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| Weekly Wisdom | Stay clear of drunk drivers on New Years Eve.
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| Weekly Challenge | This is the last year of 2011.
Write a poem about New Years, whether it be a past memory, future wishes, or New Year's resolutions.
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Weekly Poetry Term
| alexandrine A line of poetry that has 12 syllables. The name probably comes from a medieval romance about Alexander the Great that was written in 12-syllable lines. |
| Upcoming Events | If you know of any upcoming events, please let us know on the Forum or through Feedback.
Tuesdays - Puroslam, a poetry slam at On The Half Shelf, San Antonio, TX
Tuesdays - Open Mic at Blue Fusion from 6 PM - 9 PM, Springfield, MA
Sundays - Cohoyo1's "Candidly Candice" radio show, Blogtalkradio.com
Some events courtesy of the Academy of American Poets | | I'm just that good...
We are compiling 52 winners for volume 3 of the Original Poetry Anthology book. Make sure you put a good amount of time into crafting your winning poem.
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Goodbye, Old Friend.
 I remember when Grito won the contest. He was happy, and full of life. It seemed to mean a lot to him. The next week, I had the pleasure to sit down and talk to him for his spotlight here in the weekly newsletter, giving us some insight into past, and his love for family and dancing.
Today I learned that our friend, Grito, has passed away. And though his body may not inhabit the earth anymore, his memories and poetry will live on here at OriginalPoetry.com. To pay tribute, I'd like to re-run his interview from January 19, 2010. Please enjoy read it, read his poems, and pay tribute to him in some way as you prepare to spend the Christmas and New Years season with your family.
UPDATE: WordSlinger and Cousinsoren have started a thread to honor Grito, including the obituary that ran in the Orlando Sentinel. You can read it here: http://www.originalpoetry.com/forum/view/topic/topic_id/4967
Spanish Romanticism
Original Poetry talks with Grito
January 19, 2010
Today we talk with long time member, and contest winner, Grito!
OP: Tell us a bit about yourself.
G: I was born a single clear letter in Ponce, Puerto Rico. My Dad was a Master Sergeant in the Army and we moved from one country to another about every two and a half years. I have lived in Puerto Rico, Virgina (twice and hit the first home run out of the Leesburg Virginia Little League Stadium), New Jersey (twice), Georgia (came in fourth in State during my first year in wrestling), Germany (four years), Ecuador S.A. (lived there two and a half years and was the quarterback on football team and I am the 1968 National Golden Gloves High Champion at 165 pounds), and Nicaragua (lived there two and a half years and am a member of the 1965 National High School Basketball team[ white, green and gold ine uniforms under the lights]) under the violent Somoza Dictatorship. I am bilingual in Spanish and English, social and legal, I love all music, this trait came from my mother, who used to go to the PX in Panama when I was 15 and bring me The Birds and Rolling Stones new albums, not to mention Elvis records in Germany!!and we both feel that music is like air, indispensable for living.
OP: When did you start writing Poetry?
G: I started writing poetry in 2003 during a time I was living alone after my second wife was killed by a demented driver on a night road.
OP: I am sorry to hear about that.
G: He wasn't taking his medication and celebrated at a bar close by the scene that he had gone 100 miles an hour on a 25 mph country lane. He left my wife dead there but didn't mention it.
OP: Who or what inspires you the most?
G: It is more a what, i.e., what inspired me to write. Tango, pure and simple. I was dating a Russian Lady who was originally from the Ukraine but the family had become citizens of the U.S. They have ties to Saint Peterburg and she was heavily, still is, into dancing and was looking for a Tango partner. I was up for it and became enthralled with the history and lyrics of the classical Argentinian Tango. I got caught so with the pathos and the passion of the genre that I was made to, no, forced to write these bleeding finger four word poems that were my first. I learned to love and dance the Tango and know that the Tango is my thirst. By the way, did you know that in Russia poets are treated like movie stars and are revered like we do professional athletes?
OP: I did not know that. It is amazing what different cultures hold closer to them. Do you have a favorite style of poetry?
