Jack Wear’s "A Hole In The Universe" is #215 in the never-ending series called INSIDE THE EMOTION OF FICTION

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****Jack Wear’s "A Hole In The Universe" is #215 in the never-ending series called INSIDE THE EMOTION OF FICTION where the Chris Rice Cooper Blog (CRC) focuses on one specific excerpt from a fiction genre and how that fiction writer wrote that specific excerpt.  

Name of fiction work? And were there other names you considered that you would like to share with us? The name of my book is “A Hole In The Universe”.  I didn’t really consider any other names. Sometimes I write a book without a title until I’m halfway through writing it. In this case, the name came to me early on, even before I started writing it. By the way, this is actually a sequel to a short story I wrote (part of a Christmas anthology). That short story was called “The Wizard of Mars”, so I guess the names I choose for titles are quite random. If you’re interested, “The Wizard of Mars” is now available as a free download from my website.  (Above Right:  Jack Wear in 2018)

What is the date you began writing this piece of fiction and the date when you completely finished the piece of fiction? The date I started on this story is vague. I often write more than one story at a time (I also write under two different pen names). Often, I’ll have an idea of a story before I put anything down on paper. In the case of “A Hole In The Universe”, I believe I was formulating the story three years before I starting writing it. I have references to the story typed out over four years ago, so Universe took at least five years (2013) to write out. I receive a contract from Melange-Books (http://www.melange-books.com/) in November, 2018. At that point the book was written, except for the dreaded editing.

Where did you do most of your writing for this fiction work?  And please describe in detail.  And can you please include a photo? I have several places where I write. Occasionally, I’ll do some writing in a coffee shop, but usually I’m at home. My favourite spot is on Sunday morning when I’m alone in the living room, drinking coffee and listening to music. I have an easy chair and enjoy the solitude in the early hours.  (Right: Jack Wear with his wife in August 2018)

A second spot is in bed, partially watching TV at night. Sometimes I have great inspiring moments late at night (writing, that is). I also do some writing in the TV room. Some shows don’t draw my full attention, so I do some writing as well. 

What were your writing habits while writing this work- did you drink something as you wrote, listen to music, write in pen and paper, directly on laptop; specific time of day? I know some writers insist on writing each day a specific number of words. I don’t. I write when I feel like it. Sometimes I can only muster a few hundred words. Other times a few thousand. I usually have something to drink while I write. Coffee in the morning, but after that, anything goes. I’m not opposed to a glass of wine or a whisky for afternoon or evening writing. I don’t drink a lot, but like to hold the glass as I ponder the next chapter. When I write, I like to be comfortable. Jeans and t-shirt work well for me. Suits, not so much.  (Above Left:  Jack Wear's writing chair)

Please include just one excerpt and include page numbers as reference.  This one excerpt can be as short or as long as you prefer. 

Excerpt of Rough Draft: 

McLeod is the captain.

Wagner is the owner of the spaceship.

Bentley is the scientist who theorized how to break the speed of light.

Combs is the navigator.

Dowling field is what allows for the spaceship to be isolated from our universe and able to exceed the speed of light. 

The reason for naming it the Dowling field was not revealed in the book. I named it after a friend of mine, a very smart lady who shares my interest in quantum mechanics. 

“Thirteen-fifty, Captain,” Combs announced dryly. 

McLeod took a deep breath aware it was only ten minutes to their attempt at breaking the speed of light. “Inform the engine room to run up engines to seventy percent.”  

Although the ship was well insulated from the engine room, and the artificial gravity could make allowances for the acceleration, McLeod was sure he could feel a change on the floor from the increase in speed. “Mr. Combs?” 

“All systems normal, sir.”

McLeod saw Bentley had entered the command centre, slowly inching his way forward to peer at the forward monitors. He admitted he wasn’t sure what they would see as they exceeded the speed of light. Various monitors acted like windows to show what the space looked like outside of the ship. So far everything looked normal, with the slight blue shift of star light in the forward monitors too small to be easily noticed. The command centre was quiet, as the personnel studied their monitors. 

Wagner walked over to him, giving him a smile as she touched his arm. “Three minutes, Captain. I don’t know about you, but my stomach feels like it’s tied into a knot.” 

“I’m trying to remember to breathe.” He gave her a smile back. He glanced at the monitor that showed the performance of the engines. Every graph showed green. “Mr. Combs, prepare to engage to the Dowling field.” He watched as Combs armed the electronic circuits that controlled the Dowling field. The circuits now supplied low power to the field generators, allowing for the field to be quickly ramped up when needed, without delay from capacitance power being stored.

“Sixty seconds, Captain.” Combs fingers danced over several keys as he checked the ship’s performance on a variety of levels. 

McLeod touched his earpiece, changing it so his voice would be carried on the ship’s intercom. “Attention. We will be initiating faster than light travel in thirty seconds.” He watched a clock on a monitor and took a deep breath. “Mr. Combs, engage the Dowling field at my mark. Five, four, three, two, one. Engage.” 

Combs finger touched a square radio button on his monitor.  

Suddenly the monitors showing space from the front of the ship went to a rainbow of colour.

Edits on Rough Draft

“Thirteen-fifty, captain.” Combs announced dryly.

McLeod took a deep breath, aware it was only ten minutes to their attempt at breaking the speed of light. “Inform the engine room to run up engines to seventy percent.”

Although the ship was well insulated from the engine room, and the artificial gravity could make allowances for the acceleration, McLeod was sure he could feel a change on the floor from the increase in speed.

“Mr. Combs?”

“All systems normal, sir.”

McLeod saw Bentley had entered the command center, slowly inching his way forward to peer at the forward monitors. He admitted he wasn’t sure what they would see as they exceeded the speed of light. Various monitors acted like windows to show what the space looked like outside of the ship. So far everything looked normal, with the slight blue shift of star light in the forward monitors too small to be easily noticed.

The command center was quiet, as the personnel studied their monitors. Wagner walked over to him, giving him a smile as she touched his arm. “Three minutes, captain. I don’t know about you, but my stomach feels like it’s tied into a knot.”

“I’m trying to remember to breathe.” He gave her smile back. He glanced at the monitor that showed the performance of the engines. Every graph showed green. “Mr. Combs, prepare to engage to the Dowling field.” He watched as Combs armed the electronic circuits that controlled the Dowling field. The circuits now supplied low power to the field generators, allowing for the field to be quickly ramped up when needed, without delay from capacitance power being stored.

“Sixty seconds, captain.” Combs fingers danced over several keys as he checked the ship’s performance on a variety of levels.

McLeod touched his earpiece, changing it so his voice would be carried on the ship’s intercom. “Attention. We will be initiating faster than light travel in thirty seconds.” He watched a clock on a monitor and took a deep breath. “Mr. Combs, engage the Dowling field at my mark. Five, four, three, two, one. Engage.”

Combs finger touched a square radio button on his monitor. Suddenly the monitors showing space from the front of the ship went to a rainbow of color.

Why is this excerpt so emotional for you as a writer to write?  And can you describe your own emotional experience of writing this specific excerpt? About the excerpt: This scene describes the first attempt at travelling faster than the speed of light. The previous unmanned test spaceship exceeded the speed of light but failed to return as programmed. The cause of the failure had not been ascertained, so there was a lot of apprehension of what would happen. The monitors showing a rainbow of colours was not anticipated. 

No one knows what would happen if a spaceship exceeds the speed of light (currently considered impossible by many scientists). I decided that someday humans will develop the technology to do so, but that led to my own speculation what would happen. I was worried my interpretation of “what if” would be torn to pieces by more knowledgably readers. So far, I’ve had positive reviews in that regard. (Right:  Jack Wear in November 2020)

To explain the emotions of this event, I will first relate a bit of history. In 1947 Chuck Yeager (Left) became the first person to break the speed of sound. Prior to his historic flight, there were doubts a plane or a person could survive the sonic boom. Can one imagine his thoughts as he nudged his plane past that barrier? Would it be his final moment of life?

In my story, Captain McLeod has given the command for his ship to attempt to break the speed of light. The lone unmanned test flight failed without a record of what went wrong. Despite his belief in his crew and ship, he couldn’t be certain what would happen when the Dowling field (what separates the spaceship from the rest of the universe) was energized. Chuck Yeager at least knew the speed of sound could be broken by inanimate objects. McLeod didn’t know have that knowledge as they attempted to break the speed of light barrier. When he gave the final command, would he and his crew be part of the greatest leap for humans since Orville Wright (Above Right), or would they vanish into space without a trace? It was a moment of all or nothing.    

For myself, this is where my story began. Several years ago, before the first word was typed for the novel, I wondered about the speed of light and how it limits us to just the solar system. I wondered why the speed of light had the speed of ~ 3x108 m/s and why it couldn’t be faster. 

My second question was UFOs. If they are really alien spaceships, then it would be logical they had found a way to circumvent the speed of light. UFOs have also been reported to be able to accelerate and change direction rapidly, meaning inertia has been neutralized. 

When McLeod initiates the Dowling field, he is completing my theory on how to break the speed of light. I had a moment of satisfaction when McLeod and his spaceship broke the speed of light barrier. Whether or not my theory is correct isn’t the point. But being able to put it into a story was something I felt very pleased about.  

Were there any deletions from this excerpt that you can share with us? And can you please include a photo of your marked up rough drafts of this excerpt. I don’t have a lot of scribbled notes when I write a story. I think out the scene before I write it, changing it several times before I decide to write it, usually on my laptop. So I don’t have a progression from various draft versions to the final scene, just a lot of thought experiments in my head. 

