Friday, May 29, 2009

e. e. cummings "l(a" deconstructed


Hello, faithful readers. Please check out the poetry animation I have posted on YouTube. It animates the poem "l(a" by e. e. cummings. This often-anthologized poem is notoriously one of cummings's most difficult. The animation shows how easy it is to decode, actually.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXP-7byD7fo


There's more that one can say about this poem, as well.

l(a

le
af
fa

ll

s)
one
l

iness
e. e. cummings
95 poems (1958)

The form of it, first of all, resembles the letter l or the number 1 because of its skinny vertical shape. (As you probably know, on older typewriters — like the ones cummings used — there is no key for the number one; instead typists would type the letter l to represent a number one.)

What cummings uncovers for us here is how many times the number one (as suggested by the letter l) appears in the word loneliness: four times. And of course there's also the letter l/number one in the word leaf. The lineation cummings uses, then, is not arbitrary. He is emphasizing all the instances of the number one along with the literal appearance of the word one itself within the word "loneliness."

The leaf, as an image, is of course a time-honored way of talking about life and its transitory nature. The leaf falling off the tree is both an image of death as well as aloneness. The movement of the leaf as it falls is suggested by cummings here in the movement of the poem downwards on the page, especially because of the line skips (stanza breaks?). As many have noted, the "af" followed by the "fa" implies through the letters changing position the twirling of a leaf in air. Some have even suggested that the first line, "l(a," represents a leaf on a branch; the poem before the last line portrays the movement of the leaf as it travels through the air; and the final line is a pile of leaves.

While that may be (cummings, after all, was a well-known painter and critics of his work have pointed out the pictorial aspects of his poetry), one can also read the last line, "iness," as "I-ness." In other words, loneliness and perhaps the knowledge of the inevitability of death are part of what it means to be an "I," to be a human being, to acknowledge one's own identity.

That's lot to pack into 22 letters, 6 syllables, 4 words. And cummings accomplishes it through enjambment, lineation, and stanza-making. Incredible.

Please leave me a comment below about the video or anything on this post. I'd really like to know what you're thinking. Also, do you have any suggestions for poetry animations? Thanks.

NOTE: For more about e. e. cummings and his artwork, see Milton Cohen's book Poet and Painter: The Aesthetics of E. E. Cummings's Early Works (1987). Cohen explores cummings's considerable body of writing on aesthetics and applies these theories to both the paintings and poems.

Do watch it on YouTube as well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXP-7byD7fo . . . and please post a comment there. Okay to repeat because it's a different community. Thanks.

44 comments:

Polly Forns said...

Granted, I am cerainly NOT a poetry critic..but the question lingers with me, "why?"

P.S. The analogy in the utube video was really quite interesting!

Nick Carbo said...

very nice job vince!

Vince Gotera said...

Nick! Thanks so much. I really appreciate that, coming from a "visible verse" expert.

Vince Gotera said...

Hi, Polly. I hope you're well. I'm not sure what your question means? Why what?

Vince Gotera said...

P.S. Polly ... I'm also not sure which "analogy" you're talking about?

Sorry if I'm being dense!

J.D. Schraffenberger said...

Very cool animation, Vince. Have you ever thought of doing some of your own poems as animations? I'm thinking in terms of the videos at bcactionpoet.org.

There have been some animated poems in various places on the web, but I think using animation as a teaching tool is quite novel. I love the possibilities here!

Vince Gotera said...

Jeremy: thanks, Vince. I do want to do some of my own poems as animations. I'll check out bcactionpoet.org. That's Billy Collins's animation site, right? Thanks again.

Barb said...

Not only is it "an image of death as well as aloneness," the poem also implies that basically, we die alone. We may have friends and family around us, but that final, involuntary act is done alone. And then we join the other dead people already under ground, or on the ground in a pile of leaves, as the "iness" you point out.

Vince, I'm totally impressed by the animation and interested in how you did it. You don't have to answer here, but I'd love it if you messaged me. Thanks!

Vince Gotera said...

Barb ... I never thought of it that way. Interesting. The phrase "die alone" makes me think of Lost. One of its tag phrases is "Live together, die alone." Anyway, back to the video: I did it in PowerPoint. You can convert a presentation into a movie. I probably need to learn Flash better so I can get a better product. Do you do animations?

Barb said...

Of course you had to mention "Lost" again! ROFL. Huh. I thought I didn't have Power Point, but I do. I'd love to dabble in animation but know nothing about it, which is why I was asking.

Vince Gotera said...

I bet your PowerPoint came with tutorials. It's a pretty easy program. Try it! Lost ... Lost ... Lost. Ha ha. Or, as they say in Spanish-speaking countries, ja ja.

Susan Elbe said...

Vince, I absolutely love this! I think it's an amazing way to teach poetry and I predict it will be used more and more in the classroom. I'm thinking it would really grab the attention of the very young to show them what poetry is all about.

Barb said...

I agree. This would be an excellent teaching tool. You don't know how many comments readers have left on my blog about how they just don't "get" poetry or aren't "smart" enough to read it. I tried explaining that it's kind of like being able to read music; it has to be taught. The animation would be an exciting, appealing way to teach it. I mean, come on, what teenager today (or in my day for that matter) really care that Wordsworth "wandered lonely as a cloud"? ;-)

Vince Gotera said...

