YVONNE BROWN
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Today's Feature:  Connie A. Lopez-Hood

4/1/2013

62 Comments

 

National Poetry Month Celebration

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Bio:  
Connie A. Lopez-Hood is a poet and founding editor of Shuf Poetry (www.shufpoetry.com). She spear-headed and edited the chapbook anthology, Blankets & Other Poems: Poetry for the People of Japan, in which all proceeds were donated to Red Cross Japan Relief.  Her work appeared or is forthcoming in The Newer York, Apercus, Gaga Stigmata, Our Stories, Polari Journal,  Lingerpost, Tongue Magazine, and others. She is the daughter of Cuban immigrant parents and is the first person in her family to go to and graduate from college.  Connie holds an MFA in Poetry and lives in the Southern California mountains where she makes jewelry for her shop at Skyward Earth (www.facebook.com/SkywardEarth ).
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any number of memory

i lost my job the promise of many pots to piss in the system we 

are all numbers exchanging life for death recycling social 

security numbers abuela was never a citizen not of 

any number of countries i know the number of wrinkles in her face memorized 

any memory of number the plates on my car my driver’s license 

credit score bank account hmo member i.d. she has an hmo too 

but doesn’t remember those things  not her telephone number  

nor how many houses she’s lived in nor how many pills she takes 


a day not even her age                  only

   her dead brother’s name            unpasteurized cow’s milk

         a red bicycle                            the    first     time   she   ever 



   made love    the World’s Fair                             rice pudding

       how my eyes look like mom’s look like hers       

   mojitos and cigarillos      chicks hatching in the incubator                                                                            



     any number of memory                          i write my social

on an application doesn’t ask me who i am  asks me who i am________.


*This poem was featured in Apercus Quarterly (1.4).  Can be re-printed with citation/referencing information.    

The Interview

Where do you draw your inspiration from to write poetry?
For me, inspiration for writing comes from just about anything—nature, technology, injustice, love, grief, ANYTHING!  If something strikes me (or even if it doesn’t strike me), I’ll write about it.  There is great discovery in writing and I often don’t know how I truly feel about something until I write about it.

What advice do you have for someone that is threatened by poetry?
If you feel threatened by poetry, threaten it back.  Tell poetry to take its elitism and go home. There are many ways to enjoy poetry (in the mind, in the body, in the spirit heart); so linger over what brings you close to it and keep an open mind about the other stuff.

What is an interesting fact about you? 
I used to be so terrified of spiders as a kid, that I couldn’t even touch the page where a picture of one was printed!  I’ve been able to kick that extreme fear, though now ants freak me out—they never seem to go away!  A poetry-related random fact is that as a kid I used to set an egg timer and have mini writing marathons.  I was surprised when during my undergrad education I read Natalie Goldberg’s “Writing Down the Bones” and learned that she recommended writing marathons to break through writer’s block!

Where are you from / Where do you live?
I live in Big Bear, a mountain community in Southern California.  It’s always gorgeous, green, and crisp—the perfect recipe for creating poetry and art.

Who is your favorite poet?
I tend to read poems not poets, so I don’t have a favorite poet!  (Is that just sheer craziness!?)

This is how a POET Graduates!  
Gotta Love IT!!!!

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Connie holds an MFA in Poetry
62 Comments
Neville Adams link
4/1/2013 10:42:11 pm

Connie's writing is so organic...her love affair with words is both passionate and compelling. Thanks for the therapy!

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Yvonne Brown
4/2/2013 03:19:05 am

Beautifully said! Connie is inspiring and her words are refreshing!

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Tina Ashburn link
4/1/2013 11:08:53 pm

Beautiful words. Beautiful lady. Beautiful spirit.

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Yvonne Brown
4/2/2013 03:19:55 am

Thanks for your support Tina! Agreed!

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Rob link
4/1/2013 11:11:47 pm

Very interesting read! I think this "If you feel threatened by poetry, threaten it back" Good life lesson.

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Yvonne Brown
4/2/2013 03:21:04 am

I like too! My favorite part is that she likes poems not poets!

