My poem “How to Create a Family Myth” has been published in Volume 6 of the esteemed literary magazine, The American Journal of Poetry Many thanks to editor Robert Nazarene for taking this piece.
This prose poem belongs in Kin Types as it’s about Kalamazoo and my grandfather’s stories; however, it was too late for that chapbook.
UPDATE: The journal is now closed, and the poem is not available online. Here is the poem:
How to Create a Family Myth
My grandfather built a city with his tongue. Houses and little shops, celery fields and sand lots all connected to each other without roads or sidewalks. Once or twice he showed me a map of sewer lines running like Arcadia Creek underneath the cobblestones and packed dirt. We stood outside and found tall buildings in the clouds overhead. His hands gestured how his grandfather placed the bricks and taught his men to shape upwards, each building higher than the one before. Out there on the stoop, he pointed out where his mother, the one he said I looked like, had witnessed a man beating his horse. I saw her calico skirt billow out behind her, her hands wiping across her apron stomach even as she ran. When she reached the man, she snatched the whip from his hand, his surprise at her actions slowing him, rendering him stupid. When she cracked the whip down on his back time did not go on for her as it did for the rest of the world. Not until a week later, when she went to the market, did she realize that the story ran, too. It kept running until it reached all of us, each child and grandchild and great grandchild taking just what is needed from the tale. In my case, I plucked a heart from the clouds and tucked it safely inside a brick house in the city where it keeps the city alive to this day.
This is the house in the poem:
Additionally, I discovered a cool journal called Defuncted that takes poems that were published in literary journals that are now defunct. They published four poems in one collection and then a fifth poem is separate because it had unusual formatting. I love the photos they put with the poems, too.
You can find the collection here at Collection of Poems by Luanne Castle
To find the uniquely formatted poem, check out Serotonin
If you recall I made a publication goal for myself this year. So The American Journal of Poetry and Defuncted are one and two on my 2019 list.
Congratulations–again–Luanne!
I’ve had two stories and one poem published this month, and one rejection. But I haven’t submitted anything else recently. . .
Congrats, Merril! That is fabulous! Maybe you could set up a submissions goal?
Thanks. Yeah, I’ll add that to my to-do list. 😉
You better! I will be on you about it! Hahaha
Hahaha. Maybe THAT would work.
Congratulations, Luanne! A great way to start the year with a bang! 🙂
Thank you, Jill! It really did!
Wow! It’s only January 7 and you have already accomplished some goals. Yay!
I’m pretty happy to start the year out this way! Hugs, Kate.
Many congratulations Luanne, an early success to your creative year! I particularly loved A Bone Elegy.
Thank you, Andrea. Anneli mentioned that one, too. It’s one of my favorites!
This is so wonderful! Many congratulations ❤️😀
Marie, thank you!
Super congrats, Luanne – what a way to start the new year!! Keep it up!!
Sheila, thank you! I sure hope to . . . .
Powerful writing Luanne! I feel I want to go away and be quiet while I digest them. Well done on the first two publications already. I knew you would do it quickly 🙂
Thank you, Pauline! Aw, that sounds nice!
Well done. A good start
Thanks, Derrick!
Well done, Luanne. I read through many of your lovely poems. What a treat! I especially like the one of Leah, Luanne, and the lake.
Thank you, Anneli. I am partial to that one, too ;)!
Congratulations! And how cool is Defunct? Nice to have a journal resurrecting (reissuing?) poems! 🙂
Thank you, Cheryl! Defuncted is super cool!
Congrats on all these publications! I recall those Black Boot repubs. What a great idea to republish poems from defunct journals!
Thanks, WJ!
Congratulations 😀
Very well deserved!
Ciao
Sid
Thanks so much, Sid!
Woohoo! Congratulations! And thank you for sharing this good news — it’s inspiring! (I think I used too many exclamation points!) 😉
Never too many for me haha. Thanks, Jennifer!
Hooray! and congratulations, Luanne. That is wonderful. So glad for you!
Thank you, Theresa!
🙂 I am trying recently to take a moment on a day when I receive an acceptance just to remind myself this is a day that does not come often, and to enjoy the feeling of having my work recognized by an external party. It’s so easy for me to rush on, forward, ever forward, seeking the next acceptance, the next publication. You are probably more thoughtful than me! Again, congratulations, and well-deserved! 🙂
What a wonderful goal! I need to do that too as I am feeling too fragmented lately with people around and so on.
yeah, it’s easy to let the good things go by and be looking toward the “next” thing! 🙂
It’s marvelous, Luanne! Thanks for sharing it here. Hugs.
Aw, thanks so much, Teagan xo.
gorgeous head shots (from you next blog post)! You look soooo glamorous!
.. and I just got around to purchasing Kin Types (finally!), it’s coming in the mail this week, I’ll bring it with me in hopes of an autograph next week! ha!
Thank you re Kin Types! Yes, bring it with you!
Haha re the headshots. Thanks ;).
Will do!
So cool, Luanne! You are so innovative in where you send. Congrats!
Haha, love reusing!
Wonderful, Luanne! Congratulations! I also love that photo. It’s absolutely marvelous and tells a story.
Thanks, Patti! I agree about the house!