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Monday, November 13, 2006

An Interesting Consideration...

Had it been up to the poets,
perhaps peace between Syria and Israel
would have been established long ago.
I have often said that I firmly believe that through poetry we are able to create greater understanding and break down barriers. It seems only natural to me that it can serve as in instrument of peace.

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Why Do You Write Poetry?






























Saturday, November 11, 2006

Emerging Voices

This months Poets & Writers magazine had a letter from a Massachusetts woman who was bemoaning the emphasis on young writers in the magazine. She wondered if there wasn't anyone over sixty that was an emerging voice? While I am not sixty, I am certainly aware of the difficulty associated with developing into an emerging writer after starting later than many.

Ironically, this same issue of P&W has their selection of 12 emerging voices this year. How nice it was to see an 80 year old among the group. Landis Everson - winner of the Poetry Foundation's Emily Dickinson First Book Award.

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Bling!

Was looking at my submission tracker the other day and one of my submissions was flagged for query. For some reason, I always hate to query on work I have already sent out, but I did. The response was "are you sure you sent it to us? We don't see it." So I dutifully resubmitted yesterday, and received this reply this morning, "Well, Michael... We like it! Very Much! We want to include it in our winter issue..." Sure beats the hell out of a rejection letter.

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Rogue Poetry Review

On a more personal note, my wife has created her own little political dynasty. She now controls a block of 20 votes for Dancing with the Stars. She exercises her control to deliver them all for Emmitt.

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Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Wednesday Poet Series No. 6


One of the things that has impressed me about this weeks Wednesday Poet has been the gift of her art to others; teaching children, young people, professional writers, educators, senior citizens and inmates at a prison for the criminally insane. Cecilia Woloch is the author of at least three poetry books. They are Late, Tsigan, and Sacrifice.

The poet Maxine Kumin said about Woloch and her book Late, the newest of the three, "To write movingly about love in an era infused with hate requires a special gift: nostalgia hard-edged with realism. She has that gift."

Woloch's talent has not only been directed to the printed page, but has been transformed to instruction with others through her many teaching and workshop assignments.
Those include University of the Redlands, New England College MFA Program in Poetry, Emory University, The Cider Press Review, California State University at Northridge, and Western Connecticut State University. She is the founding director of Summer Poetry in Idyllwild and the Paris Poetry Workshop.

Her credits are extensive - Nimrod, New Letters, The Chattahoochee Review, Zyzzyva, Good Poems for Hard Times, edited by Garrison Keillor to name a few. Her poetry has been translated into at lest three other languages, German, French, and Polish.

Woloch has received numerous awards for her work including:
  • Pushcart Prize Nominations: 1999 (awarded Special Mention), 2000, 2002, 2003
  • California Arts Council, Artist-in-Residence Grants, 1987, '88,'89, '91, '92, '93
  • 2004 Georgia Author of the Year in Poetry, Georgia Writers Association for her book Late
  • 2001 Anhinga Prize for Poetry, Finalist
  • 2000 CEC/ArtsLink International Grant
  • 2000 Hawthornden Castle International Retreat for Writers Fellowship
  • 1999 Sue Saniel Elkind Poetry Prize, Kalliope Magazine, Finalist
  • 1995 Literal Latte Poetry Competition, First Prize
  • 1994 Marianne Moore Prize for Poetry, Finalist

Here are a few of Cecilia Woloch's poems:

You can find more on Cecilia Woloch at these sites:

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Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Election Day

No matter where you live in U.S. there is a House seat up for election and in many states there are important Senate races as well as other State and local measures. If you have not voted already, please get to the polls today and cast your votes.

A little election poetry here