Let’s talk about ending poems. Reading through slush I’m always looking for a kick-ass ending to a poem. It’s like watching a close basketball game. Last quarter, 2 seconds on the clock, poet racing down the page. Here’s the throw at the buzzer and Ohh…..it bounces off the rim. I hate that. I want the poet to succeed, make me slump back in my seat, stunned with awe and envy. Rock my world. That is…
Forgive me Internet, for I have sinned. I meant to write a review of that kick-ass book I just read, but alas, my own ego got in the way. The book inspired me to whip open my poetry file and start banging out words. Reading is not a soul-sucking endeavor, as some people seem to think. Rather it kicks my mojo into gear and fires me up to do battle with the blank page. Thank…
Poetry Triggers – Dreams by Elya Braden, Gyroscope Review Assistant Editor Many famous writers have used their dreams as inspiration for their writing, including Edgar Allen Poe for The Raven and Mary Shelley for Frankenstein. Often, when I sit down to write a poem based on a past experience, my initial writing is “too linear.” One of the occupational hazards of being a former lawyer, I think, as I remind myself: No surprise for the…
What flips you over into a poetry mindset? A word, a smell, a glimpse of a sunset over the mountains, the feel of sand while walking on a beach? Many times, for me, it’s a song. It could be the music or the words, but the winning combination is usually the right mix of intelligent lyrics and great music. Music not only helps me with any type of writing, but it also plays a big…