There isn’t much difference between the draft and the final version. The draft was version number 3.3, which means it was my third version I wrote (the previous ones were deleted) and the .3 refers to the edits sent to me for approval. Some changes that I highlighted included a spelling error, and change in spelling from American English to Canadian, and the capitalization of the title “Captain”. 

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https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/10/84-inside-emotion-of-fiction-seven.html

#085 10 08 2019 Sheila Lowe’s

Mystery/Psychological/Suspense with Scientific Bent 

PROOF OF LIVE

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/10/085-inside-emotion-of-fiction-proof-of.html

#086 10 10 2019 Jess Neal Woods’s

Historical Fiction

THE PROCESS OF FRAYING

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/10/86-inside-emotion-of-fiction-process-of.html

#087 10 11 2019 Karen Odden’s

Historical Suspense

A TRACE OF DECEIT

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/10/87-inside-emotion-of-fiction-trace-of.html

#88 10 14 2019 Kate Maruyama’s

Love, Loss & Supernatural

“HARROWGATE”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/10/88-inside-emotion-of-fiction-harrowgate.html

#89 10 17 2019 Sherry Harris’s

Mystery

“LET’S FAKE A DEAL”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/10/89-inside-emotion-of-fiction-lets-fake.html

#90 10 18 2019 Linda Mooney’s

Science Fiction Apocalyptic/ Post Apocalyptic 

“THE TRUNK”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/10/90-inside-emotion-of-fiction-trunk-by.html

#91 10 19 2019 Jayne Martin’s

Flash Fiction Short Story Collection

“TENDER CUTS”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/10/91-inside-emotion-of-fiction-tender.html

#92 10 22 2019 Janice Cole Hopkins’s

Inspirational Romance

“IT ALL STARTED AT THE MASQUERADE”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/10/92-inside-emotion-of-fiction-it-all.html

#93 10 29 2019 Kristi Petersen Schoonover’s

Short Story Collection

“THE SHADOWS BEHIND”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/10/93-inside-emotion-of-fiction-shadows.html

#94 11 01 2019 David Henry Sterry’s

Fiction: Sexual Violence

“THE TENDERLOIN WARS”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/11/94-inside-emotion-of-fiction-tenderloin.html

#95 11 03 2019 Jay Requard’s

Dark Fantasy/Horror

“DEATH & DUST: THE PALE SAND ADVENTURES”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/11/95-inside-emotion-of-fiction-death-dust.html

#96 11 04 2019 Caroline Leavitt’s

Fiction

“WITH OR WITHOUT YOU”

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/11/96-inside-emotion-of-fiction-with-or.html

#97 11 06 2019 Kelsey Clifton’s

Science Fiction

“A DAY OUT OF TIME”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/11/97-inside-emotion-of-fiction-day-out-of.html

#098 11 13 2019 John F Allen’s

Urban Fantasy Tale

“The God Killers’

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/11/98-inside-emotion-of-fiction-god.html

#99 11 16 2019 Damian McNicholl’s

Historical Novel

“The Moment of Truth”

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/11/99-inside-emotion-of-fiction-moment-of.html

#100 11 19 2019 Stacia Levy’s

Mystery/Suspense Novel

“Girl Crush”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/11/100-inside-emotion-of-fiction-girl.html

#101 11 24 2019 Charlotte Morgan’s

Fiction Novel

“Protecting Elvis”

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/11/101-inside-emotion-of-fiction.html

#102 11 26 2019 T. L. Moore’s

Children’s Christian Fiction

“Ed On My Shoulder:  Maria & The Candy Trail”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/11/102-inside-emotion-of-fiction-ed-on-my.html

#103 11 27 2019 Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg’s

Coming of Age Literary Novel

The Nine

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/11/103-inside-emotion-of-fiction-nine-by.html

#104 11 29 2019 Charlotte Blackwell’s

Adult Paranormal

“MYSTIC EMBRACE”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/11/104-inside-emotion-of-fiction-mystic.html

#105 12 07 2019 Mike Burrell’s

Satire Novel

“THE LAND OF GRACE”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/12/105-inside-emotion-of-fiction-land-of.html

#106 12 09 2019 Phil McCarron’s

Screenplay

“Escapement”

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/12/106-inside-emotion-of-fiction.html

#107 12 11 2019 Wendy H. Jones’s

Crime Fiction/Police Procedural Novel

“KILLER’S COUNTDOWN”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/12/107-inside-emotion-of-fiction-killers.html

#108 12 13 2019 Sandra Arnold’s

Historical Literary Fiction

“The Ash, the Well and the Blue Bell”

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/12/108-inside-emotion-of-fiction-ash-well.html 

#109 12 16 2019 Amalia Carosella’s

Historical/Contemporary/Duel Timeline/ Women’s

Fiction

“DAUGHTER OF A THOUSAND YEARS”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/12/109-inside-emotion-of-fiction-daughter_17.html

#110 12 19 2019 Laura Bickle’s

Weird Western/Contemporary Fantasy

“DARK ALCHEMY”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/12/110-inside-emotion-of-fiction-dark.html

#111 12 27 2019 Brian Pinkerton’s

Science Fiction Thriller

“THE GEMINI EXPERIMENT”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/12/111-inside-emotion-of-fiction-gemini.html

#112  12 28 2019 Sandra de Helen’s

Lesbian Thriller

“TILL DARKNESS COMES”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/12/112-inside-emotion-of-fiction-till.html

#113 12 29 2019 Jo Wilde’s

Vampire Thriller

“THE CROSSING”

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/12/113-inside-emotion-of-fiction-crossing.html 

#114 12 30 2019 Sam Richard’s

Short Story Collection of Weird and Transgressive

Horror

“To Wallow In Ash and Sorrows”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/12/114-inside-emotion-of-fiction-to-wallow.html

#115 12 31 2019 Duncan B Barlow’s

Literary Fiction Novel

“A DOG BETWEEN US”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/12/inside-emotion-of-fiction-dog-between.html

#116 01 02 2020 Allison Landa’s

Young Adult Novel

“BAD HAIR”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/01/116-inside-emotion-of-fiction-bad-hair.html

#117 01 03 2020 Pablo Medina’s

Literary Satire Novel

“THE CUBAN COMEDY”

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/01/117-inside-emotion-of-fiction-cuban.html

#118 01 06 2020 William Trent Pancoast’s

Historical/Literary Novel

“THE ROAD TO MATEWAN”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/01/118-inside-emotion-of-fiction-road-to.html

#119 01 07 2020 Jane Bernstein’s

Contemporary Novel

“The Face Tells the Secret”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/01/119-inside-emotion-of-fiction-face.html

#120 01 09 2020 Terry Kroenung’s

Young Adult, Historical and Fantasy

“Brimstone And Lily”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/01/120-inside-emotion-of-fiction-brimstone.html

#121 01 12 2020 Melissa Yi’s

Fiction Thriller

“GRAVEYARD SHIFT”

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/01/121-inside-emotion-of-fiction-melissa.html

#122 01 15 2020 Marcie R. Rendon’s

Crime Thriller

“GIRL GONE MISSING”

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/01/122-inside-emotion-of-fiction-girl-gone.html

#123 01 16 2020 Tori Eldridge’s

Multi Genre Novel

“THE NINJA DAUGHTER”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/01/123-inside-emotion-of-fiction-ninja.html

#124 01 17 2020 Kristen Joy Wilks’s

Christian Romantic Comedy

“YELLOWSTONE YONDERING”

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/01/124-inside-emotion-of-fiction.html 

#125 01 20 2020 Susan C. Shea’s

Cozy Mystery

“DRESSED FOR DEATH IN BURGUNDY”

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/01/125-inside-emotion-of-fiction-dressed.html

#126  01 22 2020 Phong Nguyen’s

Improvisational Fiction

“ROUNDABOUT”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/01/126-inside-emotion-of-fiction.html

#127 01 23 2020 Kate Thornton’s

Mystery Short Story In Its Entirety

“Ai Witness”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/01/127-inside-emotion-of-fiction-ai.html

#128 01 24 2020 Phil McCarron’s

Semi Fictional Essays

“The Great Facepalm: The Farce of 21st Century

Normality”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/01/128-inside-emotion-of-fiction-great.html

#129  01 27 2020 Kenneth Weene’s

Historicized Literary Fiction

“Red And White”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/01/129-inside-emotion-of-fiction-red-and.html

#130 01 28 2020 Graham Storrs’s

Science Fiction Thriller

“TimeSplash”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com 

/2020/01/130-inside-emotion-of-fiction.html

#131 02 08 2020 Angela Slatter’s

Short Story “Terrible As An Army With Banners”

From her Short Story Collection THE BITTERWOOD BIBLE AND OTHER RECOUNTINGS

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/02/131-inside-emotion-of-fiction-terrible.html

#132 02 11 2020 Joan Joachim’s

Romance

Just One Kiss

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/02/132-inside-emotion-of-fiction-just-one.html

#133 02 16 2020 Kelsey Clifton’s

Science Fiction

A DAY OUT OF TIME

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/02/133-inside-emotion-of-fiction-day-out.html

#134 02 17 2020 Soraya M Lane’s

Women Historical Fiction

THE GIRLS OF PEARL HARBOR

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/02/134-inside-emotion-of-fiction-girls-of.html

#135 03 07 2020

Linked Fiction

BLEACHERS Fifty-Four Linked Fictions

By Joseph Mills

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/03/135-inside-emotion-of-fiction-bleachers.html

#136 03 15 2020

Science Fiction Romance

BLUE VISION

By Marie Lavender

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/03/136-inside-emotion-of-fiction-blue.html

#137 03 17 2020

Crime Fiction

12 Bullets

by O’Neil De Noux

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/03/137-inside-emotion-of-fiction-12.html

