“Writing Dollars and Sense,” by Daniel Holland
Should I write a story
with big words that pays big money?
Or, should I write this story
that is worth only five cents
but makes sense to me?
Should I write a story
with big words that pays big money?
Or, should I write this story
that is worth only five cents
but makes sense to me?
My father has a phrase for it in his beautiful poem: “Music brings memories.” Yes, indeed it does. Working from that premise, Sue Bilch and Paullette McDougal presented a thrilling cabaret performance for the Story Circle Network Saturday luncheon. It occurred to me during the performance, as I listened, enjoyed, and looked around the room,…
The Kwansaba came into being as a praise song. Drumvoices Revue has used the Kwansaba form to praise Richar Wright (2008), Maya Angelou and Quincy Troupe (2007), Jayne Cortex (2006), Amiri Baraka and Sonia Sanchez (2005), Katherine Dunham (2004), Miles Davis (2003). Outside of haiku and the blues, the Kwansaba is one of the most…
I. India Rishikesh Strolling on the banks of the Ganges Sacred gravel crunches underfoot. A sadhu* stretches boldly over high drop-off to collect holy water in just-cleaned leather pouch. I finger the rushing stream just delivered from melting mountains. Then, pull out my finger, fast. Frozen hot pink, finger drips a blessing to forehead, throat,…
Freckles, why did you have sex with the poodle next door? Poor puppies have beagle faces and poodle hairstyles. After the love affair of the poodle, your girlfriend was that St. Bernard. When the St. Bernard jumped on the gray, roughened, falling-down fence, it shook like an earthquake. Freckles came running on all four paws…
Today I’m part of an invited poetry reading for the Land Trust in Lake County up here in Northern California. We’ll read at Rodman Slough. One of the poems I’ll read will be one of my favorites, and one I consider to be my father’s most powerful. Here are my father’s comments on his poem–It…
In the early 1960s I was captivated by John Wieners’ THE HOTEL WENTLEY POEMS (Auerhahn Press, San Francisco, 1958). I memorized those poems. Their appeal was so strong I felt compelled to search book stalls in New York City on Fourth Avenue, in the West Village, on the Upper West Side for other poems he…
My father has a phrase for it in his beautiful poem: “Music brings memories.” Yes, indeed it does. Working from that premise, Sue Bilch and Paullette McDougal presented a thrilling cabaret performance for the Story Circle Network Saturday luncheon. It occurred to me during the performance, as I listened, enjoyed, and looked around the room,…
The Kwansaba came into being as a praise song. Drumvoices Revue has used the Kwansaba form to praise Richar Wright (2008), Maya Angelou and Quincy Troupe (2007), Jayne Cortex (2006), Amiri Baraka and Sonia Sanchez (2005), Katherine Dunham (2004), Miles Davis (2003). Outside of haiku and the blues, the Kwansaba is one of the most…
I. India Rishikesh Strolling on the banks of the Ganges Sacred gravel crunches underfoot. A sadhu* stretches boldly over high drop-off to collect holy water in just-cleaned leather pouch. I finger the rushing stream just delivered from melting mountains. Then, pull out my finger, fast. Frozen hot pink, finger drips a blessing to forehead, throat,…
Freckles, why did you have sex with the poodle next door? Poor puppies have beagle faces and poodle hairstyles. After the love affair of the poodle, your girlfriend was that St. Bernard. When the St. Bernard jumped on the gray, roughened, falling-down fence, it shook like an earthquake. Freckles came running on all four paws…
Today I’m part of an invited poetry reading for the Land Trust in Lake County up here in Northern California. We’ll read at Rodman Slough. One of the poems I’ll read will be one of my favorites, and one I consider to be my father’s most powerful. Here are my father’s comments on his poem–It…
In the early 1960s I was captivated by John Wieners’ THE HOTEL WENTLEY POEMS (Auerhahn Press, San Francisco, 1958). I memorized those poems. Their appeal was so strong I felt compelled to search book stalls in New York City on Fourth Avenue, in the West Village, on the Upper West Side for other poems he…
My father has a phrase for it in his beautiful poem: “Music brings memories.” Yes, indeed it does. Working from that premise, Sue Bilch and Paullette McDougal presented a thrilling cabaret performance for the Story Circle Network Saturday luncheon. It occurred to me during the performance, as I listened, enjoyed, and looked around the room,…
The Kwansaba came into being as a praise song. Drumvoices Revue has used the Kwansaba form to praise Richar Wright (2008), Maya Angelou and Quincy Troupe (2007), Jayne Cortex (2006), Amiri Baraka and Sonia Sanchez (2005), Katherine Dunham (2004), Miles Davis (2003). Outside of haiku and the blues, the Kwansaba is one of the most…
I. India Rishikesh Strolling on the banks of the Ganges Sacred gravel crunches underfoot. A sadhu* stretches boldly over high drop-off to collect holy water in just-cleaned leather pouch. I finger the rushing stream just delivered from melting mountains. Then, pull out my finger, fast. Frozen hot pink, finger drips a blessing to forehead, throat,…
Freckles, why did you have sex with the poodle next door? Poor puppies have beagle faces and poodle hairstyles. After the love affair of the poodle, your girlfriend was that St. Bernard. When the St. Bernard jumped on the gray, roughened, falling-down fence, it shook like an earthquake. Freckles came running on all four paws…
Today I’m part of an invited poetry reading for the Land Trust in Lake County up here in Northern California. We’ll read at Rodman Slough. One of the poems I’ll read will be one of my favorites, and one I consider to be my father’s most powerful. Here are my father’s comments on his poem–It…
In the early 1960s I was captivated by John Wieners’ THE HOTEL WENTLEY POEMS (Auerhahn Press, San Francisco, 1958). I memorized those poems. Their appeal was so strong I felt compelled to search book stalls in New York City on Fourth Avenue, in the West Village, on the Upper West Side for other poems he…
Daniel, you strike to the heart of the quasi-professional writer’s dilemna. I’ve always chosen to write the story that makes sense to me. I believe it is possible to do both–make both sense and cents…it’s an acquired skill.