Sara Burant. Verge. Finishing Line Press. $14 Comment by Erik Muller One virtue of chapbooks is their clarity of intent that can be sustained for a reading straight through. It is a rare larger volume that allows this. Sara Burant’s Verge assuredly develops its title as theme and variations. The verge is principally a border, an edge, the brink …
Love At First Read by Toni Van Dusen (first printed in CALYX, 2010 – reprinted with permission) PHOTOGRAPH WITH GIRLS: POEMS, Nancy Carol Moody. Traprock Books, 66 pages, $15 paper. There are many reasons to buy and read Nancy Moody’s PHOTOGRAPH WITH GIRLS. The cover photo is a wonder—four girls (Moody’s mother among them) lying on a …
‘Photograph With Girls: Poems’ by Nancy Carol Moody reviewed by Toni Van Dusen Read More »
The Matter and Manner of At This Distance, a review by by Erik Muller Bette Lynch Husted. At This Distance. Wordcraft of Oregon, 2010, $14. Bette Lynch Husted is another strong voice among Eastern Oregon poets published by David Memmott. At This Distance is her first full collection and thus deserves attention to its matter and manner. As the …
‘At This Distance’ by Bette Lynch Husted reviewed by Erik Muller Read More »
WESTWARD EXPANSION: The Discovery of Medford Dee Chadwell “Go west, young man,” Horace Greeley declared, and a hundred years later we did. From six miles up we watched as the patchwork quilt of the plains rolled past beneath us and wrinkled into ridge after ridge of mountains. We changed planes in San Francisco and veered …
Poet’s Spotlight: Westward Expansion, The Discovery of Medford Read More »
On reading the news of my neighbor’s foreclosure Your daughter was building a bookshelf that last time we had tea, sunlight a shawl over your shoulders. Two curly haired grandchildren pushed past our legs and we each brushed our fingers along their backs, they arched like lazy cats and then crawled away. The pines behind …
Tradition We serve Thanksgiving dinner on the back of our father’s polished guitar, there is a breadboat and a small aperture full of violets. This we are expected to repeat each year. One day I take the guitar from behind the reredos. I carve dense mayhem into the spruce. I offer the guitar to a …
Monarchs As their wings dry out of the chrysalises, the party’s hostess uncurls their long tongues with a thin stick, introduces them to molasses under gauze. That’s how they learn with butterfly intelligence to locate substitute narcissus. Now, one sips from the edge of the punch bowl. Another lights on Bridey’s hair, then Terence’s shoulder. …
Oregon Poetry Association/ Silverton Poetry Association OPA Spring 2013 Conference & Annual Meeting April 12-14 – Silverton, Oregon A Rendezvous with Renewal at the Spring 2013 Conference April is truly the cruelest month. Not only because it breeds lilacs out of the dead land (sorry, T.S.), but also because National Poetry Month lasts a mere 30 …
Oregon Poetry Association Spring 2013 Contest Winners OPA congratulates all the winners below, and thanks them and all the poets who entered for sharing their work. Poet’s Choice — M. E. Hope, Judge 1st Place: “A Week’s Pay Lost at the Lizard Fight” by Armin Tolentino, Portland 2nd Place: “A Homeless Lady Speaks” by Hannah …
Oregon Poetry Association – Spring 2013 Contest Winners Read More »
2012 FALL CONTEST WINNERS OPA congratulates all the poets below, and thanks them and all the poets who entered our most recent contest for sharing their work. Poet’s Choice – Peter Sears First Place: “Untitled” by Brad Canfield Second Place: “Shower” by Liz Robinson Third Place: “Nail” by Steve Jones Fourth Place: “New Neighbors” by Linda …
