 |
| Slash Pine Press Poetry Festival April 2010, Juliet Cook reading, photo by Joseph P. Wood *** This just looks like a normal photo of me reading poetry, but here's what pops out of my head as soon as I look at it: -This was the first poetry reading I participated in after my stroke (caused by an aneurysm, caused by a carotid artery dissection), which happened in January 2010. When I first got out of the hospital, I couldn't read at all. I had to re-learn the alphabet and take it from there. - I couldn't read my own poetry and at first it didn't even make sense to me. My mom helped me re-learn to read, starting with children's books. My (ex)husband read stuff to me online that had been accepted for publication before my stroke, but was published afterwords. I remember him reading a long book review I had written and I remember appreciating that. But I also remember asking him to read me part of an online literary magazine and he got less than halfway through some bizarre piece of fiction before he couldn't take it anymore. Then again, most people who aren't really into creative writing might not be able to take too much bizarro lit fiction. - I had been invited to participate in this poetry reading event before my stroke (because my poetry chapbook, "Fondant Pig Angst", had won the Slash Pine Press open reading period and had been published by Slash Pine Press the previous year - and Slash Pine Press was hosting this reading weekend). I had asked my (ex)husband if he would be willing to go with me and he said yes. - I was still having a lot of troubles with words and reading, so I "practice read" the 5 or 6 poems I had chosen to read about 100 times. (In comparison, these days I practice read my poems 2 or 3 times before a reading, mainly for length reasons). - When I was practice reading poetry back then, my mom sometimes listened to it and helped me. That meant a lot to me, especially since my mom had issues with my poetry for years and never really related to it or particularly liked it. She set those issues aside and just listened to me read my weird poetry. - Closer to the time of the Slash Pine Press poetry reading weekend, my (ex)husband suddenly seemed less interested in the event and I got worried that he might back out at the last minute. I rarely did readings when I was involved with him (because he wasn't really interested and I didn't drive, so most of my poetry focus was just inside my own home and online, which I was fine with at the time), but he had seemed genuinely interested in this one and now he didn't. I mentioned something about it to my aunt and she said she would come to the reading weekend - and that way, if he didn't feel like attending all the readings that weekend, then she and I could. That seemed like a good plan to me. - I wanted the weekend to be a poetry focused, unique, enjoyable experience - and it was definitely poetry focused to a large extent - but anytime we weren't at a reading, it ended up feeling like a mental fiasco inside my brain, because nothing I said or did made my (ex)husband and my aunt get along with each other - and they both seemed more focused on picking on each other or judging each other rather than on enjoying the event. I felt like I was expected to take a side. I wasn't taking a side! I was at a poetry event, trying to focus on and enjoy the poetry; not taking sides for nitpicky reasons! - The reading I participated in was in the afternoon, at a bar. There was a big crowd and a variety of different readers. Me, my (ex)husband and my aunt were sitting at a table near the stage. I was one of the first readers. I was pretty excited about it afterwards, because this was the first poetry reading I'd done in a long time, and the first poetry reading I'd done after my stroke related brain damage. I'd practice read my poems over 100 times and I ended up sounding like a normal reader. Then we sat there and listened to all the other readers and I thought we were all finally having a good time. - There were two more reading venue events that night - an evening one and a late night one. After the afternoon one, I was feeling happy and looking forward to the rest. I walked up to my (ex)husband, who was standing near the bar. I was hoping he had enjoyed the reading too. But as soon as I was next to him, he told me I needed to choose between him or my family or he would be filing for divorce. - That was most certainly not the sort of response I had hoped for or expected after a poetry reading; in fact, it was a mentally devastating response. But his voice was slurry and he seemed wasted and I wasn't about to get into an out-of-nowhere argument that had nothing to do with poetry and nor was I about to get into his car, get yelled at for no reason, and get driven away from the poetry. So I told him that I was going to choose to DRIVE with my aunt, since there were still two more poetry readings to attend and that he could meet us at the other poetry readings if he wanted to. Then I walked over to my aunt, then we walked over to her car, then I had a breakdown and cried inside her car. We made it to the other two readings though. So that's what I think about when I look at this photo. And sometimes I feel sort of embarrassed about sharing my own thoughts related to my own memories, but it's not like I'm making this up and it's not like I'm forcing anyone to read my thoughts anyway. It wasn't the first time the (ex)husband had blurted out the word divorce. He seemed to think that my stroke had changed my personality - and maybe it did to an extent, I don't know, but my personality still felt pretty close to the same to me and I definitely still had my passion for poetry and I think my poetry focus substantially helped my recovery. But within about a month, he was tired of hearing about my stroke and my poetry. Exactly one year after my stroke, we got divorced. I'm the one who filed for it, because in my mind, if a guy keeps blurting out the word divorce, using it as a threat, and giving me ultimatums, then he clearly doesn't want to be with me anymore. I guess it's a good thing we'd already ended our involvement before I started having the additional side effect of seizures, because he probably would have been tired of hearing about those within about a month too, but sometimes brain-related things just don't disappear within a month. Some parts of me that HAVE changed since then are that I have a harder time believing in/trusting love (even though I want to be loved), I have a hard time acting romantic (even though I like some romantic stuff), and no guy better tell me what to do. Because if anyone tells me what I should or shouldn't do or gives me an ultimatum, they'll be shoved out my door in a heartbeat, or at least before my heart explodes. |
Showing posts with label post stroke. Show all posts
Showing posts with label post stroke. Show all posts
5/10/18
Me Reading Poetry 8 Years Ago - and a long story about the past
9/8/12
MIXED FEELING MESS (some thoughts that emerged during a recent poetry interview)
I was recently working on answering a series of interview questions related to my POST-STROKE poetry chapbook (Blood Pudding Press for Dusie Kollektiv 5, 2011). That chapbook was the first new poetry collection to be written and created by me after my stroke, which happened early in 2010. I had a tough time dealing with questions about it at this point in time, and so I needed to write some of my challenging thoughts/feelings out of my system before focusing on the specific interview points of view. I will share those thoughts/feelings here on my blog – and then later, when the interview is posted on the Poet Hound blog, I will link to that.
Within the last few years, I have been a
mixed feeling mess, about myself and others and life in general. It’s hard for me to figure out and decide
what I ought to be focusing on (aside from my poetry and art stuff) – and it’s
hard for me to believe that anyone will be deeply interested in and able to
tolerate me, except in small, short term doses. From family members to friends
and even to significant others, I feel as if I’m not right for anyone anymore. I
feel as if some people seem to think that I’ve focused on my health issue too
much; whereas other people seem to think I don’t focus on it enough and should
be more diligently making ongoing efforts at increased possible recovery. For example, my ex-husband was tired of hearing about it after
just a couple months – but then the next man I became seriously involved with
after my divorce seemed to think I didn’t pay enough attention to my health, as
if I should be primarily focused on that for as long as it took, even if it
took the rest of my remaining existence.
