The Curated Poetry of Mark Kessinger
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INTRODUCTION
HELLO, and welcome to The Curated Poetry of Mark Kessinger.
This is where I share a collection of my published poems. I call them curated because they were chosen by others, editors, publishers, anthologists, judges, etc. this offers you confidence that the works presented here are of a certain quality. They are poems that you might be able to find elsewhere on the net if you spend the time to track them down. I certainly encourage support of all the resources that helped encourage me.
These are also curated by myself. I go beyond selecting them for the works that they are, but also for the story that they tell, or the insight that they offer to poetry and writing in general. In this way, they are Twice Curated.
As I present these poems in postings, I add to each the information I might offer up at a reading. This can be background, technique, referents, or any introduction to the piece which may be helpful in enhancing the enjoyment of it. Sort of putting you in the front row of a live reading.
I am a poet living thru and writing about many of the same events of your lifetime. This is not purple prose, hearts and flowers, arcane sonnets or the esoteric ramblings of the obscure. It is not ivy league elitism. It is real articulation of life that will touch on all things, musings of the heart, soul, body and mind.
The poems themselves are wide ranging in subject, voice, and tone. They come from thought experiments, and are of a contemporary style, most casual in tone, meaning very accessible. A few may be challenging. Some may not be your cup of tea, but most will be flavorful adventures. If you are not yet a fan of poetry, try this. If you are a student of poetry, this is good stuff, (with X-ray glasses included!) If you are an advanced reader, or poet yourself, this is quality workshop, and, I hope, a pace car.
For your entertainment, enlightenment and encouragement, I offer these postings freely, with more to come. Each posting will contain one previously published poem and a fresh introduction available only here.
Below are a few quotes to wet your imaginative whistle.
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“Poetry is the shorthand of civilization.” -MSK
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Poetry is the DNA of human thought.” -msk
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If there is a short cut to wisdom, it is Poetry. -msk
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Poetry is a thought experiment set to music. -msk
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WARNING:
Beyond this point
emotions will be touched
minds set ablaze…