Tupelo 15/30: Invasive Species

Dear Reader, 

Friends, we've made it to the midpoint! Whew. 

I've always thought of the second half of anything as downhill, even if it was literally uphill, like when I ran certain dreadful cross-country courses in high school. It's reassuring to think that I've already done the *equivalent* task; I just need to sustain (or better) it. 

Today's poem is inspired by the wildness of Rivendell on the western edge of Tennessee's Cumberland Plateau. It's so quiet here, it's as if the smallest sounds are mic'd. I haven't seen another human in two days. There's something frightening and freeing about this quiet, about the teeming world that goes unnoticed. 

This poem also includes five words (ceremoniously, kaleidoscope, lineage, tangle, and wings) donated by my friend and fellow poet Ysabel Gonzalez.

Here is an excerpt of "Invasive Species" (read the full poem on Tupelo Press' 30/30 blog):


"From the screened-in porch, the pond’s deceivingly still. 

          Up close, a blur of American bumbles, blue dashers,

and widow skimmers: wings thrumming something
          dangerous, a power line. The surface iridesces,

kaleidoscope of green and gold and copper shimmer,
          lacy gauze of water lily root and algae, though

the tangled rhizomes choke what grows below." 

Again, I want to thank you, dear reader, so much for reading my poems on the Tupelo blog, for liking and sharing on Facebook, and for donating to my participation in this project. 

I have FIVE remaining titles available. If you would like to claim one of these, please see my first posting for incentive amounts and make your way to the Tupelo Press donation page. Be sure to select my name from the scroll down tab titled "Is this donation in honor of a 30/30 poet?" 

Of course, once I am out of titles, you can still select five words for a poem, give me a potential theme/topic, offer a formal challenge, or receive a chapbook at the end of this project. And if you're enjoyed reading poetry this month, you might consider a subscription to Tupelo. You'll receive 9 books for $99, which is a steal! You can also *gift* this subscription to someone else (including me!)...I have friends and students who would be delighted to be the recipient. 

Yours in poetry,

Emari