the museum of americana is a literary magazine with a mission close to my heart:
the museum of americana is an online literary review dedicated to fiction, poetry, nonfiction, photography, and artwork that revives or repurposes the old, the dying, the forgotten, or the almost entirely unknown aspects of Americana. It is published purely out of fascination with the big, weird, wildly contradictory collage that is our nation’s cultural history.
They’ve published two of the poems I intend for my chapbook of poems based on my family history. You can read them here.
I love how my interest in family history and genealogy and research connects with my partnership with poetry in these poems.
On another note, if you bought a copy of Doll God, send me your address and I will mail you a sticker to complete your book cover.
If you haven’t bought a copy, please consider it if your finances allow–either for yourself or if you think you’ll hate it (gotta allow for that) as a gift for someone you think will enjoy it. Amazon says it will arrive before Christmas.
Have I ever told you what book existed before Doll God? It’s a scrapbook my daughter made for me two years ago. In it, she hand wrote many of my poems and she included posts from the adoption blog, Don’t We Look Alike, that we worked on together.
In the slideshow you can see a sample of the scrapbook. Note the subtle cat-themed touches. And if you see a pic of a high school couple just remember that it’s easy to find stock pix online (big winky face).
Love the poems, especially “The Ill-Timed Elopement.”
I’m so glad you enjoyed them. Thank you, Robert!
So much here, Luanne! The two poems are wonderful. I love the family themes/events in the poems, and in the post, too.
Thanks, Merril! Daughter is coming in tomorrow night–yay!!!
YAY!!! Enjoy every second!
I am. She’s wrapping a gift for me behind me right now haha. I’m not allowed to turn around.
🙂
Congrats on yet another publication, Luanne. xo
Thanks, Rudri. It was GREAT to see you! I’ve missed seeing you on a regular basis! Let’s not wait too long, ok?
Yippee!! Love these poems, especially “Advice.” If ya ain’t Dutch, ya ain’t much.
Hahaha, if only I had a buck for every time Grandpa said that! He’s also the culprit of the sit on my finger one. His favorite was, “What did you spill there?” and he would point to a midpoint on your chest. When you looked down (and we always did), he would clip your nose, so to speak.
Congratulations on another publications, Luanne! That is awesome news. As for the scrapbook your daughter made…it’s as beautiful as she is.
Woot–thank you!!!!
That book is a real treasure..both books are! Your daughter is beautiful! And so are you!
Ah, thanks, SK. She’s a sweetie, too, and she’s here now with me. She flew in yesterday!
Good work, Luanne
Thanks so much, Derrick. Hope your weekend is wonderful!
Such a beautiful gift from your daughter, and many congratulations on your recent publications…you’re on a roll my friend! 🙂
Thanks, Sherri. She’s here right now, wrapping gifts behind my back haha!
😀
Fantastic, Luanne. I love the poems and this great advice “Don’t quit writing like I did. Make me a promise.” yay, I’m so glad you returned to it 😀
Thanks so much, Dianne! My grandmother was in a nursing home for recovery (on a temporary basis at that time) and made me promise not to quit writing. That was so many years ago, but I did promise her.
I’m so glad xxx
I’m Dutch too – half that is! I never heard that line before, but I will definitely remember it.
I enjoyed reading your poems.
Thanks, Mary Ann! Hah, I grew up in southwest Michigan, where every other person has Dutch ancestry ;), and “If you ain’t Dutch, you ain’t much,” is very common there. Who know how it started, but it sure reflects American culture and the English language, I think!
I somehow missed the extraordinary ♡ treasured scrapbook your daughter made for you, Luanne. It is simply beautiful. Please let your daughter know this.
The photo of you with her is so beautiful and your love for each other shines off the scrapbook page. 🙂 I am excited about your latest accomplishment, making the Museum of Americana. I will go read and come back if they aren’t ones I have read and written about. I still liked your airplane ride story with an adolescent who craved attention.
Your first poem was sad, it made me wish her memory and health could improve. It would be nice if she could just skip the worry and regret, in my mind and head off to become eloped.
I liked the list of lessons from forebears. Being careful on the deck of a ship was a gruesome warning. Just be. Or however the words just reminded me of Let it go. Hugs, Robin I forgot to say museum of Americana on the Amazon book site but write a comment.
Robin, thank you so much for your beautiful comments. I read them the other day and I couldn’t do them justice in a response, but then I only got back now and know you’re already well on your way to celebrating Christmas with your mother. Much love and light and peace and joy to you!!! xoxo
Loved both poems but the first one drew me in Luanne. The scrapbook is gorgeous. Congratulations for having two poems on the site.
Thank you, Kath! I love hearing which poems people respond to! It was so sweet of her to put all that “elbow grease” and love into making the scrapbook!