Those who would pigeonhole poetry, assigning it to a more restrictive category according to what they think it should be, ignore poetry’s dynamic flux and the range of things a poem can do for us. Some think poems should always be lyrical, dealing with personal feelings and emotions, with nary a trace of narrative. Some […]
America, We Call Your Name Read More »
It is very unusual for a literary journal to publish a previously published poem, especially one that has appeared in another journal. I am honored to appear here in Tipton Poetry Journal (see page 20). https://issuu.com/tiptonpoetryjournal/docs/tpj59 This poem, by the way, is from my second poetry collection, The Museum of Unwearable Shoes.
After Hearing the Young Black Poet Read More »
While the world does seem like it’s going to hell, here’s a fun video I made when I published my young adult novel, My Vacation in Hell. It’s a sequel to The Family That Wasn’t, in which John, a sexual abuse victim and frequent flyer of his imagination, must find a way out of the
A Young Man’s Journey Through Hell Read More »
We walk there to escape the heator the pall of ourcoffined lives. We are a rag-tag lot,from the lithe, pony-tailed womanwho waves as she whizzes past me, to seniors with walkers and trekking poles,stepping cautiously towardwhatever future awaits, big families sprawled across the aisles,briefly trying to hold it all togetheragainst the forces spinning them apart,
I will be offering a free writing workshop on Friday, Jan. 26, from 2-3 PM, at Woods Memorial Library in Tucson. https://pima.bibliocommons.com/events/6579f6a5eb28943d007bd4ef Make writing come alive with this interactive PowerPoint presentation of selected short readings accompanied by illustrations and a discussion of the creative writing and publishing process. Fables are one of the oldest kinds
about the death of an old dogdying alone by the side of a road,growling softly as he thinks ofthat calico cat he so despisedand loved to chase,remembering the last stroke behind his earsby the homeless old womanwho lived in the underpass. My chatbot muse pauses briefly,then out pours a poemabout a quantum poochwho exists in
“Poet Gene Twaronite knows that words are powerful stuff. They can shape our experiences and relationships in ways we can’t predict—until adventure strikes. John Bazukas-O’Rielly-Geronimo-Li Choy- Echeverria, or B.O.G.G.L.E. for short, has a problematic family. If home is where the heart is, he wants a new home… and soon. It’s not easy having a Venusian
Advance Reviews for The Family That Wasn’t Read More »
The Burping Seal A lone Tupperware with sky blue lid, it lives on in my kitchen, a reminderof all it once held—loving leftovers of Mom’s greasy kugel or kielbasa,mincemeat cookies, coleslaw or apple pie. Its skin is worn soft from fifty yearsof washing and handling. Back and forthit went from her place to mine. I