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    Journalism
    Journalism
    Journalism
    Ebook124 pages20 minutes

    Journalism

    By Kevin J. O'Conner

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    About this ebook

    Journalism is the second collection of poems by Kevin J. O'Conner. Although some of the same themes explored in the first collection (Separation Anxiety) appear in this collection as well, there’s also more variety—in the form of weird dreams, peaceful vignettes, commentary, the occasional bit of humor, experimentation with poetic forms, etc.

    Journalism continues O'Conner's straightforward approach to writing, which favors more direct, expressive language and simpler forms, making the poems more accessible than "typical" poetry. In that sense, this is poetry for people who don't otherwise like poetry.

    As before, the contents are primarily drawn from O'Conner's personal journals, with many of the poems written as part of National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo). This time, however, the visual element is provided by sketches taken from those same journals. Writes O'Conner in the book's Preface: “Obviously, I’m not going to win any awards for my drawing skills; still, the sketches that I have included have their own peculiar charm. I mean, where else are you going to see the likes of the ‘Zapmaster X’ in action?” Indeed.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherKevin J. O'Conner
    Release dateSep 30, 2014
    ISBN9781310157738
    Journalism
    Author

    Kevin J. O'Conner

    Kevin J. O’Conner (56) is not your typical poet. After 30 years of writing only sporadically, Kevin J. O’Conner returned to poetry in 2013—first as a creative exercise, then for the therapeutic benefits. Since 2015, he writes every day, exploring the craft of poetry through monthly writing challenges—‘my ongoing effort to write something that doesn’t sound like something I would write’, he says. Kevin’s poems explore isolation, memory, life’s small moments, and the experience of starting over at ‘a certain age’—always with an emphasis on straightforward expression. As of Spring 2019, Kevin has published eleven collections of poems, the latest of which is WISHES SOMETIMES HAVE CONSEQUENCES, plus four volumes of ‘love notes’ to the days of the week. His poems have also appeared in Raven Chronicles, Spindrift, The CDC Poetry Project, Lament for the Dead, and the anthology VOICES THAT MATTER, and as part of the Clay? VI (2016) exhibit at Kirkland Arts Center. When not writing poetry, Kevin can be found copy-editing documents from far-flung places, attending open-mic readings, designing books, and contemplating what to cook now that he is tired of soup. He lives in Bellingham with his mom's neurotic cat, Cleo III. (updated 28 October 2019)

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      Book preview

      Journalism - Kevin J. O'Conner

      Journalism is my second anthology of poems. Because I chose to work with such a specific concept for Separation Anxiety, I had to leave out several poems I really liked because they simply did not fit.

      Although some of the same themes may appear in this collection, there’s also more variety—in the form of weird dreams, peaceful vignettes, political commentary, the occasional bit of humor, experimentation with poetic forms, etc.

      Both the poems and the ‘illustrations’ have mostly been taken from my journals. Obviously, I’m not going to win any awards for my drawing skills; still, the sketches that I have included have their own peculiar charm. I mean, where else are you going to see the likes of the ‘Zapmaster X’ in action?

      —Kevin J. O’Conner, 23 June 2014

      PART ONE

      Hesitation

      26 April 1987

      a space between decisions

      barriers

      against a solution

      to this pressing problem

      a moment

      of silent contemplation

      or a second thought

      29 April 1987

      I crawl to the door

      the blood on my hands

      with eyes opened wide

      I’m looking inside

      for the sound

      of a heaven worth knowing

      9 May 1987

      five photographs

      hang on my wall

      and in my mind

      the summer heat

      has come early

      this year

      perhaps

      you will go

      before

      the autumn rain

      makes damp

      the air

      18 May 1987

      a smile

      to twist

      a thousand dreams

      eyes

      to cast

      a thousand shadows

      the night time

      gives us shelter

      from the howling winds

      and heavy rains

      disheveled hair

      from under covers

      greets me

      under the morning sun

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