Joan Fleming lives and writes in Golden Bay, New Zealand. A clutch of prose-poems entitled Two Dreams in which Things Are Taken has just [yesterday] been launched as part of the DUETS chapbook series, which pairs one New Zealand and one American poet. Joan is paired with Emily Toder from Northampton Massachusetts whose collection is called I Hear a Boat.
You can read more of Joan's work online at Best New Zealand Poems 2008, Turbine and Snorkel.
Published on Tuesday Poem with permission from the author.
Joan says of the prose poem: “I like prose poems. They’re small and deceptive, like something between a dense vignette and an image with side dishes. The ones I’ve been writing are like little fictions — a bit surreal, mostly human, and totally driven by language.”
This week's editor is Mariana Isara a Christchurch writer currently working on her first collection of poems ‘Delusions of Grandeur’.
Please take the time to enjoy the other Tuesday Poems by clicking on the links in the sidebar.
I love the idea of asking the sea to be my dentist - and, too, these conversations between poets. So much more becomes possible the instant dialogue begins. TP is a great advocate for these interrelations and 'tis very good that this is so. Thanks, Joan, Mary, Mariana.
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful. Prose poems are delicious treats when treated like this ... Thanks Joan for the pointer to another marvellous NZ talent.
ReplyDeleteLovely - I enjoy a good prose poem.
ReplyDeleteI like the way the poem opens out at the end with the word 'blue' - been thinking about that as I've been driving today.... I like the shift too in the thinking of the speaker of the poem from not understanding 'foolish decorations' to wanting zinnias in places people don't look. Very nice.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mariana. I've seen a few of Joan's prose poems around and about in various mags, and always enjoy them. BTW, also really enjoyed your work in the latest Enamel.
ReplyDeleteThanks Helen! Enamel is a great addition to the scene.
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