How does it work?
Making Honey–Mad Scientist Style
Dear Poet Friends,
I’m running a bit of an experiment; I would like to create a poetic monster. This blog is meant to be a word-loving creature that spits poetry updates and claws lines into works of art.
The Bees’ Knees is not intended to be a place for publication. The poems presented here should be raw, half poems, in search of the right parts to stitch together in order to make a living thing. The Bees’ Knees workshops should be the place where lightening strikes to zap life into our creations. (Blah-ha-ha!)
To quiet the angry locals we will call our beast a poetry newspaper / workshop.
How Does it Work?
There will be posted:
- a monthly contest (or rather a “theme poem”) with prizes
- a monthly criteria poem (a set of given words or images that the poet must use in a poem)
- and a monthly free-for-all.
You may submit (or not submit) anytime your heart desires by entering your poem into the comment box or email your poems to NicelleCDavis (at) gmail (dot) com. Every poetry-player will be asked to comment on (at least) one other poet’s poem every month.
After a full year of workshop opportunities, participants will be invited to submit a poem for print poetry zine. All zine contributers will receive one copy of the publication.
There will also be monthly writer “helps” given by professional poets and editors; words of wisdom from those who have collect a globe of pollen and turned the dust to golden honey.
The participants will range from students to professional authors.
My main goal is to have fun. This is a poetic speak-easy, where writers kindly nudge each other to keep writing (and to write well). This is also a place where reading is highly encouraged.
A Very Important Question Answered
Very Smart Poet Asks: How do I join, Ms. Knees?
Ms. Knees Reply: Dear Very Smart Poet,
Glad you asked friend, glad you asked. There are several ways to “join” the Bees Knees poetry group.
The first and most valued is to share your work. Post a poem in one of the “COMMENT” spaces for readers to enjoy and play editor with. Every category comes with a chance to win a prize. If you win, I will ask for contact information so that I can mail the “gift” to you.
Another level of joining is to “subscribe” to the blog. A subscription would let “the Bees Knees” give you a small tap on the shoulder whenever there is an update.
The next level of knee-hood is to invite others. The more poets the more words (and repeat). It’s sort-of like that Morrison lyric– “the love that loves the love that loves the love.
Best Wishes and Happy Writing!
Dear Brittany Durk,
Thank you for joining the group! I pasted your poem in the October “Free For All” poetry workshop (the post with the candy-corn image) so that other poets will have an easier time finding your work.
Thank you again for your post.
| Posted 2 years, 7 months agoNicelle Davis
Steel Girders
As the belt brought down bushings and bearings
| Posted 2 years, 7 months agoAbby Nunez and I stood on opposite sides of the conveyor,
packing up bushing and bearing combinations ordered by factories
into cellophane bags, boxed, taped and ready to ship.
One time Wayne, the foreman who had worked at Electron
since high school, showed us how fast he was
on the bolt machines—not necessary now, just a reminder.
The machine parts we packed came from the next door bay
where other women worked forming metal components,
concentration and skill essential. They were lifers.
We were never invited in, except at the Christmas party when by 10 a.m.
everyone was drunk and laughing and there were no production quotas.
The rest of plant: all men—lifting, moving the newly minted steel parts.
At the center of the plant another place I went only once: the pit,
fire-red liquid steel that men rode over in a bucket, stirring the molten slag.
They were mostly illegals and ate alone in the parking lot,
squatting in the gravel, drinking tequila and gambling, not socializing.
We ate our lunch in John’s room, where orders were checked from a list.
We took off our hard hats and gloves, ate jalapeno pickled vegetables
and sandwiches, rested from the warehouse’s metallic cold.
I had seen the cafeteria once, during my new hire introduction,
dark, unwashed and never used. At that same Christmas party
Jimmy picked me up, held me, and looking into my face said,
This is where we all work, our families, our neighbors,
you’re just visiting. He wasn’t angry, it was a statement
of fact and he wanted that straight between us.
Dear Deborah Buchanan,
Thank you for submiting a poem for workshop. I will post a copy of your poem in the “free-for-all” section of the bees knees for other poets to make comments.
Thank you again,
| Posted 2 years, 7 months agoNicelle Davis
Hi Nicelle –
I’d like to “subscribe” to that tap on the shoulder about updates. Also would like to post a poem eventually. This is a great idea. Thanks for doing it!
| Posted 2 years, 4 months agoWelcome Cristina!
The Bees’ Knees is a new little pet monster, so we are constantly growing and changing with the help of smart creative people like yourself.
I look forward to reading your work and talking about poetry with you.
Best,
| Posted 2 years, 4 months agoNicelle
Hi Nicelle,
here’s a fragment in time for the holiday:
Elegy for the Turkey
Consider the turkey
once proudly feathered
regal
wearing a brilliant crown
Now he lies before us
| Posted 6 months, 2 weeks agonaked
legs like little hands
prostrate, penitent