I want others to allow me to make my own
choices and to like me for WHO I AM.
Not for whom I used to be – and not for whom
they think I should try to be, by spending the majority of my time and energy
and effort on repeatedly having my brain tested and scanned and researched and
possibly improved upon in the midst of never ending medical stress.
Well anyone ever again appreciate and love me
for WHO I AM RIGHT NOW?
(It hurts me thinking that the answer is
probably know – that I’m not a very likable person – that I’m not good enough
or fun enough or otherwise appealing enough anymore.)
On the poetry side of the spectrum, I am
well aware of and understand that there are all different kinds of poetry out
here – that some people will accept your style and some people will reject your
style – that nobody’s creative work is going to be everyone else’s style.
Personally, I’ve never aimed for main stream appeal or bill fitting poetry or
vanilla snack pack pudding poetry (thus, why my press is named Blood Pudding
Press).
Despite being well aware of different styles
and different tastes (and not caring whether I fit into them all), I got a bit
bummed recently, in regards to a note I received from a press I had sent a
query too, about whether they might be interested in partaking of my
full-length poetry manuscript. My query had included a brief note letting them know
how the title of my manuscript derived from my stroke – and then I also sent
them three sample poems.
They wrote back informing me that they
thought the subject matter of my collection was too specific and might not
warrant mass appeal, however they wished me health. Well, of the three sample poems I had sent
them, only one of those had been written after my stroke. It’s not like all of my
poems focus on the subject matter of health or brain disabilities – and it’s
not like my poetic subject matter has an obvious approach anyway. My poetic content and style has never been
very clear cut content wise. If because
of that, it doesn’t mesh well with their press’s style, then fine. But don’t assume that the bulk of my poetic content
and style is related to my stroke, just because I had a stroke and revealed
that part of my book’s title derived from that.
After reading that editorial response, I
felt as if maybe I should change my manuscript’s title and remove every tidbit
of my health background from my credits section - because when it comes to my
poetry, I don’t wish to give the impression of being predominantly health-focused
– because I’m not. I want to be
creatively poetry-focused – because I am.
However, I also don’t want to downright
ignore or avoid significant parts of my life, as if they never really happened
or barely exist within my brain - or not focus on them at all within my
creative realm. Thus, I honestly have
found my health issue rather tricky in real life AND in my poetry life. My
health issue did not largely change my poetry reading and writing style (except
for slowing them down) – but my poetic content is mentally/emotionally based
and the health issue certainly had an impact on those parts of me.
I’m pleased that I am still able to
creatively express my thoughts/feelings/emotions/ideas through odd oodles of
non-mainstream poetry. If I wanted to be a different kind of writer who was
predominantly focused on my health issue, then perhaps I’d move away from
poetry and try to focus on writing a real life story about my issues. But guess what? That’s not what I want to
focus on right now.
Still though, along such lines, when an
interview I’m participating in is focused on my stroke, I do find myself
wondering if most poets might not even be interested in reading this, because
they’ll think its focus will be more about health than about art – and thus it
will be rather boring and something that they’re just not particularly interested in.
3/7/12
NEW Poetry Interview of me at Little Myths!
In addition to the two new wonderful poetry chapbook reviews (see the post below this one), a recent Poetry Interview with me is now live on Little Myths; yay!
This is the first interview conducted by me and the Interviewer (Daniel M. Shapiro) by IMing with each other.
I love who Shapiro added actual links to all the poetry oriented pieces of my bio above the Interview, so click on some of those links to read some of my poetry and find out more.
Then find out what blurted out of me via texting style Interview format here:
http://littlemyths-dms.blogspot.com/2012/03/interview-with-juliet-cook.html?spref=fb
This is the first interview conducted by me and the Interviewer (Daniel M. Shapiro) by IMing with each other.
I love who Shapiro added actual links to all the poetry oriented pieces of my bio above the Interview, so click on some of those links to read some of my poetry and find out more.
Then find out what blurted out of me via texting style Interview format here:
http://littlemyths-dms.blogspot.com/2012/03/interview-with-juliet-cook.html?spref=fb
"Devouring Delicious, Savory Treats" = Two New Reviews of my poetry chaps!
"Devouring Delicious, Savory Treats: Lisa M. Cole on Juliet Cook's poetry chapbooks Thirteen Designer Vaginas and Post-Stroke" appears within the latest offering of Gently Read Literature, here - http://issuu.com/gently_read_literature/docs/grl_mar
Below is a snippet from one of those reviews; you may read them both in their entirety by clicking the link above.
“In both collections, there is a feeling present of losing a certain amount of control, of questioning the state of things, but to write the experience down, to make art out of it, is to regain control. The vagina, the woman’s body, and the woman herself are transformed from a punch line into a poem after all.”
***
You may purchase your very own copy of 'Thirteen Designer Vaginas' from Hyacinth Girl Press here - http://hyacinthgirlpress.com/purchase/
You may purchase your very own copy of 'POST-STROKE' from the Blood Pudding Press etsy shop here - http://www.etsy.com/listing/69547229/post-stroke-by-juliet-cook
Below is a snippet from one of those reviews; you may read them both in their entirety by clicking the link above.
“In both collections, there is a feeling present of losing a certain amount of control, of questioning the state of things, but to write the experience down, to make art out of it, is to regain control. The vagina, the woman’s body, and the woman herself are transformed from a punch line into a poem after all.”
***
You may purchase your very own copy of 'Thirteen Designer Vaginas' from Hyacinth Girl Press here - http://hyacinthgirlpress.com/purchase/
You may purchase your very own copy of 'POST-STROKE' from the Blood Pudding Press etsy shop here - http://www.etsy.com/listing/69547229/post-stroke-by-juliet-cook
11/23/11
Dusie Kollektiv 5 poetry chapbooks can now be read online!
The Dusie Kollektiv 5 poetry chapbooks are now live and available for reading online, here:
http://www.dusie.org/issue12.html
My POST-STROKE is one of the offerings; just click on my last name to partake.
You may also purchase it's hand-designed print version from the Blood Pudding Press etsy shop:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/69547229/post-stroke-by-juliet-cook
http://www.dusie.org/issue12.html
My POST-STROKE is one of the offerings; just click on my last name to partake.
You may also purchase it's hand-designed print version from the Blood Pudding Press etsy shop:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/69547229/post-stroke-by-juliet-cook
9/16/11
Profiles in Poetics: Juliet Cook
Aesthetic Diversity of Women Writers in the 21st Century
(interview questions answered by me and asked by Jillian Mukavetz, which originally appeared upon the Women's Quarterly Conversation online site)
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8400339/profiles_in_poetics_juliet_cook.html?cat=72
(interview questions answered by me and asked by Jillian Mukavetz, which originally appeared upon the Women's Quarterly Conversation online site)
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8400339/profiles_in_poetics_juliet_cook.html?cat=72
5/28/11
New Thirteen Myna Birds (& new coming-soon post-stroke article?)
