Literary Agents: What They Do and How to Find One

how to find a literary agent

What does a literary agent do? And where do you go about finding a literary agent? When you’re ready to submit a manuscript for publication, you might solicit top literary agents to represent your work. But, like most things in the writing business, actually getting a literary agent—especially a good one—proves much more difficult than…

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What is Blackout Poetry? Examples and Inspiration

what is blackout poetry

If you struggle to find the right words, why not start with somebody else’s? Such is the philosophy behind blackout poetry, a recent artistic and literary phenomenon that has blossomed in the past decade. What is blackout poetry? Chances are, you have already seen blackout poetry in action: maybe it’s shown up on your social…

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The Old Couple

the old couple

Day after day, the old couple down the street climbed into their car to keep it company. Going through the motions of being alive, she whipped around the steering wheel, he hung his hand out the window to signal turns, gracefully. In the rear-view mirror, both raise their fists at recklessness and abandon, imagined or…

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Emergence

emergence

I thought, on this sunlit morning, having tea on my own stretch of lake, listening to the returned pair of King Fishers from last year, their chitters audible above the waves, and now that you have birthed and nurse your own child, to say that you were this jewel now in your arms. I am…

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Starlings

starlings

New life explodes in open vents vespers of baby bird chirps cacophony of hunger Spirit cloistered in crawl space sings out to our weary souls and we listen.

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Hope Poems

hope poems

1. My Heart, a Stone I’d like to start a bonfire in my heart but today there’s just a stone; last night, a whirlwind; before, a broken mirror. It seems there was once a beacon, perhaps, or at least a candle. A candle in the wind, perhaps, or at least a match. Out, out. But…

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With a Bang

with a bang

—with a bang—the hairy flower wild petunia—flings its tiny seeds—sudden and far—how and why—the scientist—kneels down—clamps a metal band—on a pigeon’s leg—her initials—and i.d. number—my broken toe—x-rayed, recorded—at the Bleecker Street station—an old man—with head bowed—kneeling—on cardboard—an over crowded—shopping cart, a sign—repent—the end is near—the Indian guru whispers—the only sin—to harm oneself—to harm another—is to…

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DESCENDING

descending

glow leaves of autumn —gold afternoon— I thought first electric lights against a purple rain-swollen sky while a drizzle lit by that same gap in clouds shines down On Lha Bab Duchen (When Buddha returns from Heaven) new president

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Saturday Parking Lot

Saturday Parking Lot

Gray clouds hover white headlights, red-lit tails punctuate the quiet— what will the next moment bring? Dark-winged roof crow in muscled flight orange and Halloween striped truck dove-brown gull’s soaring circles the masked and waiting line-up beneath the thrift store overhang while February rain strikes tinny, percussive more question than answer yellow rain jacket promise…

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Haiku: Sometimes Spring

Haiku: Sometimes Spring

Summertime ashes falling fire on the mountain Autumn leaves drift and tumble down the canyon Winter wonderland slip on unexpected ice break a leg Now the warming days plums blossom hope and fear arrive together on the breeze Sometimes spring can really hang you up the most   

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