When I was a young rebellious man (as opposed to now being an old rebellious man) I thought it crafty to take two opposing ideas and juxtapose them by melding them into one phrase that on the surface appeared to be a contradiction, an oxymoron. Examples might be Contemporary antiquities Elevated valley Stupid genius Utopian…
Category Archives: War and Poetry
Why Narrative Poetry Is So Damn Hard To Write
I love narrative poems, but they’re hard to write. Anyone who thinks narrative poetry is easy to write has obviously never tried to write one. The reasons I think narrative poems are difficult are many, but in a nutshell: The struggle is in maintaining a balance between the narrative and the poetics Too much narrative…
War Poetry Must Not Be Shallow Appeals To National Pride
Now, this is just sad. Never mind that the poetry this soldier writes is hackneyed dribble. But his comment about why he writes is just plain silly. In his own words: “I think it is important to remember why we are here,” The implication here is that the war in Iraq is somehow to defend…
Mixed Reviews Are Hard To Write
I just posted my review of Brian Turner’s Here, Bullet. It was the most difficult review I’ve had to write so far. My initial reaction, some readers will know, was quite negative. But I’m afraid it was overly harsh. There are a lot of complexities in his verses that my initial reaction didn’t pick up…
Are Poets Too Liberal?
I was struck a little bit lopsided by this post over at Harriet, the Poetry Foundation’s blog. Usually, I find some pretty interesting commentary on this blog, but this one struck me as a bit shallow. The blogger, Lucia Perillo, asked “Why do poets tend to be liberal?” On the surface it seems like a…
Belinda Subraman Interviews Poet Allen Taylor
Belinda Subraman is a poet and podcaster with a radio show online. Her show Belinda Subraman Presents / Gypsy Art Show is very popular and receives a wide distribution weekly. Belinda interviewed me recently about the World Class Poetry Toolbar and the show went live today. During our interview, Belinda quizzed me on the toolbar,…
War Poetry: The Good, The Bad, And Mine
I have not read too much of Wislawa Szymborska, but I like this poem. Today, I went to Baltimore and rode the Metro from Owings Mills to the airport and back. My step daughter came in to visit us for the summer. We decided this past year to start using the Metro instead of driving…
Split This Rock Poetry Festival – Good Cause Or Propaganda?
(Source) “Split this Rock calls poets to a greater role in public life and fosters a national community of activist poets. The festival will feature readings, workshops, panel discussions on poetry and social change, youth programming, films, parties, walking tours, and activism, while we debate and assess the public role of the poet and the…
Cigar: A Poem Written On Smoking Iraqi Soil
I joined the National Guard in 1997 after a 10 year hiatus from the military. I had joined the active duty Army right out of high school, mainly to get away from my parents. That’s what poor kids do to rid themselves of an unhappy past. I could probably have gone to college on scholarship,…
The Poet Seeks Critiquers For Book Length Book Of Poems
Today is the anniversary of the infamous Supreme Court decision that declared George W. Bush president of the U.S., causing a sitting vice president to a very popular chief executive to lose an election. Do you know where you were when that decision came down? There are events that happen that will always cause you…
