Hey all. Can July speed by any faster? Here’s what I got for you. Check out Kathleen Kirk’s review of Dave Bonta’s book of poems called Ice Mountain on Escape Into Life. I bet you’ll want to read more of Dave Bonta’s work and the archive of Escape into Life. As you know, Kathleen Kirk is a SISMW contributor. Way back in October 2012 Dave Bonta’s poem “Ode to Scythes” was published here. Creativity is curative. Read Mark Brown’s "Arts can help recovery from illness and … [Read more...]
February 1: new month, new start
Hello out there! I've had a heck of a time trying to think of what to post. I've been down in the dumps and looking for solace, and it's hard to come by these days. But it's February 1, and I hope to start fresh, with a new resolve. Today marks the birthday of one of my favorite poets, Langston Hughes. You can read more about his life and work at the Academy of American Poets and The Poetry Foundation. His poetry is not in the public domain so I cannot give you an … [Read more...]
Glimpse of solace: The Rose
This weekend I spent some time photographing flowers I purchased almost two weeks ago. The old roses captured my attention; they drew me in more than blooms in their prime. The petals were almost like skin. Today a FB post led me to "The Rose" a poem by Jean Valentine (from the book Little Boat, pubilshed in 2007 by Wesleyan University Press). The poem is copyrighted so I won't quote the whole thing here; it's the first lines that killed me. Read the entire poem at The … [Read more...]
Meeting Philip Levine and getting to know two fine & dedicated poets
Well, after the crowds and action of AWP, I am back in my basement office, only now I have new friends and new books to read and discover. But I'll save that list of new friends and new books for a later blog, and tell you today about the top highlights of the conference. One highlight was meeting Susan Yount and Margaret Bashaar who were my tablemates. Have you heard of Arsenic Lobster Poetry? If not, look it up. And I am not the only who thinks you should. The journal … [Read more...]