Announcements, poetry

Poets Coming Together to Do Poetic Kinds of Things

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What is poetry to you? Does it bring joy to your life? Is it a release from stress? Is it a way to send a message about social justice? Is it a way to express love? Is it a tool to balance your brain? Does it make the rest of life make sense?

As you can see here, poetry affects us in multiple ways. It is not all roses and French colognes. It is messy. It smells acrid. It rustles up souls. It raises awareness. It shows appreciation. It releases bad dreams. It even conjures up dreams. It creates restless dreams, calling the poet up at 4 a.m. because they are visited with poetry. The list goes on.

How about joining us at Poet’s Connection and sharing the beauty of poetry?

On September 26 at 10 a.m. until noon Eastern Time Zone, poets will be coming together for a special event. Poet’s Connection has been meeting monthly and went online because of the pandemic. We gather each month to share what we have written, to learn new forms, to interact with other poets, to support each other. And we bring in guests. Last month we had a workshop with Justine Quammie. This month we are being visited by three poets who will share their works.

We will come together at 10 a.m. Eastern Time and readings will begin at 10:15. We gives us time to get into the room and share. After the last reading, we will also have time for sharing.

As Poet’s Connection is a virtual event, this allows for others to be involved. Who knows when there will be the possibility of in person meetings? Online meetings will continue, regardless of when in person meetings start back. This is because there is an apparent need for online meetings, especially for those of us who cannot get to in-person meetings, as well as offering a more international approach.

Who, you may be asking, is going to present as the special guests on September 26, 2020? Well, here is the scoop.

Maxima Kahn

Maxima Kahn is a writer of poetry, essays and fiction. Her debut collection of poems, Fierce Aria, was published by Finishing Line Press in 2020. Her work has been featured in numerous literary journals and on popular blogs and she has twice been nominated for Best of the Net. She has received scholarships and fellowships to the Community of Writers at Squaw Valley and the Vermont Studio Center.

Her popular workshops and one-on-one mentoring in poetry, creative writing and The Artist’s Way have helped hundreds of people to unleash their creative gifts, realize their aspirations and create lives of passion, purpose and deep play. Having taught formerly at the University of California, Davis Extension, she now teaches and blogs at BrilliantPlayground.com. You can get intimate, insider access to her creative projects and process at Patreon.com/MaximaKahn.

She is also an improvisational violinist, an award-winning composer and a dancer.

Kahn will be reading from her latest book of poetry, Fierce Aria.

*****

Larry Richardson AKA LaVan Robinson

Larry Richardson is a 13 year veteran of the military. Richardson started writing poetry in high school and have of this January self published my first poetry book. Richardson shared, “I love poetry and will use it to inspire people and bring them closer to God.” He writes under the penname of LaVon Robinson in honor of his mother, Mary Robinson. His poetry book, The Song of Lala, available by direct contact.

Richardson will be reading from his poetry book, Songs of Layla the poet.

*****

Marcella Remund

Marcella Remund is a native of Omaha, Nebraska, and a South Dakota transplant, where she teaches English at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion. Her poems have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies. She is the author of a chapbook of poems, The Sea is My Ugly Twin (2018 Finishing Line Press) and a full-length collection The Book of Crooked Prayer (2020 Finishing Line Press). She and her husband live in a multi-generational, multi-species household in Vermillion.

Remund will be reading from her newest book, The Book of Crooked Prayer.

*****

Poet’s Connection

This poetry meeting will be via Meetup. A link will be posted for those who RSVP. If you are not on Meetup, but wish a link, please contact me on this platform and I will respond. @ljtomey

Link for Poet’s Connection Meetup

poetry

Reclaiming

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Reclaiming

Twisting jeweled cuffs over knuckles,

silky knot loosely skimming cleavage.

Gathering, clasping silver sparkled strands,

gracefully dabbing her beaded forehead.

Scrutinizing mirrored reflections,

slipping into glistening peds, then rising.

Grasping cool marble, steadying her walker.

Gliding slowly, halting, gasping.

Long estranged, eyes locked,

sparks of youth flaming as shadows pass.

*****

This is a combined prompt response:

Six Sentence Story completed in the form of a poem, using the prompt word “twist.”

Living Poetry Monday prompt “write an extraneous poem.”

poetry, short story

Meet Me in the Middle

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“You have me bending over backwards every day and I am sick of it!” Meghan stomped out of her and her husband’s house. They had another daily spat over one more thing and one more thing was enough to break Meghan’s ever patient mind.

