The Thanksgiving of 2011 was the best one Comparable only to the first depicted in school plays and elementary school textbooks At my grandparents' house on Thursday, First time on a Thursday since I lived in another country; That year my dinner consisted of a pint of Ben and Jerry's And a pint of dry cider.
We ate as a family around the table; I took home leftovers And you ate them, sat on my floor, that evening Woke up to an empty house, nobody told you We watched an indie comedy, it was about a lawyer And wrestling; you liked it And you liked the microwaved turkey and my hand-mashed potatoes, They're laced with butter
And I am thankful For You And For Everything you have given me.
I look at these towers of alcohol And wonder, who will die this weekend We celebrate holidays with binge drinking And then drive home We celebrate everything with alcohol; Combine accomplishments with our vices-- How is that healthy?
You can't buy alcohol with foodstamps; The money is all spent Your children subjected to an empty pantry and refrigerator Your children subjected to drunk parents, negligence But it's not a holiday--it's a Tuesday.
First off, we just want to say thanks to everyone who
submitted. There are a lot of quality writers out there and we’re glad to have
been able to feature a handful of them. It’s pretty obvious they poured their
hearts and souls into their work. That’s a hard thing to do—to turn feelings
into a comprehensible creative masterpiece. More than that, something which
others enjoy reading. Art is a funny thing like that—manufactured out of
emotion only to provide others with entertainment. Or at least that is how it
should be, but sometimes a story is just a story for the hell of it.
The only thing harder than turning emotion into creation
is to share the product. It takes a lot of courage to be able to share your
work with others—it is part of you, in a sense, and it takes a certain level of
trust to let someone else read it. What if they criticize it, for starters?
Maybe it isn’t their “style”—how do you not take offense to that? It can be a
humbling experience, sometimes even difficult, disheartening, maybe even
soul-crushing. What if they ask you questions about the content, questions you
don’t want to answer? The best answer is “Oh, it’s just a poem”, but they know
better than that, no matter how many ambiguous metaphors you thread together.
When you begin to share your work with others, be it
close friends or strangers online or at a poetry reading if you’re really
outgoing, you will eventually get to a point where you want to share it with as
many people as you can. That means publication. Publication is tough. When your
friend doesn’t like your poem or short story, they will tell you exactly why
(even if it is a simple “I don’t get it”), but when an editor doesn’t like it,
all they’re going to do is tell you they don’t like it—but in a little bit
nicer and more eloquent of words. Two, maybe three sentences, is about all they
will give you. Any more than that, it usually makes it sting that much more.
The more you submit, the more you will get these kinds of responses and it
hurts—I’m not going to lie to you. Rejection is a bitter pill, especially in
regards to something you hold so dearly, something that came from deep inside
of you and is essentially part of you. But those rejection letters, you hold
onto them. They’re badges of courage. It takes a strong, brave person to share
their work with friends—it takes an even stronger, braver person to want to
share their work with a million strangers. Not counting ourselves, we had
twelve brave souls test the water, each one giving us a peek into their minds
past their insecurities. We thank them for that. We applaud them for that.
We asked for quality literature from young, inexperienced
writers and that is exactly what we got. Most everyone was under 30—the
youngest 15 and the oldest something like 45—mostly from Ohio, but several from
the United Kingdom and one expatriate currently teaching English in South Korea.
Most had never been published before, most never having even tried. I hope they
try more now. Maybe even submit more to us—we wouldn’t mind reading it. We got
a lot of great work by a lot of great writers and we hope you enjoy it. We look
forward to getting more submissions from the rest of you.
The editors would like to give a big thank you to
everyone who submitted and everyone who has supported us thus far, including all
the folks at Writer’s Block Poetry in Columbus, Ohio. Scott Woods and his crew
have been a big influence on both of us, as well as everyone who comes out to
their open mic. In fact, that is how the two of us got together on this
project.
Bryant would also like to thank Paul, Trenton, Jeff, and Simon
for all of their encouragement—past, present, and future—not necessarily in
regards to this project in particular, but life as a whole. He would also like
to thank his co-editor, Jacob, for all the help he has offered.
