In Honor of Natonal Poetry Month: Robert Frost

I personally cannot think of American poetry without thinking of Robert Frost. I talked a bit about it in my post here.


I love how I can curl up in his words and feel the very warmth of the scene. Here is a classic Frost, I hope you like it.

Carpe Diem– Robert Frost


Age saw two quiet children
Go loving by at twilight,
He knew not whether homeward,
Or outward from the village,
Or (chimes were ringing) churchward,
He waited, (they were strangers)
Till they were out of hearing
To bid them both be happy.
'Be happy, happy, happy,
And seize the day of pleasure.'
The age-long theme is Age's.
'Twas Age imposed on poems
Their gather-roses burden
To warn against the danger
That overtaken lovers
From being overflooded
With happiness should have it.
And yet not know they have it.
But bid life seize the present?
It lives less in the present
Than in the future always,
And less in both together
Than in the past. The present
Is too much for the senses,
Too crowding, too confusing-
Too present to imagine.

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I just love the imagry. Need more Frost? Check out this post from last year.

You can learn more about Robert Frost and his work here. Check out compilations of his poetry here.


What do you love about poetry?

I Can Haz Productivity: March 2014 Month In Review

What can I say about March? I had a love hate relationship with March. First, I hated it because I was drowning in edits. But, I loved those edits because it helped my story really shine. Yeah, I got terrific feedback from my beta readers and CP’s so I incorporated some of that feedback into my newly polished, ready-to-query-widely MS. Which is exciting and terrifying at the same time. Those of you who have queried know what I mean *holds hand up for high five* *doesn’t receive high five* *slowly lowers hand in defeat*


But March was more than edits. It wasn’t all about writing, no matter how much I would have liked it to be. I had a lot of work, class, and working out to fit in. I traveled twice – first for a sad, family event in FL. Next, for a work conference in SC. I’m glad I was able to attend both but I wish both were under different/happier circumstances.

In addition, we had to get our taxes in order. If you’ve never done taxes I envy you. Giving more of my hard earned money to the government is a horrible, gut wrenching experience that makes my skin crawl.

I know, I know, there are a million reasons why we have to pay them (and I’m not trying to get all political here. I just really like the money we earn and I hate to see it go). Luckily, we’ve found a great CPA who helped us keep the process as painless as possible.

March is also the first of my quarterly, self-imposed, goal 'pulse-checks'. I usually spend a little time reviewing and reflecting on my goals for the year (I’ll post about my findings later, so swing back by).

And towards the very end of the month we snuck an unexpected, little 5k race in. If you follow me on Twitter you might have noticed my obsession with running is in bloom.

I’ve got big running plans for the year but I’ll have to wait to report details. (Don’t want to jinx anything).

All of that to say, I was busy. My word count suffered but my novel did not. Important distinction? Heck yes!

So what did my month yield? The productivity is as follows:

1 Query letter polished and ready

1 Synopsis polished and ready

1 MS polished and ready (all major/minor edits tackled!!)

4 blog posts written

1 novel read (which is really low for me – I feel the need, the need to read more!)

2 out of town trips

1 5k race

And words, not many words but any words are better than no words *does happy dance *


For a grand total of 5,645 words. This brings my total ‘tracked’ word count to 28,910 for the year! My writing goals are off to a good start. To tell you the truth, my total words are probably higher but I got so turned around trying to track word count while I was editing that I got confused and quit. I only tracked new words written – so new scenes, blogs, outlines for my next WIP etc. I didn’t count words cut from the MS and then the new words added.

And as I mentioned above, I have big running goals this year. Since I’m tracking my writing goals I figure I should also track my running goals. So for the first time, I am happy to report, 29.8 miles logged.

My total ‘tracked’ mileage will grow in the coming months. I’m just happy to be falling in love with running again.


How are your writing goals coming along? How do you determine you daily word goals?

In Honor of National Poetry Month: Jeffery McDaniel

Those of you who know me know that I spent many years studying poetry in school. Poetry was my first love and it started when I was a little kid. My mother didn't read bedtime stories (well, she totally did, but still) she read bed time poems from a book of poetry for children. The rhythm, the imagery, the pulse - I was hooked.

One of my favorite contemporary poets is Jeffrey McDaniel. I stumbled upon his work because he spoke to the creative writing class my husband was taking at GA Tech (not a school particularly lauded for their liberal arts). My husband thought Jeffrey was brilliant. Here’s my post from last year.


McDaniel’s work if littered with powerful one-liner observations that leave me breathless.

Here is one of my favorite poems:

Mannequin Complex – Jeffery McDaniel
During my formative years,
my mother had this annoying habit
of taking me into shoe stores
and forgetting all about me.

She'd try on heels and pumps,
sandals and beige leather boots,
winking at herself in the mirror,
like she was Cinderella.

I'd crawl into the stockroom
behind the stacks of boxes,
until the last employee clicked
off the lights and headed home.

Then I'd emerge, place a shoe horn
in the palm of my favorite mannequin,
and sleep at her feet gleefully
because she was my flesh and blood.
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It ends with such a bitterly sad image. But can’t you picture it perfectly in your mind? I love love love it.
Learn more about him here. You can buy his books from Manic D press (You totally should – I have them all and they are fan-freaking-tastic).



Do you adore contemporary poets? Share! Tell us who rings your bell: