A summer is over/back to school (2024) Update from MEH
My monthly (?) missive on all things MEH
Random Thoughts & Writing Prompts
I took a break over the summer from a lot of things. No working. No classes. No traveling. No newsletter-ing. No poetry readings and even limited poetry writing.
Instead I filled the time with seeing people I love, collecting records, writing prose, crocheting, people watching, binge watching TV, reading, and handling various major life changes. But yesterday was the first day of school and I write this from my classroom desk as day two is about to begin.
My kids are thinking a lot about their summers and who they want others to view them as this year. There has already been a lot of talk about what they will do and who they will be this year. Mostly in terms of what they will be adding to their lives: classes, sports, club/activities, hobbies, friend-groups, goals, risks, leaving of comfort zones. I’m asking them another question, something writing prompt worthy:
What are you leaving behind?
Definition by subtraction if you will. Sounds like a band name. Or a poem.
Poetry Collections I’ve Recently Read
Black Pastoral: Poems ~ Ariana Benson
Residence Time ~ Sarah Kersey
Remembrances: A Poetic Memoir of Life as a Political Prisoner in Iran ~ Ala Khaki
(Text) Messages from the Angel Gabriel ~ Frances Klein
In the Garden of Fortunes ~ Mark Walsh
Sunrise Ruby ~ Karen Warinsky
Latest News and Publications
Awards and Nominations
Selections from Selling the World (manuscript in progress) was longlisted for the Kinsman Avenue Publishing African Diaspora Award. The four poems will be published in their anthology.
The Third Renunciation was a finalist for the New England Poetry Club Sheila Margaret Motton Book Prize.
“…believes all things” was nominated by 3Elements Literary Review for a Best of the Net.
Recent Publications
My weird, astronomical, fantasy, love poem “across the table” was published in Rituals (2024) from Anomaly Poetry.
Being a poet with degrees in education, religion, and the intersection of the two, I had to write “memo from the principal of Antonin Scalia High School, Charity, Ok RE: amended Course of Study for the 2024-2025 academic year” which was published in The New Verse News.
“beginnings,” from a manuscript in progress, was published in the latest Massachusetts Bards Anthology.
Anti-Heroin Chic published both "when asked why students come to me, “the tough teacher, the hard grader” and "when asked why you won’t be invited back to the BBQ."
New Verse Review took a chance on one of the only poems I’ve ever written in verse: “…could abash the little Bird”
When Had accepted “Matthew E. Henry of Ohio” I popped my pants a little bit!
I have work forthcoming in the After the Art, Lily Poetry Review, Nixes Mate, Pirene’s Fountain, Porcupine Literary, the Pour Me a Poem Reading Series anthology, The Radical Teacher, Whale Road Review, and one place I’m not allowed to name yet.
Recent Events
In June I was privileged to read at Wellesley Books with Tatiana Johnson-Boria and Sarah Kersey, and at Arlington’s Beehive Poetry Group with Gary Whited.
Upcoming Readings and Events
For September (so far…)
Saturday, September 7, 2024 ~ Salem Literary Festival. I will be reading with others published in issue #9 of Molecule Mag as part of the Salem Literary Festival. (1:00 PM 2:00 PM)
Thursday, September 26, 2024 ~ Wild & Precious Life Series (Virtual Reading) alongside Kai Coggin and MT Vallarta (7:30 PM 8:45 PM)
[Any updates will be posted on my website]