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Jenny
4/2/2013 12:53:10 am

I am sooo proud of my cousin! You are such a beautiful person with a gorgeous soul! I could totally eat you up!!!! I love you!!

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Yvonne Brown
4/2/2013 03:23:07 am

Thanks Jenny!! Connie is clearly beautiful on the inside and out!

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Dov Shapira link
4/2/2013 01:26:49 am

mojitos and cigarillos sounds good

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Yvonne Brown
4/2/2013 03:23:48 am

LOL! Dov you are too cool.

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Carol Ann link
4/2/2013 02:04:54 am

Beautiful! I look forward to reading more.

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Yvonne Brown
4/2/2013 03:24:24 am

Thanks for the support Carol Ann!

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Deborah link
4/2/2013 02:06:34 am

I love the poem and the interesting fact about Connie.

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Yvonne Brown
4/2/2013 03:25:23 am

The poem is powerful! Connie is an interesting person with a lot of talent!

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Meire Weishaupt link
4/2/2013 02:36:36 am

Thanks for the beautiful poem, it is really amazing to live in Big Bear and have all the beauty while you write!

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Yvonne Brown
4/2/2013 03:26:41 am

I can imagine how the beauty of Big Bear can inspire.

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Alexandra McAllister link
4/2/2013 03:28:14 am

Beautiful poetry! Looking forward to reading more of her work. Thanks for sharing, Yvonne.

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Yvonne Brown
4/2/2013 05:26:23 am

Thanks for your support Alexandra!

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Jen @ Existential Evolution link
4/2/2013 03:39:51 am

She sounds like a fascinating artist! Thanks for sharing!

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Yvonne Brown
4/2/2013 05:36:42 am

Thanks for your support Jen!

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Cassie
4/2/2013 04:09:09 am

This lady is awesome! I thoroughly enjoyed her work! Lovin' the creativeness being brought forth!♥

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Yvonne Brown
4/2/2013 05:43:04 am

Thanks for your support Cassie!!! Your genuine enthusiasm shines through...

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DUKE STANDBERRY link
4/2/2013 05:09:02 am

Great work, we would love to have you on our TV show one day

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Yvonne Brown
4/2/2013 05:44:01 am

Thanks for the support Duke! How exciting! Which TV show?

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Heather link
4/2/2013 05:40:48 am

Very interesting read! Looking forward to reading more of her work. Thanks for sharing,

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Yvonne Brown
4/2/2013 05:44:35 am

Thanks for your support Heather!

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Carele Belanger link
4/2/2013 06:03:54 am

This is great. I love poetry. She is fantastic!

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Yvonne Brown
4/2/2013 06:26:12 am

Thanks for the support Carele! Connie is supper talented!

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Sasha Lynn link
4/2/2013 07:56:24 am

Love her style. Thank you for delivering her to my screen. I am enriched. <3

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Yvonne Brown
4/2/2013 07:58:07 am

Yes!!! Sasha!!! That is exactly what I wanted it to do! LOVE IT! Thanks for your post!

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Estefany T
4/2/2013 10:05:59 am

I like cassie's poem becuase I come from a family of immigrants and i'm happy somebody like her can represent us all in her poetry.

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Yvonne Brown
4/2/2013 11:35:11 am

Thanks Estefany!! Best wishes to you!

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chris o'mahony link
4/2/2013 10:48:23 am

very cool...

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Yvonne Brown
4/2/2013 11:35:45 am

Thanks Chris! Agreed! :)

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Robin link
4/2/2013 11:01:09 am

Great post! I loved reading about how she gets her inspiration... from everything! :)

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Yvonne Brown
4/2/2013 11:36:24 am

Thanks for your support Robin!

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Maria Fontaine link
4/2/2013 02:52:08 pm

Very inspiring, thanks for sharing!!

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Connie A Lopez-Hood link
4/2/2013 11:47:56 pm

Wow! Your love and comments are so overwhelming! Thank you everyone! And thank you so much Yvonne for holding and sharing this space where proximity isn't an issue and our hearts all beat with poetic metronome for the same thing: community. Much love to you!!