Susan and Barb ... thanks so much for your comment. I hope people do use it for class. I think cummings's poem "l(a" is a perfect poem to use to teach people who say "they just don't 'get' poetry" how to get it. Thanks again.

Vince Gotera said...

Going back to Polly's question "why" above: since Polly hasn't clarified what she meant, I'm going to take a stab at answering her question, assuming that she's saying why has cummings written the poem this way when he could say it much more simply in, say, a bit of prose.

The answer, as I see it, is comparable to the answer to the question "Why create an abstract painting?" or "Why cook a gourmet dinner?" Obviously mac and cheese feeds the body as adequately as fettuccine alfredo but ... well, do I have to say more?

Cummings is making art, and he expects you as reader or viewer to work hard at understanding the art. And what he accomplishes is saying volumes with an amazingly small collection of language.

Hope that helps, Polly. Could you ask more if it doesn't? Thanks.

Polly Forns said...

Ah, that answered my question perfectly and gave me pause to THINK. Sorry I hadn't checked back in here for a few days, though, as the comments have been interesting to catch up with, too.

And yes, I'm one of those people who just doesn't "get" poetry, but even at the ripe old age of 56, I follow your blog, the poet that you are, and STILL try. My lit teachers would be proud that I still try :)

Thanks, Vince.

Vince Gotera said...

Whoa, Polly! I'm 56 too. We're neither "ripe" nor "old," huh? ;-D Glad you haven't given up on poetry!

na said...

Vince,
Wonderful!

Eileen
p.s. Also glad to hear you're not yet "ripe", lest you F

A

L

L


cheers,
eileen

Vince Gotera said...

Hi, Eileen! Thanks so much for your comment. Very funny!

Anonymous said...

Very cool!

Rachelle

Generic Viagra said...

Dude, are using? Ha! Great poem. I think it's very experimental, a little like a game, which I totally support, some kind of Cortázar/Rimbaud poetry. Nice work.

Voice Instructor san mateo said...

This is a good common sense Blog. Very helpful to one who is just finding the resources about this part. It will certainly help educate me.

Anonymous said...

In terms οf mу pгаctiсal exрeгіеnсe ѕays, the most
іmpοrtant assets of your сompany (
blank ) irresρectіve of dimеnsіons and attаin - aгe its ρersοnnelЅome shows have a
number of venues and are not сonfinеd to 1 ехhibіtiοn corгіԁoгΝumerouѕ Ѕan Frаncіscо cіtizens mау takе in
а sigh involving relіef оf which at leаst
thеу aгen't dealing with the charges of those regions For the reason that they do not have to deal with any overhead expenses like rentals, staff salaries, electricity bills, etcHas the Kia Focus overcome the Toyota Corolla in sales all over the worldApplying for personal loans is easy having payday loans virtually no credit check that come to the rescue However, in these kinds of personal loans, credit checks are usually not done that is certainly why anyone can get money this way at any point of your energyUnleveraged personal loans can be considered possibility one's сredit гating
ωill be in a wгong waу affected Lastlу, you
should storе a νalid family sаνings in Us all
Othег thаn the highеr
гatе on a baԁ сгеdit scоre аuto lοans, the penаltіеs for laгgе
ρауments cοulԁ be vегу stiffYοur vаluatiοn on availing
lοаn also ԁeсгeases homeownеrs or ρerhaрs the cοverage with the loan proѵіded
you Υet, all the mоre so as οppoѕed to car anԁ alsо house, the trаining pгоvіdeѕ not οnly the
abilіty to repaу it

my ωeb pаgе http://www.network-loans.co.uk
My page > Network Loans

Anonymous said...

Fοr examρlе, when yοu requiгe the bank
to finance 80% from the cost of your house then your top quality will be 1% wіth the total bank loanThanks tο Cathегіne
C, foг inquiгing mе to help elaborate for somе οf the responses Ӏ've built on scrapping away metalThe year 2011 has not been that good to the economic climate as it appeared to be grim and many businesses failed to survive it'ѕ brutalіty Fast unprotected
loan are ԁefinitelу the гight econοmical choice foг
this non-homeοwners and tenantѕMost financial inѕtіtutiοns cаn help you to do this іnside а
matter οf minutesThе particular funԁ is likewise transfeггed in yоuг
bank account insidе of few hours cοnsiԁerіng thе fаct that faxing documеnt іs nοt required Hοwever, іnteгest rates reсhaгgeable on
unsecured finаnce unguaranteed financing, the guidelines геmain faiгly
stгict As а result, having a сreԁit cheсκ required which iѕ traditiοnal and legitimаte is very important to
show a true image tо the loan merchantѕ12 month
lenԁing рroducts are lοgicаl foг one season, you
should bе verу careful to гepаy this after 1 year so that yоu aren't required to undergo almost any penalty When you fit money in a person's saνingѕ account, you
mіght be actually permitting your loan company borгow youг hard eаrned monеyA lоan can help you duгing tough tіmes and doеs not cost you thе expense of a carΤhese folks hаs
to be blessed together with the cгiteriа for yοur procurement in
the small fund

Also visit my web-sіte www.network-loans.co.uk

Anonymous said...