Jacob would also like to thank his friends Lauren and
Tommy for putting their necks out there and submitting poetry.
The first issue of Some Weird Sin can be found by clicking here.
Ms. Kelsey Phillis was fortunate enough to be our first
submission.She sent us an e-mail on a
whim after discovering us on Twitter, not really sure of what to expect.She definitely didn’t expect to be the very
first to submit.She definitely didn’t
expect to have not just one of her poems accepted, but all three.And she definitely didn’t expect to be one of
our featured writers.But that’s why we’re
doing this.Based on the three pieces
she submitted, she is a very talented writer who definitely deserves the
recognition and should be exceptionally proud of herself.
Kelsey is twenty years old and will be starting studies
towards a degree in psychology after spending time at community college; she
also intends to minor in creative writing.This is, of course, an interesting combination, but has strong goals
with it as Kelsey intends to open her own counseling practice utilizing
creative expression to achieve good mental health.I fully support her in this and wish her the
best.Being creative can unlock so
much.I have always been an advocate of
using writing to rid oneself of inner demons and have encouraged many to pick
up a pen and paper.Although, Kelsey
admits to preferring to do her writing with a typewriter, which, let’s face it,
is pretty badass.
I have not yet decided which of her three poems will
appear in the first issue, but look forward to one of the following: “239”,
which is about Kelsey’s relationship with her mother; “What You Ate For
Breakfast- Word Thief”, which was inspired by coffee house eavesdropping; or “She
Found Herself Short”, a poem based on a list of ten words.Each poem is different in its own sense and
all three are exceptional.
Kelsey’s interesting fact is that she “believe[s]
eyebrows say more about a person than anything else.”I like this.Generally a person says eyes or smile, but not Kelsey.I actually wouldn’t disagree with her.As a student of psychology, she is trained to
look at a person’s body language and eyebrow movement and placement can say so
much about what a person is feeling or thinking.
This will be Kelsey’s first time being published, though
she has only made three prior submissions in her short career as a poet.
1.How did you get started in writing? In
other words, what inspired you? One day you weren’t a writer and the next, you
were—what changed?
I began to think of myself as a “writer” around my senior year of
high school.We were given an assignment
that challenged the way that I had always thought of writing: that it was
something to be graded and then promptly buried under my other assignments.
Writing that essay made me realize that writing was something I could do for myself.
No one else had to like it, it didn’t have to be perfect, and that was freeing.
Last semester I enrolled in a poetry course at my local community
college. Had I known the intensity of the curriculum before I signed up, I
probably wouldn’t have done so at all.I
had never really written much poetry before, and I definitely had never shared
it with anyone.We were forced to write
at least two poems a week, share one aloud with the class, and listen
defenselessly as our peers critiqued.I
started the semester with a stomach full of knots, but at some point that I
can’t define, I became a poet.
2.What do you like to write? Any particular
genres, themes, topics, etc?
I am in love with poetry.Poetry doesn’t confine or restrict if you don’t want it to. I like
experimenting with different forms and strange rules that I make for myself. I
turn off my filter when I write, and usually, what comes out shocks me. I get a
bit confrontational in my writing.Poetry is for channeling my frustration, anger, apathy- the things that
I can’t say out loud- sometimes the things that I don’t know I’m thinking.
3.What is your favourite colour?
Purple has been and will always be my favorite color. Any shade.
4.What would you say inspires you the most?
Is your writing fueled purely by emotion, topical in nature, or are you just
trying to tell a story?
Writing for me is about release.I write best at night, when my head is full of every silly thing that
I’ve been thinking about all day.I
write to untangle those thoughts and to remove them from my head for the time
being. I also carry a tiny notebook in my bag- sometimes I’ll think of something
and feel clever and write it down.It’s
nice to refer to when I don’t have a lot of inspiration. I usually have no true
goal for my poems- the times that I have a clear idea of what I want are the
times that I usually end up writing poorly.
5.Who are some of your favourite writers?
What do you like about them? How have they influenced your writing?
I love Sylia Plath. She is essential to any poetry enthusiast.Her poems are a part of her. When I read her
work, I feel like she is telling me a secret.I like when writers bring you in to their world. Reading her work
definitely makes me think about the kind of emotion I put into my own.I want my readers to feel something.I don’t want them to get lost in abstraction
or pretty structures, I want them to feel.