#138 03 18 2020

Flash Fiction Piece

Radical

by Kelle Grace Gaddis 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/03/138-inside-emotion-of-fiction-radical.html

#139 03 20 2020

Mystery

HERE BE MONSTERS

By Jamie Sheffield

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/03/139-inside-emotion-of-fiction-here-be.html

#140 03 21 2020

Character Driven Novel

UNBROKEN

By Jamie Lisa Forbes

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/03/140-inside-emotion-of-fiction-unbroken.html

#141 03 23 2020 

Literary Murder Mystery

COLD COUNTRY

By Russell Rowland

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/03/141-inside-emotion-of-fiction-cold.html

#142 04 01 2020 

Sci-Fi/Paranormal

SWEET SLEEP

By Kim Cormack

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/04/142-inside-emotion-of-fiction-sweet.html

#143 04 02 2020 

Western Noir Short Story

“Night Rounds”

by James Reasoner

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/04/143-inside-emotion-of-fiction-night.html

#144 04 03 2020 

Southern Fiction

LITTLE TEA

By Claire Fullerton

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/04/144-inside-emotion-of-fiction-little.html

#145 04 04 2020

Mainstream novel with elements of crime, mystery, and magic

THE FORGETTING FLOWER

by Karen Hugg 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/04/145-inside-emotion-of-fiction.html

#146 04 07 2020 

Historical Fiction

MEDICIS DAUGHTER

by Sophie Perinot

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/04/146-inside-emotion-of-fiction-medicis.html

#147 04 08 2020

Dark Urban Fantasy with elements of Paranormal Romance

COVEN BORN

by Stephanie Reisner aka AUDREY BRICE

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/04/147-inside-emotion-of-fiction-coven.html

#148 04 13 2020

Mystery With A Fantasy Twist

DEATH LIVES IN THE WATER

By Shoshana Edwards 

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/04/148-inside-emotion-of-fiction-death.html

#149 04 14 2020

Historical Fiction

ASHES

by Sharon Glogal Friedman 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/04/149-inside-emotion-of-fiction-ashes-by.html

#150 04 19 2020

Vampire Horror Novelette 

Blood Thrasher:  The Devil’s in the Metal

by Adam Messer

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/04/adam-messers-blood-thrasher-devils-in.html 

#151 04 25 2020

Historical Fiction

Charis in the World of Wonders

by Marly Youmans

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/04/marly-youmans-charis-in-world-of.html

#152 04 29 2020

Historical Fiction

The Master of Verona

by David Blixt

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/04/david-blixts-master-of-verona-is-152-in.html

#153 04 30 2020

General Fiction (Family)

Bread Bags & Bullies:  Surviving the 80s

by Steven Manchester 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/04/steven-manchesters-bread-bags-bullies.html

#154 05 01 2020

Adventure-Thriller/Horror

Into The Ashes

by Lee Murray

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/05/lee-murrays-into-ashes-is-154-in-never.html

#155 05 06 2020

Coming of Age/Crime Novel

All Things Left In The Wild

by James Wade

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/05/james-wades-all-things-left-in-wild-is.html

#156 05 10 2020

Paranormal Mystery

Southern Bound

by Stuart Jaffe

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/05/stuart-jaffes-southern-bound-is-156-in.html

#157 05 13 2020

Mystery/Crime Novel

Yardbird

By Mark Slade

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/05/mark-slades-yardbird-is-157-in-never.html

#158 05 15 2020 

Horror/Crime Novel

Hotel Nowhere

By David E Adkins 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/05/david-e-adkinss-hotel-nowhere-is-158-in.html

#159 05 16 2020

Satire/Crime Novel

THE LYING BASTARD

by Clint Margrave

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/05/clint-margraves-lying-bastard-is-159-in.html

#160 05 19 2020

Southern Gothic Fiction

REVIVING THE HAWTHORN SISTERS

by Emily Carpenter

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/05/emily-carpenters-reviving-hawthorn.html

#161 05 21 2020

Women’s Domestic Life Fiction

MERCY HOUSE

by Alena Dillon 

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/05/alena-dillons-mercy-house-is-161-in.html

#162 05 26 2020

Screenplay/Film

BEAST MODE

by Drew Fortune and Spain Willingham

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/05/drew-fortunes-and-spain-willinghams_26.html

#163 05 31 2020

Coming of Age/ Psychological Thriller

MY SISTER & OTHER LIARS

by Ruth Dugdall

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/05/ruth-dugdalls-my-sister-and-other-liars.html

#164 06 01 2020 

Psychological Thriller

IN HARM’S WAY

by Owen Mullen

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/06/owen-mullens-in-harms-way-is-164-in.html

#165 06 02 2020 

Small Town Short Story Collection

SNAPSHOT “Old Lady”

by Eliot Parker

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/06/eliot-parkers-old-lady-from-snapshots.html

#166 06 04 2020

Noir Crime Novel

SKIN OF TATTOOS

by Christina Hoag

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/06/christina-hoags-skin-of-tattoos-is-166.html

#167 06 06 2020

Coming of Age/Historical

THE ORPHAN COLLECTOR

by Ellen Marie Wiseman

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/06/ellen-marie-wisemans-orphan-collector.html

#168 06 08 2020

World War Two Historical Fiction

THE PRISONER’S WIFE

by Maggie Brookes

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/06/maggie-brookess-prisoners-wife-is-168.html

#169 06 09 2020

Novella 

(about the 1960s, 

Rolling Stones in their exile,

genocide, it’s survivors, and

people from places that no longer exist.)

BLUE COAST MYSTERY:  ALMOST SOLVED

by Nick Sweeney

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/06/nick-sweeneys-blue-coast-mystery-almost.html

#170 06 11 2020

Family Life/Coming of Age Novel

THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF SAM HELL

by Robert Dugoni

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/06/robert-dugonis-extraordinary-life-of.html

#171 06 26 2020

Women’s Divorce Fiction

QUEEN OF THE OWLS

by Barbara Linn Probst

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/06/barbara-linn-probsts-queen-of-owls-is.html

#172 07 01 2020

Short Story “The Belindas” from the Short Story Collection LOVE WAR STORIES 

By Ivelisse Rodriguez

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/ivelisse-rodriguezs-short-story.html

#173 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

07 04 2020

Organized Crime Thriller

BLUES IN THE DARK

by Raymond Benson

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/raymond-bensons-blues-in-dark-is-173-in.html

#174 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

07 08 2020

Contemporary Literature & Fiction

THE ESCAPE OF MALCOLM POE

by Allison Burnett

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/allison-burnetts-escape-of-malcolm-poe.html

#175 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

07 09 2020

Horror Novella

TERMINUS STATION

by Jeff Lyons

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/jeff-lyonss-terminus-station-is-175-in.html

#176 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

07 12 2020

20th Century Historical Romance

“The Bootlegger’s Wife”

by Denise Devine

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/chris-rice-cooper-blog-176-inside.html

#177 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

07 24 2020

Literary Fiction Novel

“What Drives Men”

by Susan Tepper 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/susan-teppers-what-drives-men-is-177-in.html

#178 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

07 27 2020

Short story

“Tidings of Comfort and Joyce”

by Kimberly Kurth Gray

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/kimberly-kurth-grays-short-story.html

 

#179 Inside the Emotion of Fiction 

07 28 2020

Historical Fiction

“Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey”

by Kathleen Rooney

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/kathleen-rooneys-cher-ami-and-major.html

#180 Inside the Emotion of Fiction 

08 04 2020

Screenplay

“BUNNY”

by Shaun Hughes 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/08/director-shaun-hughess-screenplay-bunny.html 

#181 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

08 09 2020

Short Story 

“Wrong Road” from the Short Story Collection George’s Mother and Other Weird Stories

by Susan Berliner 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/08/susan-berliners-short-story-wrong-road.html

#182 Inside the Emotion of Fiction 

08 11 2020

Thriller Mystery

“Death in the Time of Ice”

by Kaye George

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/08/kaye-georges-death-in-time-of-ice-is.html

#183 Inside the Emotion of Fiction 

08 13 2020

Screenplay

“Igor and Frankie”

by Jim Picariello

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/08/jim-picariellos-screenplay-igor-and.html

#184 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

08 14 2020

Short Story 

Short Story “Breaking on the Wheel” from the Short Story Collection No Call Too Small. 

by Oscar Martens 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/08/oscar-martenss-short-story-breaking-on.html

#185 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

08 20 2020

Romance

A Secret, a Safari, a Second Chance

by Liz Fielding

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/08/liz-feldings-secret-safari-second.html

#186 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

08 26 2020

Mystery and Psychological Fiction 

Falling Woman

by Richard Farrell

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/08/richard-farrells-falling-woman-is-186.html

#187 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

09 03 2020

Children’s Picture Book

MAC AND CHEESE AND THE PERSONAL SPACE INVADER 

By Jolene Gutierrez

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/09/jolene-gutierrezs-mac-and-cheese-and.html

#188 Inside the Emotion of Fiction 

09 07 2020

Screenplay

JUDE COLE

By Janelle Marie Evans

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/09/janelle-evanss-screenplay-jude-cole-is.html

#189 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

09 09 2020

Historical Christian Romance

UNTIL JUNE

by Barbara M Britton

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/09/barbara-m-brittons-until-june-is-189-in.html

#190 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

09 10 2020

Screenplay

THROUGH THE SILENCE

by Elaine Roberts-Kercheff

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/09/filmmaker-elaine-roberts-kercheffs.html 

#191 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

09 16 2020

1960s Historical Fiction

California Dreamin’ Teens Interrupted 2

by KC Sprayberry 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/09/kc-sprayberrys-california-dreamin-teens.html 

