ON THE MANY WAYS TO ENGAGE POETRY

...which is to say, the poetic experience need not cease upon the writing then reading of a poem. You can use Poetry as a means of widening your horizons, and opening your heart.

I am delighted to share that it looks like the Nothing But Nets Fundraiser, based on Ivy's Poison, will have raised about $300 by the time all proceeds are counted (see prior post). It may even top $300.00 based on the donations coming in from people who couldn't top the top bid of $75, but still wanted to contribute. Thank you to all participants!

What you may not know is that this unexpectedly generous support has been a major revelation to me. Because of my experience as a poet-publisher -- who knows how difficult it is to sell poetry books -- I had a very modest goal. I had wanted to raise a mere $10.00, using Ivy's Tiny Book which was released at $1.00. Ten bucks isn't much money, but it's worth it to buy one life-saving anti-malaria net. Seriously, I was hoping to raise just $10.00.

Oh Moi of Little Faith! The Fallen Angels hissed, slapping my typing hands with a ruler as if they were nuns from moi childhood. The raised $300.00 instead will finance 30 anti-malaria nets (that's a big result: consider that "without mosquito nets, an estimated 25% of the 200,000 Chadians in refugee camps along the Chad-Sudan border will die from malaria this rainy season"). And I now I learn again, with stinging knuckles and all, what Faith means.

And throughout this process, I haven't said much about thanking another poet-publisher, Maureen Thorson of Big Game Books which published Ivy's One Dozen Poisonous Hay(na)ku. Her Tiny Books are created artfully, enchantingly, and sold at a buck each. This may be an example of poetic intimacy, but it's not a small act. That a one-dollar publication spurred what became a fundraising to net $300.00 proves it. So, thank you, Maureen Thorson -- and kudos to all you indie poet-publishers out there.

Okay...off to spread my wings elsewhere. Have a good day!