GOOD! A new bloody, ghostly, volatile installment of Thirteen Myna Birds went live yesterday, with poems by Jillian Mukavetz, Chris Moran, Mather Schneider, M.P. Powers, Letitia Trent, & Wesley Dylan Gray.
Check it out here if so inclined: http://13myna.blogspot.com/
*
NOT GOOD! In other news, just in case anyone was wondering why my semi-recent post-stroke articles rather quickly featured links to my Intro, Piece 1, and Piece 2 - but then never linked to my supposedly coming-soon Piece 3 - well, I finished writing that Piece 3 about a month ago - but for some reason, I suddenly stopped being able to get onto my own Associated Content Site (where I post those sorts of articles) - even though I've been a member there for more than two years and have written/posted more than 100 articles.
I'm rather annoyed that I suddenly cannot access that site; I've emailed them for help and am hoping to receive that soon.
In the meantime, here are links to my Intro and first two articles again - and if I am unable to add my 3rd article there semi-soon, then perhaps I will just add it to my blog here. Sigh
*
The Intro (which offers a few snippets of what to expect from the others):
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7973477/intro_to_my_three_new_poststroke_aphasia.html?cat=5
Post-Stroke Aphasia Piece One (Challenging Words & Images):
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7973591/poststroke_aphasia_piece_one.html?cat=5
Post-Stroke Aphasia Piece Two (Love Replaced With Doubt & Debt):
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7976323/poststroke_aphasia_piece_two.html?cat=70
Post-Stroke Aphasia Piece Three hopefully coming soon!
Check it out here if so inclined: http://13myna.blogspot.com/
*
NOT GOOD! In other news, just in case anyone was wondering why my semi-recent post-stroke articles rather quickly featured links to my Intro, Piece 1, and Piece 2 - but then never linked to my supposedly coming-soon Piece 3 - well, I finished writing that Piece 3 about a month ago - but for some reason, I suddenly stopped being able to get onto my own Associated Content Site (where I post those sorts of articles) - even though I've been a member there for more than two years and have written/posted more than 100 articles.
I'm rather annoyed that I suddenly cannot access that site; I've emailed them for help and am hoping to receive that soon.
In the meantime, here are links to my Intro and first two articles again - and if I am unable to add my 3rd article there semi-soon, then perhaps I will just add it to my blog here. Sigh
*
The Intro (which offers a few snippets of what to expect from the others):
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7973477/intro_to_my_three_new_poststroke_aphasia.html?cat=5
Post-Stroke Aphasia Piece One (Challenging Words & Images):
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7973591/poststroke_aphasia_piece_one.html?cat=5
Post-Stroke Aphasia Piece Two (Love Replaced With Doubt & Debt):
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7976323/poststroke_aphasia_piece_two.html?cat=70
Post-Stroke Aphasia Piece Three hopefully coming soon!
5/1/11
Post-Stroke Aphasia Articles
Linked to below is my Intro piece for my three new Post-Stroke Aphasia articles.
These articles took me a long time to write; I was often overtaken by mixed feelings.
But I finally did it and hopefully a few people will read and relate.
The Intro will offer you a few snippets of what to expect from the others.
Those other pieces will also be added here.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7973477/intro_to_my_three_new_poststroke_aphasia.html?cat=5
*
NEW - Post-Stroke Aphasia Piece One (Challenging Words & Images)
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7973591/poststroke_aphasia_piece_one.html?cat=5
*
NEW - Post-Stroke Aphasia Piece Two (Love Replaced With Doubt & Debt)
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7976323/poststroke_aphasia_piece_two.html?cat=70
*
Piece #3 coming soon...
*
P.S.
I understand that my stroke was difficult for my ex-husband to deal with too. He had lost his first wife to cancer; she had suddenly died young. He was very uncomfortable with hospitals and health issues and I can certainly understand that. I just wish he would have told me that he was truly sorry but he really couldn’t deal with this kind of situation again in his life. Yes, I would have been disappointed by that, but it would have been better than him acting like the whole situation was my own fault and repeatedly lashing out at me due to a lifestyle change that had happened beyond my control. It’s not like I had my stroke on purpose. I wish it wouldn’t have happened. I wish it wouldn’t have made his life harder. I wish I wouldn’t have lost parts of my brain - and then my home and my husband and my credit and more...
If something bad, unfortunate, or mistaken happens, he wants to move on – not dwell on it. I can understand that to an extent, but not when it is related to a brain loss injury. He seriously wanted me to forget about it after mere weeks, but how am I supposed to forget about or ignore something that still affects my brain?
Would most people just ignore a brain injury – or expect their spouse to?
I don’t think so.
Maybe I’m wrong.
These articles took me a long time to write; I was often overtaken by mixed feelings.
But I finally did it and hopefully a few people will read and relate.
The Intro will offer you a few snippets of what to expect from the others.
Those other pieces will also be added here.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7973477/intro_to_my_three_new_poststroke_aphasia.html?cat=5
*
NEW - Post-Stroke Aphasia Piece One (Challenging Words & Images)
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7973591/poststroke_aphasia_piece_one.html?cat=5
*
NEW - Post-Stroke Aphasia Piece Two (Love Replaced With Doubt & Debt)
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7976323/poststroke_aphasia_piece_two.html?cat=70
*
Piece #3 coming soon...
*
P.S.
I understand that my stroke was difficult for my ex-husband to deal with too. He had lost his first wife to cancer; she had suddenly died young. He was very uncomfortable with hospitals and health issues and I can certainly understand that. I just wish he would have told me that he was truly sorry but he really couldn’t deal with this kind of situation again in his life. Yes, I would have been disappointed by that, but it would have been better than him acting like the whole situation was my own fault and repeatedly lashing out at me due to a lifestyle change that had happened beyond my control. It’s not like I had my stroke on purpose. I wish it wouldn’t have happened. I wish it wouldn’t have made his life harder. I wish I wouldn’t have lost parts of my brain - and then my home and my husband and my credit and more...
If something bad, unfortunate, or mistaken happens, he wants to move on – not dwell on it. I can understand that to an extent, but not when it is related to a brain loss injury. He seriously wanted me to forget about it after mere weeks, but how am I supposed to forget about or ignore something that still affects my brain?
Would most people just ignore a brain injury – or expect their spouse to?
I don’t think so.
Maybe I’m wrong.
3/8/11
Blood Pudding Press/Horror Couture
My Blood Pudding Press etsy shop has become part of a Team called Horror Couture!
