News Print Poetry 2012

March Against Gun Violence

2018-03-26T15:08:00.001-04:00

They sat in the dark
that afternoon
as the chaos unfolded;
The killing spree.

Gun laws need to change.

"No more silence,
end gun violence."

"No more hate;
we just want to graduate."

It's the voice of a new generation.

We need action.
We need change.

This generation will be the change.

© Catherine Giordano, 2017

The March for Our Lives brought a million people to Washington DC and hundreds of thousands showed up to marches all over the country and the world. In Orlando, as many as 10,000 people marched at Lake Eola.

It's been a while since a did a News Print Poem, but the eloquence and courage of these young people amaze me, and I just had to write a tribute to them.

Our Community Will Heal

2016-06-14T11:40:00.001-04:00

by Catherine Giordano

The front page
of the Orlando Sentinel

The horror.

The outrage.

The grief.

The worst mass shooting

in American history.

A heinous act of brutality.

A massacre of 50 souls.

The wounding of dozens more.

A community in mourning.

Coming together,

To honor and remember the dead,

To comfort their families

Orlando

Uniting, Enduring,

in the midst of tragedy.

Orlando strong!

June 2012

Every now and then, something so noteworthy happens that I feel compelled to make note of it with a news print poem. The terrorist attack on a nightclub in Orlando, Florida in the early hours of Sunday morning (around 2 AM), June 12, 2016 was that type of event. On the following Monday, The Orlando Sentinel printed a front page stand-alone editorial which became the basis of this poem.

Comet Landing

2014-11-23T16:40:00.001-05:00

Philae and Rosetta and the Comet

A
  slow
    motion
      descent.
to the surface
    of a comet--
Philae gently landed.

The Roseta orbiter,

The Philae lander
--Four billion miles of space travel--
--Ten whole years of space travel—
finally,

met up

with the comet,

a slash

CLICK HERE

of dust

and ice.

We are on the comet!

The Philae lander

up close and personal
with a comet. .

Taking

     its temperature,
Sampling
     its dust,
Viewing
     its inky black landscape.

On November 13, 2014 The Philae lander separated from the Rosetta lander and after 10 years in space it made a near flawless landing on a comet. It began sending back information about the comet.

Unfortunately, the harpoons that were supposed to stick the lander to the comet failed to deploy, and the comet began to bounce. Its third bounce wedged it into a crevice where it could not get enough sunlight to charge its batteries.

Philae is silent now, but if it should happen to feel the sun on its face once again, it may awaken to send back more data.

Poetry Woman

2014-08-10T12:07:00.001-04:00

A Blackout Poem

by Catherine Giordano

I thought this rare edition of Volume 1 Number 1of Poetry--A Magazine of Verse from 1912 would be a suitable canvas for a black out poem.

There were only a limited number of words to work with, but I think I eked out a small poetic sentiment.

Blackout poetry is an example of found poetry, just as my new print poems are examples of found poetry. There are many other techniques.

I wrote a brief introduction to found poetry explaining the various techniques. Click to read it:

Found Poetry: The News Print Poetry Project

The verse reads:

Poetry
       Woman
   One Unknown
          Symphony of
                                   Grace
                                                the motive

Don't worry. A priceless historical artifact of poetry was not defaced to create this poem.  It was all done digitally.

The original magazine cover

Thank you for sharing, liking and tweeting.

Thank you for reading and commenting..

Over and Over Again

2014-06-30T14:48:00.000-04:00

by Catherine Giordano

After doing well over 400 news print poems, I thought black out poems would be easy for me.

Blackout poems are not easy for me! I have spent over two weeks trying to find text in the Orlando Sentinel to use. Today I found an interview with a restaurant owner and transformed it into a (sort of) love poem.

It took over two hours to "find" the poem in this text. A news print poem, once I have selected the text I am going to use, usually takes about 30 to 60 minutes. I didn't realize how lucky I was to do my first blackout poem so easily. (CLICK HERE to see the poem.)

Blackout poets: I salute you.

I wrote a web article about my experiences doing news print poetry. If you have a moment, take a glance at it. It's

Found Poetry: The News Print Poetry Project

P.S.: If you are interested in learning to write poetry, I have recommended a couple of books on the lower left-hand side of this page.

