I really should be working on thesis. Instead I'm making sure everyone who's given me a llama gets one back and saying hi to a bunch of people. And I know I've missed a ton of you.

It's hard to keep up with everyone here. I don't know how some of you do it.

In any case, I think I should link to a few things I've written recently, because you might want to read them:

- On "The Dark Knight Rises:" there's a lot going on in this movie. I'm happy some of it seemed to "click."
- Alda Merini, "There are nights that don't ever happen: Truth.
- Kay Ryan, "New Rooms"
- On Emily Dickinson's written description of herself

Not a lot, but I think you guys will enjoy it. Let me know what you like. Take care all!

"[L]ove means you want to duplicate yourself. One way Aristotle conceived of giving a reason was of giving a rule that you thought would be good for those like you. This is not totalitarianism – this is the passion within all politics."

- from a post on The Weakerthans' "Pamphleteer"

Just was looking through some old blog entries, thought I'd share this. I know the prose is a bit convoluted. I know at least one of you will say I'm overthinking things. But I liked writing this, um, "pamphlet" of a sort.

I need to promote a ton of you, I know. So many of you keep up and give me thoughtful comments and ask how I am and answer my dumb questions. It'll happen soon: believe me, I'm pretty busy (although I'd like to be busy with Starcraft II).

~SandraThePorcupine saw that I was her 25th watcher and asked me if I'd like anything drawn. I told her about the graphic novels post at my blog, and she picked *svetlania's "Nightschool" as something to draw from. I told her I'd like a picture of Sarah Treveney, who I find funny but weirdly reflective of the truth. Sarah Treveney has magic powers and is capable of teaching others to use magic. Of course what she's most excited about is starting an anime club for the kids at school.

Please check out Sandra's wonderful sketch and give her favorites:

You guys really should read Alicia Ostriker's "America." From the poem:

We put our hands over our first-grade hearts
We felt proud to be part of America

I said One Nation Invisible until corrected

I've put the poem and a brief analysis up on my blog: [link]

I've put a bunch of thoughts about the graphic novels I've consumed recently up on my blog. I've read a bunch, and I think a few of you will be surprised where the deeper insights came from:

[link]

Do take a look and let the discussion begin.

So I've watched two women I was interested in stop talking to me and date others. I know I didn't say anything to scare them off, unless "how was your day" is scary. And one of the guys is an absolute loser. The other is an elitist snob whose pretentiousness knows no bounds (grammar & etymology "precision" is the least of his arrogance).

I figure the best revenge is to just be productive. I could be writing, and in fact I'm planning something on Plato's "Ring of Gyges" story from Republic Book II. But you know what? I've written a bunch already, much of it very good. I'm just going to build the audience on dA and share what I've written with everyone here. And I'm going to be happy to look at all of your work and give support and compliments and favorites and watches and attention.

No, it's not a relationship. I don't want it to be a substitute for that. I just want this to be something positive and gain a momentum of its own. Where it goes, we'll see.

Do consider liking the blog on Facebook. A few of my more important posts that I think you'll all like:

- Nomi Stone, "Why I Came" [on poetry]
- Anthony Jacobus, "Silence!" [on photography]
- Skyrim and Political Philosophy
- An Introduction to Machiavelli's Prince

Before I request your help, I can't say enough about the Daily Deviation I received for "Disappointment" - it actually got me looking again at that poem and thinking "hey, this isn't half bad!"

That DD didn't come because I'm the most talented poet ever in the history of ever. It happened because a lot of you cared to give attention, read well, gave serious comments, and were really supportive. I am so grateful for all of you: you're the best dA has to offer, and we're going to add to our ranks. I do apologize I've been quieter recently, but I am writing up a storm for school purposes.

I can use your help with my main blog. I write a lot, lot more than on dA. In fact, I've been writing 6-7 years elsewhere. I'm at 1,500 entries and still have less than 200 facebook likes and not a lot of subscribers. Many on dA have been helping with that, but I'd stupid not to ask for more help. The journalist Susannah Breslin put it beautifully recently:

If you read my work online, which you do, you're probably reading it for free. This is good. This is great.

But it's not enough to passively ingest the work of creatives whose work you admire. If you want to keep reading them, you have to do something.

In this tweet, I suggest that you link to, tweet, share on Facebook, or otherwise share your love of our work with the world.

I know everyone on dA requires and deserves attention. I'm happy to ask because I know that despite my failures in helping all of you, you'll step up and this'll work beautifully. I know you don't mind paying it forward. Please do take a look at my blog: I have a list of short blog posts there that I'd like you to share with those who have relevant interests. I don't just want to promote; I want to share things of value and get attention the right way.