When I was invited to join this Team I felt pretty excited but worried that I might not fit in, because I don't have much blatantly horror-esque stuff available for sale in my Blood Pudding Press shop. I have hand-designed poetry chapbooks, vintage doodads, and ephemera.
BUT I do think some of my poetry is horror-esque in it's own odd way. In much of my older poetry, I liked to bake horrific confections. I don’t like vanilla snack pack pudding poetry; I like blood pudding poetry. I like poetry that borders the unappetizing, poetry that borders the grotesque, poetry that borders the pornographic and horrific. I am attuned to a sense of revolting, bodily-based horror associated with femaleness and I have a desire to birth this horror or abort it or deconstruct, reconstruct, or vivisect it!
As far as my newest poetry is concerned, my very latest chapbook 'POST-STROKE' is based on a real-life horrific health issue I suffered (and am still suffering) from. I had a carotid artery dissection, aneurysms, a stroke - and NOW have a Stent and Aphasia.
Also, I even designed a new sexy hot pink Venus Fly Trap Card (with poetry snippets) in honor of the Horror Couture group!
Lovely? Poisonous? Horror-ific in its own odd way? You decide.
See more about the Venus Fly Trap card here:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/69587846/sexy-hot-pink-venus-fly-trap-handmade
See more about POST-STROKE here:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/68522600/post-stroke-by-juliet-cook
X.O.X. Juliet
***
P.S. Created a NEW Horror Couture-esque Treasury: http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4d77f528b10a6d91fe0b5dd3/horror-couture-eyeballs-other-yummy?ref=pr_treasury
When I was invited to join this Team I felt pretty excited but worried that I might not fit in, because I don't have much blatantly horror-esque stuff available for sale in my Blood Pudding Press shop. I have hand-designed poetry chapbooks, vintage doodads, and ephemera.
BUT I do think some of my poetry is horror-esque in it's own odd way. In much of my older poetry, I liked to bake horrific confections. I don’t like vanilla snack pack pudding poetry; I like blood pudding poetry. I like poetry that borders the unappetizing, poetry that borders the grotesque, poetry that borders the pornographic and horrific. I am attuned to a sense of revolting, bodily-based horror associated with femaleness and I have a desire to birth this horror or abort it or deconstruct, reconstruct, or vivisect it!
As far as my newest poetry is concerned, my very latest chapbook 'POST-STROKE' is based on a real-life horrific health issue I suffered (and am still suffering) from. I had a carotid artery dissection, aneurysms, a stroke - and NOW have a Stent and Aphasia.
Also, I even designed a new sexy hot pink Venus Fly Trap Card (with poetry snippets) in honor of the Horror Couture group!
Lovely? Poisonous? Horror-ific in its own odd way? You decide.
See more about the Venus Fly Trap card here:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/69587846/sexy-hot-pink-venus-fly-trap-handmade
See more about POST-STROKE here:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/68522600/post-stroke-by-juliet-cook
X.O.X. Juliet
***
P.S. Created a NEW Horror Couture-esque Treasury: http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4d77f528b10a6d91fe0b5dd3/horror-couture-eyeballs-other-yummy?ref=pr_treasury
2/25/11
Transmogrified
I happened upon this recent mini-review and/or glance at my new POST-STROKE poetry chapbook (published by Blood Pudding Press for Dusie Kollektiv 5) written by another Dusie 5 participant, William Allegrezza (I've received his chapbook too; have not read it just yet, but am looking forward to doing so soon).
I found his review quite interesting, but was not quite aware of the definition of 'transmogrified', so looked it up on dictionary.com and found that definition quite interesting too!
Copied below is his note, followed by that word's definitions.
After that is a photo of my POST-STROKE chapbook, followed by a link to it in my Blood Pudding Press etsy shop, where you can find out more details (and read a few other mini-reviews) and/or purchase a copy for yourself.
*
The Daily Glance (The Kollectiv Series)
Juliet Cook's Post-Stroke is aptly titled, for the poems, we are told in a note, are "partially inspired by/related to" a stroke that Cook recently had. The craft of the book itself is worthy note since it is tied together by yarn, and the interior poems are surrounded by a cut out art image. Mine starts with some eyes starting at me, but I imagine that different chapbooks have different images. The poems are on pages cut out at different sizes, and they are fascinating for their post-traumatic experience theme.
Post-Stroke my words are not over-
ly obvious. Why on earth should my
non overly obvious poetry be dead?
In this chapbook, poetry is strongly connected to life and individual presence. It is a comfort and a tool to explore what remains, but it has been transmogrified in the experience.
bill allegrezza
*
trans·mog·ri·fy
-to change in appearance or form, especially strangely or grotesquely; transform
-to change completely...apparently a perversion of transmigure, from transmigrate, perhaps influenced by modify
I found his review quite interesting, but was not quite aware of the definition of 'transmogrified', so looked it up on dictionary.com and found that definition quite interesting too!
Copied below is his note, followed by that word's definitions.
After that is a photo of my POST-STROKE chapbook, followed by a link to it in my Blood Pudding Press etsy shop, where you can find out more details (and read a few other mini-reviews) and/or purchase a copy for yourself.
*
The Daily Glance (The Kollectiv Series)
Juliet Cook's Post-Stroke is aptly titled, for the poems, we are told in a note, are "partially inspired by/related to" a stroke that Cook recently had. The craft of the book itself is worthy note since it is tied together by yarn, and the interior poems are surrounded by a cut out art image. Mine starts with some eyes starting at me, but I imagine that different chapbooks have different images. The poems are on pages cut out at different sizes, and they are fascinating for their post-traumatic experience theme.
Post-Stroke my words are not over-
ly obvious. Why on earth should my
non overly obvious poetry be dead?
In this chapbook, poetry is strongly connected to life and individual presence. It is a comfort and a tool to explore what remains, but it has been transmogrified in the experience.
bill allegrezza
*
trans·mog·ri·fy
-to change in appearance or form, especially strangely or grotesquely; transform
-to change completely...apparently a perversion of transmigure, from transmigrate, perhaps influenced by modify
*
*
http://www.etsy.com/listing/68683940/post-stroke-by-juliet-cook
2/23/11
Darkly Delicious Poetics (1)
A Treasurey of poetry chapbooks, poetry books, poetic art, notebooks to work on your poems and art within, yummy eating and drinking doodads, & more.
Featuring work by Juliet Cook, Christine Hamm, Kathy Burkett, Aunia Kahn, and many more.
Stay tuned for #2, coming soon.
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4d657e50cd846d91c7295de3/darkly-delicious-poetics-1?index=0
Featuring work by Juliet Cook, Christine Hamm, Kathy Burkett, Aunia Kahn, and many more.
Stay tuned for #2, coming soon.
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4d657e50cd846d91c7295de3/darkly-delicious-poetics-1?index=0
2/20/11
New POST-STROKE poetry chapbook now available
POST - STROKE is now available!
