Rasputin's Eyes

Some good news for me. And really, isn't good news for me actually good news for the world? < / StephenColbert >

Anyway, I found out on Sunday (that's a few hours ago, folks) that one of my poems is a finalist in MARGIE/The American Journal of Poetry's Editor's Prize Contest. It will be published in Volume 6 of MARGIE, due out in fall of 2007. I feel a bit... curious. The poem selected is one that I think is strong when it's among other poems. I never really thought of its ability to stand on its own. And yet, somebody saw it as fairly strong all by its little lonesome. Of course, I don't know how many people entered the contest, how many people were finalists, if my being told that I'm a finalist means that's as far as I got, or if it means I'm up for the big prize. Whose monetary amount, incidentally, I have completely forgotten. Perhaps all this will bring me good luck? I mean, my seeming nonchalance? I don't know.

I'm still going to run around singing, "Iiiiii'm gonna be PUUUUBlished!"

Being published is a strange thing. I find myself wondering if the quality of a journal has diminished, and that's what has let me sneak into it. I've mentioned that before. Then again, things might change this month, because I will finally see myself in print. In a good journal. Arc Poetry Magazine's wintry issue (with ME) has been distributed. I haven't seen it anywhere yet, but I hear it's out. And, um, I've ordered plenty of copies. But if you want one, you should go to this page and buy a copy. You could totally ship it to me and I'd autograph it and send it back to you. That would be awesome. And really, really weird.