#192 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

09 17 2020

Screenplay

DAUGHTERS LOST TO THE DESERT

by April Snachez

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/09/kc-sprayberrys-california-dreamin-teens.html 

#193 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

09 18 2020

Contemporary Literature and Fiction

THE SHAMAN OF TURTLE VALLEY

by Clifford Garstang

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/09/clifford-garstangs-shaman-of-turtle.html 

#194 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

09 19 2020

Crime Fiction

THE ACE OF DIAMONDS

by ES Gibson

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/09/es-gibsons-ace-of-diamonds-is-194-in.html 

#195 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

09 20 2020

Historical Fiction

Katherine-Tudor Duchess

by Tony Riches

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/09/tony-richess-katherine-tudor-duchess-is.html 

#196 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

09 21 2020

Short Fiction

“Dinner Prep”

by Thaddeus Rutkowski 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/09/thaddeus-rutkowskis-dinner-prep-is-196.html 

#197 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

09 22 2020

Screenplay

SWEET DREAMS

by Ben Johnson

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/09/bill-johnsons-screenplay-sweet-dreams.html 

#198 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

09 26 2020

Crime Thriller

Dirty Deeds

by Armand Rosamilia

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/09/armand-rosamilias-dirty-deeds-is-198-in.html 

#199 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

09 29 2020

Crime Thriller

Hunting Mariah 

by Janice Spina 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/09/janice-spinas-hunting-mariah-is-199-in.html 

#200 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

10   2020

Crime Novel

Indelible:  A Sean McPhereson Novel, Book One

by Laurie Buchanan

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/10/laurie-buchanans-indelible-sean.html 

#201 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

10 04 2020  

Cross-genre novel

January River

by Bernard Jan

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/10/bernard-jans-january-river-is-201-in.html 

#202 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

10 10 2020

Historical Novel

Robin Hood’s Dawn: The Earl of Huntingdon”

by Olivia Longueville

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/10/olivia-longuevilles-robin-hoods-dawn.html

#203  Inside the Emotion

10 14 2020

Historical Novel

The Alexanders Volume 1 1911-1920

by Allan Hudson

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/10/allan-hudsons-alexanders-volume-1-1911.html

 

#204 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

10 15 2020

Short story

Forget Me Not

by Angele Ellis

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/10/angele-elliss-short-story-forget-me-not.html 

#205 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

10 16 2020

Coming of Age Fiction

My Gypsy War Diary

by Shawn Brink

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/10/shawn-brinks-my-gypsy-war-diary-is-205.html 

#206 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

10 19 2020

Western Screenplay 

The Search for Sundown, Texas

by Patrick Emralino

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/10/director-patrick-emralino-s-screenplay.html 

#207 Inside the Emotion of Fiction 

10 20 2020

Romance

A Promise for Faith-Briar Creek Love Book 1

by Stacy K Simmons

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/10/stacy-k-simmonss-promise-for-faith.html 

#208 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

10 22 2020

Terrorism Thriller

Death In The Cloud

by E.J. Simon

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/10/ej-simons-death-in-cloud-is-208-in.html 

#209 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

10 25 2020

Mystery

“The Nazi Spy Mystery Series Book 1”

by Alan Hardy

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/10/alan-hardys-nazi-spy-nazi-spy-mystery.html  

#210 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

10 29 2020

Historical

“The Unbridled Tongue”

by Catherine Meyrick

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/10/catherine-meyricks-bridled-tongue-is.html 

#211 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

11 03 2020

Short Story Collection

“Tales From Los Cabos”

by Lila C Duville

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/10/catherine-meyricks-bridled-tongue-is.html 

#212 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

11 09 2020

Historical Fiction

“THE LAST OF THE ROMANS: FIGHT OR DIE”

by Derek Birks

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/11/derek-birkss-last-of-romans-fight-or.html 

#213 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

11 12 2020

Historical Fiction

RISING FROM THE RUINS

by Anna Chant 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/11/images-in-this-specific-piece-are.html 

#214 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

11 14 2020

Short Story

NEW SPEEDWAY BOOGIE 

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/11/paula-persoleos-short-story-new.html 

#215 Inside the Emotion of Fiction

11 29 2020

Science Fiction

A HOLE IN THE UNIVERSE 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/11/jack-wears-hole-in-universe-is-215-in.html 

Volodymyr Bilyk’s “Penguins” is #219 in the never-ending series called BACKSTORY OF THE POEM

 *The images in this specific piece are granted copyright privilege by:  Public Domain, CCSAL, GNU Free Documentation Licenses, Fair Use Under The United States Copyright Law, or given copyright privilege by the copyright holder which is identified beneath the individual photo.

**Some of the links will have to be copied and then posted in your search engine in order to pull up properly

*** The CRC Blog welcomes submissions from published and unpublished poets for BACKSTORY OF THE POEM series.  Contact CRC Blog via email at caccoop@aol.com or personal Facebook messaging at https://www.facebook.com/car.cooper.7

***Volodymyr Bilyk’s “Penguins” is #219 in the never-ending series called BACKSTORY OF THE POEM where the Chris Rice Cooper Blog (CRC) focuses on one specific poem and how the poet wrote that specific poem.  All BACKSTORY OF THE POEM links are at the end of this piece. 

Can you go through the step-by-step process of writing this poem from the moment the idea was first conceived in your brain until the final form? Penguins went through five major iterations. 

        My original intention was to capture the non-sequitur nature of the dream. I wrote each episode separately and then tried to fit it like a reverse puzzle. It was a jumble and read like rambling drivel.

        

        Then I decided to flesh it out - so I was first sketching the haphazard imagery and then adding context in-between to keep it cohesive. It didn't work. 

        Despite being a dream narrative - it read like some kitchen sink verse/penguins sketch, then kitchen sink verse continues, except the kuleshov effect, repeat. 

        Then I tried the "not in ideas but in things" approach and decided to make it tangible - only refer to things that happened as they happened. 

        Stylistically it was overkill, and it wasn't doing much for the narrative - a bunch of words stacked on each other looking intimidating. 

        Then I went with the haiku sequence, and it seemed to be the best way because it let me cut the fat and drop much of the writing. 

        

        But the poem didn't really work as a haiku series - it looked like a limerick suffering from brain damage - interesting but not what I was trying to do. 

        Then I went through some poetry anthology and stumbled upon Robert Creeley’s poem Dimensions and clicked for me. Click on link below to read Dimensions. (Below Right: Robert Creeley in 1972)

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/browse?contentId=30047 

       

        Instantly everything started to come together. I began to understand what was actually going on with those penguins and was able to put it into words.

Where were you when you started to actually write the poem?  And please describe the place in great detail. I was in Zhytomyr, back after a period of traveling. My room was littered with different papers, notes, books stacked in combinations for different research purposes. It had that stalled smell of dust and sweat.

      

        My desk barely had any free space to put a coffee cup, not to mention a notebook - it was covered in stuff with a laptop on top. I guess the right word to describe it is “cluttered.”

        I used to blank stare at a colossal oak outside my window because it seemed like a symbol of persistence in my mind. 

        My desk was right in front of the window, and every time I opened it - I got cold and felt sick afterwards. 

What month and year did you start writing this poem? The poem started gestating from around May 2015. I started drafting it as a poem in August 2015. The first version was done by October; then, it was rewritten a couple of times. The final version started in November 2015 and finished in January 2016.

How many drafts of this poem did you write before going to the final? (And can you share a photograph of your rough drafts with pen markings on it?) As was mentioned previously, there were five significant iterations. The final version had around nine drafts overall (judging from the document’s version history), three of which had major changes. The rest either expanded or reduced certain bits and juggled the episodes.

        The seventh draft was the version that locked down the structure of the final version. I then cleaned it up and tightened its pace over the next two drafts. 

Were there any lines in any of your rough drafts of this poem that were not in the final version?  And can you share them with us?  Lots and lots of stuff were cut over four different versions. While they weren’t all that different narrative-wise or image-wise - the presentation was very different from version to version.  (Right:  The eyes of a Fairy Penguin)

        

At the start, the penguins were mentioned a lot throughout the text—Penguins this, penguins that. Since the whole poem was about penguins anyway - I thought it was overabundant, so the final version features penguins in title only, while the rest is implied.  (Left: The eyes of a Little Penguin)

        

Before that, I was trying to figure out a workaround. At some point, I decided to use a dictionary description of the penguin: “Short-legged flightless birds of cold southern with webbed feet and wings modified as flippers.”. Then “sphenisciform seabird,” then it dawned on me that either was stupid, so it went to the cutting room floor. (Right:  The eyes of an Adelie Penguin)

        Here’s some cut content from the final version.

“ABBBBAABAAABBABAABBABABAAABAAAABBABBAABA” bit initially was a collage of excerpts from the dictionary describing various verbs like “Bellow,” “Bawl,” and “Roar” written as awkward mantras.

vehement; conspicuously and offensively loud; without restraint; raucous; forceful;  

Maybe hear some things… - was originally followed by the extended onomatopoeia section - SKREE WHUD BADOOM SKLUNK. It was pointless, so it went away.

Be curious enough to ask… - featured a short typographic concrete poem blast “YUIO YUIO YUITIOTIOTIOTIO WXWXWXWXWXWX VVVVV.” After a couple of rereads, I got tired spelling, and it added nothing to the poem, so it went away.

"blank stare, wink-wink" was originally a full-blown description of a blank stare on the face slowly morphing into a “wink-wink” one. It was overlong and stalled the poem. So I just got straight to the point instead.