Found Poetry Explosion

2014-06-25T16:24:00.002-04:00

A head full of found poetry

I finished the News Print Poetry 2012 Project on December 31 2012, and although I occasionally added a new poem in subsequent years, I considered the project done.

Well, nothing is ever done. This week I did more.

I wrote an article about Found Poetry on HubPages and I included a blackout poem that I did especially for the article. CLICK HERE.

I discovered found poetry that incorporates a strong artistic visual element and I created a pinterest board devoted to it. CLICK HERE.

I discovered other books (besides mine) devoted to found poetry--The found Poetry Review is an annual collection of the best found poems. CLICK HERE

One things leads to another; the journey is never over.

She Shot Her Husband

2014-04-21T12:46:00.001-04:00

A man shot dead on a bed.

A woman in custody.

Her husband shot dead

in Ormond-by-the-Sea.

She shot her husband.

Found dead on a bed

with a gun beside him.

An autopsy

will be conducted.

No decision before then.

No particular significance to this poem It’s been a while since I did a new poem and I was attracted to this story by the rhyme and slant rhyme.

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Or Murder She Did.

Read the newest

Murder She Wrote

by Jessica Fletcher

The Incredible UCF Knights

2014-01-06T13:21:00.004-05:00

CLICK HERE
for UCF merchandise

UCF’s

Historic,

Euphoric,

Fiesta Bowl victory.

Wow!

What a game!

What a year!

What a team!

UCF Knights—

the most amazing season.

UCF Knights—

a true hometown team.

Magical.

Memorable.

Incredible.

Wow, what a game!

Whoa, what a season!

Whooo, what a team!

I don’t pay much attention to football and I don’t do news print poems on a regular basis anymore, but this was too much of a big deal to let it go without a shout-out. Go Knights!

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Thanksgivukkah

2013-11-14T16:07:00.001-05:00

CLICK HERE

A once in a life time event

Bringing together two holidays;

One sacred,

One secular.

An historic overlap--

Thanksgiving

The first day of Hanukkah.

Two holidays—

Both joyful,

celebrating
religious freedom.

CLICK HERE

Two holidays--

Both beloved,

bringing families together.

Thanksgiving. Hanukkah,

Thanksgivukkah.

Thanksgiving and the first day of Hanukkah fall on the same day. It won’t happen again until 79811. Such a rare even just had to be commemorated with a news print poem.

Order a batch for the holiday

The last time it happened was in November 29, 1888 when thanks giving was on the last Thursday of the month and Thanksgiving fell on the fifth Thursday of the month.

© Catherine Giordano 2013

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Navy Yard Shooting

2013-09-17T20:59:00.000-04:00

A two-hour shooting rampage—

Twelve people shot to death.

Pop! Pop! Pop!

Shots fired.

A dozen died.

Another act of violence.

Another mass shooting.

Another rampage.

There is something evil in our society.

There is something wrong.

Another massacre. Another day of hand-wringing. Another day of inaction on gun safety.

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Is this our only option now? Click here to look inside.

Fun

2013-09-17T12:48:00.000-04:00

Have Fun with
SpongeBob SquarePants

Bored?

Channel your inner kid.

Bring back a sense of play.

Appreciate a wink of whimsy.

Think lighthearted.

We all need this in our lives.

Consider adventurous playfulness,

levity, and a sense of fun.

Be as wild as you want to be.

The most important thing in life

is being willing to laugh.

In my essay, “The Amazing Gift of Laughter”, I say declare today “Act Like a Kid Day.” (It’s in my book, “What Ifs, If Only’s and So Whats.”)

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Lionfish

2013-08-19T12:51:00.001-04:00

CLICK HERE

Very greedy lionfish,

gobbling up

shrimp, crab, and reef fish.

They deliver a painful sting

that can produce

severe swelling.

A threat, a nuisance,

that cannot be eliminated.

But, they’re tasty.

If you can’t beat them, eat them.

They are here to stay

Make the best of it.

The Orlando Sentinel had an article about lionfish in last week's paper and it reminded me of this poem from January 4, 2012 that I never posted. They are still a problem.

7/24/14: More news about lionfish in the Orlando Sentinel. This time it is about a cookbook for lionfish. Sales of the book benefit marine conservation. This book would make a great gift for divers, fishers and chefs. If you are interested in learning more about culinary solutions to other invasive plants and animals, check out eattheinvaders.org .

