Poetry Rules

I woke up this morning to the wonderful news that Editor Juliet Cook has selected my chapbook "They Talk About Death" as one of the 3 winners of the 2014 Blood Pudding Press Chapbook Contest. I am particularly grateful, and not just because this is the second chapbook I have got an acceptance for this year, but mostly because I believe that some of my best poems are collected in this chapbook, starting from the one who gives it its title, i.e. a poem dedicated to two of my literary muses Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath .

When writing a biography research is without doubt the key element of one's work. I have always believed that I would not find too much information online. And, I was wrong. I have found amazing information there. Also, I would not be able to stress enough how much the precious information I received from poets and friends of the Poet has helped and is helping me with the current work in progress. This said, I know that what is really giving me a better perspective has been reading Jack's correspondence. Over the past three years I have collected hundreds of his letters and, the more I read them, the more I realize how essential they are to my research. Nothing can give me a better picture of the Poet's life than his own words. I have spent my time lately rereading what the Poet and writers and poets like Djuna Barnes, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg, Charles Bukowski, Robert Creeley, David Meltzer and many more wrote one another. It has been so highly entertainin...

I am keeping it simple for the coming year. If I'll achieve more it will be great, but really what follows is is all I truly want to stick to: Live More Love More Write More Happy 2014 everyone!