“mountains laughing” - originally featured an onomatopoeia laughter BAHAHAHAHA. While it is a right touch when reading aloud - otherwise, it was stealing the thunder from the “mountains laughing” image, so I took it out.

“tremendous shadow falls.” - was initially featured by another line “shirk of the slash of disquiet warps inside outs.” It was way too pretentious. 

“whatever smells that way…” - was preceded by an “elirtinonolamenedilyzneborolhc” - a faux chemical element that emitted said smell. It was hard to read, not worked in the text, so it went away.

What do you want readers of this poem to take from this poem?  Penguins are an exploration of the image power of language. You can’t read it as a poem because it is not written as a poem per se - it is a document, a record of the event expressed in language. (Left:  The eyes of a Southern Rockhopper Penguin)

        It is a poem that eschews a straightforward narrative and instead lets the reader adjust a version of a narrative according to their understanding and interpretation of the sequences of images.

Which part of the poem was the most emotional of you to write and why?  The whole process of writing “Penguins” was quite emotional. 

        In 2015 I had a long stretch of stressful days on my job and started to crack under pressure. Working remotely, leisure and day job rolled into one with no real break between the two. Messes you up. You stop feeling at home because of that. 

        I was working overtime, and things were falling apart all the time, and I needed to fix them fast—lots and lots of stress. So I began having a recurring dream where I was watching the penguins from afar. 

        

        And every time I was reaching my limit - that image of penguins was popping in my head. At that time - I wasn't actively pursuing my artistic aspirations - I was trying to quit because it started to affect my day-to-day life in a negative way. 

        I was dedicating too much attention to vanity art stuff and not enough for my employment, which resulted in me making a mess once in a while. 

        By mid-2015, this attitude had reached its pinnacle and was breaking down. Thus - the penguin dream. 

        And I tried to analyze it and somehow understand what it means. 

        

But it wasn't helping because after a while, the dream evolved into me being a beholder in the midst of the crowd of penguins - in huge close-up - seeing the texture of their skin - their faces, and so on. And not much else. (Right: the eyes of a Gentoo Penguin)

        

After a while, I was fed with this imageworm, so I tried to get rid of it by just writing it down - and it sprawled into a series of narrative strands that started to emerge as I was writing down the recollections of dreams. (Left:  The eyes of a Yellow-Eyed Penguin)

Before long, I decided to make it into a poem.

Regarding a specific part of the poem - then it is “tremendous shadow fall” bit. 

It is one of the few bits that came all the way through the original draft of the poem. 

It is actually a slightly reiterated note from my diary. I did it after having an emotional breakdown. (Above Right:  The eyes of a King Penguin)

Has this poem been published before?  And if so where?  "Penguins" were previously published on the Beakful Blog. (https://beakful.blogspot.com/2016/02/penguins-by-volodymyr-bilyk.html)  (Above: Beakful Logo)  It was sort of a farewell to dark days. 

        Back in the day, I thought this poem would be served best without the surrounding context. 

        Now I think the experience of writing may also contribute to the experience of reading it.

 

PENGUINS

 

ABBBBAABAAABBABAABBABABAAABAAAABBABBAABA

AABBBABAAABAABABAABA

 

detached cry at the tin bowl:

echo - quells,

inane meek flush appears

: gray glow...

wave hand kindly,

 

Maybe

hear some things...

 

...

be curious enough to ask

if there is a pattern.

 

shed tears

inside out.

 

"blank stare, wink-wink"

 

ABBBBAABAAABBABAABBABABAAABAAAABBABBAABA

AABBBABAAABAABABAABA

 

"off"

(is a line).

in the haze,

tongue claps - offensive.

(Smoke

shimmers.)

sad.

 

mountains laughing

, sobbing.

listening to

hair rash...

 

nothing-nothing...

quietly

rains

 

("squirm, wince, flinch, shudder")

 

tremendous

shadow falls.

a few touches

here and there...

the roar...:

 

“What?

“Nothing.”

“Oh, yes. Right.”

 

ABBBBAABAAABBABAABBABABAAABAAAABBABBAABA

AABBBABAAABAABABAABA

 

craggy fog

wracks

improbable

squawk wobble.

 

whatever smells that way...

throes additional sizzle...sigh,

 

so boring...

 

ABBBBAABAAABBABAABBABABAAABAAAABBABBAABA

AABBBABAAABAABABAABA

 

boxing flip-flap

fuzzy cough -

clanging

hops of wight; lame

- knee jerks,

more like bobs...

 

Listen to these lost and

useless notions...

 

ABBBBAABAAABBABAABBABABAAABAAAABBABBAABA

AABBBABAAABAABABAABA

 

blight,  tight fist,

 

elbow

groan

(great!)

 

terrible

wisps and skimps

- puff,

 

tainted

lips

cheer...

 

curdle curves cuddle.

sour clatter:

neat vexation.

 

ABBBBAABAAABBABAABBABABAAABAAAABBABBAABA

AABBBABAAABAABABAABA

 

table

slowly

tossed

- indecent flight ends with an impact

- broken pieces look like abstract action figures...

 

what a marvel!

 

(wind and  breath

get into a fight)

 

hideous

quake,

eyes toot.

 

gasp.

back matters.

skews a bit

definite  gust

kicks the cheeks

chin  jigs

with a sound of a hiss.

 

dung aside

booms.

 BACKSTORY OF THE POEM LINKS 

001  December 29, 2017

Margo Berdeshevksy’s “12-24”

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2017/12/a-new-crc-blog-series-backstory-of-poem.html

002  January 08, 2018 

Alexis Rhone Fancher’s “82 Miles From the Beach, We Order The Lobster At Clear Lake Café”

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/01/a-new-crc-blog-series-backstory-of-poem.html

003 January 12, 2018 

Barbara Crooker’s “Orange”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/01/a-new-crc-blog-series-backstory-of-poem_12.html 

004 January 22, 2018 

Sonia Saikaley’s “Modern Matsushima”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-fourth-installment-of-new-crc-blog.html

005 January 29, 2018

Ellen Foos’s “Side Yard”

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/01/5-backstory-of-poem-sidewalk-by-ellen.html 

006 February 03, 2018

Susan Sundwall’s “The Ringmaster” 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/02/6-backstory-of-poem-susan-sundwalls.html

007 February 09, 2018

Leslea Newman’s “That Night”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/02/7-backstory-of-poem-that-night-by.html

008 February 17, 2018

Alexis Rhone Fancher “June Fairchild Isn’t Dead”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/02/8-backstory-of-poem-june-fairchild-isnt.html

009 February 24, 2018

Charles Clifford Brooks III “The Gift of the Year With Granny”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/02/9-backstory-of-poem-gift-of-year-with.html 

010 March 03, 2018

Scott Thomas Outlar’s “The Natural Reflection of Your Palms”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/03/chris-ricecooper-caccoopaol.html 

011 March 10, 2018

Anya Francesca Jenkins’s “After Diane Beatty’s Photograph “History Abandoned”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/03/11-backstory-of-poem-after-diane.html

012  March 17, 2018

Angela Narciso Torres’s “What I Learned This Week” 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/03/12-backstory-of-poem-series-angela.html

013 March 24, 2018

Jan Steckel’s “Holiday On ICE”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/03/13-backstory-of-poem-jan-steckels.html 

014 March 31, 2018

Ibrahim Honjo’s “Colors”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/03/14-backstory-of-poem-ibrahim-honjos.html

015 April 14, 2018

Marilyn Kallett’s “Ode to Disappointment”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/04/15-backstory-of-poem-ode-to_14.html 

016  April 27, 2018 

Beth Copeland’s “Reliquary”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/04/16-backstory-of-poem-reliquary-by-beth.html

017  May 12, 2018

Marlon L Fick’s “The Swallows of Barcelona”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/05/17-backstory-of-poem-swallows-of.html

018  May 25, 2018

Juliet Cook’s “ARTERIAL DISCOMBOBULATION”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/05/18-backstory-of-poem-arterial.html

019  June 09, 2018

Alexis Rhone Fancher’s “Stiletto Killer. . . A Surmise”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/06/19-backstory-of-poem-stiletto-killer.html

020 June 16, 2018 

Charles Rammelkamp’s “At Last I Can Start Suffering”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/06/20-backstory-of-poem-at-least-i-can.html

021  July 05, 2018 

Marla Shaw O’Neill’s “Wind Chimes”

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/07/21-backstory-of-poem-wind-chimes-by.html 

022 July 13, 2018

Julia Gordon-Bramer’s “Studying Ariel” 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/07/22-backstory-of-poem-studying-ariel-by.html 

023 July 20, 2018 

Bill Yarrow’s “Jesus Zombie”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/07/23-backstory-of-poem-jesus-zombie-by.html 

024  July 27, 2018 

Telaina Eriksen’s “Brag 2016”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/07/24-backstory-of-poem-brag-2016-by.html 

025  August 01, 2018

Seth Berg’s “It is only Yourself that Bends – so Wake up!”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/08/25-backstory-of-poem-it-is-only.html 

026  August 07, 2018

David Herrle’s “Devil In the Details”

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/08/26-backstory-of-poem-devil-in-details.html 

027  August 13, 2018

Gloria Mindock’s “Carmen Polo, Lady Necklaces, 2017”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/08/27-backstory-of-poem-carmen-polo-lady.html

028  August 21, 2018

Connie Post’s “Two Deaths”

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/08/28-backstory-of-poem-two-deaths-by.html 

029  August 30, 2018

Mary Harwell Sayler’s “Faces in a Crowd”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/08/29-backstory-of-poem-faces-in-crowd-by.html 

030 September 16, 2018

Larry Jaffe’s “The Risking Point”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/09/30-backstory-of-poem-risking-point-by.html