POST - STROKE is my new 2011 poetry chapbook, created by Blood Pudding Press for DUSIE Kollektiv 5.
POST - STROKE is a small hand-designed snippet of ten new poems and more.
About a year ago, I suffered from an unexpected carotid artery dissection, bleeding out by 99%, aneurysms, and a stroke - and this strange sensation inspired the poems within this collection.
Partake of more and/or purchase your very own copy in the Blood Pudding Press etsy shop here:http://www.etsy.com/shop/BloodPuddingPress
***
If interested, you may also read some articles I've written about my stroke, linked to below:
~Post - Stroke Survival and Sad Little Blues: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2807396/poststroke_survival_and_sad_little.html?cat=70
~Full Length Dissection: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5602556/full_length_dissection.html?cat=70
~A Round Thing That Starts With The Wrong Letter: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/6187208/a_round_thing_that_starts_with_the.html?cat=5
POST - STROKE is my new 2011 poetry chapbook, created by Blood Pudding Press for DUSIE Kollektiv 5.
POST - STROKE is a small hand-designed snippet of ten new poems and more.
About a year ago, I suffered from an unexpected carotid artery dissection, bleeding out by 99%, aneurysms, and a stroke - and this strange sensation inspired the poems within this collection.
Partake of more and/or purchase your very own copy in the Blood Pudding Press etsy shop here:http://www.etsy.com/shop/BloodPuddingPress
***
If interested, you may also read some articles I've written about my stroke, linked to below:
~Post - Stroke Survival and Sad Little Blues: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2807396/poststroke_survival_and_sad_little.html?cat=70
~Full Length Dissection: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5602556/full_length_dissection.html?cat=70
~A Round Thing That Starts With The Wrong Letter: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/6187208/a_round_thing_that_starts_with_the.html?cat=5
1/1/11
A Round Thing that Starts With the Wrong Letter
(A year that started with the wrong kind of bang has ended; what comes next?)
I few days ago, I had a little after-dinner issue that made me feel like crying. These feelings are nothing new throughout a year that began with me suffering from an unexpected Stroke, but I have been continually recovering and improving, to the point that I think most people who briefly interact with me might not even receive an inkling that anything has affected my brain powers at all. A big part of me really likes that, but it also has its challenging aspects.
Although my reading and writing skills continue to get better and better thank goodness, they are still significantly slower than they used to me. Although every month, I seem to remember details better, I still do not think I could work a regular job, because after I initially came across as pretty intelligent and productive, how could I explain my inability to memorize new things with quickness or efficiency?
And how the heck would I explain my ongoing trouble associated with handling easy little words? Food stuff is one example of those easy little words and my ongoing issue with food stuff words is what made me feel like crying the other night. Even my poetry used to be brimming with strange and specific food-oriented words, to the extent that a few people thought I had made up my last name, COOK, to fit into my own poetry-fest.
A few nights ago after dinner, my mom handed me a yummy piece of homemade gingerbread (I had to concentrate while typing this to get the word gingerbread) and she put something on it; some white stuff that I cannot remember the word of. I asked her what that white stuff was called and she told me, but I have already forgotten that word again. When she told me the word, I started to tell her what it reminded me of, which was another white thing atop another dessert thing and...
See what I mean? I couldn't think of the word of a dessert product that I have partaken of many times in my life. And I couldn't think of the word of the white stuff on top of that dessert product. Oftentimes, I can think of the first letter of a word even if I can’t think of the whole word. So I said something like "that round thing that starts with a g" and then I began to feel like some sort of an idiot, because here I was seated at the kitchen table with a group of people and the best descriptive phrase I could muster was “that round thing that starts with a g".
As it turned out, I didn't even get the first letter right this time. As I tried to describe the dessert product a little better, my mom finally asked if I was talking about Cinnamon Rolls and YES that is what I was talking about. And the main reason I had even brought up Cinnamon Rolls was due to an attempt to talk about the white product that sometimes appears on top of them, but it took me so long to make it to the word Cinnamon Roll, that after that, I felt overly stressed out and dumb and pretty much just gave up.
Here I was among a group of people and could not even manage to describe certain things as well as their little kids would have been able to describe it. I felt like they most likely would rather play with the kids, rather than spend half an hour trying to concentrate on a disabled adult attempting to figure out easy little words in order to say what I was trying to say, when what I was trying to say was simply a very small description of a white dessert product atop my mom's gingerbread that tasted like a different white dessert product atop some Cinnamon Rolls. I could hardly think of any of the words for a small description that should have lasted about one minute long.
Unfortunately, that is nothing new when I am trying to talk about food (or names or other brief descriptions), so sometimes I just don’t even try to talk about those things, especially in the midst of group settings as opposed to one on one. Sometimes I find myself worrying about not being able to think of some easy little word in a public setting (which has happened before) and then how the heck should I explain that? I don’t really feel like telling semi-random people who I barely know that I suffered from a Stroke almost a year ago.
It's so frustrating and upsetting to me sometimes, being someone who used to be able to describe things interestingly, uniquely, and EASILY and now I often can't. In addition to the little words, there's the fact that I can't write significant book reviews anymore; I can no longer specifically describe my own viewpoints on stuff like poetry, art, feminism, and much more (and since I would have to concentrate long and hard in order to think of more specific words, I just typed 'and much more').
Overall, I have been feeling less depressed, less negative, and more willing to interestingly shift my own verbiage around. But every once in a while, an exchange that ought to consist of a simple, easy, quick little conversation goes awfully wrong and really upsets me. Sometimes I worry that I am NEVER going to be able to communicate as well as I used to. Sometimes that makes me feel like crying.
***
(This is a short version of a small article I am currently working on. I hope to complete and publish a slightly longer version on my Associated Content site soon. If you are interested, stay tuned.)
I few days ago, I had a little after-dinner issue that made me feel like crying. These feelings are nothing new throughout a year that began with me suffering from an unexpected Stroke, but I have been continually recovering and improving, to the point that I think most people who briefly interact with me might not even receive an inkling that anything has affected my brain powers at all. A big part of me really likes that, but it also has its challenging aspects.
Although my reading and writing skills continue to get better and better thank goodness, they are still significantly slower than they used to me. Although every month, I seem to remember details better, I still do not think I could work a regular job, because after I initially came across as pretty intelligent and productive, how could I explain my inability to memorize new things with quickness or efficiency?
And how the heck would I explain my ongoing trouble associated with handling easy little words? Food stuff is one example of those easy little words and my ongoing issue with food stuff words is what made me feel like crying the other night. Even my poetry used to be brimming with strange and specific food-oriented words, to the extent that a few people thought I had made up my last name, COOK, to fit into my own poetry-fest.
A few nights ago after dinner, my mom handed me a yummy piece of homemade gingerbread (I had to concentrate while typing this to get the word gingerbread) and she put something on it; some white stuff that I cannot remember the word of. I asked her what that white stuff was called and she told me, but I have already forgotten that word again. When she told me the word, I started to tell her what it reminded me of, which was another white thing atop another dessert thing and...
See what I mean? I couldn't think of the word of a dessert product that I have partaken of many times in my life. And I couldn't think of the word of the white stuff on top of that dessert product. Oftentimes, I can think of the first letter of a word even if I can’t think of the whole word. So I said something like "that round thing that starts with a g" and then I began to feel like some sort of an idiot, because here I was seated at the kitchen table with a group of people and the best descriptive phrase I could muster was “that round thing that starts with a g".
As it turned out, I didn't even get the first letter right this time. As I tried to describe the dessert product a little better, my mom finally asked if I was talking about Cinnamon Rolls and YES that is what I was talking about. And the main reason I had even brought up Cinnamon Rolls was due to an attempt to talk about the white product that sometimes appears on top of them, but it took me so long to make it to the word Cinnamon Roll, that after that, I felt overly stressed out and dumb and pretty much just gave up.
Here I was among a group of people and could not even manage to describe certain things as well as their little kids would have been able to describe it. I felt like they most likely would rather play with the kids, rather than spend half an hour trying to concentrate on a disabled adult attempting to figure out easy little words in order to say what I was trying to say, when what I was trying to say was simply a very small description of a white dessert product atop my mom's gingerbread that tasted like a different white dessert product atop some Cinnamon Rolls. I could hardly think of any of the words for a small description that should have lasted about one minute long.
Unfortunately, that is nothing new when I am trying to talk about food (or names or other brief descriptions), so sometimes I just don’t even try to talk about those things, especially in the midst of group settings as opposed to one on one. Sometimes I find myself worrying about not being able to think of some easy little word in a public setting (which has happened before) and then how the heck should I explain that? I don’t really feel like telling semi-random people who I barely know that I suffered from a Stroke almost a year ago.
It's so frustrating and upsetting to me sometimes, being someone who used to be able to describe things interestingly, uniquely, and EASILY and now I often can't. In addition to the little words, there's the fact that I can't write significant book reviews anymore; I can no longer specifically describe my own viewpoints on stuff like poetry, art, feminism, and much more (and since I would have to concentrate long and hard in order to think of more specific words, I just typed 'and much more').
Overall, I have been feeling less depressed, less negative, and more willing to interestingly shift my own verbiage around. But every once in a while, an exchange that ought to consist of a simple, easy, quick little conversation goes awfully wrong and really upsets me. Sometimes I worry that I am NEVER going to be able to communicate as well as I used to. Sometimes that makes me feel like crying.
***
(This is a short version of a small article I am currently working on. I hope to complete and publish a slightly longer version on my Associated Content site soon. If you are interested, stay tuned.)
12/30/10
Thrift Store Winter Hats
The first Hat cost 50 cents; the second Hat cost $1.00. Slurp.
Scroll down below for more artsy doodads including fun socks, PJ Harvey art video, Thirteen Myna Birds news, and a little Post-Stroke blurbage.
New Post-Stroke/Thirteen Myna Birds coming soon...
My Stroke happened almost a year ago now and here is the little article I wrote about it a few months thereafter. I am currently working on a new little article, to be posted soon. So read the old version and prepare for the new.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2807396/poststroke_survival_and_sad_little.html?cat=70
Also partake of the old Thirteen Myna Birds, because an all new version of that delectable offering shall be posted tomorrow, as a special dark New Year's Eve feast.
http://13myna.blogspot.com/
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2807396/poststroke_survival_and_sad_little.html?cat=70
Also partake of the old Thirteen Myna Birds, because an all new version of that delectable offering shall be posted tomorrow, as a special dark New Year's Eve feast.
http://13myna.blogspot.com/
*
P.S. Socks made yummy Xmas delights for me, especially socks from Sock Dreams.
Here's a little peak (click on the link for more of my scrumptious socks photos).
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=265244&id=842512457&l=d6d2fec9cb
9/3/10
Doll Injection Mold Disaster
Intro (Post-Stroke):
Hello hello. This is my affair with an odd semi-personal, semi-creative blog entry, possibly to be linked to on Big Tent Poetry, which means that some of my content will need to be poetry-esque, which should not be an enormous problem, since I do indeed adore poetry. First I will admit that often times when I try to think of the name Big Tent Poetry, I accidentally think Pig Tent Poetry. I will also admit that it was actually a few months back that I had intended to write a blog entry that could be linked to by Big Tent/Pig Tent, but alas. I’m certainly not poking fun at Big Tent, by the way. It’s more like these days words and letters sometimes slip out of or into my head in a slightly different way.
Approximately seven months ago, I experienced an unexpected health issue, a Carotid Artery Stroke and something to do with words including Dissection, Aneurysm, and Aphasia. I’m not in the mood to explain all those details right now, but the Stroke affected my brain and other aspects of my life. It is harder and slower than it used to be for me to read, write, remember or memorize, especially certain easy little words that I first learned when I was a child. For months now, I’ve been trying to focus on re-learning and unfortunately, it doesn’t come anywhere near as quickly or easily as it did when I was a kid.
You can find out a few more details about my health issue by reading a short article I wrote a few months ago and posted on my Associated Content site, called Post-Stroke Survival and Sad Little Blues, here -http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2807396/poststroke_survival_and_sad_little.html?cat=70 . Also, I more recently had a new article posted on Associated Content, called Full Length Dissection, which is related to my continuing slow but sure Stroke recovery AND very recently assembling my second full-length poetry manuscript and submitting that to its very first source. I hope to submit it to more sources soon. I hope to do all sorts of fun and exciting creative writing stuff soon. In the meantime, please feel free to partake of my Full Length Dissection, here - http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5602556/full_length_dissection.html?cat=70
I’ve had kind of a rough, tough time lately. At the end of 2008, I lost my long-time full-time job for no good reason, had not gotten a new job for a year (despite applying for well over 100), but was at least receiving unemployment and still able to pay my bills. Then my Stroke happened at the beginning of 2010 and I was no longer eligible for my unemployment since I could no longer apply for jobs. Then, in addition to having lost my long term job and part of my brain power and other skills, I also seemed to be losing the love of my life who seemed to expect me to be fully recovered in just a few short months, even though it is likely to take a year or more to recover as best I can (and some people never fully recover; sigh). He told me he was tired of hearing about my Stroke and my poetry. I am lucky and grateful I survived, but sometimes I feel so sad I can hardly stand it. Aside from my extreme sadness, I am glad that my personality has remained pretty much the same. Along those lines, I am trying to continue focusing on poetry because I have loved and adored poetry for most of my life and still do.
