July Theme: The First Yes!

By Stephanie Blake

Throughout high school and college, I fancied myself quite the poet. I had notebooks full of poetry...mostly love poems and poems of angst and loss. I read a lot of Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, and e.e. cummings and tried to emulate them.

I got my first publication in 1989 at the end of my freshman year of college in Soundings the school's journal for creative writing. I wrote a sappy ode to my long distance boyfriend. I called it "Untitled." Because having work that was Untitled meant I was a serious artiste. Right?

After college, I submitted a poem to Colorado Poet in 1996. It was a monthly poetry magazine that gave out a $25.00 prize for their favorite poem that month. They printed my poem about a fairy dance, but, I didn't win the prize. Got two free issues of the magazine.

My third poetry publication and final poetry pub credit was in 2002 in Progenitor (another college produced literary magazine) entitled "Kayak." No, I didn't make any money from it, either. Got three free issues of the magazine.

Why are these piddly little credits so important to me?

It gave me the thrill of seeing my work and byline in print, which never gets old.

Comments

  1. You're about that! Seeing your name in print is always super special, even if there's pay or prize. :)

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  2. I totally agree--every little yes is incredibly important!

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  3. So agree. It was these types of small writing accomplishments that always kept me going! Such a thrill to see your name in print, no matter how big or small the publication.

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