G: Yes!! Classical modern Spanish romanticism. Pablo Neruda Nobel Laureate, Octavio Paz ,eight time Noble Laureate, Ruben Dario, creator of modern Spanish poetry. I , like everyone, adore Edgar A.Poe, Frost and his path, Walt Whitman. I like strong and direct poetry, space prose, etc., etc. I live near Camden New Jersey and one day in 1970 I drove to a grave site accompanied by one of my brothers (I have three, and one sister) there under the influence of an hallucinogenic and by pure chance or fate we were shown his grave by the skeleton looking guard.
I have to add that our inimitable WordSlinger turned me on to Emily big time!! Thanks John. But I admit that I am learning to enjoy all the types of poetry (A kiss for my wife Aixa who is a poetess here, and a Blood kiss here for Alexia!!), all the poets here are great and I wish I could name them all because I am a sponge and a lot of what I write comes from ideas I get from reading good poetry from the others here, so THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH!!!
OP: When you're not writing poetry, what do you like to do?
G: I am sixty years old, I was an athlete and I have four grandsons, one granddaughter and a grandson due this month! Angels from heaven for me! I am part motor head, I have an 09' Shelby Mustang 500 G.T. that I had modified to 630 horsepower and the car I drove to Whitman's grave in 1970 was my first car, a 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner with a four speed 383, gold with black bench seat and Bullett looking mag wheels.
Aside from family matters, I still go dancing, went to Prospectors two weeks ago, a very nice country and western club with graceful line dancers.
But let me add, women are my passion. They are God's perfect creation. They are the sole reason for being and for breathing, trying to catch that magic they spell as life, and divine my friend because this passion comes from God, and mothers, like Elvis thought, are pure.
I am preparing for retirement soon and plan to move to Florida because I want to return to the lush green of the jungles I grew up in that is not available to me in New Jersey..
OP: Florida is a great place to retire. "Blue Inca Night", your latest contest winner. Tell us a bit about it.
G: When I was about eight years old and living in Germany, my second grade teacher took the class to the library and told everyone that they had to check out a book. I had no interest in reading other than comic books but since I had to check out a book I did, it was Kit Carson, a western cowboy hero. For the next eight years all I did was read, and read everything I could get a hold of. I would get lost in that stratosphere of letters connecting to the galaxy, fiction, fantasy, science etc. I read all of the books and magazines at the Ecuadorian and the Nicaraguan American Embassy libraries where I spent five of my formative teenage years living the central and south American jungle. When I wasn't reading I was on horseback everyday after school. Of course there were normal social activities but what the city streets are to an urban dweller, the jungle is to me. I have written several poems that show this side of the world and Blue Inca Night is one of those. I have a significant affiliation with all Indian tribes because, although the blood of Ponce De Leon, the Spanish Conquistador flows in my veins, the blood of the Taino Indians does too. Sort of a combination of fierce spirituality and this includes the many tribes such as the Auca, Inca and the Maya, the warrior Apache, gosh they are all so great. I add that I am a Roman Catholic. I first wrote Blue Inca as an expositionary poem but later converted it to a semi-blood poem with humor. It is written in a familiar way, just as if I was writing about the Sundown Diner, if I was writing as an urbanite. Urban jungle, LOL!!!
OP: Like the 2009 contest winners, "Blue Inca Night" will be published in the next Original Poetry Anthology. Do you have any other published work?
G: 2005, Sherry French Art Gallery, Chelsea, N.Y., N.Y. Spring art and poetry exhibition. Eleven poems written to original oil art work by Randy Ford American artist and Marcel Franquelin, French artist.
2007, Book: Eye Candy, Nudes and Figures. Thirty-six poems written to original oil art work painted by Marcel Franquelin, a French artist classically trained in the european style.
http://www.originalpoetry.com/poet/grito
To Grito's family, please accept our warmest condolences from everyone at OriginalPoetry.com.
Merry Christmas
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School of Poetry
Looking to refine your poetry? Check out the School of Poetry, in the forums. You'll find people to exchange thoughts with, lessons on poetry, teachers to assist you, and more!
