About My Poetry
I don’t usually publish my own poems, even here on the blog, partly because I enjoy celebrating and talking about a variety of poetry, not just my own, and partly because most journals and zines consider a poem found via Google to be “previously published,” and therefore undesirable for their purposes.
Self-publishing isn’t part of my plan, although I have contributed to at least one anthology that was published by friends. I consider that more of an indie publication, which isn’t all that far off from what most small presses do. I admit the lines are a little more blurred than they used to be. So basically, small presses are a yes for me, but being my own self-publisher is not. Please understand that my personal choice on that matter is no reflection on anyone else’s desire to publish their own work (Read that as, “Please stop telling me I should self-publish”).
I will, however, provide links to my own works online, or links for you to find copies in print. On rare occasions, I have featured a poem here if I felt it was uniquely fit for the Dad Poet blog.
So, Why the Blog?
The main purpose of this blog when I started it was to celebrate the things that bring me joy (with a view toward keeping my writing muscles limber), and that includes the best of the poetic tradition, both contemporary and classic. You’ll find many readings here, on my YouTube channel, and on my SoundCloud stream, of what I consider great poems by poets both dead and alive, usually not at the same time, however.
But if you are looking for original poems by me, I thank you for the interest! Please keep reading. My recently published poems will be found on the main blog under the category Recently Published. Whereas announcements about poems that have been accepted for upcoming publication will show up under Poetry.
Here’s a rather incomplete and disorganized list of my original poems available online, in audio, video or print:
- Moons, Roads, and Rivers—my first chapbook from Finishing Line Press
- “Wednesday Want and Worship” at 2 Bridges Review.
- “Advent,” a poem published in Barely South Review.
- Three Poems in Yellow Chair Review.
- “Father” in print at San Pedro River Review, Spring 2016.
- “Elemental” in print at San Pedro River Review, Fall 2015.
- “Years Later,” published along with two other poems in the Tic Toc Anthology, which you can read online, or order in print from Kind of a Hurricane Press.
- Three poems in Contemporary American Voices, with featured poet Brian Fanelli.
- “Amish Fantasy” in T(OUR)
- “God, Dad, and Cars,” in the Blue Hour Magazine.
- Two poems in Word Fountain, Spring 2013.
- A Fortune Cookie Poem.
- And another Fortune Cookie Poem.
- A Found Poem.
- A few poems read at Riverfest, Sunbury, PA.
- Two more poems at Riverfest.
- Me reading with Melanie Simms and Marjorie Maddox.
- Two pieces I read at the Pennsylvania State Capitol Building.
- A silly poem for my youngest son read at Faustina’s Gallery in Lewisburg, PA.
- Audio of me reading two of my poems on the air on WITF, Harrisburg.
- An old sonnet for my oldest son.
- My dear friend Ygor Raduy reading my poem “Decorum.”
- Playlists of a few of my original pieces: YouTube, Soundcloud.
- The old moon poem to which the following poem refers.
- And the gorgeous Frances Uku reading “Overvision:”
Overvision
I wrote a poem once
about my neighbors and the moon.
Each brief line dropped
into place as I let them break
at their will. The syntax
arranged itself just comfortably
so. Years later
I came back with more
education and a better sense
of rhythm. I thought
I could improve
it; make the lines
more powerful,
the innuendos more profound.
But the new ink
was too dark for the old page,
and my good intentions discolored
the moon. I’d awakened
a befuddled old man
and his angry, fuzzy-
slippered wife (I’d forgotten
that my old neighbors had moved
away long ago).
They wanted to know
what the hell was going
on—who was I? And
what had I done to the sky?
Too late almost to save
it, I took whiteout
to the street (the last
bottle on the shelf
at the all-night mini
mart on that same block),
dimmed the stars
and ushered back to bed
the little man and his grumbling
wife. That globe of blood
still had a pulse—
thank heaven, and I let it return
to where it had been;
on page one
of a college literary
magazine simple
and perfect,
hanging low there
in that early night sky.
David J. Bauman 
Hmmm.. intriguing..I like intriguing.. intriguing leads to thought and thought leads to learning….learning leads to acceptance..and acceptance to equality..hmm yes..you I like.
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Thank you so much for your comments, Nectarfizz. Can I call you Fizz, or Nectar or just Nect? Seriously, I appreciate your taking the time to read all of this. 🙂
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Post online with a different title and altered first few lines and (of course) ficticious screen name.
And remember, old cowboys can be every bit as bad as teenagers. That’s a fact that is.
c.
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Hmmm? Why is my gravatar and amoeba with legs? Go figure.
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Well, thanks for having the patience to follow me this far! lol I haven’t blogged much lately as you can see. It’s been a rough year, a busy semester, new job, back to school, dead cerebral cortex, you name it! I read the looking for sonofwalt pieces and was going to respond, but… my screen stayed blank for some reason. 😦
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Hey, just wondering how the Dad Poet’s doing. It was cool connecting with you during the NaPoWriMo last year. Hope all is well with you, your boys, and everyone else in your world. Keep writing, stay strong, and have a good year. ~Peace~
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Thanks, Daniel! I’m doing fine. I haven’t posted anything since Christmas. The new semester started. COLD here in Pennsylvania, and I think after all these years I have either become or must admit to having always been, one of those folks whose moods turn dark in the lightness cold of January.
Big and happy plans ahead and the clan here are doing great though. I loved your recent peice/peices on the bus, jail/chapel. Great blend of prose and poem.
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I really enjoyed reading this, particularly: ‘the new ink was too dark for the old page’ great line!
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Thank you, poetart! I really enjoyed your blog, and am honored that you found these pages and lines worth taking the time to read. Your spirit comes through in your written voice, and it inspires me.
