Our poetry editor Matthew Landrum is having a busy month. He’s taking part in Tupelo Press’ 30/30 poetry contest, in which six poets write and publish a poem a day, for 30 days straight. I asked Matthew how it was going.
The 30/30 project is one of the most difficult and rewarding things I’ve ever done. I ran my first half-marathon this fall and there are some analogies between the two challenges. I’ve relied more on craft and less on inspiration than is usual for me, and there’s something to be said for that stretch. Most of all, this project has given me the freedom that comes with necessity. Something has to be written so I experiment with language and sounds and see what happens.
As well as being a challenge for the poets taking part, the 30/30 project is also a fundraiser for the non-profit Tupelo Press. They are an “independent, literary press devoted to discovering and publishing works of poetry and literary fiction by emerging and established writers”. Find our more at their site.
— Euan
Photo (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) by C.C. Chapman