I’m continuing to play this weekend on my book of poetry the working title for which has been Glimpses (as in “Glimpses of my Heart and Spirit.” You can see some of my poetry at Grateful Man’s Poetry
I’m attempting to put my poetry into some semblance of order and would love and appreciate your input on a couple of things. I began sorting them via topic and created a category I temporarily labeled “Miscellaneous” for those creations which didn’t fit neatly into any of the categories I’d created nor any single category I could think of. Of course it wouldn’t do for a poet to use such a bland and lifeless word as “miscellaneous” as a category in my book, so I tried to come up with a more poetic description of the quite varied and always-changing types of poetry in that section. I came up with the word “Kaleidoscope.” I found I was putting most of my poetry in that section.
Then two thoughts occurred to me almost simultaneously:
One can glimpse into a Kaleidoscope. Pehaps I should change the name of the book to Glimpses in a Kaleidoscope. What do you think? Should I change the name to Glimpses in a Kaleidoscope or stay with Glimpses?
Some readers like to be able to go back and easily find favorite pieces so I’d planned to create a Table of Contents of the various categories. Since most of the poems are in the Kaleidoscope section, I’m now questioning whether I should even have categories. I could also alphabetize them to make them easier to find. Which of the three options do you recommend? I’d love to hear what you think!
With Love,
Russ
Russ Towne's A Grateful Man 
Actually, I’d go with Kaleidoscope as the title and use glimpses in the subtitle (if you are to have one)
I like that idea a lot, Annette. At one point “Kaleidoscope” was the working title of another book I wrote in a different genre. I ultimately chose a different name for it (perhaps unknowingly so it would be available for this creation instead.) Thank you for your great suggestion, Annette!
Russ
I love it when a plan comes together!
LOL! I love that sentence and have frequently used it (most often in ironic situations!)
Russ
I like that suggestion for the title. I also find I like to use a ‘table of contents’ and just use the order of the poems that is most pleasing to you.
Thank you, Quiall. That makes sense to me.
Russ
i agree with annette, the title ‘kaleidoscope’ is a good one. i’d go with a table of contents and alphabetize to keep it easy for readers to look up the poems they want to reread. just my thoughts, i’m sure you’ll do what feels right for you )
Thank you for your suggestions, Beth. I appreciate them.
Russ
As I was reading I kept thinking “Kaleidoscope” and I see the others do too. 🙂
Thank you for your feedback, Colleen. So far the feedback is 3:1 in favor of “Kal.” (That’s the nickname I’ve begun to to use for the project.)
Russ
I’m looking forward to your next book. Whether it is “Kaleidoscope” or “Glimpses” or the two words are together for “Glimpses in a Kaleidoscope,” I will order it! I am leaning toward the latter of those titles as being more descriptive… but any of the three would do. And of course, you know how I feel about tables of contents! 🙂
Thank you, Jan! LOL! Yes, I do indeed know what you think about ToC’s and you’ve made a believer out of me. At this point, I plan to have a ToC and list the poems alphabetically.
Russ
I agree with Annette and use Kaleidoscope, makes sense and is good!
Thank you for your feedback and your reasoning behind it, Ute!
Russ