Daily Archives: April 30, 2013

April 30, 2013 · 12:08 am

Daniel Shapiro Part IV

The final questions with Daniel Shapiro and another sampling of his work.

VAH – Do you have a favorite, inspiring quote?

DAS – I’ve been a fan of Borges as long as I’ve known about him. He once said, “Writing is nothing more than a guided dream.”

VAH – What are three random non-writing related facts about you?

DAS – I still listen to heavy metal from time to time. My 4-year-old son’s favorite song is “Iron Man.” I have the worst sense of direction of anyone. I have gotten lost inside my own house before. I moved to Pittsburgh nearly seven years ago and have adopted many habits of native Pittsburghers. I like to say “yinz.” I’m an English teacher, but I’ve been known to drop “to be” and say, “These clothes need washed.” I eat pierogies. I enjoy chipped chopped ham now and then. I am a Steelers fan. I refer to places that no longer exist. I love Pittsburgh in a big way.

Daniel’s Chapbook The 44th Worst Album Ever and a Sampler of his work online: at Softblow.org, The Camel Saloon, and at Orange Room Review.

And Then They Were Done…

The final 85 poems for the Pulitzer Remix project have posted. Taking part in this project was an experience that I won’t soon forget and will likely remain one of my writing life memories that I will cherish. In this project, I met a deadline to have a new poem, found from my assigned source text, every day for a month. I varied the forms some over the thirty poems but in the process discovered that I really like writing a narrative thread within the poetry I create. I discovered two Remixers (as we started calling ourselves) that lived locally to me and made other online writer friends with some of the other participants. I read some lovely, challenging, funny, striking, entertaining and so much more poetry across the span of April.

Working with a finite resource of words, for me what was found on two facing pages from the source, meant that I had to be exact with my selections. Each poem found was created with the anticipation similar to searching for the prize in a Cracker Jack box – not the prizes now, but the really cool ones from decades past.

I don’t really know how I was on the list of poets invited to participate. I am very glad, and grateful that I was. Jenni B. Baker over at the Found Poetry Review created a tremendous opportunity for poets that participated. I’m proud of what we collectively and individually created. There is some very beautiful wordsmithing over at Pulitzer Remix. If you’ve not read the work there, surf over – but hurry because after the middle of May, it will all be gone.

Pulitzer Remix Day Thirty and Final Remix for National Poetry Month

For the final poem of the Pulitzer Remix project, number 30, I turned to the final page of the book. There, I found the story An Influx of Poets. Fitting, perhaps, as 85 poets took part in the project. The final poem from page 488, entitled Pages of a Book.

Pulitzer Remix is a project of the Found Poetry Review.

Pulitzer Remix and National Poetry Month is done. What have been your favorite entries?