Got a Shout-Out!

I got a shout-out from Jessica Handler on her blog:

http://www.jessicahandler.com/2010/09/hidden-literary-surprises.html

Wynne Huddleston mentions me as well:

http://wynne-huddleston.blogspot.com/2010/09/2010-chattahoochee-valley-writers.html

Keith Badowski Composing a Spontaneous Poem on Typewriter

Not the greatest camera angle, but this conveys the poetry stunt just fine. By the way, if you hang with the typing sequence, you'll actually hear me read the completed poem at the end.

Chattahoochee Valley Writers’ Conference

Yesterday I had a great time at the Chatt Writers Conference in Columbus, GA. Originally a friend of mine was going to come for the weekend and be one of the presenters. That didn't pan out. Then one of the poets who was scheduled to be a featured reader and presenter had to turn around and go home due to his family being in an auto accident. This changed the whole plan for me. Overnight I went from being a basic attendee to being a featured poetry reader and workshop presenter, having been asked to fill in. The reading went extremely well, felt very high energy. The workshop was well received; a few folks even stood up and applauded--like my head needed to be any more swollen. My workshop title was this: "How to Get Started, How to Keep Going: Poetry Prompts, Exercises, and Springboards For Those Times When Your Muse Takes a Vacation." On top of all this, my friend Ron put me up to doing spontaneous poems for folks between the sessions. I agreed to do them for donations to Chatt Writers. Ron provided me with an antique Royal typewriter upon which I composed poems on demand. I did around a dozen of these spontaneous poems and collected about $65 for Chatt Writers. Not a bad take for poetry!

Keith Badowski Reading on Radio

Newsflash! Tomorrow (Sat.) at 1 pm Eastern time, you can hear Keith Badowski, Ron Self, and Barry Marks reading their poems on Wordland radio show on WUGA, 91.7 FM, Athens or via live streaming on www.wuga.org! Tune in!

__________________________________
Brick Road Poetry Press: For poetry that will entertain, amuse, and edify (not drain, confuse, and mystify) www.brickroadpoetrypress.com

FW: Poetry Contests and Writer's Conference

I'm forwarding this info to all the poets and writers I know.

If you're willing, please forward it on to all the poets and writers you know too! Please?

Peace,
Keith

__________________________________
For poetry that will entertain, amuse, and edify (not drain, confuse, and mystify) www.brickroadpoetrypress.com

---

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 07:20:56 -0500
Subject: Poetry Contests and Writer's Conference



Our Next Quarterly Meeting: Saturday, October 23rd in Columbus GA

Details coming soon, but in the meantime, please mark your calendars.


Georgia Poetry Society Poetry Contests

Each year, entries are accepted beginning September 1 and ending with postmarks of October 31.

The General Rules can be found at http://www.georgiapoetrysociety.org/Contests.aspx


We are introducing two new contests this year:

The Anderson Social Poetry Prize ($500)

The award is given to honor two young men, Forest Anderson Rogers and Mathew Anderson Crowe, who had deep interest in how people interacted in past and current social conditions.

One winner will be awarded $500. Note: There are no 2nd or 3rd place awards in this contest.

Guidelines

 

Entered poems must exemplify the category of "social poetry." Social poetry reflects a keen interest in the human condition: our behaviors, relationships, beliefs, ideologies, scientific concepts, and how we perceive our world and the universe in which we reside. Poems submitted may be any form with a maximum length of 40 lines. Enter up to 3 poems. Poems submitted must also adhere to the Georgia Poetry Society "General Rules" for contests including the postmark deadline, October 31st.

Examples of social poetry: "Out, Out—" by Robert Frost, "The Death of the Hat" by Billy Collins, and "In the Waiting Room" by Elizabeth Bishop.

 
Entry Fee

 

(This is an exception from the standard fees for GPS contests.) $10 per poem (non-GPS members), $5 per poem (GPS members).

Under a Hundred Chapbook Competition

Under a Hundred: Chapbook Contest in Honor of Edward Davin Vicker

Every two years, the Under a Hundred Chapbook Competition selects for recognition three poets to be included in a combined chapbook. Below are the contest rules and guidelines for the 2010 Under a Hundred Chapbook Contest.

 

How to Enter

Send two copies of not more than 100 lines of poetry. You may include a title page, table of contents, and acknowledgments pages. These will not count as part of the 100 line limit for poetry.

No translations.

