Friday, February 22

Posted by Laurel Garver on Friday, February 22, 2013 23 comments

Photo: earl53 from morguefile.com
I've been hard at work putting together my first-ever poetry collection. It includes select pieces from my undergrad days up through the present, both previously published poems and a number of brand new pieces. It's an eclectic mix of lyrical, narrative, spiritual, humorous, experimental, and fiction-in-verse. I'm excited to share it with you all.

The collection is called Muddy-Fingered Midnights. The title comes from a line in my poem "A Writer's Parable," published in 2011 in the British journal Rubber Lemon (page 4).

To give you a little taste, I thought I'd share this short "ars poetica" piece (poem about the nature of poetry or the writing process) composed for the collection.


Affliction

In the decade between
dawn and alarm sound,
a new story swells
like a sprained ankle.
It pains you to wakefulness.
Dough-rising, volume-doubling,
pressing ever outward,
it stretches the sorry sock
that deigns to contain it.
Huge and purple it emerges,
in every sense an enormity.
The only medicine for it
is bloodletting, bard-style:
pen, paper, patient play.

© Laurel W. Garver, 2013

The collection will be available in mid-March. I'll be doing a cover reveal next week! Stay tuned.

National Poetry Month is coming up in April, and I'd love to visit some blogs to talk poetry. Let me know in the comments if you're willing to host a guest post, interview and/or giveaway.

23 comments:

  1. Congrats! You are having a busy year!

    Lovely poem!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congrats, Laurel!

    I'd love to host you at my blog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awesome. Thanks so much! I'll be in touch to work out a date.

      Delete
  3. Wow, congratulations, Laurel! You write beautiful poetry. Love the title of your collection!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Laura. I was going for a mix of playful and dark, if that makes any sense. The piece are thematically and stylistically diverse.

      Delete
  4. Hi, Laurel,

    Wonderful and vibrant poem.... CONGRATS on your new collection!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Michael. Putting the finishing touches on it now!

      Delete
  5. Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Jessica. Stay tuned for more details.

      Delete
  6. Congratulations! Love that poem.

    This year, I'm accepting guest posts on the topic of fear. If interested, please email. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Jenn. Great theme! I'll be in touch.

      Delete
  7. That's wonderful! Congratulations!!! I will be busy with A to Z in April - but if I could help with a cover reveal or sometime in early May, please let me know!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I have two dates open in April on my Friday's at the Piedmont Grille posts. With those posts I showcase authors who either have a book out, or do an interview of someone who has had a book out. I'd love to do an interview with you. I've never had a poet before. email me at
    piedmontwriter @ gmail. com

    ReplyDelete
  9. I've got Wed April 24th free if your keen to guest post again :-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. This is exciting! I adore poetry. I need to get into writing it again. Congrats on this! :D

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh, and if you'd like to come over to my blog, just send me an email and we can figure out a date!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Michelle. I'd love that. I'll be in touch!

      Delete
  12. Congratulations!
    I'd love to have you visit my blog :-)

    ReplyDelete