Click here for more on lionfish

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Running

2013-08-05T09:39:00.001-04:00

Click Here to learn more about running

Running

full-speed,

as fast as you can—
Exhilaration.

Running,

     utterly pure,
        just you alone—
           Heart blessed.

Running,

    close to flying,
        strong and free—
            Endorphin-infused joy.

I used to enjoy going out for a jog. Now, I have back problems, so no more running.

This is an August 2012 poem that I did not post to this blog last year.

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Not Guilty

2013-07-14T11:38:00.001-04:00

George Zimmerman is a free man.

The jury acquitted Zimmerman.

Jurors found Zimmerman acted
in self-defense

when he shot Travyvon Martin,

an unarmed teenager.

A tragedy.

A travesty.

A heart breaking outcome.

In the wake of the verdict,

can Trayvon Martin rest in peace?

To the dead we owe the truth.

And outrage!

What I like most about this type of poetry is the freedom I have with the words I select, and the words I drop, to create a message and tone so different from the actual news story.

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

Use the search function above to see all of the other news print poems about Trayvon Martin.

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Order a Trayvon Martin Not Forgotten T-Shirt

Spire Tops Trade Center

2013-05-11T11:55:00.001-04:00

Workers cheered.

Spectators applauded.

The spire, draped in an American flag,

set atop One World Trade Center.

The silver structure

will serve as a broadcast atenna,

a signal for aircraft

a symbol of the resurrection

of One World Trade Center.

It’s a proud day for the city.

With the 408 foot spire added, One World Trade Center is 1,776 feet high, symbolic of the year the United States declared independence. It is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. It took 11-plus years, but New York City has now restored its skyline.

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Click Here for World Trade Center items.

Kisses

2013-04-12T09:16:00.000-04:00

On his album

“Kisses on the Bottom”

Paul McCartney

takes a casual stroll

down Tin Pan Alley.

Classic songbook fare,

the core of countless jazz albums,

McCartney’s stab at the nostalgia market,

framed as a Valentine’s Day gift

to his new wife, Nancy.

A late career roll,

this slow dance with the misty past.

A let-down.

These songs are meant to swing;

McCartney lets them plod.

Sometimes you need to know when to quit.

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Florida Film Festival

2013-04-01T19:02:00.000-04:00

Here's the poster for the 2013 Film Festival.

Film. Food. Fun.

Catch the latest films.

Mingle with celebrities.

Chat with filmmakers.

Florida Film Festival:

The best cinema.

The hottest parties.

The fabulous food.

Non-stop fun.

CLICK HERE

to look inside

The Florida Film Festival starts next Friday, April 5, 2013. Here’s a news print poem I did about it last year. I took it from an ad. Here is the poster for the 2013 Florida Film Festival.

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State of the Union Focus

2013-02-14T19:05:00.002-05:00

Our unfinished task:

Restore the basic bargain

that built this country—

the idea

that if you work hard,

if you meet your responsibilities,

you can get ahead,

no matter where you come from,

no matter what you look like,

no matter who you love.

Our unfinished task:

Make sure that government works

on behalf of the many,

not just the few.

Barack Obama’s speeches are so poetic that I have to do very little to them to transform them into a poem.

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This picture is from http://cdn.theatlanticwire.com

Pickles

2013-02-01T13:48:00.001-05:00

Pickles lead mysterious lives,

Click Here to Order Specialty Pickles

trolling the briny depths.

They seem content.

Shoulder to shoulder

tightly packed,

treading their bracken aquarium.

The pickle fisherman

descends two brave fingers

into the cold green waters.

The angler tastes sweet and salt

herb and spice

chilly present and summer past.

In a previous life,

the pickle knew warm days

and cool smooth skin.

It lived a previous life as a cucumber.

Everybody liked my poem "Ticked Off" (see December 19, 2012 post) that was about cucumbers, I thought you might like this one about pickles. This poem bout pickles is from August 22, 2012.

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Click Here for this and other books about pickling

River-of-Grass Beast

2013-01-25T10:54:00.002-05:00

This picture is from http://smithsonianscience.org

A monster Burmese Python,

captured in the Everglades,

breaking the state size record,

stretching seventeen feet seven inches,

bursting with 87 eggs.

This thing--monstrous--

A foot wide.

The snake-- under surveillance--

fitted with a radio transmitter,

like a captured spy,

a double agent, a Judas snake.

