It’s quiet on campus. Everyone has gone home. It’s just me and Mark, the dorm all to ourselves. He’s here still because he can’t travel on the Sabbath. I’m here to simply take a few deep breaths, to take advantage of some solitude before heading home. I went down to the cafeteria tonight for dinner,Continue reading “A Single Dispatch from Writer’s Camp 2015”
Category Archives: Poetry
#177: Trigger Warning
Trigger Warning: The following poem may contain upsetting material. The poet wants to warn you about it in advance so you can decide whether or not to proceed, knowing full well that you might be upset by the poem’s contents. It has become the convention of late for writers, for readers, for teachers of writingContinue reading “#177: Trigger Warning”
#176: On 29 Years of Marriage Measured in Cats and Dogs
On 29 Years of Marriage Measured in Cats and Dogs It’s possible to measure out a marriage in pets. Up to year 29, my wife and I have had two cats and two dogs. Our first pets as newlyweds were all about the same age, relatively speaking, so about half way through our history inContinue reading “#176: On 29 Years of Marriage Measured in Cats and Dogs”
#175: Arts and Crafts
We’re studying Romeo and Juliet and even though kids are, for the most part, up on their feet with scripts instead of sitting at their desks reading out loud, it’s a herculean struggle for them to read with any accuracy, enthusiasm, or understanding, and the kid who insists on playing Benvolio every single time alsoContinue reading “#175: Arts and Crafts”
#174: Mowing
I have a love/hate relationship with mowing the lawn. It’s Spring and the lawn must be mowed. I mean, it doesn’t, really. We could totally let the lawn go to hell if we wanted. There’s the rub. We do not want the lawn to go to hell. It looks good when it’s been cut andContinue reading “#174: Mowing”
#173: On Not Writing a Poem
I don’t have to write a poem today. And you know, I don’t think I will. I will not write a poem. I wrote 30 poems in a row, a poem a day for 30 days, so today I’m just taking a break, doing other things, reading the stupid news, drinking coffee, making a comment hereContinue reading “#173: On Not Writing a Poem”
#172: A Backwards Poem
Welcome to the very last day of Michael Jarmer’s contribution to National Poetry Writing Month. The optional assignment for this last day of these poetic festivities from the napowrimo website reads like this: “Today, I challenge you to write a poem backwards. Start with the last line and work your way up the page toContinue reading “#172: A Backwards Poem”
#171: Penultimate Poem for April: A Review of Last Night’s Tantrum
Last night’s temper tantrum was a resounding success. Let us consider the salient features of the tantrum and see to what heights of glory were reached by last night’s specimen. Usually, a tantrum begins with some struggle right before bedtime, typically involving the cessation of play and the transition upstairs. This was most clearly evident. Ad electronics. ThereContinue reading “#171: Penultimate Poem for April: A Review of Last Night’s Tantrum”
#170: Bridges
My mother hated bridges. She hated driving; she would do it if she absolutely had to, but she would never drive across a bridge. She did not trust them to support her or she did not trust herself to drive straight across, afraid of a fatal tack to the left or to the right, into oncomingContinue reading “#170: Bridges”
#169: Freshmen Boys
My 7th period class is chaos. Boys trapped in their teenage bodies don’t know how to do anything; even being human is too difficult. Listening, completely out of the question. Seriousness, a concept that doesn’t register. Respect, never heard the word before. Girls, poor things, are sadly outnumbered, know what’s up and ignore boys. They will wait,Continue reading “#169: Freshmen Boys”
michael jarmer 