[New-Poetry] Tongues Afire -- Call For Writers
Judy Prince
jbalizsprince at googlemail.com
Sat Sep 6 21:27:01 EDT 2008
Indeed, Amy. We can't help but compare Clinton and Palin, can we? I
especially liked your "At least Palin knows what she has to do to make her
own kind of selfish progress." The answer: Conform.
My own preference is for neither Clinton nor Palin, but for Barack Obama.
[I've always valued men who choose The Right Woman (for them) to marry, and
he is surely one of those men.]
Obama also finds it not impossible to think---and to allow assembled wisdoms
to help him move forward. That takes an immensely un-ego'ed person. One
can scarcely imagine someone running for the highest elected office in the
most powerful nation in the world who is NOT ego-puffed....but Obama's
recent words may've nailed a certain truth. He said to his
audience-followers that he felt some folks misunderstood his run for the
presidency: "It's not about me, it's about you."
Let me sew this together now. It has lately seemed to me that the nature of
partnerships, of two people----the least unit of interaction----is key to
understanding outcomes.
Take one such partnering pattern and push it to its effect: if a partner is
allowed to do what (s)he will, both partners suffer frightfully. Those
"equals" within the partners' circle will often suffer, as well. Most
tragic is the devastation done to those who have low positions in that
circle or who do not understand the partnership's dangerous lopsidedness.
Thus, a Sarah Palin can ruin an entire family---her own---as well as a
potential world of those caught in her thrall. Sarah Palin and John McCain
have been allowed by a lifetime of partners to avenge themselves on those
they feel have authority over them. They're appealing to many of us because
they embody what we ourselves often desperately want: "righteous" power. I
wonder how this partnership of two such un-matured people will play itself
out.
Typically, a high-maintenance, "spoiled" partner will find her or himself a
low-maintenance, "selfless" partner. But John and Sarah are themselves
partnered together now. That new partnership will yield a series of
frightening moves to "out-power" one another. Given the considerable
latitude folks have tended to give these self-oriented two, it might not be
the happiest or most productive of relationships, to say the least.
At this particular historical juncture, most Americans understand what
constitutes a "balanced" individual, and what does not.
We will elect Barack Obama as our next President because we have grown up,
looked at ourselves and those around us, and made life the worthy challenge
for love, beauty, joy and patience that it is.
Best,
Judy
2008/9/6 amy king <amyhappens at yahoo.com>
> Hmm, I think this is a can of worms and a half. Worms with swords.
>
> Maybe the ideal conforming woman is the notion of a sort of 'modern woman'
> who embraces traditional views of womanhood while giving a pseudo-nod to the
> progress women have made. Society-in-general can only tolerate so much
> outside of our familiar & secure comfort zones. Right now, I'm thinking
> about Sarah Palin. [Turning hand-crank of opener now ...] Off the top of
> my head, she would be symbolic of a conforming woman, esp versus Hillary
> Clinton. Palin embraces, no, touts her 'soccer mom' role while also giving
> nods to 'progress' (she belongs to some right-wing 'feminist' group) for
> women (her nods resemble that of a pit bull gearing up for the lunge,
> seeing's how she's a self professed pit bull with lipstick. oh how we do
> love our aggressive woman images, for fun only though). I mean, she has no
> problem seeking power, but she's careful to do so under the traditional
> rubric of what it means to be a woman. She'll get more covert sexist flak
> than H. Clinton got, for sure. Hillary didn't conform well enough; she
> didn't even bake cookies and was damned to hell and back for it! Just
> google image search her name and see what comes up. At least Palin knows
> what she has to do to make her own kind of selfish progress (i.e. sell out
> more 'progressive' or 'nonconforming' women for the payout). Conform.
> Hillary didn't play those cards right (i.e. she's slightly nonconforming in
> terms of her womanhood-- too many 'male' behaviors like thinking aloud,
> demanding she be taken seriously, didn't play up her nurturing side, etc --
> yikes!).
>
> Now I'm sitting in the can, wriggling with the worst,
>
> Amy
>
> _______
>
>
> Movies With Poems
> http://amyking.wordpress.com/2008/08/11/movies-with-poetry/
>
> Poems To Do
> http://amyking.wordpress.com/2008/06/12/poetry-exercises-wanted/
>
> Amy's Alias
> http://amyking.org/
>
> --- On *Sat, 9/6/08, Judy Prince <jbalizsprince at googlemail.com>* wrote:
>
> From: Judy Prince <jbalizsprince at googlemail.com>
> Subject: Re: [New-Poetry] Tongues Afire -- Call For Writers
> To: "NewPoetry: Contemporary Poetry News &, Views" <
> new-poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu>
> Date: Saturday, September 6, 2008, 4:53 PM
>
>
> Good point, Tad. I just don't know. If you're right, I wonder what that
> translates to in terms of what the nonconforming female actually does each
> day? I'm trying to imagine the ways in which conforming females behave and
> then compare that to what a nonconforming female might do. But right now
> I'd much rather have lunch.
> Best,
>
> Judy
>
> 2008/9/6 TheOldMole <Opus40-01 at opus40.org>
>
>> Wouldn't it be more about non-conforming /to/ the stereotypes of a given
>> gender?
