Anorexia Witch

I am almost finished with revisions of my Anorexia Witch series. When I started my revisions I thought by this time I would have a chapbook in hand; however, that is not the case since I found myself distracted by life. I don't feel too bad about my slacking since a friend of mine is still working on finishing the cover art. Once I'm finished with the poems I'll ask Dr. G to review them as her opinion means the world to me.

Here's the first poem in the series:


Anorexia Witch 1

You enter the room wearing your black hat,
tip pointing to the sky.
It never moves as you walk
or glide—always perfection.
You carry your cauldron,
handle over your wrist
draped like curtain over rod.
Your bubbling brew wafts
a delicious smell to my nostrils---
stirs a hunger in me,
well, almost.

You are rail thin,
your dress specially made
for a petite body.
I lust when I see the straps
of your heels criss-crossing
over your ankles.
Bewitching. Intriguing. Bewitching.

I want you to bewitch me.
Let me sip your brew,
taste your perfection.

Whispering. Cackling. Whispering.
What is this spell you're casting?
Have I heard your words before?
Be who you are meant to be,
a witch of pure bodily perfection
ready to cast spells into the world.

Before you call to your broom,
I ask again,
cast your spell on me.

Little Change-- First Post

Finally, I have decided to embrace change and leave the 'journaling' site of http://www.livejournal.com/. I have nothing against the site--- I simply need some easy-far-away-from-drastic-change in my life (as lame and lazy as it may sound). Switching blog sites seems like a good remedy.

My excitement continues to build as I prepare for the Third Annual Palm Beach Poetry Festival. I have to select three poems to take into Stephen Dunn's workshop; the topic of his workshop is Revision. Here are his comments: Bring three previously written poems, thirteen copies of each. The most common kind of revision is essentially cosmetic – which involves suggesting this word instead of that word, and in general a paring down, a getting rid of excess. Yet that kind of revision only makes sense when the poem is almost finished. Most poems, in my experience, have more fundamental problems: errors of conception, poor decisions, a lack of formal alertness, etc. Those are the problems on which the workshop will focus. With luck, we'll move to more cosmetic revision. With great luck, we'll simply praise. (taken from the Palm Beach Poetry Festival web page>

I am trying to sort through poems that I feel good but 'ify' about. I want to take advantage of the time with Dunn; however, the poem selection makes me nervous. I fear that I'll take the wrong poems and leave Dunn with the impression that I'm a poetic lame-ass.

Anyway, I have new ideas for poems floating around today-- I think it's time to let them out.