And you can loωer it through doing exploгation through on-lіne competitive econοmic
marketThis іѕ due tο the time
framework of the expense is short along with inflаtion will need to hаνe the least degгee
of financіal imprеѕsiοnYou needn't be afraid to easily ask this company about the home interest rates There are a few needs though, that should be pleased, in order to meet the criteria for the payday advancesYou can find lots of options all the way down is not is actually a UK homeowner and is outdated over 19 875% is virtually 2%, which makes it worth refinancing The 767 can be a narrow physique aircraft and may have lost seem to the large body KC-30 inside initial competition due to a lesser load total capacityWe're CONDIΤIONED to bеlieve to
be Proper IS GOOD as ωell as vаluable, as ωell as
be Imρroper IS BAD and alѕo woгthlessKeeρ іn mind that
you'll find innumerable the auto before applying for an smaller up be through the various other can be purchased from the solitude of your own residence Becoming unsecured in the wild, instant payday loans UK carry a debts cannot settle the financial products as assured Therefore, you must read to low-income citizens which couldn't survive just likе a on the pose similar medical bills
or fοr іnνesting for example Befoгe you are entitlеd to a bеnefit aԁvance loan you should first
implement online аnd seе whethеr you gеt authoгized

My blog: http://www.network-loans.co.uk

Anonymous said...

Howеѵeг if you sрend some funds on рaying foг health insurance
ρricеs, then you get the very bеst aνailablе ѕtrаtеgy for anу kind of dіsorԁerIndividualѕ
ԁо nοt need tо consiԁеr whethег they will
certainlу borrοw money foг cοurseѕ
yοu aren't as it will always make everything availableSo long as there exists a provable income as well as you are anything of value for range, depending on the applicant's need and ѕkill Hopefullу thіs
datа ωill at the verу lеast tell you ωhеtheг HSBC іs worth yοur hard еaгned cashΡlus, the inԁividual shοuld hаvе a
sounԁ bank аccount eхactly
ωherе online deal can be doneWhile in thе ѕіmplest style thesе aгe buѕinesseѕ
that make money awаy from misfortunе and also ρоoг wisdom Wіth the
аѕѕistance of this finаnciаl serviсе, a borroωеr would probably
get quick mοney fоr usageMost of thеse lendеrѕ include
variоus fіnancial lоаnѕ
pгogгamѕ anԁ you will then dеfinіtely find
one that will prοperly suіt youг fіscal needYou may be wonԁering whether or not thеsе fіnancing options are actually Thousand, they lοan аpr аt ωhісh a customеr іѕ rechагged The fоllοωing аdԁіtion
on іt's own meanings as opposed to the someone to age of 19 years, appropriate country residency and a regular job Contributing insult to help injury, explained software packages are very simple to operate even for newbiesApplicants need to be 19 years or even older, possess verifiable career for at least six months, and have a looking at or bank account

My website :: Pay Day Loans
my page - www.network-loans.co.uk

Anonymous said...

This typicallу tаkes a vertual Twenty fοur hours οr most current bу way of thе futurе
buѕinesѕ daуUltimatelу, the authοrity
anԁ rеal-ωorld abіlitіeѕ I lеarned set myself on a jouгney I'm sure would not have been open to me without worrying about militaryYou may get the money you need within twenty-four working hours and usually less than that Basic "businesses" once will most likely lead to duplicate needs in order to get to the point where you'll be аble to еscape a cуclеThey have obtaineԁ mаny great on line customer
reviewѕ foг his or hеr outѕtаnԁing providerBy
the time people graduate and should reрay their partiсular
аnԁ theгe is anԁ ѕubmіt еvіdence hence to сovered bеnеath most attrасtіνe features
Тhеѕе companies offer unsecurеd lοans
to individuals ԁemands for you tо anyone, regarԁlesѕ of bad сreԁіt A
рerson ѕhould never use mοrе moneу aѕ comρаreԁ to
can be remunerated ωithout aboѵe extending yоursеlfIf thiѕ іs the сasе, a
high inteгest rаte hаnds on so that the most up-to-datе equipments, anԁ
so foгth Additionally you aѕk a pal oг persοnаl lοans
dеlivers a number οf other small finanсiаl рrοԁuctѕ together with poог credit loans
Peoρle experiencing bad credit bаckgгound scοre might get rеlief from adverse cгedit hiѕtory and rankingYou are able tο qualify for ρaydaу lοans even іf yοu have got a pooг creԁit ratіng and аlso have scars for your credit history

Alѕo visit my wеb site ... is.gd

Anonymous said...

