Monday, November 28, 2005

If you've got it, flaunt it. . .

Well, since it's fairly rare that I get any kind of props from the outside world of poetry, I thought I'd brag about my recent accomplishment. I got word from the Chaffin Journal that they found my poem, "Reaching into the Same Pockets," worthy of a Pushcart Prize nomination. I metnioned the Chaffin Journal a few months ago because of how amazed I was by their professionalism and attention to detail, which so many journals these days neglect (as someone who has edited many a journal in my day, I mean this not as a criticism to other journals, but as a complement to Chaffin, which is doing an exceptional job at something that is very difficult). I am definitely honored by this nomination-- who wouldn't be? To me, it's a big deal that someone respects my work enough to send it forward, to say, "there's something here that I think someone would like to read as well." This for me as a poet, is the biggest accomplishment of all. I guess we'll just wait and see what the pushcart people think of it :)

Otherwise, my life consists of a lot of reading (I mean a lot) and continued collaboration with Scott on our Helixes project and another soon-to-be-done semester of classes. A lot of meeting and discussion with my exam faculty committee members. I have a fifth reader (someone who does not do a list or question with me but reads the exams and is part of the deferse process) who is a wonderful man named Dr. Michael Lieb- he does some really cutting-edge research on Jewish Mysticism as well as Milton (separately). Not a lot of sending poems out, with the exception of my book manuscript to numerous contests. Let's home I have some more good Karma coming my way.

My blog is down to like 15 hits per week. I suppose that's to be expected since I've been writing so infrequently.

10 comments:

marybid said...

Kudos on the nomination, Mackenzie! I had Lieb as a reader on my dissertation committee, and he was fantastic.

Have a good end of semester!

Justin Evans said...

Congratulations! Good luck with the manuscript and I wish youthe best of luck with the Pushcart people.

Gerald Huml said...

Congrats!

Steven D. Schroeder said...

Congratulations, Mackenzie...

Lorna Dee Cervantes said...

Wow, that's fantastic, Mackenzie! That's really great. Congratulations. Ha, Saturn shift, so there. Great poem, too. I've always said, Getting read is half the dance. (I've sworn off war metaphors) I'll link to my blog soon, I'm down to NaNoWriMo deadline, trying to write a novel by midnight tomorrow. Cheers!

Unknown said...

Thanks, everyone. I know it's not THAT big of a deal, but I'll take the props where I can get them these days, you know?

Brandi said...

Eeeks! I think it is a HUGE deal!

So proud of you!!

Anthony Robinson said...

Congrats Mackenzie!

My blog is "down" to just over 1000 hits per week. And I rarely post anymore.

What's up with that? I think people just tune in to look at my face.

Nick said...

Congrats, on the nomination!

Unknown said...

Well, Tony, you know. . .Libras are hot. There's no denying that. I know I tune in for the recipes.