I put the winners up on my blog so they'd get that much more attention. Prizes will not be given out immediately, I have to make a decision on how to divide up the points (as well as figure out how many more I have to buy).

Thank you all for participating and being so supportive. I am happy to run these contests, and I'm thinking what the next one will be already. You guys make this a lot of fun.

Winners of the haiku contest (link)

Still sick - actually kinda worried, I don't really seem to be able to eat well at all. I don't want to get into this much more. I do know if it keeps up there will be a trip to the doctor shortly. I need nutrients, can't go on like this too long.

Thank you all for the well-wishes. I don't know if any of you have read Daniel Clowes' "Ghost World" - the movie is a bit different. If you have read the graphic novel, I've put some thoughts up about it (and e-mailed a link to Mr. Clowes himself. Hopefully he takes a look and likes what he sees):

[link]

...sorry for any delay in responding. Hope I've caught up with the contest entries: if you've submitted and I haven't added you to the folder, do remind me.

I'm a bit out of it atm.

1. Original rules | Contest folder

2. You guys have been awesome - there's lots of donations and some very, very strong haiku. A special thanks to =a-nameless-one for his support in terms of points and his devotion to haiku. Go check out his page and his submission - he's worked especially hard to understand some finer points that elude me totally.

3. Without further ado, the 29 of you who've been brave need to be promoted. I can't guarantee I'll do this for everyone in the future. But you guys have made these last few days special:

  

4. I request that all of you who can, give *raven-dust watches and favorites. She's been super kind to me and trust me, she'll really appreciate whatever support you give her.

As always, I do request likes on my facebook page (it helps, trust me) and I think a lot of you might like "Birdlike the soul finds", if you haven't seen it already.

It seems to me quite a few of you feel the way I do - there aren't enough opportunities for writers on dA. I do look for prompts and contests and while I do find some gems, I don't find enough to bookmark a number of contests and keep myself writing a little bit everyday.

So I'll just start fixing that now. Deadline for this contest is June 12th. Instructions: write a haiku about nature. The idea is to get everyone to try writing a haiku and have an appreciation for the form's potential. Submissions must be original, written for the contest.

I can't emphasize this enough: You MUST send me a note with the link to your poem on dA. You can, in addition, link me to your poem through a comment. I do appreciate people doing both. But the note is necessary, trust me. It makes keeping track of what I've got a lot easier.

Please do link to the contest in the description of the entry. Also, entries must be in English. I can't read any other language that well. One entry per person, please.

You do not have to strictly follow the 5-7-5 syllable pattern (first line 5, second 7, last 5). I am more than willing to be a little flexible with that. Also, the kigo has been reduced to a nature reference.

You will still find it useful to read about haiku (the wikipedia entry on kigo is a gem). And please do read a few haiku before writing. I've written on Basho, Issa & Moritake. I think you'll like the poems; I certainly enjoyed thinking about them.

There will be prizes for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place. Donations will be accepted. I have a few points left over and will add more to the pool myself. There will also be a prize for the person who promotes the contest the most. As you enter, let me know if anyone referred you.

I can't guarantee that I'll promote everyone who enters. I have lots to do this month. But I will try. I add all contestants to my watchlist and I think the last batch of contestants can attest that I work hard to give everyone what attention I can.

If you won or were honorably mentioned last time, you probably won't win a prize. I want to spread the wealth. I do realize some of you are amazingly strong poets who should win every contest. I'll get you publicity and do what I can as one of your watchers. But I think it's really important deviants know that we care to see them work and develop as artists, not just be awesome all the time.

All submissions will find themselves in this folder in my favorites: [link]

Finally - if you're curious what I'm about, there's this interview with me I wish would go viral. And I appreciate likes on my facebook page.

You have to go to my blog - I put the list up there because I wanted the poems picked to get attention well beyond dA.

Short Poem Contest Winners

I'm going to put the list of winners on facebook and maybe reddit. Any help promoting this is appreciated. I apologize I didn't have time to mention all the contestants by name on the blog: you've all been fantastic, and I want to keep up with all of you.

1. Original rules | Meet the Contestants #1 | Meet the Contestants #2 | Meet the Contestants #3  | Meet the Contestants #4 | Meet the Contestants #5 | Meet the Contestants #6

2. Thanks to *ChrisTopham and =a-nameless-one for their donations to the prize pool! Having lots of points means more winners: I'm not eager to be exclusive here.

Winners will be announced shortly, probably later today.

