Tag Archives: Poetry
Thank you to Dawn Pisturino for Her Review of Poetry Treasures 4
Gorgeous Poetry about Being Human on an Endangered Planet
Looking for a new poetry book? Look no further than this beautiful collection by Candice M. Kelsey within this stunning cover.
The chapbook was published in March 2024 by the publisher, boats against the current. The cover art is by Matt Kish.
Find it at Amazon here:
My Review of Postcards from the Masthead
Reading the poems in Candice M. Kelsey’s new chapbook, Postcards from the Masthead, feels a bit like finding your stride on a boat deck, as you learn to move with the waves, enjoying your place upon a vast body of water. The reader must navigate between the life of our planet and the life of the body which “dresses itself in courage / to face the morning / bastard glow.” There is a sense of connection between the larger, public world and the individual. These poems are fraught with angst over the dangers of climate change. At the same time, they investigate corporeal dangers and desires. The striking imagery and perspectives unique to Kelsey are a warning cry against our endangered lives.
Here is a sample poem:
Meditation on the Pinky Toe, Port Side
Broken again littlest
one throbbing pink
loud the big toe shifts
like my father in a chair
Sunday sessions
mandatory for the EDU
a daughter in treatment
circle of silent frescoes
and he's unhappy as
the third mate's cat
Blue who bounds over
white cedar bulwarks
where I lean with today’s
galley of oranges
halved she capsizes
a feline Michelangelo
painting the Sistine
or God dabs my toe wet
with paint-drop nose
she too knows injury
touches the gnarled-speck
perimeter of my foot
now a flesh canvas
cathedral ceiling scene
where I am broken
by a hundred Adams
awful fools busy naming
the garden of my body—
we catch ourselves
on the world’s harpoons
such sharp edges protrude
to hobble us with small
private dislocations and yet
like this little piggy
some of us make it home
somehow I make it
all the goddamn way
Filed under #amreading, Book Review, Poetry, Poetry book, Poetry Collection, Writing
Short List for Eric Hoffer Grand Prize: Our Wolves
Yes, I’m pretty stoked, I’ll admit that. My wee chapbook Our Wolves is on the Eric Hoffer Grand Prize (grand as in a $5,000 check to the big winner) SHORT LIST alongside the big books.
Yesterday, Kathleen Cassen Mickelson coincidentally interviewed me about Our Wolves. She provides a great idea of what the collection is all about.
Want to pick up a copy of this pretty lil canis lupus baby? https://www.amazon.com/Our-Wolves-Luanne-Castle/dp/B0BTKNP31D/ref=sr_1_1?crid=15JK239FCHVGE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ALQ-Ljk1njzWJQDlkD5jY6QtxZx6XGZg9YtrClN0btrHujuSkCk6ZGPDpCjt4GpS_PdX_Wr_gRu3YIMFPEAO16QqPGc4qdtLCGcHzaqrpSLyFLX3OPXFimGqVyzoT42KHHir_VnXarqE8c9FC-R59nq0yyfMhbeZ94Wa-Ti14oAGWFJ3uuixZ5Wmm1zinR5foBTPp3G6F6kIyCr4becsMF-gsVuPeTurNGtNR1BGd-Q.kPZp-Ktyg-ES3M0mb3PGJX_VGahVWJN-jD_IkXe_rhk&dib_tag=se&keywords=our+wolves+castle&qid=1714682476&sprefix=our+wolves+castl%2Caps%2C890&sr=8-1
Interview about OUR WOLVES on One Minnesota Crone
Kathleen Cassen Mickelson graciously interviewed me about my poetry collection Our Wolves. I hope you enjoy the exchange. If you would like to comment, please do so at One Minnesota Crone to keep Kathleen in the loop! Thanks for reading :).
Day 1 of WordCrafter Poetry Treasures 4 Book Blog Tour
I’m blessed to have poetry and a few photos in this delightful collection, alongside these other wonderful poets.
UPDATE: Early Spring in Arizona and Writing News (#TankaTuesday)
In this post I forgot to mention a reading that Storyteller Journal had this past weekend. I read one of my poems from Kin Types, a poem I’ve never read aloud before. Here’s a link if you’re interested. My poem is at the 20 minute mark.
The challenge for 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge, No. 21 is Early Spring, Part II. I wrote a Butterfly Cinquain because I liked the name and the idea of it for early spring. I have bolded the kigo words, “coming of spring.”
The Weather Has Shifted Toward Spring
Today
I celebrate
the coming of spring days
the sun has turned up its wattage
I smile
without even realizing
so glad for sun-kissed skin
for blossoms tipped
upward
###
The Power of the Feminine I, Volume 1, a poetry anthology edited by Christal Ann Rice Cooper and Donna Biffar is one of the most exciting anthologies I’ve read. The perspective of each poem is from a feminine speaker, and the inspirations come from mythology, history, the female body, and the contemporary world. The breadth of subjects is astonishing, and the poems well-crafted. I am thrilled to have a poem in this book, keeping company with work by many of the finest poets. I expect Volume 2 to be just as exceptional as this one.
