Identity Theft for Dummies Facebook page & Goodreads pages

Please 'like' and/or suggest the new Identity Theft for Dummies Facebook page.

Also peruse other book from the Zenith Beast back catalog recently added to Goodreads, starting with the above title; also Workers' Comp.; Libby Brahms' First Washing Machine; Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat; Barking up the Wrong Tree; QWERTYUIOP; Flint; and Rate of Exchange. Add your reviews, recommend, or otherwise share these books at will, with thanks in advance for doing so!

And if you're interested in purchasing any of these titles, let me know since many are not available via Amazon or through other outlets.

New Facebook Pages

There are two new Facebook pages regarding two of my books: About the Author (Mindmade Books 2011) and I Am Spam (Fractal Edge Press 2004). Please 'like' them, if indeed you do! Thanks in advance for your support.

Last week at Solomon!

Yesterday I taught my final classes of the year for my residency at Solomon. Check out the amazing class poems created as variations on the exquisite corpse technique. Enjoy!

Come Again?

Last week at Solomon, we read Philip Larkin's "Coming" and students wrote poems on the general theme of seasons.

Back in March, Pilgrim students also wrote on this idea.

Check 'em out!

New poem published!

Check out my poem, "A Contestant," in the latest issue of InDigest!

Stanley Kunitz, "The Layers"

Last week was my final class at Pilgrim. Check out the class poem created to wrap up the year, as well as more on the last poem we read and discussed, Stanley Kunitz's "The Layers."

Regina Barreca's "Nighttime Fires"

One of the perks of anguishing over choosing a new textbook is the unexpected ways in which it comes to good use. For my World of Poetry class this past semester at Northeastern Illinois University, I picked Michael Meyer's Poetry: An Introduction. I had vetted it pretty well in advance of the class' start, and liked Meyer's blend of less "greatest hits" poems and poets, and more contemporary and unexpected choices, but it wasn't until the class got underway that I realized what a good choice it was. My students certainly seemed to like it, and from my own perspective I found it to be easily written and packed with far more interesting work than we could hope to examine in a mere semester.

I also discovered -- and in some instances, was given fresh perspectives on -- many poets and poems, and a few of those (re)discoveries affected my Hands on Stanzas lesson plans for the year. One in particular was the focus of my classes last week, Regina Barreca's "Nighttime Fires," a really incredible poem. I know very little about Barreca, but this certainly made an impression on me. (Students too.)

To read the poem, check out these posts regarding student work at Pilgrim and Solomon schools. Enjoy!

Injured Parties Live review

Nice review of The Injured Parties (and others) live at the International Pop Overthrow festival last weekend in Chicago.

Thanks, SouthSide on the Town!

Hands on Stanzas Spring Break Catch-up

As spring break winds up, and the semester nears its end, here's a few bits regarding my Hands on Stanzas residencies.

Last week, 4th and 5th grade students at Pilgrim read and responded to June Jordan's "Notes on the Peanut." Solomon's 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders tackled the same poem a bit earlier.

The week before that, Pilgrim and Solomon students read John Ciardi's "The Catalpa" and wrote poems on a general nature theme.

As a bonus, three of my students from Solomon were featured last week on Chicago Publishes: Amy, May, and Natalie.

Congrats to everyone on such remarkable work!

About the Author Launched at The Cafe

Here is a link to a video of the premiere of About the Author, from Tuesday's reading at The Cafe.

About the Author National Poetry Month Readings

Beginning tomorrow night, I will be appearing at a number of venues this month in support of my latest book, About the Author.

April 12th, I'll be the featured reader at The Cafe, 5115 N. Lincoln. There's an open mic along with the feature. Everything starts at 8:30 PM.

April 20th, I'll be taking part in Local Poet Night at The Book Cellar, 4736-38 N. Lincoln. 7 PM.

April 26th, I'll read a few poems in celebration of Logan Square Literary Review's latest issue at Cole's, 2338 N. Milwaukee, beginning at 7 PM.

Last, but not least, I'll be reading at Quimby's, 1854 W. North Avenue, April 29th at 7 PM.

Hope you can make it out to one (or more) of these festivities!

Oppen's "The Building of the Skyscraper"

George Oppen's "The Building of the Skyscraper" was the focus of my residencies last week. Read all about it, and peruse student work from Pilgrim and Solomon. Hope you enjoy!

June Jordan's Unlowly "Peanut"

At Solomon Elementary last week, we read June Jordan's hilarious "Notes on the Peanut," and students responded with their own hyperbolic poems.

WCW's "Poem"

This week, Pilgrim and Solomon students learned more about stanza breaks and lineation by reading William Carlos Williams' sublime "Poem." Afterward, they wrote their own movement poems, closely modeled on Williams. Check 'em out!

Philip Larkin's "Coming"

Last week, during my residency at Pilgrim school, 4th and 5th graders read and discussed Philip Larkin's poem, "Coming," and wrote seasonal poems in response. Check them out here.

Kate Daniels review

Check out my review of Kate Daniels' latest book, A Walk in Victoria's Secret in this month's New Pages!

Sylvia Plath's "Mirror"

My most recent residencies focused on Sylvia Plath's amazing poem, "Mirror," where we continued our previous conversation regarding personification and apostrophe. Please read some of the terrific work from students at Pilgrim and Solomon schools. Hope you enjoy!

De-coding Lee

Last week in my residencies we read Li-Young Lee's "Falling: The Code," a poem that can be approached a number of ways. Since we hadn't yet focused on onomatopoeia, I asked my students to write poems using sound-words.

Here is work by 4th and 5th graders at Pilgrim, and 3rd, 4th and 5th graders at Solomon. Enjoy!

Lee's work is being celebrated this year by all the Hands on Stanzas poets-in-residence, so check out other lessons developed around his poetry. Scroll down for all things Lee, as well as the amazing work being done around other poets by my teaching artist peers in this program.

About the Author out now!

One of two new releases from me this spring is now available from Mindmade Books, About the Author. Order your copy today!

Wendell Berry's "How to Be a Poet"

Last week in my residencies, we read Wendell Berry's "how to" poem and students responded with their own efforts. Check out work by 4th and 5th graders at Pilgrim (a brand new classroom for me), as well as 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders at Solomon. Hope you enjoy!