Allen Ginsberg is another.We have him to thank for keeping freedom of speech alive.Ginsberg reminds me that there is absolutely
nothing off limits when it comes to writing.Sometimes, when I feel myself editing what I haven’t even written yet, I
listen to Ginsberg perform. He is the anti-filter.
6.If you could only listen to one album and
only one album for the rest of eternity, which album would it be and why?
Rabbits on the Run by Vanessa Carlton.There is not a track that I am not completely
in love with.Her lyrics are stunning
and the sound is original. If you haven’t listened to anything since One
Thousand Miles, do yourself a favor check out her latest work.
7.If you could force your worst enemy to
listen to one album and only one album for the rest of eternity, which album
would it be and why?
Anything by Nickelback, for so many reasons.
8.Other than writing, what would you say are
some of your favourite hobbies and pastimes?
I was given a ukulele about a year ago, and I play it pretty religiously.It is impossible to be upset while playing a
ukulele, I’m sure of it. I am an avid antiquer/thrifter- I work at a local
antique mall and snatch up all the deals. I also enjoy painting with watercolors
and other crafty ventures.
9.What is the biggest and best journey you
have ever taken in your life? You may interpret this question however you wish.
Two years ago, I decided, begrudgingly, to do the “responsible”
thing and save my money by going to community college.I was completely sure that it would be a
waste of time and, unlike most people I knew, was dreading the idea of
college.The truth was, I didn’t know
anything about myself or what I wanted to do, and I hadn’t looked in to any
other options.My time at Illinois
Central College ended up being exactly what I needed.I discovered psychology, got a job at the
writing center there, and met truly incredible, diverse, and interesting
people.It gave me a chance to get serious
about my own education and to decide what would be next for me.I am transferring to Bradley University in
the fall, which means that my time at ICC has come to a close.I never imagined having any bittersweet
feelings about leaving my community college, but I’m experiencing them now,
even as I write this.I don’t regret doing
the responsible thing at all.
“Hanif
Abdurraqib is a poet, and excellent high-fiver from Columbus, Ohio. He is a
member of the 2012 Writer's Block poetry slam team, which won the 2012 Rustbelt
Regional Poetry Slam. He really wants a pug, yet has not gotten a strong enough
desire to actually look for one over the course of the past year. Poetry is
just what he does when he's not running around the city taking pictures of
himself in fast food restroom mirrors.”
This is Hanif in my words:
Hanif
is a super cool guy. He’s an amazing
writer, super funny, loves sports, and he really knows how to rock a snapback
and cardigan. I’ve heard Hanif read a
lot, though I can’t recall the first time.
What sticks out to me though, was last December at the last Writer’s
Block Poetry open mic of 2011; Hanif read a “list rant” poem about music in
2011. He had me dying, especially when
he read the line “After two albums of failed relationships, maybe you’re the
problem, Adele.” His delivery, no matter
the style, is as close to perfect as you can get. Hanif is a member of the 2012 Writer’s Block
Poetry slam team out of Columbus, Ohio and will be traveling to the National
Poetry Slam in Charlotte, North Carolina next month along Rose Smith, Gina Blaurock,
and Vernell Bristow. This is a very
solid team, especially after a great outing at the 2012 Rustbelt Regional
Poetry Slam, which they won. Hanif also
hosts his weekly open mic, Pen & Palette Poetry, at Travonna Coffee in the
Short North in Columbus. I was finally
able to attend last week and had a great time.
Hanif is just as great of a host as he is a poet. He gave me a pretty awesome introduction,
which I don’t think I’ll be forgetting anytime soon. If you ever get the chance to watch him read,
please make sure you do because you won’t forget it.
Look forward to reading Hanif’s “Keep The Carbon, Leave
The Bible” in our first issue. This is
how he describes it: “Very loosely based off of a true story, in the way that
"Transformers" films are documentaries on the auto industry, this
piece was inspired by a night spent in a bar with a friend on the 41st
anniversary of the Kent State shootings, upon analyzing a picture of Mary
Vecchio crying over her dead classmate hanging on the wall of the bar.” This is probably my favourite line: “And
there are instructions for autopsies carved into the girl’s bathroom wall with
switchblades from way past curfew chest pockets.”
