Tupelo 27/30: Woman With the High-Heeled Shoes

Dear Reader, 

I cannot believe that today is the 27th. I'm on my way back to New Jersey after two super productive weeks at Rivendell where I wrote all of the new poems you've seen, read four full books and countless online journals, revised a dozen poems, and assembled a first draft of my second full-length poetry collection. 

I retook an online Myers-Briggs personality test as I was writing this post to see where I fell on the introvert/extrovert scale, and surprise, the test put me squarely in the middle: "Your score was right on the borderline for the Extraversion vs. Introversion dimension. We can't say for sure what your style is for this dimension of personality."

I believe this to be true. Though I often thrive on other people's energy, I am equally at home in my own head and enjoy solitude. I have had a lot of alone time here at Rivendell, and I know that when I touch down in Philadelphia, where my mom will pick me up at the airport, I will have a version of "re-entry shock," more so when I return to my bustling home with a sixteen-year-old who's started his first job and will want to learn to drive and a three-year-old who has been counting down the days since her Momma would return.

There's poetry in all of that racket, and I feel so fortunate to return to this unpredictable and terribly busy life. I think I'm able to reside in and cherish such stillness because of the other end of the spectrum.Today's poem responds to a title provided by my wonderful friend, colleague, and former Team PayDay Party organizer Dawn Konrady. It also includes words donated by my Aunt Maria Giannascoli. 

Dawn's post-doctorate shoes!

It's a sassy little poem about desire, and it riffs off Jamaal May's "Ruin" in his new book The Big Book of Exit Strategies, which I recommend, if you're looking for book teeming with lush images of how we endure suffering: physical, emotional, historical. 

Here is an excerpt from "Woman With the High-Heeded Shoes" (read the full poem on Tupelo Press' 30/30 blog): 

"Beauty is a 5” Louboutin stiletto

crowned in gold leaf, slipping

under the envelope of your skin

like a pen knife

or a rainforest pressing

its thick heat across your chest,

a breath without this weight

unthinkable...."

Reader, I continue to thank you for reading here and following the Tupelo site. I have three poems remaining, and I will do my best to see that the six remaining donation incentives find their way into them. 

However, as I said in my last post, if you have your heart set on sending me something, please do. It may be the exact image/words I need! 

If you would like to donate to support my project, 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?" After you've donated, be sure to email (edigiorgio@gmail.com) or Facebook message me your requests. I don't want to miss your request!

Also, 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. 

Oh, and if you needed to know, the rest of my Meyers-Briggs test was IFJ. 

Yours in poetry,

Emari