate and tell them you’re doing it as a way to launch Love, Etc. We’ll order some too and give it away at random, to a tweeter or blogger who helps launch Love, Etc. with a red poem or photo and a link back to this post. (Remember to give us the link to your post or tweet here in the comments, so we don’t miss you.)
Consider Wearing Red on Facebook. Just grab the header and profile picture at the bottom of this post, conveniently sized for Facebook. And you can wear red for the launch!
That’s it. We look forward to the allure of a day spent together celebrating love.
5
The to is
anticipation,
like the bird flying
to
her mountain,
like the brown eyes
looking
to
open the trails
scattered
with fallen trees,
like the mountain’s
thousand-year journey
to the sea.
(excerpt from the 6-part poem “Bird on the Mountain”, in Love, Etc)
Wondering if you’d really want to launch love? Maureen Doallas gives you a few beautiful reasons in her intriguing review of Love, Etc.
Photo by Joe Martin Photography, Creative Commons, via Flickr.
Facebook Profile Picture and Header: Wear Red if You Want a Little Monday Sizzle
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SimplyDarlene says
I’m in!
By the way, Claire’s piece was outstanding. She’s a master of incognito. On that note, it’s interesting, I think, how readers can tell the difference between allure and fear. Both hold something back… somehow people sense the difference.
Is it because the hidden speaks of darkness and partial picture speaks of light? How do you balance it? Are both always present? Or just one?
Hmmm.
It seems I took another trip on the merry-go-round of my mind. 🙂
L. L. Barkat says
It *was* outstanding, wasn’t it? I love when Claire writes.
Quite a good question about the kind of holding back that creates fear versus interest.
The merry-go-roud of your mind is quite fun.
Elizabeth W. Marshall says
Is this where I say I am in. I am in 🙂 Is this where I sign up.
Joyfully signing my name on the line to be a part of this crimson christening of the collection 🙂
L. L. Barkat says
Can’t wait to see what crimson you bring to the party! 🙂
Richard Maxson says
A Red Canister of truffles sent to my wife, Carol, to launch L.L. Barkat’s poems, Love Etc.
After years
we are a painting
in the rain
Blue on the grass
the sky closer
each blade
a rainbow
flowers in flight
across our eyes
the rivers dancing
as in La Grande Jatte
and yet you are you
I am me
rain’s brush beyond
moon and balcony
even the mountains
meld with us
L. L. Barkat says
I was hoping someone would receive the red canister of truffles. Carol, lucky woman. 🙂 And not just for the chocolates, but also for these beautiful words (their own kind of truffle, couplet by couplet).
Richard Maxson says
My copy of Love Etc was back-ordered. Hope that means great success.
Kelly Greer says
The possibilities are opening up, the mystery unfolding, the love enveloping the future hope of what is to come is stirring in my heart with a note that is covered in red, bled for me, in eternity, my love, he waits for me…
Anxious to read words that open up the possibilities….and share them with others.
What a lovely journey this will be.
I will wear my Sunday best – red, as that is how he found me when in the mire I was dead.
Alive in love he awakened me and dance with him I will.
I can hear him whispering, I can hear him still.
“Come with me sweet child, take my hand and dance with me.”
Oh the Jubilee!
My love he so loves me.
L. L. Barkat says
Journey in lovely red. Looking forward 🙂
laura says
Me!
L. L. Barkat says
yes, you. Of course, you. (I hope you buy chocolate for someone you love… maybe even yourself 🙂 )
Donna says
truffles in golden
ruffles
for my first Easter bunnies
Also receiving the crimson pail…. my mom and dad!
L. L. Barkat says
Bunnies *and* the crimson? Happiness indeed 🙂 (I have my eye on the crimson too 🙂 )
Your poem makes me smile.
Donna says
…and I know the contents of the crimson gift will make them smile, too!
Marcy says
In Honor to the Poem 5 (Flying Bird)
If I were a bird
I’d be blue,
Fly over land and
Oceans too.
Find a tree so
Big and green,
Build a nest
Where I could sing.
I’ll sing each day
From tops of trees,
From branches low and
Those between.
Watch me take to flight
Here I go,
Just flying high.
Yes, I’m a bird
Who like’s to fly
Who likes to sing
Sit way up high.
Fly to mountain tops
See streams below,
With wings out straight
The wind doth blow.
It takes me high,
It brings me low
Takes me ere
Where ever I go.
I’m a bird,
Blue as can be.
Match the sky
Reflect the seas.
Maureen Doallas says
In a collection rich in colors and images of nature, I could not help but play with the words. (I hope the spacing is retained when I submit.)
Hungry
the woman on her back bathed
in gold curve of silken skin
buttercupped
black seeds one at a time
carried up to the moon shimmering
its light could hypnotize
ivory fingers spirals in a mouth
of velvet the silence
ravished and between breaths
little pieces of rose petals on tongues
roots of emerald threads — the lace of the earth
you would unbind
not by accident
the beds in the garden stripped
and rock-hard
Maureen Doallas says
Ack, the spacing wasn’t retained. Maybe I’ll post on FB.
L.L. Barkat says
Ah, the vagaries of comment-box spacing!
It’s truly lovely, nonetheless 🙂
Callie Feyen says
I would LOVE to spread for adoration for L.L. Barkat’s writing on Monday. Hmmmm, I’ve read Rumors of Water and God in the Backyard. Could I use some favorite quotes from these books along with the hashtag #loveetc on Monday? Would that be helpful? I’ll of course share her new collection of poems as well, but I thought I’d use quotes from books of hers I read read previously.
Congratulations on another book, and thank you for the ones you’ve written. Rumors of Water particularly has been a balm for me for several years now.
L.L. Barkat says
Callie, if it’s okay, it would be good for us to focus on Love, Etc with the #loveetc hashtag on Monday.
I’m so happy that the other books have been good to you! And, can’t wait to share the love along with you on Monday 🙂
L.L. Barkat says
That said, if you don’t own Love, Etc yet, you can find a few quotes from poems here:
http://poetrystorehouse.com/2014/04/12/l-l-barkat-poems/
You could also use a quote from the poems above or from this post:
https://www.tweetspeakpoetry.com/2014/04/01/poets-poems-l-l-barkats-love-etc/
Callie Feyen says
That sounds perfect. Thank you!
Lex Leonard says
I am in, too! Although I will be teaching Monday – and leaving little ones is not possible, I will check in as best I can. Bravo! And as we say in the theatre, “Break-A-Leg!” <3