To date, Hanif has yet to receive a rejection letter (a
remarkable feat!). He also says he’s
helping save the world: “I dance only three times per year. But when I do, the
Earth moves closer and closer to doomsday, with each step. So, my lack of
dancing is really saving the world.”
1.How did you get started in writing? In
other words, what inspired you? One day you weren’t a writer and the next, you
were—what changed?
Ha.
Well, my relationship status, for one. I am among the millions who were dragged
to writing by a scavenger hunt for pieces of a broken heart. I also didn't
write poetry first. I wrote music a lot. That clearly didn't work out.
2.What do you like to write? Any
particular genres, themes, topics, etc?
I like
to write about the things that we all go through, and don't talk about as
freely as we'd like to. I like to write about the things that kind of ping-pong
around our minds, but never make it any further. If it can open up a heartfelt
conversation about the human condition, especially within a somewhat apathetic
generation, I want to tackle it, as artistically as possible. Also, music. And
girls. I'm kind of like Brian Wilson before the drugs, sometimes. Minus the
surfing.
3.What is your favourite colour?
Whatever
color Anne Hathaway is currently wearing.
4.What would you say inspires you the
most? Is your writing fueled purely by emotion, topical in nature, or are you
just trying to tell a story?
I would
like to think it can both be fueled by emotion, and tell a fantastic story. If
there is no emotion in the work, the story won't go very far. I'm inspired be
the generation of kids who are/were just like me. Trying to live up to the
expectations placed on us by our elders, trying not to crumble entirely. Taking
risks in every way possible.
5.Who are some of your favourite writers?
What do you like about them? How have they influenced your writing?
Well,
this is something that can go a lot of ways. Some of my favorite writers aren't
poets. Bruce Springsteen is a large influence on me. I learned how to tell
stories in three minutes from Bruce's music. You learn how to paint effective
pictures in as little time as possible listening to what he's capable of. Aaron
Sorkin is a big influence on me, as far as unique pace, and clever angles. Bret
Easton Ellis' work really resonates with me as well. Making the shockingly
abnormal seem beautiful. Poetry-wise....I like Carl Solomon a lot. I mean,
we've all read "Howl" and heard Ginsberg shout "Carl Solomon! I
am with you in Rockland!" and all of that, but Solomon's work is
brilliant. I got my hands on his two chapbooks that came out in the 60's. Crazy
stuff. I am a really big student of poets and poetry, so this is not going to
be a short answer. I find myself influenced by so many other poets in the slam
scene, or the Columbus scene, in general. Jason Brazwell is a big influence on
my work. Possibly the biggest. Listening to him taught me to use humor as a
tool, and not a gimmick. Scott Woods' philosophies on poetry are
often spot on, and things that anyone can learn from. I dig really deep into
the work of Emily Rose, from Chicago. It's diverse, challenging, and always
interesting. Will Evans' work really taught me a lot about imagery, and the
idea that in YOUR poem, you can literally do anything you want with your
environment, to make your story more compelling. Rachel McKibbens' work REALLY
gets inside the hearts of everyone, does some really beautiful damage, and then
puts everything back together again, in just the right place. I strive for
that, at times. There are many, many more. All of Columbus' poetry scene has
pushed me to improve, and challenged my work. Columbus' scene is really rich
with a variety of different writers, and to be able to go out and hear an Ethan
Rivera, or a Rachel Wiley, or a Vernell Bristow almost every week, gives you no
real chance but to work on your craft. I have studied the work of so many
performance poets, I'm literally ashamed to name all of them.
6.If you could only listen to one album
and only one album for the rest of eternity, which album would it be and why?
Most
likely the Clash's "London Calling". I am a bit of a music nerd, I
used to write about music for a living, so I have a pretty intense relationship
with it. London Calling, for me, is the perfect album. It takes you through an
entire cycle of feelings. It's punk. It's dance. It's romance. It was at the
end of the 70's. Everyone's hearts were on fire, and no one had any clue how to
put them out. There was a lot of real passion there.
