A Plethora of Poetry

Next week's readings:

California Plush by Frank Bidart
Just by Alan Shapiro
Workshop by Billy Collins

I'd like to know your honest reactions to the selections, pick out what you like and don't like, and be prepared to explain your views.

Where the hell was the bread pudding?

The Zero Meeting of writerly cohorts has dissipated for the evening, and I'm a little broken up about the lack of sprouts in my sandwich still, so I'd be happy if you never brought it up again. Ever. Salt on the wound, folks. For serious.

I'm thrilled at the turn out, though markedly a little intimidated by the ratio of poets to fictioners. I think only good can come of this, but I encourage you to speak up when the spirit moves you and, in turn, I promise not to submit you to lengthy diatribes on T.S. Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" or, hell, Ezra Pound's "Canto XLV: With Usura." We all have our limits. You need to tell me yours. My exposure to poetry is limited.

I'll be playing with the formatting of the meetings in the weeks to come. In the meantime, here's the first assignment:


Please read the following short stories from Zoetrope's All-Story: The Invisibles and Rumors About Me. Simple thoughts: what you like / don't like? Why?

Consider these questions: What do you find attractive in other people's writing, whether it is poetry or prose, published or unpublished? What are your immediate and/or long-term goals (if any) for your writing? Write about these in whatever form you choose. There is no minimum length. Nor a maximum for that matter. Keep it thoughtful.
Responses are to be shared with the group via email, due by Sunday night (July 27). We're all at different places with our writing, so I want to do this as a way of getting more acquainted with each other.


I'll send out an email list to everyone shortly and will update it periodically to insure it remains current. For whoever is being workshopped, please email us your work by Saturday evening so that we have time to prepare feedback for Wednesday. Thank you!

Zero Meeting

My recent relocation postponed our first meet-up, but I'm looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow evening! I know some are out of town or have conflicts, but with any luck we can piece together some ideas and discover what we hope to get out of this. I also hope to do something more with this blog than just iterate what I've already said on Facebook, too. Heh. Maybe I should do post-meeting write-ups instead? With pictures?!?

You just let me know, okay?