Solace in a Book

My first Black Friday

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Happy Black Friday. I’ve been mulling over this post; I don’t know why. Way back on the first of the month, Jim Daniel’s poem "Anthem" was featured on The Writer’s Almanac with Garrison Keillor. It’s a poem that makes me think of my father. Check it out here. Thanksgiving time makes me think of him too. My father died the day after Thanksgiving in 1966. So for my post today, I’m sharing the poem I made up about him, and how I miss him. It’s my way of commemorating … [Read more...]

Literary news: light and dark

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It’s another chilly one, but before I can complain about Chicago weather, I only have to look at pictures from Buffalo, NY, where more than five feet of snow blankets the city and more is predicted.  That shuts me up. Besides I don’t really want to post about the weather but literary news. First about Solace in So Many Words contributors. Brent Calderwood is featured in  OUT Magazine (as one of OUT 100)—congrats! Kathleen Kirk’s poem “Daughter of Midas” has been … [Read more...]

Contributor updates, singing the blues, and a call for submissions

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November’s chill is upon us in Chicago. How about you? Does if feel like winter? Congratulations to Patty Somlo!  She will have a new book of stories out in the coming year. Hairway to Heaven will be published by Cherry Castle Publishing in 2015. Michael Constantine McConnell’s poem “A Faun’s Lament” appears in a new anthology, The Best of Electric Velocipede. Donna Hilbert’s poem “The Sun Straight Up" was posted November 10 on the Cadence Collective site. I … [Read more...]

Glimpse of Solace: Rust (and politics)

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Yesterday was Election Day. About ten days ago I received a dozen roses. You know what flowers look like after ten days. I finally admitted I should toss them. When I did I was struck by what I found on the back of a fern. So I got out my camera. A little research showed it was fern rust – I think it is Milesina dieteliana Magnus. It’s not usually thought of as pretty. But the pattern, the uniformity wowed me – it’s another example showing the intricacies of … [Read more...]