Tag Archives: #ampublishing

New Poem at JMWW

Jen Michalski, Managing and Founding Editor of JMWW Journal, has published my poem, “Edna Pontellier Needed a Bagpiper.” Edna Pontellier is the protagonist of the novel The Awakening. I don’t think you need to have read the book to understand the poem or Edna’s “fascination” with the water.

If you’re so inclined, comments may be left on the site.

In case you’re wondering, yes, I’ve experienced a bagpiper on the shore, as well as many other wonderful places. I used to think I was a reincarnated Scottish person because of my love of the pipes. But it might have started with ballet classes. My ballet teacher also taught Scottish Highland dancing (which I wanted to take SO BADLY but my mother said no), so I was used to hearing the pipes at the studio and at performances.

scottish piper playing bagpipes
Photo by Lewis Ashton on Pexels.com

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Lothlorien Poetry Journal: Five Poems

Strider Marcus Jones, Editor of Lothlorien Poetry Journal, has published five of my poems. Four are brand new, including one about my high school reunion in August, and one is from my first book Doll God. Two of the new poems are about living in Arizona.

I hope you enjoy this variety!

https://lothlorienpoetryjournal.blogspot.com/2023/11/five-poems-by-luanne-castle.html?spref=fb&fbclid=IwAR3bPdw-HVvbTrIZAp6GpD0ri75v_C5C5cte6qDfQ-8T10AG09OhIyYfrmU

two mallard ducks on water
Photo by TheOther Kev on Pexels.com

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What Happened in My Mother’s Retirement Community When I Visited?

I’m very grateful to Mark Danowsky, Editor of One Art, who has published a poem I wrote when I visited my mother in August. I traveled with my bad knees and my husband to see Mom and attend our high school reunion. We stayed in a guest room in the retirement community where Mom lives. And this is what happened the morning we were leaving. I hope you enjoy this narrative poem. It all happened just like this . . . .

Long corridor, Britannia Royal Naval College
Long corridor, Britannia Royal Naval College by David Hawgood is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0

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Poem Published by Blue Heron Review & #TankaTuesday

Cristina M. R. Norcross, Founding Editor of Blue Heron Review has published one of my new poems in the new issue of the journal. The theme is Heart Source & Haven. In these dark, anxiety-ridden days, what a wonderful issue to read. My poem is about a magical place I found when I was a kid. It was in the woods across the narrow rural road near Caledonia, Michigan.

You can find the issue here: https://blueheronreview.com/bhr-issue-17-fall-2023/ You will love these poems!

Here is mine:

A Very Specific Opening in the Woods Near Caledonia

The road lilts through the thick woods on either side.
There are no mailboxes to denote location, but
that heart-shaped patch of lupines marks the entry
if I remember to balance across the moss-covered log
and bend down to pass under the sugar maple leaves.
Follow the burbling creek down past the grasses
nestling the tree trunks and saplings and when
I’m lulled into the rhythm of the path, it appears
in front of me—an open meadow sparkling with
sunlight on the kaleidoscopic array of poppies,
Sweet William, and phlox—hummingbirds
and butterflies—even dragonflies—rising amidst
the motes of pollen and seed, a bluebird’s chest
pumping its song, and an alert squirrel scolding.
At the top of my basket is the tablecloth—red
and white checkered, natch—and I lay out the wine
and chocolates, the ginger cake and oranges.
Later, I drowse with my head on my doubled sweater.
That’s when they arrive in their gossamer tutus
and green tights, with their silvery voices. In the haze
of my half-opened eyes, I watch them for memory’s
sake. I will paint them later, as if they are a dream.

I wrote a tanka with Dia de Los Muertos as the kigo word for #TankaTuesday.

[Topic: First Frost]

Before winter’s here

on Dia de Los Muertos

we remember ones

we have lost to the Reaper

and celebrate life and love.

Although we are not in danger of a frost in Phoenix, the days and nights are cooler than they were. When I wake up in the morning, we are in the low 50s. I’ve been walking in the morning to take advantage of cooler air.

woman in a a costume and makeup for the day of the dead in mexico
Photo by Oscar Damián Jiménez on Pexels.com

BONUS: to use Trick or Treat. Here is my lune:

Trick or treat, smell my

feet, give me

something good to eat.

(stolen from the childhood jingle)You can’t improve on a classic!

