Vibe: exploratory, cold, haunting
Rejections: 5
I come from a pod
of melonheads & singers, from buoys
& nets & reindeer
skeletons.
Read more at Passengers Journal.
I am SO excited to see this poem out in the world—or rather, the pages of Passengers. I maybe let out a shriek when I got the acceptance email. The editors also provided feedback on my packet of poems (an option I paid extra for), which was super encouraging and insightful. I definitely recommend the feedback option if they offer this again in the future.
From the featured art to the audio version of each issue, I just love Passengers' whole vibe. Which brings me to TyNia René Brandon's breathtaking reading of my poem. I immediately sent the link to my partner (along with something eloquent like HiGHLight of my WRITing LIFee OMGGG!!!!), then sat in my car playing it over and over again, like it was a voicemail from a sexy lover. I'm so grateful for her work on this. I can't wait to listen to the whole issue!
Have you written your own "Where I'm From" poem? I've been assigned this task in multiple poetry classes—and assigned it to my own students, too—so sometimes I try to change it up and write from a persona. (Once, I did a moose poem!)
My interest in whales was fueled by the incredible nonfiction book, Fathoms: The World in the Whale, by Rebecca Giggs—which also pushed me to start reading more science/nature books in general.
Prompt
Read about an animal. What vocabulary stands out to you as unusual or interesting? Try using it in a poem.