3. Last batch of contestants - awesome people here:



4. Not much else to tell you. I'm thinking about what the next contest would look like. But honestly, people consistently went over and above for this one. ~CJWilde gave out llamas to all the entrants and read their work. ~Love-the-peace and !letterjak both recruited a TON for this contest, and plenty of people recruited a few each. Quite a few of you featured this contest in your journals - if I went through that number, I'd run out of room. !Kymira12 featured this contest at least twice; ~girlwhoplayswithfire definitely got into this contest. `Kneeling-Glory & `lintu47 brought a lot of attention I wouldn't have gotten otherwise.

There are so many more of you. I can't tell you how encouraging everyone was. I don't think what happened with this contest's success was replicable. All in all, we have 58 entries.

5. Please stay in touch. It was a pleasure meeting all of you. I was happy to give out watches and favorites and llamas galore (I'm bad with giving out llamas regularly, I admit). I hope I've been supportive and encouraging and grateful.

If you guys want to support poetry generally, I do ask that you take a look at *Mrs-Freestar-Bul's project "DeviantArt poets." That page can use a lot more likes.

As always, I request a bit of support with my own work:

facebook page (likes welcome) | interview with Ashok

WILL NOT ACCEPT ENTRIES AFTER 12 AM US CENTRAL TIME.

1. Original Rules | Meet the Contestants #1 | Meet the Contestants #2 | Meet the Contestants #3 | Meet the Contestants #4 | Meet the Contestants #5

2. PRIZES: All those of you who've entered, promoted, donated have been amazing. I just bought 400 points and with *joanbausher's & =jane-beata's amazing contributions, can give out a TON of points:

First Place - 500 points. =pixiepot will do a custom box feature; ~CJWilde will offer two of her awesome critiques.

Second Place - 300 points. =pixiepot will do a custom box feature; ~CJWilde will offer one of her awesome critiques.

Third Place - 100 points and a critique from ~CJWilde.

There's also an award for the person who promoted the contest the most - 150 points. Obviously that's an extremely subjective call, but I actually have quite a bit of data to back up whatever choice I make because you guys were so good about this. I just wish I could give more to all of you. It's impossible to give everyone the attention they deserve.

I'll give out the rest of the points as honorable mentions and such.

3. More new contestants - please say hi and be generous with favorites and watches:



4. As always - if you feel like helping me out a little bit, I always appreciate facebook likes, and there's an interview with me that I wouldn't mind going viral.

SHORT POEM CONTEST ENDS MAY 8TH. PLEASE PARTICIPATE.

1. Original Contest Rules | Meet contestants #1 | Meet contestants #2 | Meet contestants #3 | Meet contestants #4

2. Alright. We've got a bunch of prizes. I've got 380 + points thanks to donations (most especially thanks to =jane-beata). I'll probably buy some points myself and give a bunch out. =pixiepot is offering a custom box feature for the first and second place winners. ~CJWilde will critique the first, second and third place winners.

I'm not sure how the points distribution will work. We'll have 1st, 2nd & 3rd place. Then I'm thinking I'll give out a bunch of honorable mentions or something. My aim was and is that everyone gets something out of this.

3. Do check the folder for the contest in my favorites and make sure your poem is there. At the least, you deserve my attention: [link]

4. A bunch of new contestants, all of whom deserve your attention:



5. If you want to be nice to me, my facebook page could always use likes. An interview with me where I discuss what I'm aiming to accomplish with all this work.

1. Original Contest Rules | Meet the contestants #1 | Meet the contestants #2 | Meet the contestants #3

2. Please keep supporting each other - I know, I said that already. You're already doing that. But I can't tell you what a difference it makes. The watches I've been getting make me happy; the likes on my facebook page even happier. I can't emphasize to you each enough that you can make each other's day by just using the "Meet the Contestants" link to say hi to each other and gives favorites and llamas and watches away.

3. You guys have been awesome with the prizes! !Kymira12, `thorns, and two other deviants who I'm not sure want to be named have been awfully nice about this. ~CJWilde - an extremely, extremely talented writer - is offering critiques for the 1st place winner and a combined critique for 2nd and 3rd place (I think. She might not have time, I'll check with her). In any case, getting her attention alone is a really good thing to say the least.

4. So many of you have been promoting the contest that I'd be crazy to start listing all of you. Just know that I appreciate it, and if you need anything from me, ASK. The worst I can say is "no." Without further ado, new contestants that you should all cherish:



I hope I got everyone who sent me a poem the last few days. Not all of you have sent me a note with a link to your poem, and that's not good. I really need to be contacted directly to make sure things go right (and even then, I goof at times).

5. Contest is a poem about music, 30 words or less. Two more examples of poems less than 30 words:

Kay Ryan, "Crocodile Tears" (15 words)
Moritake, "The fallen blossom" (12 words)