Warm as hell but nothing blooming. The trees know something we don't.

Another person sick of me whining about pobiz

In this age of fiberglass I’m searching for a gem (Sometimes I think I'm writing these for @annakornbluh.bsky.social )

Gotta be honest: This has been my favorite AWP. So many dear ones, so warm and friendly. I love Baltimore. Some good panels, great readings. 11/10.

Happy 80th to the. greatest. I picked up guitar as a teen because of him but quickly realized that there's just some...unknown connection between his brain, his fingers, and the instrument itself. I can pick him out of a lineup— @davidgilmour.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt3W...

I read brilliantly, as far as you know.

Reader: and then I did go meet @hanvanderhart.bsky.social

You know she didn't get fired because she did a bad job: she got fired for making the boss look bad.

AWP feels...back? Maybe it has been but here in Baltimore, a reading with standing room only— literally upstairs from another reading. Maybe my last one was 2022 so it felt empty but...

Me to poetry class: While I'm at AWP, you're to watch Un Chien Andalou. If you are squeamish, feel free to watch with only one eye. The one grad student taking the class:

Notre Dame Review had asked me to write about my poem in their 60th issue, Southern Accents— which is also the title poem for the book manuscript I'm sending around. Thanks again to @johannesg.bsky.social for being such a constant support in this world ndreview.nd.edu/assets/65027...

I just feel like being Shah of Iran and President of a Venezuela is a lot of work for Marco. Won't someone please think of Marco??

Me going from therapy directly to teaching on Tuesdays

My IG is filled with people's AWP schedules, made up in adorable poster forms. I would prefer people run into me randomly and not be sure they ever met me.

From 2023— this was up on the board of a classroom I taught in. I just left it up, of course.

There's $50 in it if a Trump voter can tell us where Iran is on the map.

The first decently warm day of the year always makes me feel like it's time for Exile— youtu.be/_lNP-x94-SE?...

There's part of me that's been struggling to not turn bitter, but there's the other part of me that's like...just be as bitter as you wanna be. I figure I'm not winning any congeniality awards either way so :)

For a poet, I cannot help but send some long emails I tell you hwat (not a typo).

I dreamt that I wrote a Bourdain-esque article on pobiz.

Speaking of missing out at AWP, you should come hear @stevehalle.bsky.social read from his new book and @thedaybooks.bsky.social and @arrieuking.bsky.social and so many more (yours truly included).

I enjoy being among the people actually at AWP still experiencing AWP fomo.

What stage of capitalism is this?

I for one know I'm very invested in the rich inner life of my toaster. www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-...

It's hard to get our students to care about an education, about learning, about being adults within a society when they've seen the last decades of just how badly we have done. There's no democracy to speak of, no agency in their lives. The only thing of value is stock portfolios. We failed them.

This was literally the scene I discussed in my MLA talk. Real Genius knew us before we knew ourselves.

When I did an MLA talk on first year writing and AI a few years back, I think people looked at me like I was an old man yelling at the clouds.

This is what we get for making our society entirely transactional and outcome based.

Shine your teeth 'til meaningless Sharpen them with lies

My 14 year old godchild posted Radiohead's Creep to that little thought thingy on Instagram and I'm so proud 🥲

And who I am is a big-time believer That people can change

Cancelled class today due to being sick and the number students who have written is just magically heart warming.

Soldering, restringing guitars, rewiring my pedalboard. Joyful tasks that are semi mindless (unless you burn yourself obviously).

Trouble in the heartland

I have this same desire every day.

Your head will collapse, if there's nothing in it And you'll ask yourself

Perfect

A good moment to say that my days of doing poetry reviews are (mostly) over. There are several reasons I won't get into here, most of which are petty AF. Been at regularly since 2012 and it's time to stop. (I agreed to one more, which based on mob films, will actually be someone taking me out.)

I assume @sashafury.blackskycomra.de will agree: we don't need this kinda negativity in our lives youtu.be/LxSeeBmVbNE?...

It's sort of funny to see the "drain the swamp" and "law and order" folks now saying that investigating criminals might cause the system they were claiming to want to break to...break.

This much madness is too much sorrow It's impossible to make it today

To look in your eyes And see what you feel And then realize that nothing's for real

These rivers of suggestion are driving me away

Kicker erasure

What has happened to this conference??? Mornings were set aside for hangovers and figuring out where you left your keys. (I am just kidding @jamesyates.bsky.social — good on you!)

I ain't hidin' from nobody Ain't nobody hidin' from me

It must be amazing to be good at something, not seem like you're good at it, but then earn rightful credit for being amazing at it. This is my Jesse Plemmons hot take.

Okay, so sorry to talk politics but I'm finding this darkly funny: Trump is saying he wants federal oversight on elections. What did the SCOTUS rule on in the last few years that had given the federal government oversight on elections *in specific states*? Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.

I made a pobiz mistake: I don't think any of my books or manuscripts can be summarized in a single sentence. 😬😬😬

Well, I don't wanna be a thief now, mama, I don't wanna fly