Two Ezines of "classically structured" poems

[rayheinrich]

Leanne and anyone else who's interested:
I was looking for a villanelle I wrote a while back. I didn't find it
(your luck), but I found the URL's of two pubs (they are related)
that love "classically structured / repeating form" poetry
(especially Tilt-a-Whirl). I used to read Umbrella fairly often and
thought the editor(s) shared my tastes. (i.e. I thought the damn
poems they picked were 'good'.)

Umbrella - A Journal of Poetry and Kindred Prose
http://www.umbrellajournal.com

Tilt-a-Whirl:
http://www.katebenedict.com/Tilt-a-Whirl/contents.html

Here's a villanelle from Tilt-a-Whirl:


A Pragmatist’s Response to Rodgers and Hammerstein
by Donna Vorreyer

Silver white winters melt into spring,
but not because nature plays favorites—
that’s just the way it is. Dogs bite. Bees sting.

Raindrops on roses may look appealing,
but clutch them and you’ll bleed. Admit it.
Silver white winters melt into spring,

and all bareness explodes into blooming,
but another season passed just means saggier tits.
That’s just the way it is. Dogs bite. Bees sting,

and you leap allergic for the Epipen, heaving
as your airways close before the needle’s smooth hit,
silver. White winters melt into spring,

all the bright copper kettles brimming
with flowers you plan to water. You’ll forget—
that’s just the way it is. Dogs bite, bees sting,

and the whole fucking world keeps turning.
You couldn’t stop it with a million bits
of silver. White winters melt into spring.
That’s just the way it is. Dogs bite. Bees sting.

- - -

[Leanne]

Not precisely classically structured but I do love a rule breaker.

I used to read Umbrella all the time, and there was a good sonnet ezine called 14by14 but I don't know if it's still going. That was back in the day when it was my job to do so... I've gone right off ezines for some reason, maybe saturation.

For anyone thinking of submitting to poetry journals, your best first stop is Duotrope Digest, where you'll find a list of publications and their submission guidelines, fee structures etc. Don't be disheartened by rejections, these journals get thousands of submissions every issue and can usually only publish between 10 and 40 poems.

[rayheinrich]

Not precisely classically structured but I do love a rule breaker.

I used to read Umbrella all the time, and there was a good sonnet ezine called 14by14 but I don't know if it's still going. That was back in the day when it was my job to do so... I've gone right off ezines for some reason, maybe saturation.

For anyone thinking of submitting to poetry journals, your best first stop is Duotrope Digest, where you'll find a list of publications and their submission guidelines, fee structures etc. Don't be disheartened by rejections, these journals get thousands of submissions every issue and can usually only publish between 10 and 40 poems.

Ah, yes, well, I should have checked it before saying "villanelle" since I
KNEW I was talking to an expert, but, well, that's why I'm not an expert.

But be advised: If I ever find MY "villanelle" (true in both senses since
one is my entire life's output) you shall find it up to snuff and definitely
not something to be sniffed at unless you are a dog which you are not
since dogs can't write villanelles! (Though maybe that's true for Texas
dogs and Aussie dogs can, but no, even Aussie dogs can't pun like you
do, so, yes, I'm safe in making that assumption and even if I'm not I
shall find something else to deny.)

And on a related topic: Of course you knew about Umbrella and Duotrope.
(Duotrope, BTW, is great for finding stuff to read even if you could give
two flips about writing crap.)

P.S.
Being disheartened by rejections is vital for those of us who feast on suffering.

[Leanne]

"Being disheartened by rejections is vital for those of us who feast on suffering."

Oh how true . An artist is never happier than when he/she receives written confirmation that he/she is completely undervalued and unappreciated.

Ah me! To garret or garrotte, that is the question.

[rayheinrich]

Ah me! To garret or garrotte, that is the question.

Both are possible (and, for an artist, preferable) as long as you pay
attention to the order you perform them in.

As far as suffering goes: If it was really that much of a help the
whole world would be up to its ass in art. No, it's experiencing just
the right amount. Too much (like too much mental illness) distracts one
from doing it as one is kept busy looking for food or listening to the
factories inside the walls and the voices of the workers discussing
what to make you into (that last part derived from actual experience).

[Leanne]

"...the voices of the workers discussing what to make you into"

was it a bunny?

Artists do love to privilege themselves as outside the rest of humanity. Perhaps the sad truth is, artists have just enough imagination to believe that they're more special than the man who takes away their rubbish, but not quite enough energy to take away their own rubbish.

[Erthona]

Imagination does not make you special, nor does thinking you have imagination when you don't. The first makes you capable of becoming an artist, but most don't. It is easier to pretend, and spread attitude all around the place while one traipses and flounces about drinking cheap wine with an expensive sounding name: being the artist that they are, they of course cannot tell the difference. Besides, to pay the bills you have to prostitute yourself, which means they have to go in the hole in order for you to make a profit!

Dale

[Leanne]

Considering some of the exceedingly pretentious "poets" I've encountered over the years, I'd say that getting any kind of hole is entirely in their imagination.

[billy]

i have a good imagination, (i've been told so on many occasions by others outside the circle of family and friends.) that said, i'm shite at taking it out of the head and placing it on an item that can be seen

[Leanne]

I'm not sure I want to see the items that would result from your imagination, billy

Seriously, translation from head to page only happens with practise and perseverence. Though it might seem to come easier for some people, and occasionally you'll run across someone who has a genuine aptitude, for the most part it's just years of hard work that occasionally coalesces into something other people find half decent.

[Erthona]

Hey, I am not pretentious, pompous, sure, overly verbose, of course, but never pretentious...well, almost never!

Dale