Dear Readers,
Was the last time you read poetry sometime during a high school English class? Do you want to love poetry, but don’t know where to start? Are you slightly embarrassed that you can’t remember the last time you bought a book of poems?
Friends, I’m here to help. I’m your new poetry concierge! (Should I trademark that?)
Yes, this April — and for the rest of the life of this blog, I hope — I’ll be available to lead you to the sweet springs of verse, where you may sip or swill to your heart’s content.
Here’s how to help your new Poetry Concierge help you:
Send me an email [rosemaryandreadingglasses (at) gmail (dot) com] with your name as you’d like it to appear, a link to your blog if you’d like, and answers (as specific as possible) to the following questions:
1. When you read fiction, who’s your go-to author?
2. If you read nonfiction, which subjects are most likely to interest you? (cultural history, science, biography, memoir, survival stories?)
3. If you were stuck on a desert island for a week, which five books would you bring to keep you entertained?
4. If you were on a five-year mission to Mars, which five books would you bring to keep you sane?
5. What kinds of questions are most likely to keep you up at night? (death, the nature of love, politics, environmental issues, meaning of life, end of the world, justice and injustice, etc?)
6. If you’ve read poetry before, what have you liked? What have you disliked?
7. Would you like your name and/or blog to be published on Rosemary and Reading Glasses along with your recommendation?
I’ll read your answers and come up with a poet, a poem, or even a book for you to try out (maybe even more than one!).
Within a week or two (if you haven’t heard from me by then, comment on ye olde blog) I’ll publish your answers to the questionnaire, and my recommendation, on Rosemary and Reading Glasses (with your name removed, if you so choose). If you want to report back on what you think of my choice, all the better!
[UPDATE: The volume of responses is more than I expected — hooray! — so it’s possible your recommendation may be delayed beyond two weeks. If you have a poetry emergency, though (proposal, wedding, retirement, etc), please be sure to tell me!]
Poetry Concierge posts won’t appear on any set schedule, but I’d love to make a few recommendations soon, in honor of National Poetry Month, so bring on those questionnaires!
Yours in verse,
Carolyn the Poetry Concierge
Oh Poetry Concierge, I fear that finding a poem for me would be an impossible task. But nonetheless, having abundant confidence in your skills, erudition, intuition, and plain common sense, I’ll think about it.
You underestimate my powers, Ripley.
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Have already sent the email with the questionnaire filled out and posted about it on writereads – so looking forward to seeing what you recommend! Thank you! -Tania
Thanks, Tania!
This is so cool! Workin’ on my email…
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How did I miss this post?!! This is EXACTLY what I need, except I never even knew to ask for it! Email will be on its way 😉
🙂
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What a wonderful idea! I have not read poetry in so long, it is incredibly embarrassing. I would love to have some recommendations. Can I still submit?
Of course! It’s an ongoing series, and I’m trying not to overwhelm people, so I’m slowly rolling out each recommendation. Write in whenever you like !
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This is such a crazy cool idea and so crazy cool of you, you do not know how much this is blowing my mind. Kind of a weird reaction and a bit of an overreaction, but as someone who’s always wanted to fall in love with poetry but never has I’m excited to put your poetry concierging skills to the test! 😀
Great! I’m so happy you’re interested!
Reblogged this on Stressing Out College and commented:
Just answer a few questions and she’ll try to figure out a poem you’d like. She’s already made several suggestions for other [potential] poetry lovers and I think her offer is awesome. Let’s see how good she is…
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