7.If you could force your worst enemy to
listen to one album and only one album for the rest of eternity, which album
would it be and why?
Oh, I
don't know. I mean, I don't know if I really have a worst enemy, these days.
I'd like one. I've got to stay on my toes, and one can't do that if everyone likes
them. That said, for the sake of a general answer, I would go with the worst
album by a really good artist. Great artists always have an album where they
just drop the ball. And I think it'd be more painful to listen to that than
anything. To know that you're listening to a person with incredible talent, who
just couldn't put it together. So, I'll say Johnny Cash's "Gone
Girl".
8.Other than writing, what would you say
are some of your favourite hobbies and pastimes?
"I'm
just a regular guy, man. I make good grilled cheese, and I like
girls." - Justin Bieber.
Outside
of that, I really love the city I live in. I'm beyond thankful to have my days
filled with things I love doing and being a part of. I bake. I don't eat much
of what I bake, and I surround myself with people who don't like to hurt my
feelings, so I have no idea how good I am at it. I'm big into collecting
records, and I'm a huge sports fan. I've enjoyed having sports conversations
with poets....when I first entered the scene, I felt like no poets were also
sports fans. I'm all about sitting and talking. Probably too much. My porch is
also a meeting hall, church, romantic getaway, and juke joint.
9.What is the biggest and best journey
you have ever taken in your life? You may interpret this question however you
wish.
Really,
simply learning to love and trust people close to me. And understand that it's
alright to feel good about the things I create. I'm always struggling with
confidence, in as many ways as my mind will allow me to. That journey is
definitely the biggest. It's also been the best, thanks to all of the community
I've been fortunate enough to come across.
10.You’ve made it pretty well known how
much you love Columbus, Ohio. In three words or less, tell us why.
NOT.
ENOUGH. WORDS.
11.How did you come to host a poetry open
mic every Thursday night? In general, how did you get involved in the poetry
scene?
Well, I
was kind of just around when Travonna Coffee House (where Pen and Palette is
held) was opening up. And the owner, Travis, asked me if I wanted to get a
poetry night started. I was REALLY apathetic. I mean, this was two and a half
years ago. I wasn't particularly interested in poetry then, but I DID know a
few poets. Eventually, I gave in, started the night, and I'm really surprised
that we've been going for as long as we have. We have been fortunate to have a
great growing audience, we've gotten fantastic features, as well.We decided to
start having features every month in about December. We've been fortunate to
get great poets, and great people. It means a lot to me to be able to
contribute in that way. My life on the poetry scene began there. And grew as I
started going to nights other than my own. There's not only a lot of poetry in
Columbus....there's a lot of GOOD poetry in Columbus. I'm glad I can chip in a
humble offering.
12.What would you say has been your
greatest moment or achievement as a slam poet? Are there any performances that
really stick out?
My
greatest moment as a slam poet? Being able to sit at the Rustbelt Poetry Slam,
and be fortunate enough to represent Columbus on a finals stage. And being able
to watch some of the best performances I've ever seen. I don't know if any of
MY performances stick out, but I'm proud to say that I was a part of a finals
stage that was simply jaw dropping. THEIR performances stick out. Neil
Hilborn's poem "Audiobook". THAT performance sticks out for me. In my
slam "career", that was one of my favorite performances ever. Look it
up. [Or you can just click here]
13.As someone who has very quickly climbed
the ranks of the poetry world, what advice can you give to young writers out
there who are interested in the poetry scene?
Listen
far more than you write. If you hear a poem you like, talk to the poet about
it. Don't be afraid to ask poets about their work. They want that, most likely.
Study poems. Study devices. Keep listening until you find your voice, and when
you do, don't sacrifice it for anything. Don't write for scores. Don't write
for attention. It's easy when you love your work more than the rewards your
work may bring. Also, hug early. Learn to love hugs. You'll never make it out
of this scene alive if you can't hug.
Watch Hanif read “You’re Mother told Me
to come up here and Kill You (My Black Friends)” at the 2012 Rustbelt Regional
Poetry Slam:
And here’s Hanif talking about Columbus
and poetry:
