Tuesday, May 28, 2013

On Salt Water and Greed

Tuesday Morning, 2013 

Chris set a brown paper package down on our bed. It was addressed to me, from Taproot.

I thought back to working on a piece that would fit this issue, their Water issue. I have such an attraction to water and it is something I've felt as far back as I can remember.

I began this piece after an exhilarating swim in rough salty water off the coast of Mexico. It was a beautiful moment--the taste of salt on my lips, the force of the current, the setting sun, the crash of waves breaking near shore, and the clean scent of ocean air.

When I saw the package an instinctual and admittedly greedy focus took over. I tore open the brown paper, quickly admired the artwork on yet another great cover, found the table of contents, and let out a little squeal as I first glimpsed my poem on page 59. They allowed such a generous amount of simple white breathing space around my words. I was not involved in the layout, but if I had been, this would have been my exact choice. I couldn't be happier to again be a part of this publication. Thank you, Taproot.

Now to peruse the rest of this thoughtful quarterly. I'm especially interested in a Prince Edward Island piece I raced past, but have not forgotten.

22 comments:

  1. Congratulations! I look forward to getting my issue in the mail. xo

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  2. Congratulations Denise. I would love to read it.

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  3. Seeing something as personal as a poem in publication .... I'm so happy for you.

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  4. just got my copy and i can't wait to read your poem! thanks for the mention of my piece. i hope you like it. xo

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  5. Congratulations, what an honor!

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  6. How exciting to see your words in print laid out just the way you envisioned.Congratulations.

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  7. I was swimming along side you for a moment there. I love the feeling when I'm walking back to the beach. The water heavy around my legs and ankles, almost trying to pull me back in.

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  8. hooray for you! I love swimming in the sea - there's something so refreshing and almost primal about being surrounded by so much water...

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  9. wonderful description of ocean swimming.
    I am thrilled for you. A poem in print is palpable. Happy, too, that Taproot honored your vision in its layout.

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  10. Congratulations, Denise. I've continued to enjoy your posts even though I am not able to comment much from my Iphone. Today the computer is on so I'm saying hello. I hope your day is wonderful.

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  11. Poetry, print, pretty wonderful I must say.

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  12. Congratulations on another contribution! How funny that I was only reading of and thinking about Prince Edward Island last week - I didn't make it to the island when I was in the part of the world in 2003 but I hope we will one day. Congratulations again. You have such a gift with words, it deserves white space around it in which to reflect and focus on its content.

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  13. I can't wait to order this. So proud of you, and also... it's perfectly ok that YOU be proud of you yourself! The cover is lovely, i concur. And the topic is of huge interest to me. We are water, our planet is water, and water is fluid: Panta Rei, as Heraclitus would say.

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  14. Congratulations Denise!
    These are wonderful news :)

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  15. I so look forward to reading your poem. (I wanted to say this days ago but a mysterious glitch has made me unable to post a comment.) Water, especially salted, holds a similar draw for me and your Mexican beach makes my heart - and body - yearn for the waves.

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  16. It must be so wonderful to see your (very hard) work in a publication you admire, beautifully presented. What a gift! Congratulations.

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  17. I just subscribed to Taproot! can't wait to get your edition in the mail...

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