It was tough call to decide on the top three poems for the “Seesaw Quirky Poems” competition, held during National Poetry Month. Ken Tomaro, Nolcha Fox, and I came to a consensus and here are the three winners:
These three winners are placed as #1 choices.
Loralee Clark for “A Lost Umbrella”
Tina Hudak for “Atrium”
Margaret Gibbons Kiernan for “Cranked the Metals”
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the contest. The three winners will receive a paperback copy of “Seesaw – Quirky Poems” and the runners up will be provided a Kindle copy of the same.
If you would like a copy of “Seesaw – Quirky Poems” you can go to this link and find the online stores where it can be purchased. Starting today and for a week, the Kindle copy is available for .99 in the US and UK.
Poets and Writers AKA PW.org has a variety of groups, including online critique groups. You can check them out here: https://groups.pw.org/browse-all-groups
There are others, I have no doubts. Just ask around and I bet you find a group. Anything I have worked on via a critique group has been published and rather quickly.
Poetry Editors can also be helpful. You will have the advantage of 1:1 feedback. It takes a bit of time to find that right match. This is often a paid service unless you work out a mutual feedback relationship.
Meet others in common at Poetry Workshops. Chances are that if you put it out there that you would like a writing partner, you will find someone or a group to work with. I participate in a weekly prompt workshop. In this it’s up to you to be prompt centric or to veer off. I tend to veer off. It’s a PW.org group called The Time is Now. It only last about 30-45 minutes and it helps to interact with others.
You have polished your work and now is the time to publish. There are multiple journals accepting submissions. Where do you find them? I use Duotrope. because I like the feedback feature in which you can determine if the publisher is a good match. There is also a tracking feature for all your submissions. As one who runs a Facebook group, I share when I find what sound like good matches. I especially focus on paying publications, preferably ones who don’t charge.
Submittable is another option for finding a variety of places to submit.
As an editor for FineLines.org I recommend this journal, which has been around for 35 years, for submissions of poetry, art, essays, short stories, and photography.
There are also several calls for submissions from poets and writers of which I regularly have contact. Here they are:
Born from a shared love of dark humor and playful wordplay, Seesaw is a delightful balancing act of wit, whimsy, and poetic mischief. Ken Tomaro and Nolcha Fox first crossed creative paths in the Thursday Night Poets group, where their mutual knack for quirky, offbeat humor sparked an unexpected collaboration. What began as playful exchanges-plucking words and phrases from each other’s poems to craft something new-quickly evolved into a collection that swings between the light and the dark, the serious and the absurd.
Seesaw is poetry at its most spontaneous and fun, a reminder that even in life’s heavier moments, there’s always room to laugh, twist the narrative, and dance on the edge of meaning. Dive into this collection and let the playful push and pull of their voices keep you balanced-right in the middle of the seesaw.
Review of “Seesaw” by Ken Tomaro and Nolcha Fox:
“Seesaw” is a captivating and engaging poetry collection designing the collaborative efforts of Ken Tomaro and Nolcha Fox who blend their distinct voices to explore the themes of love, loss, and memory sauteed with a ‘quirky sense of humour’.
“Why am I so hard on myself?
That’s it, today’s the day!
I’m going to write a book called On Being Sympathetic to the Apathetic Empath.”
The same quirky sense of humour flows raw and poignant throughout the pages of the book. Ken Tomaro and Nolcha Fox have done a wonderful job with their shared experiences from the “Thursday Night Poets group”. The poems are arranged in a unique stanza pattern where Nolcha’s right-aligned stanzas complement Ken’s left-aligned stanzas. This visual distinction enhances the reading experience to a lofty level.
“And now I want a sandwich,
but it won’t make itself.
Maybe I can train the rats
how to cook.”
These lines remind me of Remy, the rat in the movie “Ratatouille”.
Celebrating a variety of themes from mundane life struggles to whimsical reflections on human existence this book is punctuated with a playful absurdity. Throughout the collection, the tone oscillates between melancholic and whimsical, giving way to a rich emotional tapestry.
Poems like “All I Can Think of Is Food” and “God Drops the Ball Again” reflect the authors’ penchant for irony and wit. “He is a house” and “I come to a door” permeate a lingering sadness that overshadows my senses for a long time. Poems like “Ghosts Glimmer” and “Where the Wild Goose Goes” evoke a sense of longing and nostalgia while others such as “Chimes” reflect the inevitability of change and the bittersweet rhymes of memories. “As surely as” is an anthem on the ubiquitous power of gravity on us.
The poems are like different strokes of brushes on the canvas of poetic mindscape evoking different colours of human emotions,
“Blue is the sadness
when we say our goodbyes.”
Sometimes the promised humour has turned into a grave philosophic enigma,
“Past and future,
like the branches of a tree
lead to different paths,
sometimes the same regret.”