 

031  September 24, 2018

Mark Lee Webb’s “After We Drove”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/09/31-backstory-of-poem-after-we-drove-by.html

032  October 04, 2018

Melissa Studdard’s “Astral”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/10/32-backstory-of-poem-astral-by-melissa.html

033 October 13, 2018

Robert Craven’s “I Have A Bass Guitar Called Vanessa”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/10/33-backstory-of-poem-i-have-bass-guitar.html 

034  October 17, 2018

David Sullivan’s “Paper Mache Peaches of Heaven”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/10/34-backstory-of-poem-paper-mache.html 

035 October 23, 2018

Timothy Gager’s “Sobriety” 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/10/35-backstory-of-poem-sobriety-by.html 

036  October 30, 2018

Gary Glauber’s “The Second Breakfast”

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/10/36-backstory-of-poem-second-breakfast.html 

037  November 04, 2018

Heather Forbes-McKeon’s “Melania’s Deaf Tone Jacket”

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/11/37-backstory-of-poem-melanias-tone-deaf.html

038 November 11, 2018

Andrena Zawinski’s “Women of the Fields”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/11/38-backstory-of-poem-women-of-fields-by.html

039  November 00, 2018

Gordon Hilger’s “Poe”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/11/39-backstory-of-poem-poe-by-gordon.html 

040 November 16, 2018

Rita Quillen’s “My Children Question Me About Poetry” and “Deathbed Dreams”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/11/40-backstory-of-poems-my-children.html 

041 November 20, 2018

Jonathan Kevin Rice’s “Dog Sitting”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/11/41-backstory-of-poem-dog-sitting-by.html 

042 November 22, 2018

Haroldo Barbosa Filho’s “Mountain”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/11/42-backstory-of-poem-mountain-by.html 

043  November 27, 2018

Megan Merchant’s “Grief Flowers”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/11/43-backstory-of-poem-grief-flowers-by.html 

044 November 30, 2018

Jonathan P Taylor’s “This poem is too neat”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/11/44-backstory-of-poem-poem-is-too-neat.html 

045  December 03, 2018

Ian Haight’s “Sungmyo for our Dead Father-in-Law”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/12/045-backstory-of-poem-sungmyo-for-our.html 

046 December 06, 2018

Nancy Dafoe’s “Poem in the Throat”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/12/046-backstory-of-poem-poem-registering.html

047 December 11, 2018

Jeffrey Pearson’s “Memorial Day”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/12/47-backstory-of-poem-memorial-day-by.html 

048  December 14, 2018

Frank Paino’s “Laika”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/12/48-backstory-of-poem-laika-by-frank.html

049  December 15, 2018

Jennifer Martelli’s “Anniversary”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/12/49-backstory-of-poem-anniversary-by.html

O50  December 19, 2018 

Joseph Ross’s “For Gilberto Ramos, 15, Who Died in the Texas Desert, June 2014”

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/12/50-backstory-of-poem-for-gilberto-ramos.html 

051 December 23, 2018

“The Persistence of Music”

by Anatoly Molotkov

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/12/51-backstory-of-poem-persistence-of.html 

052  December 27, 2018

“Under Surveillance”

by Michael Farry

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/12/52-backstory-of-poem-under-surveillance.html 

053  December 28, 2018

“Grand Finale”

by Renuka Raghavan

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/12/53-backstory-of-poem-grand-finale-by.html

054  December 29, 2018

“Aftermath”

by Gene Barry

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2018/12/54-backstory-of-poem-aftermath-by-gene.html 

055 January 2, 2019

“&”

by Larissa Shmailo

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/01/55-backstory-of-poem-by-larissa-shmailo_5.html 

056  January 7, 2019

“The Seamstress:

by Len Kuntz

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/01/56-backstory-of-poem-seamstress-by-len_6.html

057  January 10, 2019

"Natural History"

by Camille T Dungy

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/01/57-backstory-of-poem-natural-history-by.html 

058  January 11, 2019

“BLOCKADE”

by Brian Burmeister

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/01/58-backstory-of-poem-blockade-by-brian.html 

059  January 12, 2019

“Lost”

by Clint Margrave

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/01/59-backstory-of-poem-lost-by-clint.html 

060 January 14, 2019

“Menopause”

by Pat Durmon

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/01/60-backstory-of-poem-menopause-by-pat.html 

061 January 19, 2019

“Neptune’s Choir”

by Linda Imbler

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/01/61-backstory-of-poem-neptunes-choir-by.html 

062  January 22, 2019

“Views From the Driveway”

by Amy Barone

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/01/62-backstory-of-poem-views-from.html 

063  January 25, 2019

“The heron leaves her haunts in the marsh”

by Gail Wronsky

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/01/63-backstory-of-poem-heron-leaves-her.html

064  January 30, 2019

“Shiprock”

by Terry Lucas

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/01/64-backstory-of-poem-shiprock-by-terry_29.html 

065 February 02, 2019

“Summer 1970, The University of Virginia Opens to Women in the Fall”

by Alarie Tennille

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/02/65-backstory-of-poem-summer-1970.html 

066 February 05, 2019

“At School They Learn Nouns”

by Patrick Bizzaro

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/02/66-backstory-of-poem-at-school-they.html

067  February 06, 2019

“I Must Not Breathe”

by Angela Jackson-Brown

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/02/67-backstory-of-poem-i-must-not-breathe.html

068 February 11, 2019

“Lunch on City Island, Early June”

by Christine Potter

 https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/02/068-backstory-of-poem-lunch-on-city.html

069 February 12, 2019

“Singing”

by Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/02/69-backstory-of-poem-singing-by-andrew.html 

070 February 14, 2019

“Daily Commute”

by Christopher P. Locke 

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/02/70-backstory-of-poem-daily-commute-by.html 

071 February 18, 2019

“How Silent The Trees”

by Wyn Cooper 

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/02/71-backstory-of-poem-how-silent-trees.html

072 February 20, 2019

“A New Psalm of Montreal”

by Sheenagh Pugh

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/02/72-backstory-of-poem-new-psalm-of.html

073 February 23, 2019

“Make Me A Butterfly”

by Amy Barbera

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/02/73-backstory-of-poem-make-me-butterfly_23.html 

074 February 26, 2019

“Anthem”

by Sandy Coomer

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/02/74-backstory-of-poem-anthem-by-sandy.html 

075 March 4, 2019

“Shape of a Violin”

by Kelly Powell

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/03/75-backstory-of-poem-shape-of-violin-by.html 

076 March 5, 2019

“Inward Oracle”

by J.P. Dancing Bear

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/03/76-backstory-of-poem-inward-oracle-by.html

077 March 7, 2019

“I Broke My Bust Of Jesus”

by Susan Sundwall

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/03/77-backstory-of-poem-i-broke-my-bust-of.html 

078 March 9, 2019

“My Mother at 19”

by John Guzlowski

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/03/78-backstory-of-poem-my-mother-was-19.html 

079 March 10, 2019 

“Paddling”

by Chera Hammons Miller 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/03/79-backstory-of-poem-paddling-by-chera.html 

080 March 12, 2019

“Of Water and Echo”

by Gillian Cummings

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/03/80-backstory-of-poem-of-water-and-echo.html 

081   082   083    March 14, 2019

“Little Political Sense”   “Crossing Kansas with Jim

Morrison”  “The Land of Sky and Blue Waters”

by Dr. Lindsey Martin-Bowen

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/03/81-82-and-83-backstory-of-poems-by-dr.html 

084 March 15, 2019

“A Tune To Remember”

by Anna Evans

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/03/84-backstory-of-poem-tune-to-remember.html 

085 March 19, 2019

“At the End of Time (Wish You Were Here)

by Jeannine Hall Gailey

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/03/85-backstory-of-poem-at-end-of-time.html

086 March 20, 2019

“Garden of Gethsemane”

by Marletta Hemphill

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/03/86-backstory-of-poem-view-from.html 

087 March 21, 2019

“Letters From a War”

by Chelsea Dingman

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/03/87-backstory-of-poem-letters-from-war.html 

088 March 26, 2019

“HAT”

by Bob Heman

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/03/88-backstory-of-poem-hat-by-bob-heman.html 

 

089 March 27, 2019

“Clay for the Potter”

by Belinda Bourgeois

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/03/89-backstory-of-poem-clay-for-potter-by.html 

#090 March 30, 2019

“The Pose”

by John Hicks 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/03/90-backstory-of-poem-pose-by-john-hicks.html 

#091 April 2, 2019

“Last Night at the Wursthaus”

by Doug Holder

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/04/91-backstory-of-poem-last-night-at.html 

#092 April 4, 2019

“Original Sin”

by Diane Lockward

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/04/92-backstory-of-poem-original-sin-by.html

#093 April 5, 2019

“A Father Calls to his child on liveleak”

by Stephen Byrne

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/04/93-backstory-of-poem-father-calls-to.html

 

#094 April 8, 2019

“XX”

by Marc Zegans

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/04/94-backstory-of-poem-xx-by-marc-zegans.html

 

#095 April 12, 2019

“Landscape and Still Life”

by Marjorie Maddox

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/04/95-backstory-of-poem-landscape-and.html

#096 April 16, 2019

“Strawberries Have Been Growing Here for Hundreds of

Years”

by Mary Ellen Lough

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/04/096-backstory-of-poem-strawberries-have.html

#097 April 17, 2019

“The New Science of Slippery Surfaces”

by Donna Spruijt-Metz

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/04/97-backstory-of-poem-new-science-of.html

#098 April 19, 2019

“Tennessee Epithalamium”

by Alyse Knorr

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/04/098-backstory-of-poem-tennessee.html

