Make the Mandala Great Again

[Donner]

Hi, Matt,

Maybe not meaningful, but quite amusing. I went back and re-read your first Parklife piece (if there's a II, there's a I preceding it). The first, which I remember now, was more sinister on the surface, with menacing references to scars, flick-knife thin cheekbones, razor faces, pulling wings off baby birds. In the second, it's all softness - bread, loafing, doughy ones, custard, warmth. Despite that and the thought of poor Ken being smothered by an ample bosom, it's all rather macabre. Twice, even.

It's always a pleasure to share a Sevens with you.

Donna

[Jee Leong]

"Parklife II" is funny, from opening line to the end. Poor flatbread Ken!

[Mittens]

Matt
For you is sweet, especially the ending couplet. It has a very childlike feel, the bouncing ball, the glue, the pencils. It makes me think of a kid at school. Maybe not what you were going for, but added an innocence to it.

Parklife II - Oh, poor flatbread Ken! Hard not to laugh. What a way to go.

So good to share the week with you!
~Laura

[GreaterMandalaofUselessness]

drumpf, Niel, Donner, Jee and Laura

Thanks for your fluff and for your company this week.

I sent the Monarch poem (retitled as just "Monarchs") to Rattle's Poets' Respond weekly news poetry competition,and just heard back from the editor that it was in his top 3. Not a winner, though, but pleasing enough nonetheless. And also something of a relief. I'd thought twice about sending it; I feel a bit uncomfortable about the publishing poems about my family. I'm not really sure how confessional poets do it.

See you back here next year.

-Matt