Table for Deuce

I have had the fortunate opportunity to have not only two poems published by Table for Deuce in The Seat, but also reviewed by them in Posts, Toasts, and Roasts.  This is an inspiring poetry website, and I find I love everything they publish.  I believe this is due to the superb editors Kate Hanson Foster and Michael Schmeltzer, who also work with authors to tighten and improve their work before publication.  I had the privilege of working Michael on both of my poems “Blue Poles” and “Reclaiming the Crone,” enhancing them with only a couple of tweaks.  They also have a great poetry podcast I highly recommend.

The first of my poems in The Seat was “Blue Poles,” inspired by the Jackson Pollack painting of the same name.  I remember first seeing this painting and becoming terrified of all the skeletons and skulls in the splatter, as if it was purposefully meant to instill a feeling of violence.  I had up to this point not thought much of Pollack as his paintings felt messy and random to my casual perusal.  But with Blue Poles I was struck, had to stay with the painting, and it began to feel very much by design.  This painting gave me a newfound appreciation for all of Pollack’s work.

“Reclaiming the Crone” was the second poem of mine The Seat published.  I have always loved this poem, the imagery of the barren, old woman living alone, the person our culture fears and ostracizes.  There is a strong push by society to marry, have children, start a family.  Somehow, if you don’t do these things, especially if it is a conscience chose, you don’t fit in.  This poem was my version of shinning a spotlight on this, of calling out the hypocrisy and showing my power as a crone myself.

Michael Schmeltzer’s commentary on my two poems (“Elevated (Horror) Ekphrastic”  and “Incantation vs Repetition”) is such a wonderful experience for any writer to have.  Author’s write, submit, get published, and then their writing seems to be become lost to the ether of the internet and time.  With the majority of your work, you have no idea what anyone thought, if it reached anybody, including the editors of the publication you find yourself in.  To have the privilege of seeing what someone else thinks and feels about your work is special indeed.  It is for the excellent, thoughtful commentary on the poems they publish that makes Table for Deuce such a magnificent publication and podcast.  I highly recommend spending some time checking them out.