#099 April 20, 2019

“Mermaid, 1969”

by Tameca L. Coleman

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/04/99-backstory-of-poem-mermaids-1969-by.html

#100 April 21, 2019

“How Do You Know?”

by Stephanie

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/04/100-backstory-of-poem-how-do-you-know.html

#101 April 23, 2019

“Rare Book and Reader”

by Ned Balbo

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/04/101-backstory-of-poem-rare-book-and.html

 

#102 April 26, 2019

“THUNDER”

by Jefferson Carter

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/04/102-backstory-of-poem-thunder-by.html

#103 May 01, 2019

“The sight of a million angels”

by Jenneth Graser

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/05/103-backstory-of-poem-sight-of-million.html

#104 May 09, 2019

“How to tell my dog I’m dying”

by Richard Fox

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/05/104-backstory-of-poem-how-to-tell-my.html

#105 May 17, 2019

“Promises Had Been Made”

by Sarah Sarai 

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/05/105-backstory-of-poem-promises-had-been.html

#106 June 01, 2019

“i sold your car today”

by Pamela Twining

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/06/106-backstory-of-poem-i-sold-your-car.html

#107 June 02, 2019

“Abandoned Stable”

by Nancy Susanna Breen

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/06/107-backstory-of-poem-abandoned-stable.html

#108 June 05, 2019

“Cupcake”

by Julene Tripp Weaver

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/06/108-backstory-of-poem-cupcake-by-julene.html

#109 June 6, 2019

“Bobby’s Story”

by Jimmy Pappas

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/06/109-backstory-of-poem-bobbys-story-by.html

#110 June 10, 2019

“When You Ask Me to Tell You About My Father”

by Pauletta Hansel 

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/06/110-backstory-of-poem-when-you-ask-me.html

#111 Backstory of the Poem’s

“Cemetery Mailbox”

by Jennifer Horne

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/06/111-backstory-of-poem-cemetery-mailbox.html

#112 Backstory of the Poem’s

“Relics”

by Kate Peper

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/06/112-backstory-of-poem-relics-by-kate.html

#113 Backstory of the Poem’s

“Q”

by Jennifer Johnson

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/06/113-backstory-of-poem-q-by-jennifer.html

#114 Backstory of the Poem’s

“Brushing My Hair”

by Tammika Dorsey Jones

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/06/114-backstory-of-poem-brushing-my-hair.html

#115 Backstory of the Poem

“Because the Birds Will Survive, Too”

by Katherine Riegel 

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/06/115-backstory-of-poem-because-birds.html

#116 Backstory of the Poem

“DIVORCE”

by Joan Barasovska

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/07/116-backstory-of-poem-divorce-by-joan.html

#117 Backstory of the Poem

“NEW YEAR”S EVE 2016”

by Michael Meyerhofer

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/07/117-backstory-of-poem-new-years-eve.html

#118 Backstory of the Poem

“Dear the estranged,”

by Gina Tron

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/07/118-backstory-of-poem-dear-estranged-by.html

#119 Backstory of the Poem

“In Remembrance of Them”

by Janet Renee Cryer

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/07/119-backstory-of-poem-in-remembrance-of.html

#120 Backstory of the Poem

“Horse Fly Grade Card, Doesn’t Play Well With Others”

by David L. Harrison

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/08/120-backstory-of-poem-horse-fly-grade.html

#121 Backstory of the Poem

“My Mother’s Cookbook”

by Rachael Ikins

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/08/121-backstory-of-poem-my-mothers.html

#122 Backstory of the Poem

“Cousins I Never Met”

by Maureen Kadish Sherbondy 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/08/122-backstory-of-poem-cousins-i-never.html

#123 Backstory of the Poem

“To Those Who Were Our First Gods”

by Nickole Brown

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/09/123-backstory-of-poem-to-those-who-were.html

#124 Backstory of the Poem

“Looking For Sunsets (In the Early Morning)”

by Paul Levinson

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/09/124-backstory-of-poem-looking-for.html

#125 Backstory of the Poem

“Tracy”

by Tiff Holland

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/09/125-backstory-of-poem-tracy-by-tiff.html

#126 Backstory of the Poem

“Legs”

by Cindy Hochman

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/09/126-backstory-of-poem-legs-by-cindy.html

#127 Backstory of the Poem

“Anathema”

by Natasha Saje

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/09/127-backstory-of-poem-anathema-by.html

#128 Backstory of the Poem

“How to Explain Fertility When an Acquaintance Asks Casually”

by Allison Blevins

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/10/128-backstory-of-poem-how-to-explain.html

#129 Backstory of the Poem

“The Art of Meditation In Tennessee”

by Linda Parsons

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/10/129-backstory-of-poem-art-of-meditation.html

#130 Backstory of the Poem

“Schooling High, In Beslan”

by Satabdi Saha

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/10/130-backstory-of-poem-schooling-high-in.html

#131 Backstory of the Poem

““Baby Jacob survives the Oso Landslide, 2014”

by Amie Zimmerman

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/10/131-backstory-of-poem-baby-jacob.html

#132 Backstory of the Poem

“Our Age of Anxiety”

by Henry Israeli

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/10/132-backstory-of-poem-our-age-of.html

#133 Backstory of the Poem

“Earth Cries; Heaven Smiles”

by Ken Allan Dronsfield

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/10/133-backstory-of-poem-earth-cries.html

#134  Backstory of the Poem

“Eons”

by Janine Canan

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/11/134-backstory-of-poem-eons-by-janine.html

#135 Backstory of the Poem

“Sworn”

by Catherine Zickgraf

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/11/135-backstory-of-poem-sworn-by.html

#136 Backstory of the Poem

“Bushwick Blue”

by Susana H. Case

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/11/136-backstory-of-poem-bushwick-blue-by.html

#137 Backstory of the Poem

“Then She Was Forever”

by Paula Persoleo

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/11/137-backstory-of-poem-then-she-was.html

#138 Backstory of the Poem

“Enough”

by Kris Bigalk

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/11/138-backstory-of-poem-enough-by-kris.html

#139 Backstory of the Poem

“From Ghosts of the Upper Floor”

by Tony Trigilio

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/11/139-backstory-of-poem-from-ghosts-of.html

#140 Backstory of the Poem

“Cloud Audience”

by Wanita Zumbrunnen

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/11/140-backstory-of-poem-cloud-audience-by.html

#141 Backstory of the Poem

“Condition Center”

by Matthew Freeman

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/11/141-backstory-of-poem-condition-center.html

#142 Backstory of the Poem

“Adventuresome Woman”

by Cheryl Suchors

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/12/142-backstory-of-poem-adventuresome.html

#143 Backstory of the Poem

“The Way Back” 

by Robert Walicki

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/12/143-backstory-of-poem-way-back-by.html

#144 Backstory of the Poem

“If I Had Three Lives”

by Sarah Russell

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/12/144-backstory-of-poem-if-i-had-three.html

#145 Backstory of the Poem

“Reservoir”

by Andrea Rexilius

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2019/12/145-backstory-of-poem-reservoir-by.html

#146 Backstory of the Poem

“The Night Before Our Dog Died”

by Melissa Fite Johnson

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/01/146-backstory-of-poem-night-before-our.html

#147 Backstory of the Poem

“Pileated”

by David Anthony Sam

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/01/147-backstory-of-poem-pileated-by-david_14.html

#148 Backstory of the Poem

“A Kitchen Argument”

by Matthew Gwathmey

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/01/148-backstory-of-poem-kitchen-argument.html

#149 Backstory of the Poem

“Insulation”

by Bruce Kauffman

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/01/149-backstory-of-poem-insulation-by.html

#150 Backstory of the Poem

“I Will Tell You Where I’ve Been”

by Justin Hamm

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/02/150-backstory-of-poem-i-will-tell-you.html

#151 Backstory of the Poem

“Comfort”

by Michael A Griffith

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/02/151-backstory-of-poem-comfort-by.html

#152 Backstory of the Poem

“VAN GOGH TO HIS MISTRESS”

by Margo Taft Stever

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/02/152-backstory-of-poem-van-gogh-to-his.html

#153 Backstory of the Poem

“1. Girl”

by Margaret Manuel

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/02/153-backstory-of-poem-1-girl-by_12.html

#154 Backstory of the Poem

“Trading Places”

by Maria Chisolm

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/02/154-backstory-of-poem-trading-places.html

#155 Backstory of the Poem

“The Reoccurring Woman”

by Debra May

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/02/155-backstory-of-poem-reoccuring-woman.html

#156 Backstory of the Poem

“Word Falling”

by Sheryl St. Germain

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/02/156-backstory-of-poem-word-falling-by.html

#157 Backstory of the Poem

“Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup of 7,000 Jews Detained in an

Arena”

by Liz Marlow

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/02/157-backstory-of-poem-vel-dhiv-roundup.html

#158 Backstory of the Poem

“Why Otters Hold Hands”

by William Walsh

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/03/158-backstory-of-poem-why-otters-hold.html

#159 Backstory of the Poem

“The Invisible World”

by Rocco de Giacoma

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/03/159-backstory-of-poem-visible-world-by.html

#160 Backstory of the Poem

“Last Call”

by Ralph Culver

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/03/160-backstory-of-poem-last-call-by.html

#161 Backstory of the Poem

“ALIVE”

by David Dephy 

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/03/161-backstory-of-poem-alive-by-david.html

#162 Backstory of the Poem

“Mare Nostrum”

by Janice D Soderling

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/03/162-backstory-of-poem-mare-nostrum-by.html

#163 Backstory of the Poem

“Winnipeg Noir”

by Carmelo Militano

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/03/163-backstory-of-poem-winnipeg-noir-by.html