My poem is about a healer woman accused of being a witch. I’ll have two more in the second volume. But SERIOUSLY this is a book you want. I am so impressed with all these wonderful poems. It would also make a great gift for anyone interested in women’s voices, women’s history, feminism, etc.
This thick book is only $10.99 on Amazon–or if you prefer a Kindle version, only $3!
The Lothlorien Poetry Journal has published a new volume. Five of my poems are in there, along with lots of poetry by other poets.
If you’re reading this today, February 14, Happy Valentine’s Day. Currently, my Valentine is my grandson, who is the cutest baby the world has ever known.
Filed under #poetrycommunity, #TankaTuesday, #writingcommunity, Arizona, Poetry, Syllabic Poetry, Writing
Two Arizona Bussokuseki: #TankaTuesday
The challenge for 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge, No. 19, 1/30/24, Part II: Deep Cold is to write a bussokuseki poem which is similar to a tanka, but has an extra line at the end: 5-7-5-7-7-7. My kigos are “ground hog day” and “depth of winter” and I used one in each of two bussokuseki. Spring really seemed to have sprung on my walk today, but of course we are supposed to get a rainstorm and cold tomorrow night.
in depth of winter
the sun comes out and warms us
the sweet acacias
blossom, perfuming the air,
birds chirp and trill their anthems
tomorrow chill will set in
***
Friday ground hog day
will determine spring’s advent
fair days came for us
with the birth of our grandson
who will celebrate one week
of life on that holiday
Filed under #amwriting, #bloggingcommunity, #poetrycommunity, #TankaTuesday, Poetry, Syllabic Poetry, Writing
Baby Haiku: #TankaTuesday
24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge, No. 18, 1/23/24, Part I, Deep Cold (January 20 – February 2) Daikan 大寒
For this week’s haiku I used “bleached grasses” for a kigo.
the bleached grasses
wave in a joyful welcome
to my new grandson
Now you can tell me how adorable he is :)!!!!
UPDATE: I have switched out the baby’s photo with this one of me holding him because I don’t want his photo floating all over the internet. So hopefully it will go away from any searches soon.
Filed under #amwriting, #bloggingcommunity, #poetrycommunity, #TankaTuesday, Poetry, Syllabic Poetry, Writing
Sonoran Blossoms Haibun: #TankaTuesday
In the 24-season syllabic poetry challenge for #TankaTuesday we have Poet’s Choice, as it’s the third week of the Early Cold season. My kigos are “Amaryllis” and “cold light,” which can be found in the haiku portion of the following haibun.
***
Sonoran Blossoms
The two gardening seasons in the Sonoran desert are warm and cool. We plant flowers in the spring, which can be from February though May, for summer blooming. In the fall, we plant cool season flowers, which last until May. Our months of choice are generally October and May. My yard is one acre with a wash running through it. On one side of the wash the land is slightly higher than the other, and because cold air sinks, some winters the lower side may experience a slight freeze that lasts until mid-morning, while the other side rarely freezes. The flowers may freeze to death occasionally, if they are not covered by frost cloths. However, many winters we get no freeze at all. Because of the mild weather, we can plant blossoming indoor-outdoor plants outside after they lose their flowers.
amaryllis blooms
fade under winter’s cold light
time to plant outdoors
Sometimes people get creative with protecting plants when the temperature hovers uncomfortably close to freezing in the early morning hours. This person uses Santa hats usually, but this year after New Year’s they replaced them with multi-colored beanies!
Recently, I participated in an Ugly Art Club event and in Care December from Everything Art. I’ve mentioned them both before. This is the Care December journal I finished. Each spread is an exploration in emotions and self-care, rather than being an attempt to create art. So there is a lot of hidden meaning behind each one. And, yes, the idea for me was to create another GRUNGY journal, as they are my favorites. The theme this year was the color blue in all its meanings.
Filed under #amwriting, #bloggingcommunity, #poetrycommunity, #TankaTuesday, Arizona, Poetry, Syllabic Poetry, Writing
Verse Envelope Haibun: #TankaTuesday
In the 24-season syllabic poetry challenge, we are now at Part II, Early Cold (January 5 – 20) Shokan 小寒. The request was to write a haibun, so I decided to try a verse envelope haibun where the prose passage is bookended by haikus. Generally, my haibun are prose passage followed by one haiku. My kigos are bolded. I think the first haiku is stretching the definition of haiku, but it’s what I wanted to say.
***
new year is now old
new beginnings are over
the routine is back
We approach each new year with anticipation, hoping for something to stir us. We want to feel renewed and ready for a spark to keep us placing one foot ahead of the other. But we are only in the second week of 2024 and already we have resumed the labor of our jobs, the routine of our personal care and feeding. For most of us, our relationships have not changed. But divinity willing, within the next 2-4 weeks I will have a new relationship with a grandson.
after we meet, I’ll
introduce you to snow crows
and sweet acacia
***
This tree is in my yard. Notice how its scars are hearts. Can’t wait to show that to the kid!
(I had to go back to classic editor to add the photo because I was getting an error message. “This block has encountered an error and cannot be previewed.” Has anybody else been getting that message and do you know anything about it?
Filed under #amwriting, #bloggingcommunity, #poetrycommunity, #TankaTuesday, Arizona, Poetry, Syllabic Poetry, Writing
