March Against Gun Violence

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

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!

© Catherine Giordano

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

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.

 

© 2014 Catherine Giordano

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

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

© Catherine Giordano 2014

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

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

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.

© Catherine Giordano 2014

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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Please click the amazon shopping cart (above left) to buy from amazon.com

Or Murder She Did.

Read the newest 

Murder She Wrote

by Jessica Fletcher

The Incredible UCF Knights

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!

© Catherine Giordano 2014

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

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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(See box just above the shopping cart.)

Click the links to go to amazon.com.  I'll earn a small commission on whatever you buy. No extra cost to you.

Navy Yard Shooting

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. 

©  Catherine Giordano 2013

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

Fun

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.”)

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

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Lionfish

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.

 

© 2012 Catherine Giordano 

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

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.

 

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

 

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Not Guilty

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

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.

© 2013 Catherine Giordano

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Click Here for World Trade Center items.

Kisses

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.

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

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Florida Film Festival

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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© 2012 Catherine Giordano

 

State of the Union Focus

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.

  

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

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

Pickles

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. 

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

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Click Here for this and other books about pickling

River-of-Grass Beast

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

© 2012 Catherine Giordano

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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.