#164 Backstory of the Poem

“Needlepoint Roses”

by Jason O’Toole 

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/04/164-backstory-of-poem-needlepoint-roses.html

#165 Backstory of the Poem

“Singing, Studying on Whiteness, This Penelope Strings”

by Jeanne Larsen

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/04/165-backstory-of-poem-singing-studying.html

#166 Backstory of the Poem

“How To Befriend Uncertainty”

by Prartho Sereno

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/04/prartho-serenos-how-to-befriend.html 

#167 Backstory of the Poem

“Shostakovich: Five Pieces”

by Pamela Uschuk

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/04/pamela-uschuks-shostakovich-five-pieces.html

#168 Backstory of the Poem

“Bouquet for Amy Clampitt”

by Peter Kline

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/04/peter-klines-bouquet-for-amy-clampitt.html

#169 Backstory of the Poem

“Heartbroken”

by Catherine Arra

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/05/catherine-arras-heartbroken-is-169-in.html

#170 Backstory of the Poem

“Silence – a lost art”

by Megha Sood

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/05/megha-soods-silence-lost-art-is-170-in.html

#171 Backstory of the Poem/ May 09, 2020

“Horribly Dull”

by Mark DeCharmes

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/05/mark-ducharmes-horribly-dull-is-171-in.html

#172 Backstory of the Poem/ May 12, 2020

“Celebrating His Ninety-Second Birthday the Year his Wife Died”

by Michael Mark

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/05/michael-marks-celebrating-his-ninety.html

#173 Backstory of the Poem/ May 14, 2020

“Night Clouds in the Black Hills” 

by Cameron Morse

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/05/cameron-morses-night-clouds-in-black.html

#174 Backstory of the Poem/ May 18, 2020

“I’ve Been In Heaven For Long”

by Evanesced Dethroned Angel

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/05/evanesced-dethroned-angels-ive-been.html

#175 Backstory of the Poem/ May 20, 2020

“Tutti-Frutti”

by Barbara Crooker

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/05/barbara-crookers-tutti-frutti-175-in.html

#176 and #177 Backstory of the Poem/ May 25, 2020

“My Small World” and

“My Mistake”

by Tina Barry

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/05/tina-barrys-two-prose-poems-my-small.html

#178 Backstory of the Poem/ June 05, 2020

“Against Numbers”

by Andrea Potos

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/06/andrea-potoss-against-numbers-is-178-in.html

#179 Backstory of the Poem/ June 15, 2020

“Wish”

by Julie Weiss

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/06/julie-weisss-wish-is-179-in-never.html

#180 Backstory of the Poem/ June 20, 2020

“The Tree That Stood Beside Me”

by Carly M Loper

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/06/carly-m-lopers-tree-that-stood-beside.html

#181 Backstory of the Poem/ June 23, 2020

“Electric Mail”

by Julie E. Bloemeke 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/06/julie-e-bloemekes-electric-mail-is-181.html

#182 Backstory of the Poem

June 24, 2020

“Her First Ten Days”

by Julieta Corpus

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/06/julieta-corpuss-her-first-ten-days-is.html

#183 Backstory of the Poem

June 26, 2020

“Outside My House Is A Guava Tree”

by Dr. Ampat Varghese Koshy

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/06/dr-ampat-varghese-koshys-outside-my.html

#184 Backstory of the Poem

July 2, 2020

“Torpor”

by Victor Enns

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/victor-ennss-torpor-is-184-in-never.html

#185 Backstory of the Poem

July 5, 2020

“A Way of Life”

by Dan Provost

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/dan-provosts-way-of-life-is-185-in.html

#186 Backstory of the Poem

July 6, 2020

“The Alabama Wiregrassers”

by Charles Ghigna

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/charles-ghignas-alabama-wiregrassers-is.html

#187 Backstory of the Poem

July 7, 2020

“The Seer”

by Kathleen Winter

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/kathleen-winters-seer-is-187-in-never.html

#188 Backstory of the Poem

July 11, 2020

“Stuck At Home”

by Valerie Frost

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/valerie-frosts-stuck-at-home-is-188-in.html

#189 Backstory of the Poem

July 13, 2020

“Between the Earth and Sky”

by Eleanor Kedney 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/eleanor-kedneys-between-earth-and-sky.html

#190 Backstory of the Poem

July 14, 2020

““ΜΕΡΕΣ  ΥΠΟΜΟΝΗΣ/ Days

of patience” 

by Eftichia Kapardell’

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/eftichia-kapardells-days-of-patience-is.html

#191 Backstory of the Poem

July 15, 2020

“Threnody by the President for Victims of COVID-19, Beginning with a Line from Milosz”

by Ralph Culver

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/ralph-culvers-threnody-by-president-for.html

#192 Backstory of the Poem

July 16, 2020

“Will Be Done”

by Tom Hunley

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/mark-antony-rossis-vox-vigilante-is-192.html

#193 Backstory of the Poem

July 17, 2020

“The Love of Two Trees”

by Hussein Habasch

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/hussein-habaschs-love-of-two-trees-is.html

#194 Backstory of the Poem

July 18, 2020

“June Almeida”

by Lev RI Ardiansyah

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/lev-ri-ardiansyahs-june-almeida-is-194.html

#195 Backstory of the Poem

July 19. 2020

“After Grano Maturo”

by Matthew Gavin Frank

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/matthew-gavin-franks-after-grano-maturo.html

#196 Backstory of the Poem

July 20, 2020

“Practice”

by Linda Neal Reising

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/linda-neal-reisings-practice-is-196-in.html

#197 Backstory of the Poem

July 21, 2020

“Will Be Done”

by Tom C Hunley 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/tom-hunleys-will-be-done-is-197-in.html

#198 Backstory of the Poem

July 22, 2020

“Shroud”

by Ted Morrissey

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/ted-morrisseys-shroud-is-198-in-never.html

#199 Backstory of the Poem

July 23, 2020

“Being In Love at Fifty”

by Anne Walsh Donnelly

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/anne-walsh-donnellys-being-in-love-at.html

#200 Backstory of the Poem

July 25, 2020

“Star pinwheel poem”

by Andrea Watson

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/andrea-watsons-star-pinwheel-poem-is.html 

#201 Backstory of the Poem

July 30, 2020

“Gentle Women, Adult Female Persons, and Housewives in Indonesia ♀” 

by Kimberly Burnham

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/kimberly-burnhams-gentle-women-adult.html

#202 Backstory of the Poem

July 31, 2020

“192”

by Don Yorty

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/07/don-yortys-192-is-202-in-never-ending.html

#203  Backstory of the Poem

August 01, 2020

“I want to unfold the disease”

by Vanessa Shields

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/08/vanessa-shieldss-i-want-to-unfold.html

#204 Backstory of the Poem

August 06, 2020

“A Bone of Contention with the Ghost of John Lennon Over Strawberry Fields Forever”

by Ruth Weinstein

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/08/ruth-weinsteins-bone-of-contention-with.html

#205 Backstory of the Poem

August 07 2020

“Statement by the Pedestrian Liberation Organisation”

by Thomas McColl 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/08/thomas-mccolls-statement-by-pedestrian.html

#206 Backstory of the Poem

August 08 2020

“Un Poco Pequeño”

by Damon Chua

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/08/damon-chuas-un-poco-pequeno-is-206-in.html

#207 Backstory of the Poem

August 10, 2020

“mary lou williams’s piano workshop (after Fred Moten)”

by Makalani Bandele

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/08/makalani-bandeles-mary-lou-williamss.html

#208 Backstory of the Poem

August 18, 2020

“Roll Credits by KCK”

by Casey Kirkpatrick aka KCK

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/08/casey-kirkpatricks-roll-credits-by-kck.html

#209 Backstory of the Poem

August 21, 2020

“Ancient Pyramid”

by Mark Tulin

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/08/mark-tulins-ancient-pyramid-is-209-in.html

#210 Backstory of the Poem

August 23, 2020

“How Far the Storm?”

by Charles Malone

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/08/charles-malones-how-far-storm-is-210-in.html

#211 Backstory of the Poem

August 27, 2020

“89 Tears”

by Robert Carr

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/08/robert-carrs-89-tears-is-211-in-never.html

  

#212 Backstory of the Poem

August 28, 2020 

“Food and Water”

by Brooke McNamara

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/08/brooke-mcnamaras-food-and-water-is-212.html

#213 Backstory of the Poem

August 30, 2020

“To hold, to hollow”

by Meghan Lamb

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/08/meghan-lambs-to-hold-to-hollow-is-213.html

#214 Backstory of the Poem

September 01, 2020

“Would It Be Too Much”

by Justine Quammie

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/09/justine-quammies-would-it-be-too-much.html

#215 Backstory of the Poem

September 15, 2020

“Darkest days. . .Loneliest nights”

by Aaron R

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/09/aaron-rs-darkest-days-loneliest-nights.html  

#216 Backstory of the Poem

September 23, 2020

“About My Death”

by Jennifer Barber

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/09/jennifer-barbers-about-my-death-is-216.html

 

#217 Backstory of the Pome

October 09, 2020

“Leash of Deer”

by Catherine Graham

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/10/catherine-grahams-leash-of-deer-is-200.html 

#218 Backstory of the Poem

October 11, 2020

“Sticky”

by Susan Tepper

http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/10/susan-teppers-sticky-is-218-in-never.html 

#219 Backstory of the Poem

November 22, 2020

“Penguins”

by Volodymyr Bilyk 

https://chrisricecooper.blogspot.com/2020/11/volodymyr-bilyks-penguins-is-219-in.html