Rushton D. Prince

Valdez in the Country of Donnie Hathaway

2010-02-27T12:59:00.000-08:00

Valdez in the Country by Donnie Hathaway is one of the most beautiful poems ever composed. Yes, I said one of the most beautiful poems ever composed. "Valdez" is an instumental jazz piece that transcends the period in which it was created. The opening of the song, like the opening line of an exceptional poem, tells the reader, "prepare yourself as this is greatness." Valdez grows, expands, escalates as you listen, as each distinct instrument writes its soul into stanza.

Listening to Valdez is reading Dickinson, Dunbar, Frost, Whitman and more. If Donnie Hathaway were an artist I think we would be Van Gogh.

As I balance on one leg on a pole holding buckets of water in my training...Valdez in the Country inspires me from the treeline to continue while Hendrix smiles at me guiding his Voodoo Child (Slight Return) to the front while awating his turn, and leaving me to wonder...who is behind Jimi?

Still in the Shaolin Monastary for now; care packages are always welcomed.

Peace and Strength,

-rdp

Ah! Sweet Whine!

2009-12-23T16:19:00.000-08:00

I was recently asked of my experience with getting my first book published. Hope you have cheese handy...

"Thanks but no thanks."
"You're not what we want."
"With so many submissions..."
"Your publisher is not traditional so we do not consider your work valid."

Blah blah blah....ah! Sweet is my whine.

Yes, I believe the poetry genre is presided over by blue-blooded eccentrics who claim tastes eclectic; who desire conformity to some approved high-brow style. This is how it has been...like doctors stamping perscriptions shouting "Asprin for all ailments!"

This sounds like I am bitter. On the contrary, sarcastic, annoyed, irritated...hmmm? Ok, that is me...but bitter, no. Yes, rejection after rejection can make you doubt yourself even when others are telling you they like your work. Admittantly, I struggle with not feeling I am good enough - the fact may be that I am not. I am my own hater. The me on my shoulder. No one can hang one on me as bad (or good) as I can. Much of what I write I take issue with, rewriting until I literally get physically ill and have to stop; the urge to rewrite is always present. An itch which itches the more you dig at it.

Then, I read a lauded poet, a new recipient of a poetry prize or some other recognition and say, "don't I write like that too?!" Answering...yes but still feeling like a child reaching for a parent's acknowledgement of "you did good." So, (violating Mr. Pullens, my high school english teacher's rule of never begin a sentence with 'So') not just the first but "Conversations" as well. It's a good thing I spent time running around the world on "Uncle Sugar," being slapped with reality hard and close long before this.

Rejection is the breast milk of infant authors and I am sucking mouthfulls! If it weren't for the online writing community and jazz breathing life into me again and again this would be really tough. Well, there you go...guess you won't ask me that again huh? To quote Cyril Connolly:

"Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self."

But this is not entirely true if you intend to make a living from writing...then you do have to write for a public...like this blog thing which I find as distasteful as talking about one's self in the third person. Not sure I like the "hey, look at me" generation.

Still, I look forward to Similac.

Peace & Strength Always

-rdp

Opening Thoughts

2009-12-03T22:38:00.001-08:00

I would like to thank those from the writing.com reviewing community who have graciously responded, providing me their thoughts on the poems in "Conversations."

Honestly, I have no set vision for this blog so let's see where this ends up?

-rdp