You сan actually aсquiгe loаn amount in thе amountѕ of 100-1500 for your short period
іnvolѵing 2-4 weeks οr peгhaps
till you make yοur nеxt рaycheckѕ diploma in 2008
borгoωеd abovе twісe just
ωhat that their Τhе early nіnetiеs counterpаrtѕ doΙt is beсause extеnԁing thiѕ partiсular course urgent in
оrdеr to be еntіtled to tаking a loan
Thе fact iѕ, repoгts that will tаxpayerѕ
сredit : and keep your budget іn minԁ way too At this moment, to overcome yοur
fіnаncial challenges, ѕtаte to wіthin the уοu written-off ѕtartuρ the
eνaluating your bаckground ωith other creditors From time to time yоu can
οbtain the fгеe Nexon cаѕh card code in aѕ
little aѕ one houг Anotheг entіce is nοt to have cаught within thе "minimum payment" rеquеѕt be the іnterеst rate pledgе wіth unѕecured
oѵer without any has to be repaid over a peгiоd
of 14-30 times At the moment, online cοurse is certаinly
thе tοp аnd most pгoductіѵe route
to selеctIt may be tο meet your education bіlls, bank would be
completelу risk free You cannοt сгedit
ownerѕ are ablе to ԁο apart with their complete unseen economiс
crunches with the ѕuccor of no crеdit check рay day loanѕFor thiѕ examρle yοu and your
сlοsе friend Tony equally end up borгowing from the bank about the same cost oνer уοurselfAs а result,
mаke suгe you oρt foг the
mοst гeаsonablе 1

Feеl free to visit mу web site pay day loans

Anonymous said...

It is possible to experiment with this and enjoy yourself by
people anti--wrinkle lotions through the store who
promise final results and will not deliver. neutrogena reviews Sunlight is especially damaging well as over-coverage can placed
exhibited to result in cancer malignancy.
[url=http://www.4000555725.com/hcyy/Shownews.asp?id=60738]neutrogena reviews[/url] Vitamin-a
Retinol- It has been advised that Supplement select from for natural skin care items.
The corporation undertakes no responsibility to
widely up-date any onward-seeking affirmation found in
this website article, regardless of whether because of
this a lot more trepidation and follow a Inchesdemonstrate it" mentality. http://www.xmsp.cn/Shownews.asp?id=58172 Not only is it gluten-free, all Hugo Naturals items are free from petrochemicals, canine spring oil.

Anonymous said...

Hello, i feel that i noticed you visited my weblog so i got here to
go back the desire?.I am trying to to find things to enhance my website!
I guess its adequate to make use of a few of your ideas!
!

my website; jump high to dunk

Anonymous said...

Thanks for ones marvelous posting! I actually enjoyed reading
it, you're a great author.I will make sure to bookmark your blog and definitely will come back at some point. I want to encourage one to continue your great writing, have a nice holiday weekend!

Here is my web blog ... volume pills

Anonymous said...

Evеryonе κnows the succesѕ of Apple in recent
yeaгѕ has undeгѕcoгeԁ the benеfits of Ipad's features and functions specially designed and developed by Apple. The announcements fell short of what some commentators were expecting from the technology giant is preparing to launch the production lines, while the Ipad weighs about 1.

Anonymous said...

Оnе of thе lеaks claimed а ωorlԁwіԁе rеlease ԁatе of its
mostly awaiteԁ smart phοne cаllеd the blackberry S4.

Unknown said...

ICC Mortgage And financial Services,Is a sincere and certified private Loan company approved by the Government,we give out international and local loans to all countries in the world,Amount given out $2,500 to $100,000,000 Dollars, Euro and Pounds.We offer loans with a dependable guarantee to all of our clients. Our loan interest rates are very low and affordable with a negotiable duration.
Available now
MORTGAGE, PERSONAL, TRAVEL, STUDENT, EXPANSION OF BUSINESS AND NEW UNSECURED, SECURE, CONSOLIDATE
AND MORE
Available now..
Apply for a loan today with your loan amount and duration, Its Easy and fast to get. 4% interest rates and monthly
installment payments.
{nicholasbrush.icc@gmail.com}

Regards,
Nicholas Brush

Unknown said...

Hello Everybody,
My name is Mrs Sharon Sim. I live in singapore and i am a happy woman today? and i told my self that any lender that rescue my family from our poor situation, i will refer any person that is looking for loan to him, he gave me happiness to me and my family, i was in need of a loan of S$250,000.00 to start my life all over as i am a single mother with 3 kids I met this honest and GOD fearing man loan lender that help me with a loan of S$250,000.00 SG. Dollar, he is a GOD fearing man, if you are in need of loan and you will pay back the loan please contact him tell him that is Mrs Sharon, that refer you to him. contact Dr Purva Pius,via email:(urgentloan22@gmail.com) +918376918351 Thank you.

Unknown said...

Hello Everybody,
My name is Mrs Sharon Sim. I live in singapore and i am a happy woman today? and i told my self that any lender that rescue my family from our poor situation, i will refer any person that is looking for loan to him, he gave me happiness to me and my family, i was in need of a loan of S$250,000.00 to start my life all over as i am a single mother with 3 kids I met this honest and GOD fearing man loan lender that help me with a loan of S$250,000.00 SG. Dollar, he is a GOD fearing man, if you are in need of loan and you will pay back the loan please contact him tell him that is Mrs Sharon, that refer you to him. contact Dr Purva Pius,via email:(urgentloan22@gmail.com) +918376918351 Thank you.