Use a conventional typeface, such as Times Roman, in 12-point font.

Do not include illustrations.

Poems must be typed and in English.

Use only 8 ½ X 11-inch white paper.

Any subject, and in any form. However, poems must demonstrate appropriate language and good taste. In general, poems will be disqualified if found to contain indecencies, obscenities, defamations, or hateful expressions.

Place your name and address on one copy of the manuscript. No author identification of any kind on the second copy, which will be sent to the judge.

 

No email, text message, disc, MP3 or other electronic submissions.

Entry Fee

 

$10 per submission of less than 100 lines. Make check/money order payable to Georgia Poetry Society. Do not send cash.

Only one entry is permitted per person.

Entrant need not be a member of the Georgia Poetry Society.

Deadline

 

Must be postmarked by October 31, 2010. Late entries will NOT be considered.

Mail entries to
Georgia Poetry Society
ATTN: Under A Hundred Contest
P. O. Box 2184
Columbus, GA 31902

Three winners will be chosen. No honorable mentions or runners-up.

GPS determines printing and binding specifications and book design. Publication rights rest with GPS until the chapbook is published. After that, rights revert to the author.

Winner receives $50 and 25 printed copies of the chapbook. The author may dispose of these as s/he deems appropriate, including selling them.
GPS will print additional copies of the winning chapbook over and above those presented to the author and reserves the right to sell these copies.

Enclose a SASE if you want to know if you won prior to the official announcement.

The contest will not be judged by a GPS member. The judge's decision will be final.

Our regular and recurring contests include the following:

Langston Hughes Award: http://www.georgiapoetrysociety.org/LangstonHughesAward.aspx

Mnemosyne Award: http://www.georgiapoetrysociety.org/MnemosyneAward.aspx

Reece Competition: http://www.georgiapoetrysociety.org/ReeceCompetition.aspx

Founders Award: http://www.georgiapoetrysociety.org/FoundersAward.aspx

Educators Award: http://www.georgiapoetrysociety.org/EducatorsAward.aspx

Edgar Bowers Award: http://www.georgiapoetrysociety.org/EdgarBowersAward.aspx

Foreign Language: http://www.georgiapoetrysociety.org/ForeignLanguage.aspx

Our contest Chairperson is Lou Jones. If you have questions about the contests, please direct them to Lou. His email address is loutoni@plantationcable.net

Chattahoochee Valley Writers' Conference

Register now for the 4th Annual Chattahoochee Valley Writers' Conference in Columbus, Georgia scheduled for September 23 through 25, 2010. For more information go to www.chattwriters.org.

Here's the latest news from the Chattahoochee Valley Writers' Conference.

We just received word that John Langan cannot make it to this years' conference. We're disappointed of course, but don't fret, Catherynne M. Valente has graciously offered to step in. Her workshop is titled, "The Fantasy Author's Toolbox." Find out more about Catherynne and her newest book, Palimpsest (Bantam Dell) that listed as Amazon's #1 SFF Book of 2009 at www.CatherynneMValente.com.

Rick Campbell will lead a workshop entitled "First the Poem, Then the Book". Read Rick's interview with the Southeast Review Online at www.SouthEastReview.org/2008/campbell.php

A workshop entitled "Writing through Grief" will be led by Jessica Handler. Jessica's book, Invisible Sisters: A Memoir has been named one of the "Twenty Five Books All Georgians Should Read". Check out Jessica's latest blog posting at www.JessicaHandler.com.

A workshop on "Publishing in Today's World" will be led by John P. Travis. Check out John's recent Portals Press publications at www.portalspress.com.

Sarah C. Campbell will lead a workshop on "Photos + Stories = Winning Nonfiction & Earn $$ Before Getting Published." Go to www.SarahCCampbell.com and watch the cool video about her latest book, Growing Patterns. Sarah's Web site and video are excellent examples of how digital technology is changing the way authors promote their work.

"Poetry About Poetry: How Language Looks at Itself" will be led by Carey Scott Wilkerson. Read a review of his first collection, Threading Stone at http://www.writersforum.org/books/archive.aspx?ArchiveYear=2009&Category=Poetry

A workshop on "How to Write a Novel in 30 Days" will be led by Elsie Austin. You can find Elsie on Facebook at www.facebook.com/people/Elsie-Austin/1683775053.

