Confession Tuesday - The Poet Crush Edition

Dear Reader,

I confess I plan on being around all summer for Confession Tuesdays.  While I live a very dull, basic life, somehow being able to confess makes me feel a little more interesting than I really am.

So let's just enter the confessional, I hear we're talking about crushes today--


At the Skagit Poetry Festival, there was some talk about "poet crushes."

I think I've determined that there are a several kinds of poet crushes you can have--

1)    You read a poem or two, and fall in like with the poet.
2)    You read a few poems, fall in like, then see a photo of the poet.
3)    You meet the poet and crush begins.
4)    You take a workshop or class with the poet and crush begins.
5)    You hear the poet read and crush begins.
6)    You are the groupie crusher- which means you have to go to any place said poet is.
7)    Physical crush only
8)    Physical & intellectual crush
9)    Intellectual crush only
10)  All of the above crush


Now before I go any further, I should say that these are the innocent crushes, not the crushes that break up marriages, crushes like that should be crushed.

These are the crushes that are viewed from afar and while occasionally there may be some up-close time, these are not threatening crushes on anyone's relationship.  Those crushes must reside elsewhere, as in the past year I've seen too many marriages break-up over affairs, so let the confessional show that I am not supporting crushes that hurt or move to a Glenn Close Fatal Attraction scene, but just responding to innocent crushes, the ones where we admire our poets and if we were 13 again, would cut out their photos from TigerBeat magazine and tape them too our walls.

~
I confess
these are the poets whose work or photo I would tape to my wall--

Terrance Hayes
Bob Hicok
Kary Wayson


Here are poets I've once have taped to walls, but have since had to take down.

These are my Shaun Cassidys replaced by C. Thomas Howell (any of the women reading this from "The Outsiders" generation will probably get that reference)

Olena Kalytiak Davis
Li-Young Lee (a past groupie-crush)
Robert Pinsky


I confess while I still really like and admire these poets and refer and read their work more than other poets, they've slipped off my list a little bit.  These were my top 3 at one time.  My reasons for their slipping down my list sometimes has to do with their work, sometimes has to do with a reading I attended.

~

When you share a poet crush with a group, there will be two people who adamantly disagree with you and one person who agrees with you but is too shy, embarrassed or socially-smart to say so.

~

I confess when I get around poets I really admire, I become Neanderthal girl.

I say things like, "Book.  You sign?"

I drag my knuckles against the ground and walk with my head down so not to make eye contact with important poet-person.

If I do look at admired poet, I stare in an awkward way and if they smile at me, my cheeks immediately flush and I look away as if they are a diseased zombie I want no part of.

~

I confess one day I'd like to learn how to be the one who smiles back.

~

I confess I would love to hear your poet crushes.

Please feel free to comment as Anonymous if you do not want to have your crush "on the record" as mine are now.  Oh well, life is temporary, I think poets should know they are well-loved and admired.