Ooh! It is May! May 4th, soon to be May 5th, and I've been dallying around in the real world when I should have been online, drawing a winner for the Big Poetry Giveaway! I do have good excuses, including: the fine, fine weather here in Tennessee, the delicious bloom of the honey locust, an early morning trip to Nashville to hear one of my writing idols, Wendell Berry, who I now adore even more, after seeing him in person being unable to put down one of the World Book Night selections … [Read more...]
Middle Tennessee Poetry News
We're well into National Poetry Month, and besides the Big Poetry Giveaway happening on my blog (and many others), I have more poetry news to share, with a focus on middle Tennessee: First of all, my friend and fellow poet Sandy Coomer has the article "April: A Time for Poetry" in Inside Brentwood Magazine. In addition to discussing the importance of poetry and National Poetry Month, Sandy also covers many middle Tennessee poets and poetry events, including - with photos - the poetry … [Read more...]
The Big Poetry Giveaway
It's April, it's finally spring in Tennessee, and it's National Poetry Month - all great reasons to emerge from my blogging hiatus and participate in this year's BIG POETRY GIVEAWAY being curated by Kelli Russell Agodon. Be sure to visit Kelli's blog for a list of all the blogs participating in this event. How it works: I'm supposed to give away my own book and a copy of a poetry book I really love. I'm also throwing in my poetry and roots music CD and another chapbook from a fellow Tennessee … [Read more...]
Sharing for Veteran’s Day: A Poem by a POW
Honey and I recently re-visited the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola, Florida. We've always enjoyed this museum, and it had grown and changed since our last visit several years ago. I was especially moved by a display on The POW Experience which includes the handwritten poems of several servicemen while they were Vietnam prisoners of war. Here's one that particularly caught my attention. I've taken the liberty of adding some notes on the image itself, in case the photo circulates … [Read more...]
Celebrate Tennessee Poets for National Poetry Month
Yes, it's National Poetry Month, but I'm celebrating closer to home with three delightful Tennessee poets in this article I wrote for April's issue of The Murfreesboro Pulse. Since my space in the article was limited, I wanted to add a bit more here to share how you can learn more about these poets and their recent work - and buy their books, of course! Sandy Coomer, Continuum Visit Sandy's website at sandycoomer.com Sample one of Sandy's poems here in The Southeast Review Buy her … [Read more...]