Sunday, August 9, 2020

Writers’ Pantry #32: From Case Studies to Plague Poetry

How does one respond to a stranger who asks, “Can you recommend a good pandemic book?” In my case, I just sort of stare a lot. I’m certain the asker is wondering about the glassy-eyed look on my face. Is she ignoring me? They might think. In fact, that question often brews a gazillion more questions in my skull: What do you mean by “pandemic book” (a book where a bunch of people die horribly before the protagonist finds a cure? Or, a book set in pandemic times? Or, a book about how to escape a pandemic? Or… by the way, what sort of books do you enjoy reading? And, when you say “pandemic”, are you talking COVID-19, H1N1 influenza, lying politicians gone viral? Do explain…)
 
Anyway, someone asked me that (yelled, actually, since we were standing six feet apart waiting to go into surgery). A nurse came and got me while I was still on the glassy-eyed look stage, so I didn’t have time to respond. But I got the person’s email address—I never lose a chance to do some bookish indoctrination recommendation. After a couple of days exchanging messages, I found out that the person in question hated long books, hated books set in places she knew little about, hated books that were too political, hated books that didn’t have happy endings, and… well, you can get the picture. I ended up sending her links to USA Today’s “The top 25 escapist books to read in quarantine, per Goodreads” (and recommended Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies: And Other Rituals to Fix Your Life, by Tara Schuster); O, The Oprah Magazine (and recommended Nevers, by Megan Martin); and to “Publishers Snap Up Corona Books, From Case Studies to Plague Poetry”, an article by The New York Times (and recommended Together in a Sudden Strangeness: America’s Poets Respond to the Pandemic, edited by Alice Quinn).

I ended the email with this note: “I have no idea if you are going to like these books, but I plan to read them. So, we can yell at each other about one or all of them when we go back to get rid of our stitches.” Her emoji reply might’ve looked glassy-eyed.

This poem is from the Together in a Sudden Strangeness anthology,
and I totally had to share it:

 Announcements and Reminders:

- in her latest Wild Fridays, Rosemary shared “Do Not Let Them Train You”, a poem by Caitlin Johnstone. If you’ve yet to read the piece, do give it a go. And if you have a minute, dive into the comments—they add quite a bit to the conversation.

- next Wednesday, for our Weekly Scribblings #32: I Am Explaining A Few Things, Sanaa invites us to write inspired by the phrase “I am explaining a few things”, the title of a poem by Pablo Neruda, which you can find if you follow this link.  
 

But on Pantry day, you have to follow no prompt. Share poetry or prose that is old or new, words that are bright like the sun or dark like the times. Let your pieces be short or long (if you go for prose, please make your word count 369 words or fewer). One link per participant. The Writers’ Pantry will remain open for a week. As always, take a moment to visit other poets and storytellers, and let them know that their words did for you.

22 comments:

  1. Hi Maga, (even though I'm not contributing nor participating in today's Pantry) I just want to thank you for this very interesting Sunday morning read. I really like everything about your piece:
    - The question the stranger poses, because it reveals that perhaps some people prefer light reads as a way to escape the horrors of our would.
    - As a reader, I plan to check out your recommendations. Tara Schuster's sounds especially good and the Sudden Strangeness anthology. Alvarez's poem, almost humorous, asks important questions, which I feel only poetry can answer.
    - As a writer, I find the New York Times article useful. Writing and publishing in the time of COVID-19 is especially hard, for me. One of the reasons goes back to the stranger's question, that is, what do readers want read!

    Ah, perhaps why I find this piece significant is our shared love for reading. OK, I'll stop...and go read the things Neruda is explaining. :)

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    1. I am so glad you enjoyed the post, Khaya. And I think you are right, knowing what readers want is always a mystery. I suspect that one must publish what one finds meaning writing, and there will always be some readers who will be attracted to it (at least, one should hope).

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  2. Thanks Magaly for hosting, and for sharing that reading list. And oh how I love the Julia Alavarez poem!

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    1. I love the poem, too! I must've read it ten times. It's just so... appropriately telling.

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  3. Happy Sunday everyone

    (✿◠‿◠)

    much love...

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  4. The poem you posted made me want to write poems—the third line, especially.

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    1. Oh, and just so you know, the third line made me think of your writing style, when I first read the poem.

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    2. <3

      Me too! Back when I had one ... it actually made me feel mournful and teary for my lost art. I can’t be the only one who feels, or has felt, that way. So many give up writing poetry, for seasons or forever. It’s a shame.

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  5. Good Afternoon, Bards! Thanks, Magaly, for the insightful story! Happy Sunday, all! :)

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  6. Thanks for hosting! Before all this happened, I read a great "Pandemic" book and highly recommend it. Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks. The first few chapters start out heavy and I thought... I'm not so sure about this book. But I stuck with it and am glad I did!

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  7. Happy Sunday... I am struggling with depression. I am so grateful for artistic expression. It is therapy for me.

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    1. I join my gratefulness to yours and wish you lighter days, dear Susie.

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  8. Hello to all! Your reading list is impressive, Magaly, and I enjoyed the poem. I this my quarantine has made me a bit stir-crazy, and you'll no doubt agree when you read my poem. Hopefully reading the work of others will restore my balance!!

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    1. I've had a day or two where I'm convinced that if I don't go outside I would probably start kicking walls. Reading and writing and gardening and such... always makes things better for me. I hope reading does the same for you.

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  9. Happy Sunday to all! I always look forward to the writers' pantry!

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    1. You and me both, Jenna. May your week be glorious!

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