Marianne Murphy Zarzana
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"Poetry in a Modern World"

6/4/2011

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On his facebook page today, writer Dana Yost shared an interesting story from the Star Tribune, "Poetry in a Modern World," about three Minnesota poets and how they use media to enhance their work and reach new audiences. 

The three featured poets are: Connie Wanek, one of my favorites (I'm reading her new book of poems On Speaking Terms), Todd Boss (I just bought a copy of his book of poems Yellowrocket to read this summer), and Ryan Vine, a poet who I am not yet familiar with but look forward to reading his work.

Read the article and check out some of the "motionpoems," a new genre. Billy Collins also has some great animated poems that you can find on YouTube. 

So many ways to use different media to get people "hooked" into reading poetry. I like Todd's quote in the Trib article about why he has become involved in creating animated video for poems: "Poets have so little exposure for their work, and that's why they write: for an audience of listeners," said Boss. "We see film as a gateway drug for poetry."
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Rules for Writers

4/23/2011

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Here's a good article published last year in The Guardian: "Rules for Writers." Great  suggestions from some of the best writers around. 
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MSU Mankato's MFA Program in Huffington Post

4/20/2011

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This week the Huffngton Post has a story on "The Top 25 Underrated Creative Writing MFA Programs (2011-2012)." 

The Creative Writing Program at Minnesota State University, Mankato is mentioned favorably in the article, and the kudos are well-deserved. I earned my MFA in Creative Writing there and had a tremendous experience. The creative writing grad faculty are all excellent teachers who model how to balance the teaching and writing life--never easy but worth the effort. 
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Literary Citizenship

3/13/2011

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What is literary citizenship? Creative writing teacher Cathy Day believes, "There are many ways to lead a literary life, and I try to show my students simple ways that they can practice what I call 'literary citizenship.' I wish more aspiring writers would contribute to, not just expect things from, that world they want so much to be a part of."

Day, who teaches at Ball State University and has published two books, has a great article that lists her principles of literary citizenship. Good food for thought for all of us who seek not only to publish but to be part of a healthy, thriving and supportive literary community.

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Dana Yost story, "Through Anxiety and Back," in today's Des Moines Register

3/6/2011

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Here is the link to an excellent feature story, "Through Anxiety and Back," about Dana Yost, former award-winning editor of the Marshall Independent in today's Des Moines Register: 
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011103060302

Dana will be reading from his new book of essays and poems, The Right Place, at Southwest Minnesota State University on Wed., April 6, at 7-8 p.m. in CH 201. Please join us. 

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Freedom Tweet

2/10/2011

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"Freedom is a bless that deserves fighting for it." -Wael Ghonim, a 30-year-old Google marketing executive and Egyptian, sent this tweet when he was released by Egyptian authorities after being incarcerated for over a week. Ghonim's heroes include Ghandi and Mark Zuckerberg, 26-year-old founder of Facebook (cnn.com). A New York Times article, "Wired and Shrewd, Young Egyptians Guide Revolt," tells the story of how Ghonim and other young Egyptians harnessed Facebook to spark a revolution that has long been ripening among their people. In an interview with CNN, Ghonim, husband and father of two, with tears streaming down his face, said he was willing to die for freedom. Amazing heart and courage.
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Poetry Rocks!

1/30/2011

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In yesterday's article, "Poetry: A beautiful renaissance," in The Guardian, poet Jackie Kay explores how "poetry rocks" in the UK. Here are some excepts (click on the article title for the full story):

"In this bleak midwinter, with the recession and bad weather, poetry may be helping us to keep body and soul together. At a time when everything is being cut, closed down, diminished and discontinued, the forecast for poetry is surprisingly fair. . .

"Yes, there is a renaissance," says Judith Palmer, director of the Poetry Society. "Poetry used to be covered in the press only twice a year, and now poetry is getting serious coverage … The entries for the National Poetry competition went up by 46% last year, and the Foyle Young Poets of the Year entries went up by 43%. People are coming at the poetry world from all different perspectives. Just last week I met a neurologist who said he had a great poetry reading group at work. . .

"It used to seem funny to me how us poets called readings 'gigs' – just to pretend we were pop stars. We'd meet each other on the road and say, 'Done any good gigs recently?' But now it doesn't seem all that funny: not when a thousand people turn up for a poet at Latitude, or hundreds of people listen to poetry in the Clapham Grand at Book Slams and shout and cheer like they would at a pop concert, doing everything except singing along.

"And across the country, school students are attending the massive Poetry Live readings (around 150 000 schoolkids attend per year), where they can get to hear the poets they are studying on the page: Simon Armitage, Gillian Clarke, John Agard, Imtiaz Dharker, Daljit Nagra, Carol Ann Duffy … These readings are unique events, in the sense that they are electrifying. Poets go on the stage and students roar! There is no doubt about it, whatever the convergence of reasons and coincidences: poetry rocks."

OK, so that's England, home of Shakespeare. Does poetry rock in America too? What do you think?



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    I love to play with words. To capture moments on the page. To explore the physical and spiritual geography of what I call "fly-over country." I write from imagination, observation and my own experience of wandering in fly-over country--the literal, physical spaces of my life on the Minnesota prairie and the inner territory of the soul. 

    I teach writing at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minnesota. I enjoy cooking and traveling with my husband Jim, reading, practicing yoga, playing tennis, biking, hiking and gardening.

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