A long time ago--longer than I like to think it was--I bought a copy of "Poems In Season" by a poet named Dave Kelly. It was Volume Five of the Texas Portfolio Chapbook Series. Inside, I found a collection of blunt, truthful, unsparing, and unforgettable poems about every day life. I have moved many times since then, gone through myriad changes, but this book--along with others by undeservedly obscure poets like Michael Curley, Ric Masten, and others, as well as famous volumes like 'Howl"--have made the journey with me all the way to this very moment. They are part of who I am and who I've been, and it is from these poets that I learned to write fearlessly.
Dave Kelly is a difficult man to find, but in researching this list, I did finally manage to find out some biographical information which can be found HERE and HERE. I have taken the opportunity to order a couple of his other books, as well. This is the kind of thing that blows my skirt up, if I wore skirts anymore. To say that I am eager to read these new (to me) books is an understatement.
And now, time for your weekly word list. What we do here is to take at least 3 of the 20 words provided--all taken from the poems in "Poems In Season"--and create a new poem of your own. Our aim is to use the list to spur new writing of our own, not ape the source poet, though a nod of homage is always a fine thing. So, compose, link up, visit others, and I hope that you will look into Dave Kelly's work as well. Enjoy!
Your list:
I ordered a copy of one of his books! Looking forward to it, and writing to the list.
ReplyDeleteI wish I knew who you are, Anonymous!
DeleteI wish I did too! Anonymity is a two-way street you know. Don’t we know ourselves through others? I think I read that somewhere…
DeleteHi qbit.
DeleteHahahaha! Hi. I have no idea why this is happening all of a sudden…
DeleteI got my Dave Kelly book today!
DeleteAn interesting list, and a poet I've never heard of to explore. Thanks for the challenge, Shay. I will see what the old brain cells can do.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to it! One reason i resumed the list is because you told me it helps you write. ;-)
DeleteIndeed it does, and did--though I have to say I know nothing about and couldn't find anything of Frank Kelly's, so I went with the words, which led to somewhere completely and totally different. Thanks for the nudge to write, Shay.
DeleteDAVE Kelly, but yes, he is very hard to find anything on. I know, I have tried periodically for years, though I did find a little bit as I prepared this prompt. It seems that, after several publications in Prairie Schooner and the like, he stopped bothering with the publication chase. Anyway, I love what you wrote and admire the tremendous amount of effort it surely must have taken to put yours together. Thanks so much for linking it here, my friend.
DeleteDear Shay, I'm not sure how many of the words I used, but more than three, and what fun! Somehow the collection struck a Gothic nerve in me. 🙂 Thanks for the introduction to Dave Kelly. It's amazing how many good poets deserving of notice slip under the radar.
ReplyDeleteI just wish i could have found more about him, but he is a ghost on line. I don't like to include actual poems by the poets I feature because then i think people feel like they have to write in that style, and that's not so. Thanks so much for being here, Dora. :-)
DeleteYour opening is poetic in itself Shay! As always there is so much to learn in these prompts and I love that about them. I guess you know I may not follow through this time, but if I do anything these days it will be your word list my friend.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of this poet, but I need to check him out. Love the word list, and I let October play with dark ink. :)
ReplyDelete