I’ve been asked to submit a couple of poems to an anthology, and I have no idea what to choose. There are hundreds, and I like so many of them. So, do you have any suggestions? What’s your favourite?
Here’s the link to all the poetry on the blog, if you need to search through a few:
https://shawnbird.com/category/pondering/poetry/
Thanks for any help you can give!
Shawn L. Bird 
I really like the Red Lipstick you wrote today.
Thanks, Chess.
For me it’s Haiku – Moonrise in Arizona! Loved that one when you first published it 🙂 I also like Next Year! Well actually I like all of your poems but those two stand out for me 🙂
Thanks Ginz.
Mother.
So relatable.
Good luck!!
Thanks, Chris.
Anytime.
what a lovely dilemma…
ARG! It’s so hard! In scrolling back, so far I like this one: https://shawnbird.com/2013/11/26/poem-sunset-2/ but there are way too many to choose from.
Yes, I like that one as well…
Thanks for the suggestion.
Back in my music days our band would always have to pick a set list for whatever show we were booked on. Finally after trying to decipher the vibe of the audience, venue, or city we were in, the purest shows were when we just played what felt natural. Don’t overthink it. They already want your work, so in essence the battle is half won.
I never had quite so much difficulty picking a set list as I do picking poems. I know what you mean about the vibe: I would pick songs based on how I was feeling, how a tune had been falling under my fingers in practice, and the venue. But poems, they are like a class full of kids, and sometimes the most innocuous ones, have the most to say…
My dear Shawn, you write so beautifully,how can we possibly pick just a couple of poems! Some of my favorites are:
Pacific Sunset, UFOs,Break, Tree Love, Dreaming, Choose Pink, Sunset, Home, Remembrance Day, Autumn Ghosts, Haiku – Angel Wings, Whispering.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful words with us.
That narrows down a bit from 500 or so… lol Thanks, Michelle.
Moonrise over Arizona, Mothers, are two that caught my eye, held my attention. A possible approach is to write titles on scraps of paper, scrunch them up, toss them in the air, let them fall like leaves and pick whatever comes to hand OR write a poem about the choosing of poems, like sacrificing something loved, the ones left behind…
Not a bad suggestion, Kevin. 😉
You really expect people to choose from the solid, engaging collection that is your writing? Good luck with that. HA!
I mean, there is a lot of good stuff to choose from… A LOT.
Thanks.
lol Yes. Well, therein lies the problem…
Oh – a tough one. Maybe if you chose some of your faves & then – we narrow it down from there.
I say go with the gut. 😉
I might be able to narrow it down to 100 or so… :-S
LOL
Well – that’s what happens when you’re that great! 😉
I am just very inclusive. lol
Havasu and Tree Love – i really enjoyed reading them both!
Thanks for the vote!
Hills Aflame and Choose Pink are my favorites. Good luck!
Thanks, Rose!
Go for the ones with the least “likes”. Oddly enough I find those are generally your best poems. Good luck!
Ah- paradox. 😉 Thanks for the suggestion.
Well it’s just my opinion. But genuine, I promise.
lol
Before I dive in — is there a theme/central organizing principle for the anthology? Failing that, what is your strongest topic? 🙂 Hell, I’m always thrilled to read a bunch of poetry.
This is an old post, and the works have been long selected.
Thanks anyway!
At the moment I’m choosing 50-60 pieces in each of two topics to send off to a publisher. One is “snap shots” the best of my short, image rich, pieces. The other is “him and her,” the best of my couple/ romance/ relationship poems.