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The Wander Back

I have been a slave to wind. She has taken me on such a ride these past few months around the Pacific's Circle of Fire, across the Rockies, and finally back to Chicago, my hometown. I've fallen in and out of teaching jobs along the way, but have finally finished drafts of a project I have envisioned for over a year.

I have not neglected my writing, but have simply holed it away some place safe until I felt it was ready for a critical eye. Some might call that the antithesis of this community, but I come now, before you all to ask for help. I am a young poet consumed with passion for this project. It has consumed me day and night for the last 3 months.

Over a year ago my grandfather died. When he passed, I came into a collection of letters he had written my grandmother while stationed in England in 1945. The letters, paper as delicate as ballet with words punched by an old 1940's typewriter, are fragile, historically rich, and full of longing for a distant love. I have taken the hundred and five pages of original text, scanned them, and on each blacked out or "censored" a poem.

Each poem converses directly with a section of the original content of the letter. The goal of working this way is to create the final conversation with my grandparents. I was unable to say goodbye to them when they passed. A grandson grieving? Certainly. But good work is made of such emotional stuff, no?

Parts of the publishing industry are in shambles, and at a recent lecture I attended, more than a few professionals nodded approvingly when the speaker proclaimed, "Don't bother with poetry. There's no business in it. We are going to publish books as art pieces, like vinyl". So my sail stopped fluttering, the wind went out in a gasp. I raised my hand and asked if they would be moving to publish digital applications for books, like for the ipad and android devices - they laughed at me.

A passion spurned grows brighter and I went home to throw myself into my work. Their short-sightedness was astounding. Poetry, as an art form, will find its revival on mobile devices. I am sure of it. I've been tracking the App Stores and just recently adult books, those that are not the picture books of children, are beginning to gain traction. These are books paired with user generated content. They are pieces that give more than knowledge, wisdom, and a story, they impart a personalized product. That is what I am creating.

It is a poetry application where stanzas rearrange themselves to make new poems and to elucidate meaning. The same hand gestures you use to turn a page will make the bridge between the original content and the poem. As a reader you will not only watch the words, you will manipulate them. The application will allow you to create your own "black out" poems by uploading documents or taking a picture of a sign that has words you want to rearrange. You'll be able to share these pieces over your social networks. Putting the power of creation into the hands of the reader is one of the goals of this application. I want you to feel as I do, sifting through letters, looking for that hidden truth that makes the moment poetic.

I have written 105 poems. I have begun developing the application myself because I am, well, a poor teacher, and I need your help.

To include 105 poems is obscene. I need your help to select the 30 best. Due to constraints of content, some of the poems are a little bland. Every time I have been active on this site, when life has let up a bit, I have been impressed with members' desire to help others with their art. I come to you now in search of that help. I want, with all my heart, for this application to be a success. I know I need the wisdom of this community to help me make it so.

I will be posting 20 poems a week to get reviewed. I have enlisted help from strangers on craigslist, acquaintances on Facebook, and with your help, poetry aficionados. I am asking people to review as little as 10 a week; to rate them on a simple "star" system I've devised.

I can only offer, when the project is complete, a free copy (digital, but hopefully print), an editor's credit, and a special acknowledgement. I will of course, if members of the Neopoet community get involved, give a direct credit to Neopoet, a place I am happy I stumbled upon four years ago.

If you are interested in helping me transmute my passion into something tangible or would like to see poetry make its way to more digital platforms please let me know. Please.

I will message you the link to the webpage, which will go live on the 21st. If you want to help, please comment on this post or send me a message. I am grateful with all my heart if you have read this far and are still interested. My creative spirit is full of gratitude.

Sincerely,
Josh

Comments

Welcome back to Neopoet. Not sure I understand the application
you are promoting here, not sure how flipping stanza's might elucidate
meaning, but I might check out your webpage out of curiosity. Are you
planning on posting the poetry in question here?

not here? I certainly hope so. And if it is the case I would love to help, sounds like an intriguing project. Send me the link.

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

Jess, no worries the poem won't be posted here! I wouldn't dream of cluttering the space. The website will go live Sunday night/ Monday morning depending on where you are. I'll post a link here. In the mean time, here is a trailer - http://youtu.be/tmSAjfNol6Q

.

J.A. Fisher

author comment

The potential is incredible.

The only slight drawback, for me and many other impecunious bods, is that I am resisting mobile devices (whilst eyeing them with savagely covetous glint) until the prices come down, as they inevitably will. Any chance this app will work on a normal PC?

You might want to contact Barbara Writes by PM. She is doing a course on app design and is looking for a project related to poetry. She might be able to help you or even team up.

I congratulate you. With appropriate marketing this app could actually make you money in a poetry related venture, I'm sure there is a market (another savagely covetous glint) [grins]

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

1. Go to www.jafisherportfolio.com/letters
2. You will have to create a user profile. This will help me stay in contact with you, and helps to protect the work on the site.
3. After you create your profile, reload www.jafisherportfolio.com/letters or click “black out, love and war” in the left hand corner and choose “visit site” from the drop down menu.
4. Sign the Non Disclosure Agreement. This form protects my grandfather’s letters, my poems, and the application. If you do not sign this form, I will have to remove you from the reviewing pool.
5. Start reviewing!

.

J.A. Fisher

author comment

to get an e-sign account.
Do you know another way?

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

Oh no, don't pay $14 a month! Simply fill out the contact form below the NDA :-)

.

J.A. Fisher

author comment

e-sign is a required field

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

You should be able to just type your name in the E-Sign field on this page http://www.jafisherportfolio.com/letters/nda-form/

.

J.A. Fisher

author comment

you could make it clear that only a name and not a proper e-sign is required

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

Just got the e-mail confirmation for ya Jess! Thank you!

.

J.A. Fisher

author comment
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