>>
>> Judy Prince wrote:
>>
>>> Hi, Amy,
>>>
>>> Does one have to be queer, trans, gender non-conforming and a person of
>>> colour all at the same time in the same body? And what is gender
>>> non-conforming? My body seems unlikely to non-conform at this stage of the
>>> game, thank goodness. Since "trans" means across or beyond, it's likely
>>> that I'll only be trans after I die. More's the pity. On the other hand,
>>> being a beyond or across woman sounds positively goddess-like! Should I be
>>> able to choose, then, I'd want to be a trans.
>>> [BTW, I'm having you on, in case you can't tell.]
>>>
>>> judyhappened2
>>>
>>> 2008/9/6 amy king <amyhappens at yahoo.com <mailto:amyhappens at yahoo.com>>
>>>
>>> Tongues Afire:
>>>
>>> Creative Writing Workshop for
>>>
>>> Queer Women, Trans Women and Gender Non Conforming
>>>
>>> People of Color*
>>>
>>>
>>> *****
>>>
>>>
>>> Workshop Facilitator: R. Erica Doyle
>>>
>>>
>>> WHEN:
>>>
>>> October 9, 2008 - December 11, 2008
>>>
>>> Thursdays, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
>>>
>>>
>>> WHERE:
>>>
>>> Audre Lorde Project 85 South Oxford Street
>>>
>>> Brooklyn, New York 11217**
>>>
>>>
>>> CONTACT:
>>>
>>> 718.813.7240
>>>
>>> tonguesafire at gmail.com <mailto:tonguesafire at gmail.com>
>>>
>>>
>>> How much:
>>>
>>> -FREE-
>>>
>>>
>>> Application Deadline:
>>>
>>> Tuesday, September 30th, 2008 ***
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ****************************************************
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> These workshops, led by writer-teacher-performer R. Erica Doyle,
>>> are for writers of all levels, and will incorporate readings along
>>> with in-class workshop exercises in literary memoir, poetry, and
>>> short fiction. Participating writers will develop methods of
>>> constructive critique and strategies for incorporating writing in
>>> their everyday lives. Information on publication, funding, and
>>> reading opportunities will be shared. The workshop will culminate
>>> in a public reading at the Audre Lorde Project.
>>>
>>>
>>> *****************************************************
>>>
>>>
>>> How to Apply:
>>>
>>>
>>> Apply via email with the following information to
>>> tonguesafire at gmail.com <mailto:tonguesafire at gmail.com>
>>>
>>>
>>> * your contact information,
>>>
>>> * one paragraph that describes who you are and how you
>>> identify as queer woman/gnc person of color (be creative and
>>> definitive)
>>>
>>> * one - two paragraphs for why you want to be a part of
>>> Tongues Afire, and
>>>
>>> * a writing sample (1-3 pages of poetry, prose, fiction, or
>>> creative non-fiction)
>>>
>>>
>>> You may send questions to tonguesafire at gmail.com
>>> <mailto:tonguesafire at gmail.com> or call 718.813.7240.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Space is limited.
>>>
>>>
>>> Application Deadline: Tuesday, September 30th, 2008
>>>
>>>
>>> ******************************************************
>>>
>>>
>>> About the Facilitator:
>>>
>>> R. Erica Doyle is a writer of Trinidadian descent who lives in New
>>> York City. Her work has appeared in numerous journals and
>>> anthologies, including Best American Poetry, Ploughshares,
>>> Callaloo, Bum Rush the Page, and Ms. Magazine. She has performed
>>> her work at the Nuyorican Poets Café, Kennedy Center, Public
>>> Theater, St Mark's Poetry Project, Bar 13, Bowery Poetry Club, and
>>> the Calabash Literary Festival in Jamaica. She has taught creative
>>> writing workshops at the 14th Street Y, the Brooklyn Public
>>> Library, Union Settlement, Sisterspace and Books, and in the New
>>> York City public schools. She is the recipient of awards and
>>> fellowships from the Hurston/Wright and Astraea Foundations and
>>> the New York Foundation for the Arts. She is a fellow of Cave
>>> Canem, a workshop and retreat for African-American poets.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ***********************************************
>>>
>>>
>>> More Information:
>>>
>>> * Anyone who identifies as a woman of color is welcome, including
>>> people of color who self-identify as women, trans, butch lesbians,
>>> bois, drag queens, bi-gendered, two-spirited, drag kings, femme
>>> queens, A.G.s, genderqueer, non-gendered, andro, crossdressers,
>>> gender-benders, gender fluid as well as other identities of
>>> peoples who face gender oppression because of their
>>> non-conventional gender expression.
>>>
>>>
>>> ** Directions: C train to Lafayette Avenue; G train to Fulton
>>> Street; 2, 3, 4, 5, B, Q, D, M, N, R to Atlantic Avenue/Pacific
>>> Street)
>>>
>>>
>>> ***All applicants will be notified by Monday, October 6th. Accepted
>>> applicants must confirm their attendance upon notification.
>>>
>>>
>>> Tongues Afire is made possible by support from the Audre Lorde
>>> Project. This event is funded in part by Poets and Writers, Inc.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______
>>>
>>>
>>> Movies With Poems
>>> http://amyking.wordpress.com/2008/08/11/movies-with-poetry/
>>>
>>> Poems To Do
>>> http://amyking.wordpress.com/2008/06/12/poetry-exercises-wanted/
>>>
>>> Amy's Alias
>>> http://amyking.org/
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
>>>
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>>>
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>>
>> --
>> Tad Richards
>> http://www.opus40.org/tadrichards/
>> http://opusforty.blogspot.com/
>>
>> The moral is this: in American verse,
>> The better you are, the pay is worse.
>> --Corey Ford
>>
>>
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