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Yvonne Brown
4/9/2013 03:30:22 pm

Much love to you Connie, a kindred spirit! The hearts are linked!

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Exploring Your Business Online @normadoiron link
4/3/2013 01:36:30 am

Very interesting Yvonne, thank you for sharing <3

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Yvonne Brown
4/9/2013 03:31:04 pm

Thanks for your support Norma!!

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Carla J Gardiner link
4/3/2013 06:23:58 am

I'm a very black and white thinker. Never understood poetry, maybe it's a very deep way to think and express oneself. My daughter tells me to lighten up, think outside the box. Maybe that's my problem with poetry, it's outside the box.

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Cindy Taylor link
4/3/2013 09:14:20 am

Great blog...it is excellent to showcase the poetry and the author!

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Yvonne Brown
4/9/2013 03:31:55 pm

Thanks for your suport Cindy! I am glad you like it!

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denny hagel link
4/3/2013 10:12:43 pm

I really enjoyed this...looking forward to reading more!

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Yvonne Brown
4/9/2013 03:32:34 pm

Thanks for your support Denny! That is good to hear!

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Lorii Abela link
4/4/2013 03:23:10 am

Beautiful piece of poetry indeed. When did you start to feel this passion for words?

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Connie A Lopez-Hood link
4/4/2013 01:33:23 pm

It started when I was a kid; stories early at the age of 4 and I really fell in love with poetry in junior high. It was a power trip that I could experience with myself, in that, my words were the power. Through them it was revelation and discovery and work and play. But I hung onto fiction all the way through my early undergrad and I got bit fully by the poetry bug. Now, when I write fiction it becomes prose/narrative poetry. Oh well....nothing wrong with a song on the lips--it keeps the wiggle in the hips!

Are you a poet or a fiction writer, Lorii?

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daniele holmberg link
4/4/2013 09:23:43 am

Beautfiul poem! I have had a love for poetry since high school. Thank you:-)

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Connie A Lopez-Hood link
4/4/2013 01:45:00 pm

Wonderful! Do you still write poetry now?

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Delia link
4/5/2013 12:49:03 pm

Love that: I tend to read poems not poets, so I don’t have a favorite poet! Good one!

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Yvonne Brown
4/9/2013 03:33:19 pm

Thanks Delia! I thought so too!

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Ganiu
4/6/2013 01:58:11 pm

I loved your poem. It's sad that not more of your poems are around at the local library so I can read more, unfortunately I'm to young to work. So keep writing poetry and fighting those who fight it!

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Yvonne Brown
4/9/2013 03:34:01 pm

Thanks for your support Ganiu!

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Pat Moon link
4/7/2013 06:14:02 am

My mother is 92 & my mom-n-law is 97. I can relate to this poem so much.. appreciate it. Connie's statement in the interview that I can relate to is: "I often don’t know how I truly feel about something until I write about it."

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Yvonne Brown
4/9/2013 03:34:44 pm

Thanks for sharing Pat!! And thank you for your support!

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Gary Hyman link
4/7/2013 07:55:08 am

Beautiful poem....sometimes that's all we are to some - numbers, just numbers. But we're people to other important people. I love the poem. Great. Thanks for sharing with us.

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Yvonne Brown
4/9/2013 03:35:24 pm

Thanks for your support Gary! Nice post!

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Estefany T
4/16/2013 08:16:40 am

I like her poem because many immigrants like my parents went through a similar situation

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George L
4/16/2013 08:19:20 am

I enjoy her comment that she reads poetry for the poems and not the for the poets, thus she doesn't have a favorite, which is a similar viewpoint for me. I don't ready anything because someone wrote it, I read it for the content that it contains.

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Michael
4/30/2013 09:54:12 am

Lopez-Hood seems to have an unorthodox style of writing. All of her sentences seem to "flow" into one long sentence. In fact, I nearly got lost in the poem, however I still thought her writing style to be interesting.

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Kylie Holliday
5/2/2013 07:22:44 am

The way you write is so engaging and I find my self really enjoying your poetry

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