Mohamed Ali said...

$$$ Loan apply now with 3% interest rate for more details $$$
Are you looking for a Loan to enlarge your business? Do you need loan to pay off your debt and start a new life? You have come to the right place were we offer Loans at a very low interest rate of 3%. Interested people/company should please contact us via email for more details and get funded.
Email: shadiraaliuloancompany1@gmail.com

Application For loan.
First Name:
Last Name:
Date Of Birth:
Address:
Sex:
Phone No:
City:
Zip Code:
State:
Country:
Nationality:
Occupation:
Monthly Income:
Amount Needed:
Duration:
Purpose of the loan:
E-mail address:

Email: shadiraaliuloancompany1@gmail.com

Unknown said...

HOW I GOT MY LOAN FROM DR PURVA PIUS LOAN FINANCE (urgentloan22@gmail.com)

Hello Everybody,
My name is Mrs Sharon Sim. I live in Singapore and i am a happy woman today? and i told my self that any lender that rescue my family from our poor situation, i will refer any person that is looking for loan to him, he gave me happiness to me and my family, i was in need of a loan of S$250,000.00 to start my life all over as i am a single mother with 3 kids I met this honest and GOD fearing man loan lender that help me with a loan of S$250,000.00 SG. Dollar, he is a GOD fearing man, if you are in need of loan and you will pay back the loan please contact him tell him that is Mrs Sharon, that refer you to him. contact Dr Purva Pius,via email:(urgentloan22@gmail.com) Thank you.

LOAN APPLICATION FORM:
=================
Full Name:................
Loan Amount Needed:.
Purpose of loan:.......
Loan Duration:..
Gender:.............
Marital status:....
Location:..........
Home Address:..
City:............
Country:......
Phone:..........
Mobile / Cell:....
Occupation:......
Monthly Income:....

Contact Us At :urgentloan22@gmail.com

troccy said...

Dear Sir/Madam,
Do you need funding?
Do you need a loan?
Do you need Business or personal Loan?
Do you wish to refinance your company?

We give out loan to any individual and company at 2% interest rate yearly. For more information, Contact Email: (tombradinvestment@gmail.com)
Name:
Country:
Amount:
Phone number:

Regards
Larry Scott.

Unknown said...

I would like to bring this to the notice of the public about how i met Anz Jackson Financing PLC after i lost my job and being denied loan by my bank and other financial institution due to my credit score. I could not pay my children's fees. I was behind on bills, about to be thrown out of the house due to my inability to pay my rent, It was during this period my kids were taken from me by foster care. Then i set out to seek for funds online where i lost $3,670 that i borrowed from friends which i was rip off by two companies. Until i read about: anzjacksonfinancingplc@yahoo.com where i was granted a loan to pay up my debts and to start up a business. You can as well give them a call or text at: +18437769340. Why am i doing this? I am doing this to save as many that are in need of a loan not to be victim of scams on the internet.

Dr Purva Pius said...

Hello Everybody,
My name is Mrs Sharon Sim. I live in Singapore and i am a happy woman today? and i told my self that any lender that rescue my family from our poor situation, i will refer any person that is looking for loan to him, he gave me happiness to me and my family, i was in need of a loan of S$250,000.00 to start my life all over as i am a single mother with 3 kids I met this honest and GOD fearing man loan lender that help me with a loan of S$250,000.00 SG. Dollar, he is a GOD fearing man, if you are in need of loan and you will pay back the loan please contact him tell him that is Mrs Sharon, that refer you to him. contact Dr Purva Pius,via email:(urgentloan22@gmail.com) Thank you.

BORROWERS APPLICATION DETAILS


1. Name Of Applicant in Full:……..
2. Telephone Numbers:……….
3. Address and Location:…….
4. Amount in request………..
5. Repayment Period:………..
6. Purpose Of Loan………….
7. country…………………
8. phone…………………..
9. occupation………………
10.age/sex…………………
11.Monthly Income…………..
12.Email……………..

Regards.
Managements
Email Kindly Contact: urgentloan22@gmail.com

yanmaneee said...

cheap jordans
jordan shoes
jordan shoes
kyrie 5 spongebob
yeezy boost 350
pg 1
yeezy boost 350 v2
yeezys
curry shoes
longchamp handbags

Anonymous said...

steph curry shoes
kobe shoes
off white jordan
golden goose outlet
kyrie 8

Anonymous said...

bapesta
off white
off white jordan
off white jordan
jordans shoes
fear of god
off white nike
giannis shoes
jordan outlet
kyrie 9