For more information about the Georgia Poetry Society
Contact: Keith Badowski
Georgia Poetry Society, PO Box 2184, Columbus GA 31902, (334) 448-4715

Poet Ken Babstock reads from Airstream Land Yacht

Robert B. Parker

Rest in Peace, Robert B. Parker, author and source of some of the most enjoyable hours I've ever spent reading. Your books have been part of the fabric of my life, and I've read aloud more novels by you than any other!

Interview with John Langan and Michael Cisco at KGB Fantastic Fiction

Way to go, John!

John Langan's first novel, House of Windows, is available now on Amazon.com and the like.

"Why I Should Win the Nobel Prize for Literature" by Keith Badowski

Is it political humor? Poetry? Both? Neither? You decide:

Night Prowl of the Circus Performer

The Country - Billy Collins Animated Poetry

New Star Trek: Phase II Coming Nov 20th 2009

Justin Blackburn: The "Fun" Poet

Keith's Poetry Chapbook Is Now Available

My Wife Warned Me And I Did It Anyway is $6.95 per copy, free shipping and handling. (ONLY IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES.)

To purchase online, use the Buy Now button (below-to purchase through PayPal). Or send a check for $6.95, pay to the order of Keith Badowski to the following address:
Keith Badowski
341 Lee Road 553
Phenix City, AL 36867

Keith Badowski is a poet who loves a challenge. Having written poetry for over twenty years, Badowski sought a fresher, looser, and less inhibited mode of poetry writing. Over the last two years, Badowski has solicited poetry assignments from other poets, friends, and family members. Within 24 hours or less of receiving the prompt, he produced what he has dubbed a “spontaneous poem.” The resulting spontaneous poems have been enthusiastically received by the readers of Keith Badowski’s blog “There Goes the Top of My Head.”

Now these spontaneous poems have been collected together in a 40 page chapbook entitled, My Wife Warned Me And I Did It Anyway.







In addition to 25 poems, the volume includes a notes section that offers behind-the-scenes information on the creation process for many of these poems.

My Wife Warned Me And I Did It Anyway is $6.95 per copy, free shipping and handling. (ONLY IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES.)

Announcement: New Spontaneous Poetry Concept

I've arrived at a new concept for my ongoing series of "spontaneous poems!" Any Facebook status updates that tickle my muse will be fair game for a spontaneous poetry prompt. So watch out! Your status update might inspire a poem. My goal is to do one a week until the end of the year, so that's 12 before the end of 2009. Status away, folks!

A Spontaneous Poem Written on the Occasion of the Arrival of Marillion's Lastest Album

If my heart were a ball, it would roll uphill.
If my heart were a kite, it would tangle in a tree.
If my heart were a car, it would speed to the max.
If my heart were a chain, it would rattle all night.
If my heart were a gate, it would unlatch by itself.
If my heart were a dog, it would wag, oh, it would wag!
Yes, wag!



Note: The fist line is a title and refrain of a Marillion song.

Announcing Clela Reed's new book *Bloodline*

Dear Friends and Family,

My small book of poetry Bloodline is now available at eveningstreetpress.com on the Publications tab. Thanks for the interest many of you have shown in my poetry publications. Dancing on the Rim is still available at the Borders Bookstore in Athens and through the publisher's website www.brickroadpoetrypress.com and through amazon.com.

I'm pasting below comments made about Bloodline.

Peace,
Clela

"These are powerful and lucid poems, alive with true sentiment, but never sentimental, about that inexhaustible, that each-one-different but each-one-the-same subject: family." 

Thomas Lux,  winner of Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award, author of God Particles (2008)

 

"The warm bloodline in these twenty-six uncommonly refined poems flows from Clela Reed's wise and tempered heart, extending not only to family -- pioneer ancestors, ailing parents, siblings, husband and sons -- but also to her Southern homeland, victims of Pompeii, characters from Little Women, trees and flowers and birds. Readers, too, will feel welcomed by these gracious poems, each one conversing in measured tones, each one honoring the joys or sorrows of ordinary life. Open this love-affirming chapbook made by skillful hands: be touched, be embraced, be 'taken actually under someone's wing.'"

 Therese L. Broderick, prize-winning poet, workshop leader, author of Within View

"Clela Reed has so many stories—folksy, sensuous, arresting.  Over the years they have grown more taut, more deft and fluent, without losing the poignancy and arrest of how we meet or do not meet and know each other:  Her father, listening to clouds, her mother in dementia where 'within her walls all seasons blur.' Such moments come with a vivid context of the physical world.  Domestic or wild, this space is shot with unexpected wonder, as Reed bears tough witness to the stark and fragile links that make us whole."