“It’s unacceptable to be constantly running around all day long and not get anything done; look at this house, it is a pigsty,” exclaimed Clarence right before Meghan ran out on him.

Looking at the house, there were the morning’s dishes piled in the sink and yesterday’s laundry in the basket to be folded, while Clarence sat at his computer and played games, waiting for Meghan to wait on him, while he also ignored the children; and that’s when things got loud; Clarence opened his mouth and asked when would lunch be served. This was right after Meghan just got home from picking up their children at school, along with running errands for groceries, gas, getting his list of “necessities” and not grabbing a latte.

As Meghan drove away, she heard this song and made one of her own.

Just a little bending

Takes so little effort

Putting down that plaything

Would be more acceptable

Over unacceptable responses

Killing chances at harmony

…..

There you have it! This is my Six Sentence Story – Double Feature 😉 A little prose, a little poetry and away we go! Want to join us? Go to Girlie on the Edge and have a shot at at.

And bonus points for checking out Living Poetry for the other prompt for this week. Win:Win

poetry, TTOT

Ten Things of Thankful – August 21 2020

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Happy Friday and Happy TTOT! Let’s get started!

  1. It’s cooled down! WHEW!!
  2. Remember the Scavenger Hunt last week? Well, we picked up the prizes yesterday and WOOWEE there were gift cards all totaling $30.
  3. I am almost to the end of a special project, anticipating total endness by Monday.
  4. I am keeping up with the poetry book a day. It’s been educational and uplifting.
  5. Uplifting messages through various media forms make me smile and often it is a simple statement.
  6. Poetry Critique group to help me be a better poet and I hope I help them too.
  7. It’s just been recently that I have had the itch to get out in the world, especially missing coffee shop hanging out. But, I can still mobile ahead and pick up or drive thru, but the feeling of sitting in a coffee shop is missing. They did open up the renovated clubhouse at our property. We can go there for coffee, but you sure need to mask up and be super cautious. Because…cooties…
  8. Opportunities for penance. I am glad I can repent for something I feel remorseful about.
  9. Saving the news for almost last. Poet and friend to me Aruna Gurumurthy’s book was published yesterday. I was an editor for the book, so I feel celebratory, as well. Down the Grassy Aisles was published by Kelsay Books.

10. YOU!! Here’s a chance to share your TTOT’s! Join us, why doncha?

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You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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poetry, TTOT, writing

Ten Things of Thankful – August 14 2020

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It’s the end of a great week and time for TTOT. Let’s get to it!

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  1. Scavenger Hunt Zoom Style! Our apartment community has a CARES program. This is run by a couple who plan social events. In these pandemic times, they have to be creative. Last week they had an ice cream truck come by and offered free sundaes to the first so many people. We started out, but it poured rain, so I ended up making smoothies for our own treats. It all worked out. So, last night we had a scavenger hunt. We were the only ones who showed for the Zoom event, well, an the facilitator. So, we competed in our household. We worked up a sweat rushing around looking for things to show on the screen. We pretty much tied and we are getting a Panera gift card for participating. My favorite find was the last item on the list. She asked us to show something that was the most precious to each of us. It was easy. We put our arms around each other.
  2. So I think I mentioned at least 3 thankfuls in #1 so there’s that.
  3. Ditto.
  4. I am nearing the end of a special project and look forward to the last piece. It was a good project, but just ready to get to the next one.
  5. The Sealey Challenge. I have been reading a poetry book each day for this project. It is findable on Twitter #thesealeychallenge It has been inspiring to read other’s words. At some point, I will review what I have read. If they are on Goodreads, for now, I am at least giving points. When I have more time, I will write a more detailed review.
  6. Poet’s Connection event coming up on August 22. It is getting down to the last week to sign up for the event. Hint Hint Justine Quammie is presenting on August 22 at 10 a.m. for the Poet’s Connection meeting. It’s a workshop and it’s going to be awesome. I participated in one of Quammie’s workshops and she does a fantastic job. If you are interested, please let me know. I can send a link if you message me with your email. The attendance looks light and it would be great to have more attend. There is no charge. My thankful is that we can have this workshop with such an awesome presenter.
  7. Testimonies from others about how this pandemic has brought out the helpers. I have heard of people getting financial and physical help in these challenging times and I love to hear the stories.
  8. Poetree – is a book I stumbled upon when I was looking at the online library options. I was showing my daughter how to get books online and how to get the Kindle app on your phone to read the books. So, now, she is reading books on her phone.

9. We All Pitched In was published this week. Have a look.

10, YOU! Now you have an opportunity to participate in TTOT. What say you?

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You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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