Given the chaos of what’s happening in the world, plus the chaos of what’s happening in my personal life—looking for a university teaching job, looking for immediate freelance work to pay the bills, doing the work I have from my one freelance client, doing some exercise so I don’t completely lose it—I failed to register that National Poetry Month has begun!
I love National Poetry Month. I’m a poet, so, duh. Most years I challenge myself to write a poem, however garbage and however short, every day of the month. I will definitely be doing that this year, and, not surprisingly, I will be posting them, partially for accountability and partially because it’s very gratifying and makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something on days when that feeling is hard to tap into.
Why will I be doing this, given the chaos I just described? Because writing makes me feel like myself, it brings me joy, and because I think writing every day has value for me as a writer as well as a person. And when I am in a good and harmonious relationship with myself, I’m a better person in the world at large.
Another less generous reason is that I also need get back on the horse with this Substack, which, much like engaging with National Poetry Month, I started for the reasons above. And I’ve been falling down on the job.
The M-F posts will be available to everyone, and the weekends will be for my paid subscribers. They may contain more than just the poems. Thank you, as always, for reading. It’s so awesome that you do!