My time is up. At exactly 11:54 this evening, I finished editing the first draft of my long poem “A Big, Black Sky.”
So ok, it’s not a novella-in-verse. But it’s thirteen pages long and it’s over 1,500 words. I’m content with that.
Tomorrow I’m going to copy it and mail it to the nine generous souls who’ve offered to critique it for me. I hope they find it bearable. I am well aware it needs work (specifically, more content and language tweaks), but I’m convinced it’s an adequate start to something readable. We will see.
For my next (untimed) project, I’m writing a series of poems using lines from Pulitzer-winning novels. If I decide to do my BFA project in poetry, this may very well be it. The first completed poem from this series, with a line from The Hours by Michael Cunningham, will be published by Leveler on July 11.
Doug Paul Case 