Dustin Interviews Denise Duhamel

DB: Your sestina, "Delta Flight 659: to Sean Penn," is one of your many 'fun' poems in your latest book, KA-CHING! I'm glad to see "Delta Flight 659: to Sean Penn" up for discussion in poem: a virtual poetry group. I sent the poem to Penn's publicist, and I requested Penn respond to you with a poem. When it happens, as a thank you, you can write a poem about Dolly Parton and dedicate it to me.

DD: Consider it done! It'll be a ghazal with the end words Dolly and those words that rhyme with Dolly.

DB:I was about to commission you to write the best Dolly ghazal the world has ever seen; however, I checked my bank account balance, and it is four figures, two of which are behind the decimal. I'll have to take my chances with Penn. By the way, have you seen Milk?

DD:Yes, Sean Penn was fantastic in Milk! I am so happy that he won the Academy Award for his performance.

DB:Yes, even more evidence that besides being a poet goddess, you are also a fag hag. (Mark your calendar for when you're Atlanta; we're hitting a gay bar!) This reminds me of a conversation we had about our dislike of the term fag hag. Did you ever think of a friendlier term?

DD:What about Dear Queer of Queen Princess? Or a Queen Colleen? Maybe there should be some kind of contest, conducted by a "fag hag" to come up with something more complimentary? The winner could get tickets to an Elton John concert or something...

DB:I'll end our brief but lovely conversation with a challenge. Write a villanelle, or my arm could be twisted for it be a free verse poem, titled "Queen Colleen," and the poem must address the need to replace the term fag hag.

DD:I accept your challenge!!