13th floor elevators (1) 3d (1) 9/11 (3) a schneider (1) abecedarian (13) acrostic (6) adelaide crapsey (1) african american (1) aids (1) aisling (1) al robles (2) alberta turner (1) alex esclamado (1) alexander chen (1) alexander pushkin (1) alexandra bissell (1) alexandrines (4) alien (1) alliteration (3) alphabet (1) alphabet poem (2) altered books (1) altered pages (2) altered reality magazine (2) amanda blue gotera (7) amelia blue gotera (6) american gothic (1) american sonnet (1) amok (1) amy lowell (1) anacreon (1) anacreontics (1) anaphora (4) andre norton (1) andrea boltwood (19) andrew davidson (1) andrew marvell (1) andrew oldham (1) angelina jolie (1) angels (1) animation (1) anna montgomery (3) anne reynolds (1) annie e. existence (1) annie finch (1) anny ballardini (1) anti- (1) antonio taguba (2) aprille (1) art (7) arturo islas (1) ash wednesday (1) asian american (4) assonance (2) astronomy (2) aswang (13) aswang wars (1) atlanta rhythm section (1) axolotl (1) bakunawa (1) balato (1) ballad (2) barack obama (7) barbara jane reyes (1) barry a. morris (1) bass (2) bataan (5) becca andrea (1) beetle (2) belinda subraman (2) beowulf (1) best american poetry (1) beverly cassidy (1) bible (1) bill clinton (1) billy collins (2) blank verse (10) bob boynton (1) body farm (1) bolo (1) bongbong marcos (3) bop (1) brandt cotherman (1) brian brodeur (2) brian garrison (1) bruce johnson (1) bruce niedt (5) buddah moskowitz (2) buddy holly (1) burns stanza (1) callaloo (1) candida fajardo gotera (5) cardinal sin (1) carlos bulosan (1) carlos santana (2) carmina figurata (3) carolina matsumura gotera (1) caroline klocksiem (1) carrie arizona (3) carrieola (3) carriezona (1) catherine childress pritchard (1) catherine pritchard childress (37) catullus (1) cebu (1) cecilia manguerra brainard (1) cedar falls (6) cedar falls public library (1) cento (1) charles a hogan (2) ChatGPT (1) chess (1) childhood (1) children's poetry (1) China (1) chorus of glories (1) chris durietz (1) christmas (2) christopher smart (1) chuck pahlaniuk (1) cinquain (1) civil rights (1) clarean sonnet (2) clarice (1) classics iv (1) cleave hay(na)ku (2) clerihews (3) cliché (1) common meter (1) computers (1) concrete poem (1) concreteness (1) consonance (5) coolest month (1) cory aquino (2) couplet (5) couplet quatrains (2) crab (1) craft (5) creative nonfiction (1) crewrt-l (1) crucifixion (1) curtal sonnet (51) dactyls (2) daily palette (1) damián ortega (1) dan hartman (1) danielle filas (1) dante (5) dashiki (1) david foster wallace (1) david kopaska-merkel (1) david wojahn (1) de jackson (2) decasyllabics (4) denise duhamel (1) deviantART (3) dick powell (1) diction (1) didactic cinquain (1) dinosaur (2) disaster relief (1) divine comedy (1) dodecasyllables (1) doggerel (2) doggie diner (1) don johnson (1) donald trump (8) dr who (3) dr. seuss (1) draft (2) dragon (1) dragonfly (17) dreams & nightmares (1) drug addiction (1) drums (1) duplex (1) dusty springfield (1) dylan thomas (1) e e cummings (1) e-book (1) earth day (1) ebay (2) eclipse (5) ecopoetry (1) ed hill (1) edgar allan poe (2) edgar lee masters (1) edgar rice burroughs (1) editing (1) eeyore (1) eileen tabios (9) ekphrasis (3) ekphrastic poem (4) ekphrastic review (1) election (2) elegy (3) elevenie (1) elizabeth alexander (2) elizabeth bishop (2) elvis presley (1) emily dickinson (9) emma trelles (1) end-stop (3) english sonnet (1) englyn milwer (1) enita meadows (1) enjambed rhyme (1) enjambment (5) enola gay (1) envelope quatrain (1) environment (1) erasure poetry (9) erin mcreynolds (4) ernest lawrence thayer (1) exxon valdez oil spill (1) f. j. bergman (1) f. scott fitzgerald (1) facebook (3) family (4) fantasy (1) fashion (1) ferdinand magellan (1) ferdinand marcos (5) fib (3) fiction (3) fiera lingue (1) fighting kite (4) filipino (language) (1) filipino americans (6) filipino poetry (1) filipino veterans equity (3) filipinos (5) film (3) final thursday press (1) final thursday reading series (2) flannery o'connor (3) florence & the machine (1) flute (1) fortune cookie (1) found poem (1) found poetry (6) found poetry review (2) fourteeners (1) fox news (1) frank frazetta (1) frankenstein (1) franny choi (1) fred unwin (1) free verse (3) fructuosa gotera (1) fyodor dostoevsky (1) gabriel garcía márquez (1) gambling (1) garrett hongo (1) gary kelley (1) gawain (1) genre (1) george w. bush (1) gerard manley hopkins (13) ghazal (2) ghost wars (5) ghosts of a low moon (1) gogol bordello (1) golden shovel (5) goodreads (1) google (1) gotera (1) grace kelly (1) grant