It’s usefulness at an end.

it was euthanized.

CLICK HERE
to look inside

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On Tuesday August 14, 2012, there was a story in the Orlando Sentinel about the Burmese Pythons in the Everglades. I did a news print poem about it, but I didn’t post it because I used another poem that day.

Florida has instituted “The Great Python Challenge” to try to reduce the numbers of these snakes in Florida. It’s a one-month hunting season for pythons with a prize of $1,500 for whoever kills the most and a $1,000 prize for whoever gets the largest.

Burmese pythons in the Everglades are big news right now. Senator Bill Nelson was out hunting pythons last week, and Stephen Colbert did a segment about the python hunt on his show this week.

The Best of 2012

2013-01-16T19:03:00.000-05:00

My new book is available on amazon.com. News Print Poetry: The Best of 2012

It was fun going back and reviewing the year in poetry. The hard part was choosing which poems to include in the anthology. They are all the best.

I ended up including 179 poems. I selected those that concerned important events, those that worked particularly well as poems, and those that just tickled my fancy.

I hope my readers will want to have the hard copy. It will be fun to reread the poems in coming years and remember the events of 2012.

It makes a great gift for someone born in 2012 or someone with any significant life event (marriage, graduation, etc. during the year.)

The poems are taken from news stories in the Orlando Sentinel so many of the poems are Florida-centric or Central Florida-centric. It make a nice hostess gift when you sty with friends or family in Florida, a nice housewarming gift for a new Florida resident, or a nice gift for Floridians to give to the folks "up north."

Further, your purchase of this book will be your gift to me. The blog was a labor of love for 12 months, but earning a little money from my "labor-of-love" would be nice.

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Your Dream for 2015

2012-12-31T11:53:00.002-05:00

Have a dream.

A dream, a hope.

A dream for going forward.

A dream for the new year.

Dare to dream.

Act for impact.

Have a dream.

Your dream for 2015.

I think I just found my motto for 2013: “Dare to Dream. Act for Impact.”

At the end of each year I choose a motto for the new year. The right motto usually just comes to me. I was about to just continue with last year’s motto: Seek Truth, Create Beauty, Live Boldly and then, voila—my new motto pops up.

12/31/14 Update : I decided to update the poem by changing the date from 2013 to 2015.

Choosing an annual motto is a great way to start a new year. Read how to do it here: Motto for Life. This year, I'm also using quotations in lieu of New Year's Resolutions. so far it is working really well. Read about it here: You Can Quote Me On That

Citrus Parade

2012-12-30T19:49:00.002-05:00

On a dreary rain soaked Saturday,

five fruit-filled floats

marching bands,

and civics groups

turned out for the annual Orlando Citrus Parade.

Rain pelted the parade route.

The citrus floats—

created using a hundred thousand

oranges, tangerines and grapefruits—

is an Orlando tradition.

Spectators

holding umbrellas,

wearing ponchos,

lined the streets.

A bit of rain wasn’t going to keep them away.

You can watch it, warm and dry, on TV on January 1^st at 11am on WFTV Channel 9.

After the parade the fruit goes to local food banks.

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Grancy Greybeard

2012-12-29T14:20:00.000-05:00

Grancy Greybeard

Grancy Greybeard blooms in April,

but in winter, when bare of leaves,

it shows its splendid structure

and exquisite beauty.

Something magical is revealed in winter--

A rare piece of twisting art--

A garden masterpiece.

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

In every season, in every place, Nature delights with splendid beauty. Its botanical name is chionanthus virginicus—chionanthus means “snow flower” in Greek.

CLICK HERE to look inside

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Kwanzaa

2012-12-28T14:25:00.001-05:00

Kwanzaa:

A celebration of African heritage

A celebration of family, community, and culture.

The seven principles of Kwanzaa:

Unity

Self-determination

Responsibility

Cooperation

Purpose

Creativity

Faith

Kwanzaa

Building stronger communities

Building stronger families

Kwanzaa is an annual week-long celebration of African culture and tradition. Each day is devoted to one of the seven principles. A different candle is lit each day. The seven days of Kwanzaa begin on December 26, 2012 and end on January 1, 2013.

Learn more about Kwanzaa at the official Kwanzaa website. (http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org)

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The picture depicting a Kwanzaa celebration is from http://www.fabuloussavers.com