A Photo .....Day 5 at 30:30 .... Short Trip Away

A place called Tobair an Domhain or the Well of the World. My mum was born here, it has a holy well and pilgrims visit and leave tokens behind as seen in the picture.


Pàidi my dog in mid-walk...giving me the 'come on, let's move'look. :)

Day 5

Here are the poems I've done so far.

3.5 A Mother's Poem
3.4 A Glimpse of God: Aged 7
3.3 Thin Lips
3.2 Batting an Eyelid for a Fossil Girl
3.1 Snow

A Short Trip

We are preparing to head to the mountains tomorrow for a few days. It's about a 2 hour journey on windy roads and the only way is 'up, up'about the clouds. We are going to set out real early. Vladi is whistling about the place preparing fishing gear...unfortunately I can't bear to see a fish struggle on a line so I keep well away...luckily Vladi puts them back again with a dab of ointment on the mouth if needed!

Holiday Photo...

This little guy is just 10 hours old and steady on his legs. :)

30:30 Pacing ....Paperwork

30:30 Pacing

Have just plunged in to 30:30! Hope I can keep up the pace
...one day at a time as the song goes!

Paperwork

Not of the poetry type unfortunately. :) We got to sort out deeds,
house insurance, car tax and sickness pay.Today is the day we pace from office to office....the burocracy here is really something.There is always a missing paper.

Yipee! Mannequin Envy

I just got an acceptance for Mannequin Envy today. I discovered them on the morning of the 15th of Sept....really liked their work and by the night of the 15th I was sending them a submission that I had written on the 14th: 'A Lady in the Bath with Angels.' It was also their deadline day so it felt a little like pushing my luck too much! I am really over the moon about it ....it's the perfect excuse to have that second glass of vino to accompany my toes going all funny and wanting to spring into a fast, fast jig. :)

Elves and Putting Things Right

I'm most amazingly delighted to see my blog has taken a turn about, quite literally!
All that was at the bottom is now at the top without me having had to lift a technical eyebrow! Yes, I'm definitely back to believing in elves-in-the-night :)
(i.e.Profile, Poets and Blogs and Archives have mysteriiously moved to the top of the page again) Thanks :))

Zway in Ethiopia....A Poem a Day....Settling Back

Zway in Ethiopia:

I've just come back from visiting my friends David and Fiona. David and his 18 year old daughter, Rosie, went to Zway as volunteers in August. They were teaching English in a mission, to girls who can't make it to school during the rest of the year. It was fascinating listening to their experiences. The photos were incredible. David is a journalist and has written some really great accounts of his time there. I'd definitely love to do something like that in a year or so. It's something I've always wanted to do but have managed to get distrated from it....now seems like the ideal opportunity to get involved.

A Poem a Day

I am challenging myself to keep up a 30:30 discipline and write a poem a day. It's not quite as stimulating as 30:30 participation :)...I've managed 4 poems in 5 days so far....steam is running out though...I think I will sign up to 30:30 when things get a little quieter there.

Settling Back

Wow I've been attacking dust, cobwebs and fallen leaves like a trojan. I'm hoping to get one room a day cleaned, so far it has been the kitchen and half the hallway....I'm failing a bit miserably there. :) We used to have a cleaning lady, she was lovely ....but we spent just as much time tidying up for her arrival as we do on the actual cleaning now! Also she was scared of the little lizards that hang out here in the valley and since our kitchen opens up into the garden...we used to frequently hear her shriek and have to run to her rescue. We now go it alone....even though I am sorely tempted to try and seek out an non-scared-of-lizards-cleaning-lady!

I am easing in gently to work, some level testing and organising of private work this week and then come mid-October we are back to a full time-table.

I've submitted a few more poems here and there. I did it rather hastily so not totally sure if I matched up correct pieces to suitable zines.

Our weekend has been quiet apart from today. It's brillaint being able to hermit-out completely....some reading, a spell of cleaning, dog walking, cooking yummy food, siesta reading, surfing etc.....and phone off the hook for a few hours...bliss!

Submissions - Acceptance and Rejection

Acceptance

1. Centrifugal Eye have accepted 'Meet me at a Confluence Point' and 'A Washing Machine Repair-Man Speaks on Poetry'. It was really nice working with Eve the Editor.

2. Wicked Alice have accepted 'Rejuvenating Alice' for their forthcoming Alice anniversary issue. I'm really excited about this as I've heard that Arlene and Michi will also be in the issue...I am struck dumb at being in such good company :)

3. Mike from Noo expressed great interest in the Lebanon war poems and would like to publish one or two of them in Noo. He wrote me a great e-mail which I can't help quoting.

'Hi Liz,

Many thanks for sending these along. They are great. Really. These are some of the most impressive "war observer poems" I've seen since Barrett Watten's book Bad History or Kent Johnson's Lyric Poetry After Auschwitz. I would like to see the whole set for sure.

You should get these published as a chapbook somehow. Unfortunately, we're not really in a position to do chapbooks or act as a press right now (we don't have the money), but if we were, I would definitely take these on. As it stands, I would like to see the whole set, publish one or two in NOÖ, maybe offer a few critiques here and there. And I encourage you to look for decent chapbook presses with a political bent (effing press comes to mind) and shop this series when you feel it's ready. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help...

Best,
Mike'


Rejections

1. Jennifer at Eclectica wrote me a really nice mail saying that 'A Soldier Sways on a Swing'nearly made it...and asking me to submit again at some stage.

'Dear Liz,

Thank you for your submission to Eclectica Magazine. After careful consideration, we have decided not to select it for publication. There are many possible reasons why a particular piece isn't selected, and I regret that we are unable, given time constraints, to offer further explanation as to which of those reasons applied to your work. As always, there are many authors and many pieces we would have liked to include, so know that you're in good company.

Best of luck with your writing and finding a home for this work. I enjoyed your submission; "A Soldier Sways on a Swing" came very close to acceptance. I encourage you to try us again in the future...

Best Regards,

Jennifer Finstrom
Poetry Editor, Eclectica Magazine'

2. Moria rejected 'Roots: Sold to an Unidentified Telephone Bidder' 'Breakfast Cereals, Picasso and a Sexual Snap' and 'The Wrong Miracle'...

...
** Am really happy to be in circulation...I think I could get quite addicted to submitting...must try to get in gear for writing again as haven't put pen to paper in 6 weeks due to being in holiday and family-absorption mode! :)

Rocks and Stones

A rock at Marble Hill beach. Can you see an image in this?

Home At Last .......Dusty House......Money Plant Survival!

Just got back this afternoon at 5pm. Literally fell in the door. Am now in bed with lap-top and badly missed broadband on knees....5 weeks with a ring up connection in noisey Internet Cafes has me so thrilled to getting back with being all-cosy and on my ownsome :) Am feeling the urge to get writing again too which is a plus-plus...have also had some interesting submissions news which will get to later when strength returns :0)

The house is so dusty .....me thinking I was smart, I sprinkled a super-sonic powder about the place to ward off any lonesome fleas that may have come to multiply when Páidi our dog was in the kennels. Can't wait to pick him and Siam up tomorrow.

Money plant survived ....I had a large towel soaking in a basin of water and the saturated ends were placed in the money plant foilage....luckily it held on tight and is still green if a little pasty/droopy!

I'm looking forward to catching up on everyones' blogs over the next day or two.