poem

Think Again: Poets, Joseph Somoza and Tim Staley 4.17.23

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Today we’re treated to thought provoking readings of some works by two local poets. Our guests are Joseph Somoza, retired NMSU English Professor and current Organ Mountain High School English teacher, Tim Staley, reading selections of their own poetry. These writers reflect on their personal writing processes, and concepts of poetry in general, and more. The conversation touches on how language and poetry both shape and express the seen and the unseen aspects of who we are as individuals and as cultures. It’s a fun and thoughtful peek into the personal and professional realms of poetry. Their poetry books are available at some local bookstores and at online booksellers.

STREAM THE ARCHIVED EPISODE

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AFTER JACOB BLAKE

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AFTER JACOB BLAKE

After the medical aid 

After the helicopter 

After immediately to Milwaukee

After lengthening up through the crown 

After gravel shaped like twilight 

After tailwinds through the reeds 

After the pelvic floor

After a mother tells her daughter, never say 
the Lord’s name in vain

After, who’s name then
am I supposed to say?

THANK YOU CACTI FUR

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Thanks to Jim Thompson over at Cacti Fur for publishing these 13 new haiku. Cacti Fur is the only poetry journal in America that would accept these. These 13 haiku got rejected 72 times. Here’s a brief retelling of those rejections:

For rejections 0-10 I remained giddy.

For rejections 11-26 I ate corn dogs or thought that maybe I should find some corn dogs to eat.

For rejections 27-32, which came in the winter, I felt cold on the inside and the out.

For rejection 33, this one never came, I’m guessing the editors were so knocked out by my haiku they just tossed in the towel completely and turned to stone like that one soldier in Clash of the Titans.

For rejections 34-58 I thought maybe all the publishers of poetry in America must clearly be idiots who only publish their white friends. This feelings lasted 46 days and 26 minutes.

For rejections 59-62 I thought maybe I would have better luck being published if my name was Suzy Hiro or Hilario Bustamontes or Mads Kellaway.

For rejections 63-70 I thought maybe I’m a terrible poet and then I told myself that writing is like therapy and then I washed my mouth out with Ivory soap.

Rejection 71 came from the New Yorker, oh Kevin Young, what good are you? You’re a better color than the last dude, but c’mon.

Rejection 72 never came. Rejection 72 was an acceptance letter from Jim Thompson of Cacti Fur. I love you for loving me! But I hate myself for being this needy. Jim, if you are reading this, when can I submit more poems to you, and only you, for rest of my life?

Click here for 13 new haiku by Tim Staley

Here is a picture of me pretending to talk about my 13 new haiku to Kevin Young from the New Yorker:

The Most Honest Syllable is Shhh now available on Amazon

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Tim Staley’s newest chapbook, The Most Honest Syllable is Shhh, is now available from Amazon.

This 32 page collection was originally released in June, 2017, by NightBallet Press out of Cleveland, Ohio.

Here is a poem from this chapbook:

 

My Life and Your Life

 

My life almost feels

like your life.

Your life might be

someplace nearby.

I turn over your life

like a ceiling fan:

on/off off/on

fast/ medium fast/

really fast.

In winter I turn

the other way.

Or is it your life

turning over mine?

SCENES FROM THE 2016 FALL POETRY TOUR

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placitas-9-25-16-with-wordsplacitas-9-25-16-with-sax-with-wordsnmsu-with-soldofskylexington-10-8-16-with-wordscovington-10-10-16-with-wordscleveland-10-16-12-with-words-3cleveland-10-12-16-2-faceshot-with-wordsslam-10-14-16-with-words

TOUR ITINERARY

September 25, 2016    Anasazi Winery  Placitas, NM
September 30, 2016  New Mexico State University   Las Cruces, NM
October 8, 2016   Wild Fig Books   Lexington, KY
October 10, 2016   Sandra Small Gallery  Covington, KY
October 12, 2016   Mac’s Backs   Cleveland, OH
October 14, 2016   Art Obscura   Las Cruces, NM

TIM STALEY WINS DONA ANA ARTS COUNCIL AWARD

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• Poet, lyricist, rapper, teacher, mentor, and motivator Tim Staley will receive the Arts in Education Award, honoring “an individual whose leadership and pioneering spirit promote and shape visual and performing arts education initiatives.”

Staley, a native of Montgomery, Alabama, has a master of fine arts in poetry from New Mexico State University. He has taught at Oñate High School and as an adjunct instructor at NMSU. He started a KTAL radio open mic event. He sponsored the state “Poetry Out Loud” contest for eight years, and his students have gone on to national competition in Washington, D.C. He founded Grandma Moses Press in 1992 and currently serves as publisher. He is the author of “Lost On My Own Street” and “The Most Honest Syllable Is Shhh.”

 

Read the full Las Cruces Sun News article.