Linda Taylor, poet and professor of English, Oglethorpe University

 

My Wife Warned Me And I Did It Anyway Spontaneous Poems Keith Badowski

My new chapbook, My Wife Warned Me And I Did Anyway: Spontaneous Poems, will debut on Thursday Oct. 1st, 2009 at the First Thursday Poetry Reading. This monthly series is held at 7 pm at Columbus State University: Schwob School of Music, Choral Practice Room,900 Broadway Columbus, Georgia 31901. There will be an open mic, and this month, I will be the featured poet. The poems published in "My Wife Warned Me" are the results of the poetry prompts and challenges I've tackled on my blog: There Goes the Top of My Head.

The Ballad of Raquel Raccoon

Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2009 22:38:21 -0400
From: Anderson Frazer
To: Keith Badowski
Subject: Re: Poetry Challenge

Hi

Spontaneous love or the spontaneous end of love might be interesting.

Something odd would be a poem describing a teenage boy's love for Rachel Raccoon l.

Have fun
Anderson



The Ballad of Raquel Raccoon by Keith Badowski
--after Lennon/McCartney, to the tune of Rocky Raccoon

Now one night back behind a dumpster in Alabama,
A young boy laid eyes on sweet Raquel Raccoon
And right then forgot the drugs he planned to buy—
knew he couldn’t be shy. Raquel didn’t like that.
She said, I’m gonna get you boy!
So by dawn, she squawked around town,
cooked him up some doom at the greasy spoon.

Raquel Raccoon worked the whole room
to cast the love sick boy as vile.
The young boy showed up in hopes to make up
and love Raquel till they were senile.

His name was Capote and he reached in his coat
but everyone thought him a bandit.
Someone yelled, Gun! although there was none—
like flies they all buzzed for the exit.
Now he showed Raquel his purty cowbell
and humbled himself down on one knee.
A cop then appeared, but Capote just sneered
although in his pants he had just peed.
The policeman was buff, his grip was quite rough
and threw young Capote on the counter, Ah

Raquel moaned, Stop! to hold back the cop
and whimpered him clear out the doorway.
She said, Capote, my walls have finally fell
And Capote said, Raq, it’s only a bell
And I’ll do better, I’ll do better, Raq, by the time it’s your birthday.

And now Raquel Raccoon was a bride by that noon,
wearing boots made out of a reptile.
At his bedside, and their love knot was tied
to help with good Capote’s revival, Ah
Oh, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!

For the Want of Wear

From: Max Karl Grimm
Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2009 10:58 PM
To: "Keith Badowski"
Subject: Max Karl Grimm wrote on your Wall...

Max posted something on your Wall and wrote:

"Hello my friend,
How about a poem that stems from a dream that caused you to change something in your life? Much love and many blessings to you and yours,
Max"

For the Want of Wear by Keith Badowski

In my dream, the wind sleeps and no one breathes.
All night I’m a footpath blanketed with gravel,
bored without bicycles, not a sneaker to disturb me.
Numb with immobility, I long to be combed by a rake.

The absence of honeysuckle, the irrelevance of flowers
stirs no dread until I step from the untrodden black.
As if a drowned man revived, I gasp for air,
breathe deep of the atmosphered room of this grand hotel.

Unbathed, in slippered feet and rumpled pajamas,
I descend to the lobby, shuffle passed the lure of bacon
and bolt for the parking lot where I grab fistfuls of gravel
to throw to the sunlight, to the grass, the air of life.




Note: I tried the random pick-a-word again with O’Hara, but my finger stabbed the word “wings.” I was horrified! Wrote, “No, not a dream of flight again!” So in revulsion, my imagination fled in the opposite direction. As in the last poem, I set myself a limit of 12 lines, as much out of time consideration as anything. Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken" informed the line: "I step from the untrodden black." Frost's poem also helped me in titling mine.

This poem marks my 6th spontaneous poem since I set my goal of 12. I’m starting to get doubtful that I’ll actually complete 12 in enough time to get the chapbook printed by Oct. 1st. I’ll have to check with the printer to see how close I can cut it. Those keeping track will note that this prompt also came in on Tuesday, Sept. 15th. Writing of the poem didn’t happen until today.