Despite my love and adoration for poetry, I started my Associated Content site near the end of 2008, when I was spending lots of time looking into new jobs. One of my ideas about where to/how to work involved researching writing or editing gigs that might help pay the bills more than poetry. I started my Associated Content site, published more than 120 articles there from November 2008 through December 2009 and made less than 200 dollars from that. Still though, if I don’t have a real job and am making even a teeny tiny tidbit of money, I will try my best to continue to do so. I have only published 8 articles there this year– one in January, which I wrote and submitted one day before my Stroke; two others that were also written before my Stroke and initially published elsewhere and then added to my Associated Content site later; so only five short pieces were actually written post-stroke (including the new Full Length Dissection).
*
In Progress (Oddball Doll Poeticism):
I’m very pleased and happy that I am still so passionate about and turned on by poetry. I’ve always drawn my poetic words from various sources, including product packaging, TV shows, scholarly articles, pop culture, porn and more. Now, due to my own weirdly, slowly healing brain power, which continues to have a hard time remembering lots of little words without extreme concentration, that extreme concentration seems to be causing big, strange, oddball words and phrases to suddenly blurt out of my head. Is that globular outrage or globular adaptation?
Reading other writers’ poetry also sometimes catalyzes my own. A few telltale signs of another person’s poem working for me is if it suddenly makes me feel like shimmering, shivering, dancing in crazed shapes or masturbating.
My strange take on feminism is also oddly related to my poetry. You can read a lot more about that within a long semi-recent article of mine published as part of Delirious Hem’s ‘This is What a Feminist [Poet] Looks Like’ forum here - http://delirioushem.blogspot.com/search/label/Juliet%20Cook. As just an itty bitty tidbit of sorts, the day after submitting that piece, I started wondering why I had picked such an ugly photo of myself to accompany it. In truth, the photo is not ugly so much as it’s a realistic representation of what I look like most of the time these days. I don’t gallivant around my house wearing makeup and hair shining products, but apparently part of me would feel more comfortable providing an author photo that is more gussied up than the typical me; an author photo that is strangely sexy. Why would I sometimes waste brainpower thinking about my appearance when I should be attuned to my words? After all, if I spend more time applying sexy makeup, then I’d have less time to write sexy words—AND I LIKE WORDS MUCH BETTER!
Even knowing that, I can’t seem to help sometimes thinking that I might have more power if I was more attractive. If people enjoyed looking at me more, then they might also be more inclined to read what I had to say. I often suffer from one of my silly little, ‘I am not attractive enough’ episodes. Even now, following a time in my life when I really need to focus on being attuned to my own health and wellness and well-being (including less sadness and stress, pretty please), I can’t seem to help thinking with some frequency that I am 37 years old and starting to look older too. For crying out loud, I could have lost my ability to walk, my ability to talk, my own personality! Why on earth am I dwelling on wrinkles and white hairs? Screw the damned Media inundation of fictive imagery related to what constitutes a desirable woman. Egads!
*
A Poem:
I have written some poems since my Stroke and within the poetry section of my computer, those pieces all start with the phrase ‘post-stroke’ before each individual title. I recently experienced a little worry that perhaps ‘post’ was not the right word. I then searched for Post-Stroke on Dictionary.com to make sure ‘Post’ was the right word and ended up reading some sadly scary information about Post-Stroke Depression. Sigh.
My recent poems are considerably shorter than most of my poems used to be and different in other ways as well, but then again, so is my brain – and deliciously enough, I really do not think the new poems are bad at all. They are mine, mine, mine, plus other than the very latest one, all of my other post-stroke poems have been selected for publication by various sources, starting with one in The Nepotist and more coming soon within Arsenic Lobster, Source Material, and Horse Less Review. Hurrah!
*
P.S. Did Big Tent Poetry think this blog post was globular or blobular?
Find out by clicking here:
http://bigtentpoetry.org/2010/08/sideshow-finding-the-words/
Thank you yummy Big Tent Poetry!
Hello hello. This is my affair with an odd semi-personal, semi-creative blog entry, possibly to be linked to on Big Tent Poetry, which means that some of my content will need to be poetry-esque, which should not be an enormous problem, since I do indeed adore poetry. First I will admit that often times when I try to think of the name Big Tent Poetry, I accidentally think Pig Tent Poetry. I will also admit that it was actually a few months back that I had intended to write a blog entry that could be linked to by Big Tent/Pig Tent, but alas. I’m certainly not poking fun at Big Tent, by the way. It’s more like these days words and letters sometimes slip out of or into my head in a slightly different way.
Approximately seven months ago, I experienced an unexpected health issue, a Carotid Artery Stroke and something to do with words including Dissection, Aneurysm, and Aphasia. I’m not in the mood to explain all those details right now, but the Stroke affected my brain and other aspects of my life. It is harder and slower than it used to be for me to read, write, remember or memorize, especially certain easy little words that I first learned when I was a child. For months now, I’ve been trying to focus on re-learning and unfortunately, it doesn’t come anywhere near as quickly or easily as it did when I was a kid.
You can find out a few more details about my health issue by reading a short article I wrote a few months ago and posted on my Associated Content site, called Post-Stroke Survival and Sad Little Blues, here -http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2807396/poststroke_survival_and_sad_little.html?cat=70 . Also, I more recently had a new article posted on Associated Content, called Full Length Dissection, which is related to my continuing slow but sure Stroke recovery AND very recently assembling my second full-length poetry manuscript and submitting that to its very first source. I hope to submit it to more sources soon. I hope to do all sorts of fun and exciting creative writing stuff soon. In the meantime, please feel free to partake of my Full Length Dissection, here - http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5602556/full_length_dissection.html?cat=70
I’ve had kind of a rough, tough time lately. At the end of 2008, I lost my long-time full-time job for no good reason, had not gotten a new job for a year (despite applying for well over 100), but was at least receiving unemployment and still able to pay my bills. Then my Stroke happened at the beginning of 2010 and I was no longer eligible for my unemployment since I could no longer apply for jobs. Then, in addition to having lost my long term job and part of my brain power and other skills, I also seemed to be losing the love of my life who seemed to expect me to be fully recovered in just a few short months, even though it is likely to take a year or more to recover as best I can (and some people never fully recover; sigh). He told me he was tired of hearing about my Stroke and my poetry. I am lucky and grateful I survived, but sometimes I feel so sad I can hardly stand it. Aside from my extreme sadness, I am glad that my personality has remained pretty much the same. Along those lines, I am trying to continue focusing on poetry because I have loved and adored poetry for most of my life and still do.