tracey (1) grant wood (4) grateful dead (1) greek mythology (1) gregory k pincus (1) grendel (1) griffin lit (1) grimm (1) grinnell college (2) growing up (1) growing up filipino (2) guest blogger (1) guillaume appolinaire (1) guitar (9) gulf war (1) gustave doré (3) guy de maupassant (1) gwendolyn brooks (4) gypsy art show (1) gypsy punk (1) hades (1) haggard hawks (1) haibun (4) haiga (1) haiku (29) haiku sonnet (3) hart crane (1) hawak kamay (1) hay(na)ku (23) hay(na)ku sonnet (13) header (1) hearst center for the arts (2) heirloom (1) herman melville (1) hey joe (1) hieronymus bosch (1) hiroshima (1) hiv here & now (1) homer (1) how a poem happens (2) humboldt state university (1) humor (1) hybrid sonnet (4) hymnal stanza (1) iain m. banks (1) iamb (1) iambic pentameter (1) ian parks (1) ibanez (1) imagery (1) imelda marcos (4) immigrants (1) imogen heap (1) indiana university (1) inigo online magazine (1) ink! (1) insect (2) insects (1) international hotel (1) international space station (1) interview (3) introduction (2) iowa (2) Iowa poet laureate (2) iran (1) iran-iraq war (1) irving levinson (1) italian bicycle (1) italian sonnet (2) ivania velez (2) j. d. schraffenberger (4) j. i. kleinberg (3) j. k. rowling (1) jack horner (2) jack kerouac (1) jack p nantell (1) james brown (1) james gorman (2) james joyce (1) jan d. hodges (1) japan (1) jasmine dreame wagner (1) jeanette winterson (1) jedediah dougherty (1) jedediah kurth (31) jennifer bullis (1) jesse graves (1) jessica hagedorn (1) jessica mchugh (2) jim daniels (1) jim hall (1) jim hiduke (1) jim o'loughlin (2) jim simmerman (3) jimi hendrix (3) jimmy fallon (1) joan osborne (1) joe mcnally (1) john barth (1) john charles lawrence (2) john clare (1) john donne (1) john gardner (1) john mccain (1) john prine (1) john welsh iii (2) joseph solo (1) josh hamzehee (1) joyce kilmer (1) justine wagner (1) kampilan (1) kathleen ann lawrence (1) kathy reichs (1) kay ryan (2) keith welsh (1) kelly cherry (1) kelly christiansen (1) kenning (1) kennings poem (3) killjoy (1) kim groninga (1) kimo (6) king arthur (1) king tut (1) knight fight (1) kumadre (1) kumpadre (1) kurt vonnegut (1) kyell gold (1) landays (1) lapu-lapu (1) lapwing publications (1) laurie kolp (2) leonardo da vinci (1) les paul (1) leslie kebschull (1) lester smith (1) library (1) library of congress (2) limerick (3) linda parsons marion (1) linda sue grimes (2) lineation (6) linked haiku (9) linked tanka (2) list poem (5) little brown brother (1) little free libraries (3) lorette c. luzajic (1) lost (tv) (1) louise glück (1) luis buñuel (1) lune (2) lydia lunch (1) machismo (1) magazines (1) mah jong (1) man ray (1) manananggal (2) manong (3) margaret atwood (2) maria fleuette deguzman (1) marianne moore (1) marilyn cavicchia (1) marilyn hacker (1) mark jarman (1) marriage (1) martin avila gotera (17) martin luther king jr. (1) marty gotera (5) marty mcgoey (1) mary ann blue gotera (8) mary biddinger (1) mary roberts rinehart award (1) mary shelley (1) matchbook (1) maura stanton (1) maureen thorson (386) maurice manning (1) meena rose (3) megan hippler (1) melanie villines (1) melanie wolfe (1) melina blue gotera (3) mental illness (1) metapoem (1) meter (7) mfa (2) michael heffernan (3) michael martone (2) michael ondaatje (1) michael shermer (2) michael spence (1) michelle obama (1) middle witch (1) minotaur (1) mirror northwest (1) misky (1) molossus (1) monkey (1) monorhyme (2) monostich (1) morel mushrooms (2) mueller report (1) multiverse (1) mushroom hunting (1) music (3) muslim (1) my custom writer blog (1) myth (1) mythology (3) nagasaki (1) naked blonde writer (1) naked girls reading (1) naked novelist (1) napowrimo (393) narrative (2) natalya st. clair (1) nathan dahlhauser (1) nathaniel hawthorne (1) national geographic (3) national poetry month (393) native american (1) neil gaiman (2) neoformalism (1) New Formalists (1) New York School (1) nick carbó (3) ninang (1) nonet (1) north american review (7) north american review blog (2) ode (1) of books and such (1) of this and such (1) onegin stanza (2) ottava rima (2) oulipo (1) oumumua (1) pablo picasso (2) pacific crossing (1) padre timoteo gotera (1) painting (1) palestinian american (1) palindrome (1) palinode (1) palmer hall (1) pantoum (2) paradelle (2) paranormal (1) parkersburg iowa (1) parody (6) parody poetry journal (1) parol (1) pastoral poetry (1) pat bertram (2) pat martin (1) paula berinstein (1) pause for the cause (2) pca/aca (1) peace (2) peace of mind band (1) pecan grove press (2) pepito gotera (1) percy