Sunday, January 8, 2017

Rob Schackne #1 - Notice


Considerations about putting together a collection of my poems. A notice. I've never been the best judge of my work. Choosing what serves my truest voice.  60 short or shortish poems sounds about right. There is after all a certain breathlessness. I was advised once that no two poems should contain the same banana tree. Selection is not ordering. The final poem is the book. Does what the reader likes sound right? Writing for over 40 years with minimal interest in publication, I wonder. Gyring upward, did I really lose interest in what the reader thinks? It's possible. So, here's the project. Come back down. Form a poem of a book from a bunch of unrelated poems - although related, I'll admit, by way of coming out of one set of hands and from (mostly) one mind. Intention. Post several favourite poems a week till I reach the 60. Mine for good. Do the work. Your advice will be very much appreciated.

9 comments:

  1. Great meta poetic opener Rob. Not sure about the word banana. It sucks the life out of everything else around it (same with potato if you’re thinking of a substitute). Otherwise, great - sets a perfect tone. Will be hard to top.

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  2. Looking forward to reading more of your work, Rob, and would love to see you put out a book.

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  3. Looking forward to discovering your favorite poems then!

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  4. Ditto Rob and only thought was I really get 'banana tree' but could loose 'in them'.
    - Happy New Year

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    1. Good advice. Thank you, Jeffree.
      And a happy new year too!

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  5. I don't think a book of poetry needs to necessarily hang around a theme. Your work is diverse and unpredictable, that makes it interesting.

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