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I do need to edit this. Perhaps I should mention “Overvision” was winner of the Savage Poetry Award from the American Academy of Poets and Bloomsburg University, and that it was published in Carver, the faculty journal for Bloom U.
“Moonwatcher” was previously published in The Crucible, Lock Haven University’s poetry journal.
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Dadpoet, thank you so much for the “like” on my poetry post. It looks like we share similar preoccupations: literary writing, theology, attempting to reconcile sacred text with what we know in our hearts to be true of our lives.
Your poem “Overvision” is magical. I love the concept of altering reality by re-writing an older poem!
I sincerely look forward to exploring further into the pages of your blog. Thanks for leading me here, and cheers!
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What a delightful comment, Jennifer. Thank you! I’m very fond of Overvision. It’s one of those poems that grows up like a child, and comes alive on its own terms. I’m really glad you enjoyed it. It’s good to cyber-meet you. 🙂
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And to you as well! Thanks, too, for following. Back at you… I want to keep up with what you’re working on.
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I like your two poems here. The writing is strong and playful. Do you not often publish your own poems on your blog? I’d like to read more…
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PS thanks for visiting my blog.
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very nice work. and nice priorities. thank you for visiting my page – i look forward to many more visits to yours
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Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. I enjoyed my visit and will be back. Thanks for stopping in, and for your kind comments. 🙂
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Thanks, N! I enjoyed the visit, and I will be back!
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I liked it so much I guess I replied twice…. um… three times if you count now. Does now count?
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Thanks a lot. Really. Glad there’s dad’s poets children and we keep on
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I belong to a poetry forum, called Blueline/goobertree.com. we post a poem a day for 30 days. I’m working on my 24th round of thirty. the poems keep getting better and the practice and the commenting keep both me and my writing sharp. You have a great poetic voice-keep writing!
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Thank you kindly! I appreciate it. I will be over to read at your place (your blog) after I get some sleep. Thanks for stopping in! 🙂
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no problem–aloha!
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I truly enjoyed this. Sometimes you just aren’t meant to change what was written. This piece speaks of that beautifully.
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Thank you so much for that comment! I am not against editing or revision, but I am too prone to what I’ve called “over-vision.” There is such a thing as too much, isn’t there? 🙂 Thank you for visiting!
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I have nominated you for the “One Lovely Blog Award” in admiration of your inspiring work. I hope you like it. Check it out here http://gladiuspoeticus.wordpress.com/one-lovely-blog-award/
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So very sweet. Thank you!
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Look forward to seeing you at the River Festival in August! — Melanie Simms
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Thank you, Melanie! I’m glad you stopped by!
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Oops, hit send too soon. I wanted to say I am looking forward to meeting you too. Thank you so much!
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i can dig this.
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Thank you! If you can dig it, I’ll keep shoveling it. 🙂 I appreciate you coming by to visit.
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that really is great…*you, your own intruder*….beautifully rolled out.
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haha, I guess that explains it well. Yup, the one who is most apt to destroy our own work–ourselves. Sigh. 🙂 So lovely to see your lovely face here in DavidLand tonight! 🙂 Greetings from me and the Pianist.
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Just lovely. k.
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Why thank you. Freaky, kind of that you were commenting on my Poet page while I was commenting on your latest Dverse pub poem. Excellent work, by the way. Please keep it up, and spread the pages wide.
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Thanks for your very kind words. Yes = I was more specific in my comment to you there about your own poem! – love the white-out, old couple, general theme of this poem. It is great to re-write but these years-later re-writes come from a very different context, and often lose more than the moon! k.
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Oh what a great final line! 🙂 Thank you so much for getting it, and for responding.
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Well isn’t this just a fancy and elaborate way to set things up. It’s almost like a gosh darn encyclopedia. A very unorganized one at that. 🙂
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Hey, now, once you get your bedroom organized then you can criticize my organization, young man. 😉
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..when i read this it was like part of you and a confusion was told… i came here via someone’s blog and i must confess i read a lot here… the bios, recordings, poetry features, etc… sorry for stalking… hehe.. i like your poems… i find ’em affecting and engaging to read… and really like your soft, confident tone especially in this particular poem of yours… you don’t just write, you’re guiding us all throughout the entire read… glad i stopped by to read… happy new year… smiles…
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What a beautiful comment, Kelvin. I am honored, truly. Especially after having now read some of your beautiful poems. You have such economy of words, saying so much in so few words. It’s stunning. Thank you for leaving the bread crumbs for me to follow you to your blog. I made a few comments, but I am not sure they went through. I might try making them under my google account. I truly am honored to be stalked by you. 😉
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I love it love it love it! Don’t touch it! So cool.
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Hey, Wabbit! Thanks for visiting. 🙂
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Hiya David,
I hope you’ll forgive me, but I do so love your words and took the liberty of recording ‘Overvision’ for National Poetry Month: https://soundcloud.com/frances-uku/overvision-by-david-bauman
So pleased to find you on SoundCloud! xx
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Oh my, forgiveness not needed at all. Frances, for the second time in 24 hours I’ve heard another person read my words. Thank you so very much. You read it so beautifully. I am stunned and grateful.
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David, I wanted to contact you by email, but can’t find one for you. Love the poetry, and, as you know, I’m a follower. I have just nominated you for The Versatile Bloggers Award. I have just received such a nomination myself and believe it to be an acknowledgement of outstanding sites by other bloggers. For the details, here is a link to my post: http://thevillagesmith.wordpress.com/2013/10/27/nominated-for-the-versatile-blogger-award-drum-roll-please/
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Hey, thank you, Linda! What an honor! I confess that I am really really bad at these things, but I really appreciate that you thought of me!
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Go for it. You deserve it.
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