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A 3rd Poem Up at MasticadoresUSA

Thanks to Editor Barbara Leonard, MasticadoresUSA has published my poem “Screaming.” https://masticadoresusa.wordpress.com/2023/05/09/screaming-by-luanne-castle/

person s shadow
Photo by Nadi Lindsay on Pexels.com

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A Love Poem to My Cat and #TankaTuesday

I had a poem published today in a cool Australian lit mag. It’s called Trash to Treasure Lit, and the idea behind it is that “every writer has a piece of ‘trash’ that we can treasure.” Look through your drafts, your poems you figured you could never do right by, and if you can write something that explains why this “trash” can be a “treasure,” they might publish it. In my case, I wrote a love poem to my cat Perry, who as you may know, suffers from a couple of terminal illnesses (so far so good in case you’re wondering). I hope you can tell from this poem that Perry is the real treasure.

https://www.trashtotreasurelit.com/publishedpieces/perry-by-luanne-castle

Colleen Chesebro’s prompt for #TankaTuesday this week is in celebration of her 65th birthday. (Happy birthday, Colleen!) We were to create a poetic form using 65 syllables.

I created a form I will call the aînée, which is the French word for a female elder. I was going to use the Spanish word anciana, but I didn’t like the connotations which seemed less positive. Plus I like that I am honoring the French language which is a language that has originated a lot of syllabic poetry. 65 syllables are arranged this way: ten lines of six syllables each, followed by a line of 2 syllables, and a final line of 3 syllables.

Decades to Medicare, or We Count Slower Later On

The first we play and learn,

then anguish for ten more.

Finally on our own,

we screw it up or not.

Next years we develop

into who we will be.

In our forties we whine

that we are now so old.

Those next decades are fine

for comfort in ourselves.

Now count

more slowly.

You might recall that I have been submitting a poem every month to Visual Verse for their ekphrastic challenge. Here is my April poem: https://visualverse.org/submissions/dont-look-back-2/ They showcase each poem next to the inspirational art.

Finally, here is another review of Our Wolves. This review addresses the issue of abuse in some of the poems. https://impressionsininkblog.com/2023/04/13/review-our-wolves-by-luanne-castle-poeticbooktours/

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Poem Up at MasticadoresUSA

Thanks to Editor Barbara Leonard, MasticadoresUSA has published my poem “The Not Sonnet.” Of course, it is a sonnet.

This is the second poem of mine that Barbara has published. And there will be a third next month.

https://masticadoresusa.wordpress.com/2023/04/11/the-not-sonnet-by-luanne-castle/

Cactus blossom season is here. The gardener took this pic. He is a much better gardener than photographer, but you can still see how beautiful the blossoms are.

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Poem Up at The Field Guide

Thanks to Editor Amanda Marrero, The Field Guide has published my poem “A Wash is Not a Riverbed.” This poem is about the wash that runs right past my house. I think this poem would have fit in Rooted and Winged.

The poem is in six sections. Here is the first one:

I.
From overhead see a route
on an intuitive map. Scriven in earth, etched with blood and spoor.
The route is wash.
The wash is map.

A kingsnake slides its stripes
across the arroyo
in the way that a T is crossed to finish the planet. It tastes the chemical scent of its prey.

The stubbling of grasses amid stones optimistic in the hollow. We wish for custom monsoons
a steady large-drop rain and little wind.

https://thefieldguidemagazine.com/luanne-castle/

These photos of our wash show the gates we had to put up (with permission) because the javelinas were too destructive and dangerous. But all the other animals get through.

Happy Passover if you celebrate. Happy Easter if you celebrate. Ramadan Mubarak if you celebrate.

My zoom solo poetry reading is Saturday at 5PM eastern and you are invited! https://writersite.org/2023/03/27/an-invitation-to-my-first-zoom-solo-poetry-reading-and-other-stuff/

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Poem Up at Masticadores USA

Masticadores USA has published a new poem, “Before and Again.” A big thank you to Editor Barbara Leonhard. I hope you like the poem. This one is a little heavy.

Here is the first 1 1/2 stanzas:

The we of my belief lived in a land
of easy comfort, brief and surface woundings,
even when tussled by history
that lasted a month on our portable television.
 
We swept the broken pieces into piles
Thinking our bonfires would destroy memories.

https://masticadoresusa.wordpress.com/2023/03/10/before-and-again-by-luanne-castle/

broken glasses on the ground
Photo by David Geib on Pexels.com

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February Poem at Visual Verse

I am continuing to submit ekphrastic one-hour poems to Visual Verse. Here is #3, “When We drove Up to the Lake Home Dad Just Bought”:

https://visualverse.org/submissions/when-we-drove-up-to-the-lake-home-dad-just-bought/

This one is another in a long line of Luanne’s lake poems. Makes sense since I grew up in Michigan on and around various lakes.

Merril Smith and a couple of others poets I know also have lovely poems in the February issue.

Here are some new tags I made for my art journals.

Make it a great week!

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