For more information about the classes, please read the School Guide.
"Working Toward The Sonnet", a class taught by RHPeat
From RHPeat - For any who would like to do the exercises in the class: "Working Toward the Sonnet" with a group of other poets. Please let me know so I can create a start-up date to share critiques and the exchange of class information. As well as adding names to the title page on the class as an easy access to their page sites to read the poems in question for the class. Two people are interested at this time. John "wordslinger" and "janetgunn". You can leave me an note on my profile comments or send me an email to the site.
Ins and Outs of Poetry
Need some help find friends, or getting your poems read? Check out our new forum: "The Ins and Outs of OP". This forum is a comprehensive guide and discussion about networking with other poets.
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Book Releases & Events
The "Original Poetry Anthology" book is now available from Amazon.com!
WordSlingers' "Beautifire" is now available from CreateSpace.com!
Dahlusion's "In Forbidden Language" is now available from Stillpoint Press and for sale on LuLu.com.
"The Poets of Blood", Bleed for a Cause, Volume 1, is now for sale on CreateSpace.com!
PeachesHaven's "Voice from the Soul of Trees" is now available and for sale on Amazon.com.
Koolmom0's "Emotional Thoughts" is now available from PublishAmerica.
ladypoet's "Real Women Get Their Hands Dirty" is now available from PublishAmerica.
Hampton, icu2, rsalassi, stryx have released "Three Tenors and One Squawky Contralto" and is now available on Amazon.com.
pdxgrrll's "Pushing Boundaries: My Poems of View" is now available from Author House.
suziegray's "Tess" is now available from PublishAmerica.
skyhorse's "The Cry of Wisdom" is now available from Amazon.com.
bforibus's "Verbal Enslavement" is now available from PublishAmerica.
inkmaster's "Twilight Moments" is now available from PublishAmerica.
justastar2's "Tiny Bones In A Velvet Closet" is now available from Amazon.com and PublishAmerica.
sammia's "Fore the Dreams of the World" is now available from PublishAmerica.
rachelerika's "The Beat Generation 'Poetry for the soul'" is now available at blurb.com!
rachelerika's "Gospel Hippie" is now available at blurb.com.
nadroj's "Double Barreled Bible" is now available at billowingwords.com.
cliftondurant's "Heavenly Poetry" is now available from PublishAmerica.
SusanISmith's new book "Simple Complexities" was released on December 5, 2009.
1dean's book "Collected Chapbooks 1997-2009" was released on December 5, 2009.
justastar2's book "Dragena's Fire" was released on November 24, 2009.
BrielleC's book "Liquid Reflections" is now available on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.
Poetography's book "Cadillac on the Bowery" is on sale at amazon.com.
uspslady's book "In The Eye of the Beholder" has been released.
SandraRains has a few new titles hitting the shelves in January. Check out her forum post for details.
If you have a book release, signing, or other event, please contact us so we can include it. Also be sure to post on the Poetry Events & News forum. |
Community Affairs
We have a brand new section in the forums: School of Poetry - A place to improve your poetry skills. " Interactive Poetry", Poets Of Blood. ~Bleed for a Cause: Donating Poetic Verse Into Interactive Poems " Elements of Poetry", this is a link to an Elements of Poetry site that takes you through all the elements of poetry, and helps you learn and build your skills. " Tips and Tricks for effective writing", a ideas exchange. Become A FanIf you haven't already, become a fan of OriginalPoetry.com on Facebook. Follow this link: BECOME A FAN! |
Need Help? Something not working right? Can't figure out how to do something? There are multiple ways to get help. In the forums, you will find a section called ' Site Bugs / Site Improvements'. Here you can report errors with the site, ask questions about how to do things, or even leave a suggestion. This is the quickest way to get help. If you want something more private and personal, click 'Contact Us' at the bottom of every page, or send an e-mail to support@originalpoetry.com. Be sure to include your pen name and a full description of the issue. Please keep in mind we receive a lot of e-mails. We will respond as quickly as possible. | |
