Saturday, January 31, 2026
Friday, January 30, 2026
WHAT IS A SONNET?
SONNET
A poem of 14 lines using any of a number of formal writing schemes.
In English, typically having ten syllables per line.
Ex.- and in delightful times sit sonneting
SONNETISTS
Petrarch
Willi!m Shakespeare
John Donne
John Keats
Edna St. Vincent Millay
Gerald Manley Hopkins
Billy Co)lins
QUOTE
In the end, whatever you write, you should write it because it's important to you.
~John Connolly
Thursday, January 29, 2026
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Monday, January 26, 2026
OBSCURE POET
LUCY TERRY PRINCE (1833-1821)
Born in Africa. Kidnapped and enslaved in Rhode Island.
Settler, Poet
Freedom purchased by Abijah Prince, a successful free black man who she married.
Composed ballad Bars Fight in 1746. It was preserved orally. Wasn't published until 1854.
Ballad was about two white families attacked by Native Americans.
Lucy died at age 88 in 1821.
*will post a copy of 'Bars Fight' when I find one that's printable.
Saturday, January 24, 2026
Thursday, January 22, 2026
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Monday, January 19, 2026
OBSCURE POET
GEORGE BOYER VASHON (1824-1878)
Scholar, Poet, lawyer, abolitionist
Born in Carlisle, PA.
First African-American American o graduate from. Oberlin College
First practicing black lawyer in New York State Denied practicing in Pennsylvania.
Died in Mississippi of yellow fever.
Friday, January 16, 2026
Thursday, January 15, 2026
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Tuesday, January 13, 2026
MORE POETRY IN 2026
I went this event a couple of weeks ago. I was amazed by so many different poetry books for sale. I browsed through a number of poetry books. There was so much depth and ingenuity and creativity. I know there are a lot of poets in the city.
I chatted with a few of them and found the experience encouraging. I am going to attend poetry readings and read my poems (hopefully).
Monday, January 12, 2026
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Friday, January 09, 2026
OBSCURE POET
ESSEX HEMPHILL (1957-1995)
Born in Chicago, raised in Southeast Washington, D.C.
Poet, performer
Addressed race, sexuality, identity, HIV/AIDS, and the family.
Voiced issues central to the African American gay community
CEREMONIES: Prose and Poetry (1992)- First full length collection of poetry
Won the National Library Association's Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual New Author Award
Founded and ran the Nethula Journal of Contemporary Literature (1978)
His poetry was included in the film: LOOKING FOR LANGSTON (1989)
Died of AIDS complications in 1995
OTHER WORKS
Thursday, January 08, 2026
Wednesday, January 07, 2026
Tuesday, January 06, 2026
Monday, January 05, 2026
Sunday, January 04, 2026
PICK THOSE PLUMS
Like plums on a low hanging limb, story ideas are ripe for picking. They are everywhere. All that is needed is observation.
I carry a pen and pad as to record my observations or thoughts. I kick myself sometimes because I didn't write the thought down. Once it's gone it I s lost forever.
So far I have a list of nearly a hundred plums for future writings. I recently viewed the list. A few of them I surely would have forgotten if I hadn't written them down. There are more plums to be picked.
Saturday, January 03, 2026
Friday, January 02, 2026
Thursday, January 01, 2026
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