My book? Well, my face lit up when she referenced my book as a thing that would happen and not just a possibility. All I have to do is go back and add more about St. Louis/the Arch into the poem to enrich the slightly duller parts, and it's good to go. Well, besides my desire to change the title. I hate titles, and I'm never good at them, and I'm just not sure if it has the right title, but I guess I'll save that for after I get the poem itself to where it needs to be. Then I can add it to the list, and I'll have a grand total of ... three poems that I feel are where they need to be. Let's just say, I'm going to be crazy most of next semester, during my thesis semester, when I have to revise and perfect everything else.
I've actually churned out quite a bit of work this semester already though, which is really exciting, because I was worried about not having enough poems for my thesis, but I don't think that's going to be a problem anymore. I've written another, the other night, that I am already attached to. I was listening to this song:
On repeat, for like an hour, revising this poem that I am so fond of. Sometimes, a song just really clicks, and I just plug in my headphones and keep listening as I revise a poem. It's usually one song to one poem, and this one just fit for how I was feeling. So, I sent this poem off with a few others to a contest, but I'm also going to turn it in to Carrie next week with my next packet and see what she thinks. I'll probably immediately regret sending it off, because she always gives me some suggestion where I'm like, "Oh! I know how to make that work, and it'd be SO much better!" But I guess that's just a part of the process.
And, anyway, I've been making myself submit to every contest that comes up and fits with what I do. I follow a group that posts contests like every day, so I just go through, pick what sounds like it'd fit my stuff, and submit. I have like five poems that I really like, and I tend to lead with them. Hopefully, they'll find a place soon. Most of these contests, like I said in earlier posts, are over by the end of March, so there shouldn't be too much waiting. Fingers crossed!
Either way, I would still say that this is a successful semester. I'm churning out work, I'm making revisions, I love having Carrie as a mentor, and, on the 15th, I get to disappear for the weekend to a cabin with my mentor group: Carrie, Gretchen, and Heather. Three days in a cabin, where we write, talk shop, and cook dinners together at night. Actually, I guess I am just supplying the wine, because I told them I couldn't cook. Unless it's something that just pops into the microwave. Maybe I'll just contribute by pouring wine into the food. :P
"Whittney, what are you doing by the soup?"
"Uh, I was just giving it a stir for you."
I can't wait. Then I'll be going to Louisville in April for the library, and to LeakyCon (Harry Potter Convention) in June in Portland, Oregon. I have never been to Oregon. I'm excited to go to new places. Then, of course, in July, it'll be back to Murray for my final residency, which is seriously exciting and depressing at the same time. I don't want it to be over. Even though it's school and work, I enjoy myself so much when I'm there. Looking back, I'm glad SIUC didn't accept me. Even though it's a bigger school, I wouldn't trade my experience at Murray for anything.
Especially considering the people I've had as mentors and friends and how far my work has come since last January. For instance, I had a fun conversation about my poem, "Labyrinth," with my mentor and enjoyed the challenge of convincing her that David Bowie, and the movie, had to stay in the poem. She's definitely pushing me to get the best. Anyway, I've appeased myself by updating, so, those of you that have gotten this far, I guess I'll give the link to my poems. I didn't post them for everyone to see on Facebook, because of mature content. If you read this far and this much, I figure you might as well get to peek. The one about St. Louis is the best.
Although it looks like I'm going to have to make a trip back to the Arch to fill in the gaps that my mentor wants. It's been too long since I've been there to remember all the details of the inside. I'm not complaining. I'll be glad to get out of the house and have a little mini-trip.
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