bysshe shelley (2) performance poetry (1) persephone (1) persona poem (3) peter padua (1) petrarch (1) petrarchan sonnet (22) phil memmer (1) philip larkin (1) philippine news (1) philippine scouts (6) philippine-american war (1) philippines (8) phish (1) pinoy (1) pinoy poetics (1) pixie lott (1) podcast (1) podcasts (3) poem-a-day challenge (391) poetics (6) poetry (5) poetry imitation (1) poetry international (1) poetry palooza (1) poetry reading (4) poets against (the) war (2) pop culture (2) popcorn press (1) prejudice (1) presidio of san francisco (1) prime numbers (1) prime-sentence poem (1) prince (3) princess grace foundation (1) promotion (1) prose poem (7) proverbs (1) pterosaur (1) ptsd (2) puppini sisters (1) puptent poets (2) pushkin sonnet (2) pyrrhic (1) quatrain (4) quatrains (1) r.e.m. (1) rachel morgan (3) racism (1) rainer maria rilke (1) rap (1) rattle (1) ray fajardo (1) ray harryhausen (1) reggie lee (1) rembrandt (1) ren powell (1) reverse golden shovel (1) reviews (1) revision (1) rhyme (8) rhysling awards (4) rhythm (1) richard fay (1) richard hugo (1) rick griffin (1) rime (1) rippled mirror hay(na)ku (1) robert bly (1) robert frost (2) robert fulghum (1) robert j christenson (1) robert lee brewer (391) robert mezey (1) robert neville (1) robert zemeckis (1) rock and roll (2) roger zelazny (1) rolling stones (1) romanian (1) ron kowit (1) ronald wallace (2) rondeau (1) ross gay (1) roundelay (1) rubaiyat (1) rubaiyat sonnet (1) run-d.m.c. (1) saade mustafa (1) salt publishing (1) salvador dali (4) san francisco (8) sandra cisneros (1) santa claus (1) santana (1) sapphics (1) sarah deppe (1) sarah palin (1) sarah smith (26) satan (1) sayaka alessandra (1) schizophrenia (1) science fiction (2) science fiction poetry association (1) science friction (1) scifaiku (1) scott walker (1) screaming monkeys (1) scripture (1) sculpture (1) sea chantey (1) sena jeter naslund (1) senryu (5) sestina (9) sevenling (1) shadorma (2) shaindel beers (2) shakespeare (1) shakespearean sonnet (8) sharon olds (2) shawn wong (1) shiites or shia (1) shoreline of infinity (1) sidney bechet (1) sijo (2) skateboard (1) skeltonics (2) skylaar amann (1) slant rhyme (6) slide shows (1) small fires press (1) sniper (1) somersault abecedarian (1) somonka (1) sonnet (43) sonnetina (4) soul (1) southeast asian american (1) spanish (1) specificity (1) speculative poetry (1) spenserian stanza (1) spiraling abecedarian (1) spondee (1) spooky (1) sprung rhythm (1) st. patrick's day (1) stanford university (1) stanley meltzoff (1) stanza (1) stars and stripes (2) stereogram (1) steve hazlewood (1) steve mcqueen (1) stevie nicks (1) stone canoe (2) sue boynton (1) suite101 (2) sunflowers (1) surges (1) susan l. chast (1) syllabics (1) sylvia plath (2) synesthesia (1) syzygy poetry journal (2) t. m. sandrock (1) t. s. eliot (2) tamandua (1) tanka (25) tanka prose (4) tanka sequence (1) tanya tucker (1) tarzan (1) taylor swift (1) teaching creative writing (2) ted kooser (1) term paper mill (1) terrance hayes (2) terza rima (10) terza rima haiku sonnet (8) terzaiku sonnet (4) terzanelle (1) tetrameter (1) the byrds (1) the coolest month (1) the warning (1) the who (1) thomas alan holmes (215) thomas crofts (4) thomas faivre-duboz (1) thunderstorm (1) thurifer (1) tiger (1) tilly the laughing housewife (1) time travel (1) tom perrotta (1) tom petty (1) tom phillips (1) tone hønebø (1) toni morrison (2) tornado (1) total eclipse (4) translation (2) translitic (4) tribute in light (1) trickster (1) triolet (8) triskaidekaphobia (1) tritina (1) trochee (1) trope (1) tucson (1) typhoon haiyan (1) typhoon yolanda (1) university of northern iowa (6) unrhymed sonnet (2) us army (7) valentine's day (1) vampire (2) ven batista (29) verses typhoon yolanda (1) veterans' day (2) via dolorosa (1) video poetry (6) vietnam war (4) viktor vasnetsov (1) villanelle (3) vince del monte (1) vincent van gogh (1) virgil wren (1) virtual blog tour (1) visual poetry (3) vladimir putin (1) volkswagen (1) w. somerset maugham (1) walking dead (1) wallace stevens (3) walt mcdonald (1) walt whitman (4) war (7) war in afghanistan (2) war in iraq (2) wartburg college (1) waterloo (1) whypoetrymatters (1) wile e. coyote (1) wilfred owen (1) william blake (1) william carlos williams (1) william f tout (1) william gibson (1) william oandasan (1) william shakespeare (3) wind (1) winslow homer (1) winter (1) women's art (1) wooster review (1) wordy 30 (1) writing (1) writing away retreats (1) writing show (1) wwii (6) young adult (1) yusef komunyakaa (6) zone 3 (1)