Despite my love and adoration for poetry, I started my Associated Content site near the end of 2008, when I was spending lots of time looking into new jobs. One of my ideas about where to/how to work involved researching writing or editing gigs that might help pay the bills more than poetry. I started my Associated Content site, published more than 120 articles there from November 2008 through December 2009 and made less than 200 dollars from that. Still though, if I don’t have a real job and am making even a teeny tiny tidbit of money, I will try my best to continue to do so. I have only published 8 articles there this year– one in January, which I wrote and submitted one day before my Stroke; two others that were also written before my Stroke and initially published elsewhere and then added to my Associated Content site later; so only five short pieces were actually written post-stroke (including the new Full Length Dissection).
*
In Progress (Oddball Doll Poeticism):
I’m very pleased and happy that I am still so passionate about and turned on by poetry. I’ve always drawn my poetic words from various sources, including product packaging, TV shows, scholarly articles, pop culture, porn and more. Now, due to my own weirdly, slowly healing brain power, which continues to have a hard time remembering lots of little words without extreme concentration, that extreme concentration seems to be causing big, strange, oddball words and phrases to suddenly blurt out of my head. Is that globular outrage or globular adaptation?
Reading other writers’ poetry also sometimes catalyzes my own. A few telltale signs of another person’s poem working for me is if it suddenly makes me feel like shimmering, shivering, dancing in crazed shapes or masturbating.
My strange take on feminism is also oddly related to my poetry. You can read a lot more about that within a long semi-recent article of mine published as part of Delirious Hem’s ‘This is What a Feminist [Poet] Looks Like’ forum here - http://delirioushem.blogspot.com/search/label/Juliet%20Cook. As just an itty bitty tidbit of sorts, the day after submitting that piece, I started wondering why I had picked such an ugly photo of myself to accompany it. In truth, the photo is not ugly so much as it’s a realistic representation of what I look like most of the time these days. I don’t gallivant around my house wearing makeup and hair shining products, but apparently part of me would feel more comfortable providing an author photo that is more gussied up than the typical me; an author photo that is strangely sexy. Why would I sometimes waste brainpower thinking about my appearance when I should be attuned to my words? After all, if I spend more time applying sexy makeup, then I’d have less time to write sexy words—AND I LIKE WORDS MUCH BETTER!
Even knowing that, I can’t seem to help sometimes thinking that I might have more power if I was more attractive. If people enjoyed looking at me more, then they might also be more inclined to read what I had to say. I often suffer from one of my silly little, ‘I am not attractive enough’ episodes. Even now, following a time in my life when I really need to focus on being attuned to my own health and wellness and well-being (including less sadness and stress, pretty please), I can’t seem to help thinking with some frequency that I am 37 years old and starting to look older too. For crying out loud, I could have lost my ability to walk, my ability to talk, my own personality! Why on earth am I dwelling on wrinkles and white hairs? Screw the damned Media inundation of fictive imagery related to what constitutes a desirable woman. Egads!
*
A Poem:
I have written some poems since my Stroke and within the poetry section of my computer, those pieces all start with the phrase ‘post-stroke’ before each individual title. I recently experienced a little worry that perhaps ‘post’ was not the right word. I then searched for Post-Stroke on Dictionary.com to make sure ‘Post’ was the right word and ended up reading some sadly scary information about Post-Stroke Depression. Sigh.
My recent poems are considerably shorter than most of my poems used to be and different in other ways as well, but then again, so is my brain – and deliciously enough, I really do not think the new poems are bad at all. They are mine, mine, mine, plus other than the very latest one, all of my other post-stroke poems have been selected for publication by various sources, starting with one in The Nepotist and more coming soon within Arsenic Lobster, Source Material, and Horse Less Review. Hurrah!
*
P.S. Did Big Tent Poetry think this blog post was globular or blobular?
Find out by clicking here:
http://bigtentpoetry.org/2010/08/sideshow-finding-the-words/
Thank you yummy Big Tent Poetry!
8/3/10
NEW Notes From a Dissected Poet
"I'm not a dead animal and my brain is better than that of a fetal pig. However, I still have not fully recovered from the results of my stroke and its resultant aphasia."
That is one line from my new article about the matter here: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5602556/full_length_dissection.html?cat=70
P.S. I did make a small mistake within my article - in this line I used the wrong link - "If anyone would like to help me out a little bit and partake of your own creative goods, it would be utterly wonderful if you purchased a special something from the Blood Pudding Press etsy shop at http://bloodyooze.blogspot.com/".
The correct link is http://www.etsy.com/shop/BloodPuddingPress.
Thank you for partaking.
More coming soon!
That is one line from my new article about the matter here: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5602556/full_length_dissection.html?cat=70
P.S. I did make a small mistake within my article - in this line I used the wrong link - "If anyone would like to help me out a little bit and partake of your own creative goods, it would be utterly wonderful if you purchased a special something from the Blood Pudding Press etsy shop at http://bloodyooze.blogspot.com/".
The correct link is http://www.etsy.com/shop/BloodPuddingPress.
Thank you for partaking.
More coming soon!
7/21/10
Darkly Delicious Blood Pudding Press PLUS Poetry
I've recently been adding new goodies to my Blood Pudding Press shop and some of you might be interesed in checking that site out from time to time, since my goodies are very well priced and some of them are selling out pretty quickly. Blood Pudding Press's last set of Vintage Skeleton Keys just sold out and only one more set of Holy Cards currently remains, but the shop is still offering a few other kinds of Religious Ephemera, a few Vintage Post Cards, a few Vintage Dish Towels, a few odd-creepy-hideously yummy doodads, & more- including my very favorite attraction, poetry chapbooks!
Feel free to investigate for yourself here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/BloodPuddingPress
Speaking of poetry, I am quite delightfully pleased to report that within the last two days, I have received two different acceptances from two different wonderously yummy poetry collections--the online collection, Horse Less Review (which accepted three of my post-stroke poems) AND the print collection, Barn Owl Review, which is fabulous since I adore both poetry and Owls. Yay!
More semi-soon...
P.S. In case you missed it, a darkly delicious review of my poetry chapbook "FONDANT PIG ANGST" appeared within the last issue of Arsenic Lobster (click below). Then, in Arsenic Lobster's NEXT issue (coming soon), two of my newer poems shall appear!
http://arseniclobster.magere.com/1review.html
Feel free to investigate for yourself here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/BloodPuddingPress
Speaking of poetry, I am quite delightfully pleased to report that within the last two days, I have received two different acceptances from two different wonderously yummy poetry collections--the online collection, Horse Less Review (which accepted three of my post-stroke poems) AND the print collection, Barn Owl Review, which is fabulous since I adore both poetry and Owls. Yay!
More semi-soon...
P.S. In case you missed it, a darkly delicious review of my poetry chapbook "FONDANT PIG ANGST" appeared within the last issue of Arsenic Lobster (click below). Then, in Arsenic Lobster's NEXT issue (coming soon), two of my newer poems shall appear!
http://arseniclobster.magere.com/1review.html
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