DWS's Races

This one doesn't really count for Dean Wesley Smith's Submission Race but check out SCR(Shit Creek Review).

I sent in four poems for their "Random Issue". We shall see how it works out. Would be an appropriate place for my first publication credit. In terms of DWS's challenge, I'll call each set of poems submitted to a paying market as the same amount of points a short story sub gets, which is 1 point.

I have a pretty laughable score at the moment. Looking at Duotrope's submission tracker, my total comes to 6 points. As to the new eRace he describes, I can't count the novel I wrote for National Novel Writing Month this year on Smashwords, but that will be up for purchase by the end of winter. I will be putting up a series of fantasy stories as ebooks as well. More will come as I get off my bum and produce more content in the coming year. At least that's the goal.

What are your submission goals for the new year?

Tell Me Why I'm Stacking the Lost and Found

Inspired by the pad Chapbook Challenge. Robert Lee Brewer is a great poet, and the comments are fun to procrastinate with. I'm playing catchup again. My second rejection has made me feel better about continuing to write. At least I am trying now.

"Tell Me Why Everything's Broken”

Is it the cigarettes

or the lack of exercise

or the color tv?

Tell me why everything's broken.

Is it the unwanted children

or incompetent fathers

or unfit mothers?

Tell me why everything's broken.

Is it consumer culture

or trickle down government

or a war over oil?

Tell me why everything's broken.

Is it the rising poverty level

or the crisis of education

or the indulgence of the rich?

Tell me why everything's broken.

And the little boy says-

“It's all of that and more.”

"Cake"

one circle, slapped
down, filled, covered
with sugary staying
power, to rise high-
with proper support.
dowels shoved in
the next tier placed
with care; for these
are the days of our lives.

My lost and found poem for today found in the comments of today's post for PAD.

PAD Challenge Catch Up

I think I am killing my brain a bit trying to do this challenge and NaNo in the same month, but I will survive. Took a few days away from poems, either forgetting because I finished NaNo too late or in desperately needed rest.

I realize now that I need to listen to Hulk Hogan and take my damn vitamins. One can not live on coffee and cigarettes alone.

Here are the last four days of prompts, including today:

10th-A love poem.

"Orion"

I looked up and I saw

Orion, a dear warrior

in the sky.

All I could think of

was finding your face

to watch his belt.

You are my sunshine

I no longer need

a reason why.

11th-No One Wants (blank)

"No One Wants Sally"

hiding behind the bleachers

a bandanna over her hair

Sally probes her bomber jacket

for cigarettes-and stares

out to a painted field, colored

by white and blond and red

every color of the rainbow

it's all paranoia, in her head.

They'd let her join them if she wanted

but she chooses to be apart

Sally hits her smoke and falters

in second grade they broke her heart.

12th-Forget about it.

"Say"

"I forgot to say I love you."

"I know."

"There is no one else above you."

"I care."

"Is there anything to do?"

"The snow."

"It's more beautiful than you."

"I know."

13th-Open ended question.

"Where to Go"

Are you hungry

I think so, where

would you like to go?

I don't know, pass it

on, where would you

like to go? Well I

don't know, it's time

to chow, can you make

a decision tonight?