Ken Tomaro and Nolcha Fox have played on the subtlest of chords to bring out the most mesmerizing music in the world. They play with words with such charisma that ‘sharp words slice the sunlight into little parts of butter’.
This collection is for everyone whose wallet is full of bugs and cobwebs and for those who prefer to slouch on the couch with a ‘slab of apathy sandwiched between their pillows’, or someone infected with flue sharing every small piece of him or her with each cough to this world. Ken and Tomaro have taken their readers through the rollercoaster of raw humour with an urgent poignancy of human passion, where the complexities of our decisions and the ultimate helplessness of our life left us to feel the eternity of a bottomless well.
Munmun “Sam” Samanta, Author of Yellow Chrysanthemum
It was such a pleasure to meet with Kim Dower and discuss her upcoming release: “What She Wants: Poems on Obsession, Desire, Despair, Euphoria” Now Available! “Obsessive love has never been so much fun! What She Wants: Poems on Obsession, Desire, Despair, Euphoria is a powerful tribute to the intensity of obsessive love, told through the trademark humor and heartbreak of bestselling poet Kim Dower.” “Following the commercial and literary success of her bestselling poetry collection, I Wore This Dress Today for You, Mom: Poems on Motherhood, Kim Dower delivers What She Wants: Poems on Obsession, Desire, Despair, Euphoria—turning her keen eye, vibrant imagination, trademark insight, and humor to the intensity of obsessive love. These steamy and provocative poems, combining humor and heartache, run through the four phases of Limerence, the state of being infatuated or obsessed with another person: Infatuation, Crystallization, Deterioration, and Ecstatic Release. From the opening poem, “She’ll do anything for food,” to the sexy title poem, “What She Wants,” the painfully funny, “His Other Girlfriend,” to the longing in “Visiting Baudelaire,” and the sad, sweet final poem, “Fish’s Lament,” Kim Dower captures the essence of what it means to be stuck on someone—even on a squirrel! Her eclectic, growing readership will savor these poems that can be read in one sitting, like a story with an arc, or separately, each one recalling the moment of falling in or out of love, the moment our hearts skipped a beat.” https://redhen.org/book_author/kim-dower/
Check out the new addition to Encore! Zaneta Varnado Johns entered her latest poetry collection, “Encore” in the American Writing Awards and received the Finalist Badge!
Finalist: 2024 American Writing Awards
Internationally recognized poet and author Zaneta Varnado Johns is back, fueled by passion, purpose, and steady acclaim. She is spiritually grounded, filled with love, appreciation and awe. In response to the loud applause garnered by her two previous poetry collections, Johns presents Encore: A Collection of Poetry. Featuring ninety-nine select poems, Encore is a gift from the author’s heart. In the book’s Dedication, Johns states, “For every relative, friend, poet, and organizational leader who pushed, prodded, nudged, and encouraged me: this one’s for you. I titled this book to acknowledge your applause. I heard it. I loved it. I responded. This is your encore-from my heart to yours.” Some poems, previously featured globally in anthologies, make an encore appearance in this collection.
Take your seat and prepare to be enchanted by Encore’s stellar performance. Encore begins with romantic musings and essences sparked by the poet’s life and thoughtful interpretations of the lives of others. Poetic threads are woven through lyrics inspired by favored locales. From Hawaii to Boston’s Cape Cod, Colorado to Greece, Johns writes as she marvels at her surroundings and experiences. Her compassion for people is beautifully expressed either as poetic observations or unique tributes found in the chapter titled, “In Awe.” The heartwarming “Joy in Her Swing” celebrates the resilience of five-year-old Azaria whose mother and grandmother passed away within three years of each other, entrusting her care to her grandmother’s devoted selfless childhood friend. Johns’ prose poem, “She Speaks for Me,” is a masterpiece showcasing renowned African and African American women poets who persuade her writing.
Johns has a lot to say about the human condition. Some poems are concise while others are grouped in the chapters titled “Rants and Spiels” or “Keynotes.” She passionately addresses hunger, gun violence, women’s empowerment, and prejudice, among other contemporary issues. Anyone with a heart will be stirred by “Hunger, a Global Tragedy” and “It Has to Stop,” two poignant poems illuminating the realities of hunger and the poet’s gut-wrenching reaction to yet another senseless school shooting. Johns is a personal figure in “Not Eclipsed” and “Life as a Breeze,” expressions concerning skin color and prejudice.
Johns imparts the spirit of Hawaii’s aloha in Encore’s message. “My Walk Along the Ocean” and “Blessed Life” are examples of poems reflecting tranquil moments of immense gratitude. Encore’s expressions are accompanied by complementary images and quotes-the poet’s signature accent found in her two previous collections. With Encore, Zaneta Varnado Johns leaves an indelible mark with every word and artistic rendering.
As a teacher, I will always remain a student. In the classroom of life, l wish to work with and educate others. Whether you’re a teacher, student, or just your average person, here are a few of my "TEACHERble" moments.
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