Poetry and About Poetry

You can read my poem, “Age of Gold,” published online at Peeking Cat Poetry (Issue 38) and order a print copy . Thank you Editor Sam Rose.

You can read my poem, "Age of Gold," published online at Peeking Cat Poetry (Issue 38) and order a print copy . Thank you Editor Sam Rose.

The Separate Rose by Pablo Neruda My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is the second volume of Neruda's poetry translated by William O'Daly that I have read, and it is also finely crafted and moving. Neruda takes Easter Island as his subject, the island in half the poems, the humans who live on it, have been part of its history, or visit it as the other half. This interplay of land and time and human experience offers Neruda a chance "to begin the lives of my life again," an echo of Whitman's "I contain multitudes." The language is simple but eloquent, sometimes blunt. The poet offers criticism with whimsical yet acerbic comparisons: "we transport ourselves sin enormous aluminum geese, seated correctly, drinking sour cocktails, descending rows of friendly stomachs. But the poet is ultimately forgiving to the humans as they face their individual journeys toward's time end, as the civilization that made the great stone heads has died away. And...

The Separate Rose by Pablo Neruda My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is the second volume of Neruda’s poetry translated by William O’Daly that I have read, and it is also finely crafted and moving. Neruda takes Easter Island as his subject, the island in half the poems, the humans who live on it, have been part of its history, or visit it as the other half. This interplay of land and time and human experience offers Neruda a chance “to begin the lives of my life again,” an echo of Whitman’s “I contain multitudes.” The language is simple but eloquent, sometimes blunt. The poet offers criticism with whimsical yet acerbic comparisons: “we transport ourselves sin enormous aluminum geese, seated correctly, drinking sour cocktails, descending rows of friendly stomachs. But the poet is ultimately forgiving to the humans as they face their individual journeys toward’s time end, as the civilization that made the great stone heads has died away. An...

“I would recommend the cultivation of extreme indifference to both praise and blame because praise will lead you to vanity, and blame will lead you to self-pity, and both are bad for writers.” W. S. Merwin

"I would recommend the cultivation of extreme indifference to both praise and blame because praise will lead you to vanity, and blame will lead you to self-pity, and both are bad for writers." W. S. Merwin

The  Haunted Waters Press  will publish my poem, “Climbing the Red-Dog Road,” in its online journal  Splash . The poem may also appear in a future print issue. Thank you, Editor Susan Warren Utley. This is the second time they have published one of my poems.

The Haunted Waters Press  will publish my poem, "Climbing the Red-Dog Road," in its online journal Splash . The poem may also appear in a future print issue. Thank you, Editor Susan Warren Utley. This is the second time they have published one of my poems.

Berryman by W. S. Merwin | Poetry Foundation I had hardly begun to read I asked how can you ever be sure that what you write is really any good at all and he said you can’t you can’t you can never be sure you die without knowing whether anything you wrote was any good if you have to be sure don’t write — Read on www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/58530/berryman

A practicing Buddhist, he was one of the defining poets of his generation. — Read on www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/ws-merwin-poet-of-austere-lyricism-who-twice-won-the-pulitzer-prize-dies-at-91/2019/03/15/17b32206-6d57-11e7-9c15-177740635e83_story.html

 The Wayne Literary Review will publish my poem, “Radishes in Detroit,” in their next issue with a theme of “place.” This is the second time they have published my poetry. 

 The Wayne Literary Review  will publish my poem, "Radishes in Detroit," in their next issue with a theme of "place." This is the second time they have published my poetry.

Still Another Day by Pablo Neruda My rating: 5 of 5 stars This small collection of Neruda’s last words has great power, and the translation keeps that power while being close to a transliteration. Neruda weaves the imagery and themes of a lifetime together with local and national Chilean history to create poetry that is very personal yet universal. William O’Daly’s translations retain that poetry as much as any translation can. Here is simplicity with heartbreaking truth: y yo fui descubriendo, nombrando todas las cosas: fue mi destino amar y despedirme and I was discovering, naming all these things: it was my destiny to love and say goodbye. View all my reviews

Still Another Day by Pablo Neruda My rating: 5 of 5 stars This small collection of Neruda's last words has great power, and the translation keeps that power while being close to a transliteration. Neruda weaves the imagery and themes of a lifetime together with local and national Chilean history to create poetry that is very personal yet universal. William O'Daly's translations retain that poetry as much as any translation can. Here is simplicity with heartbreaking truth: y yo fui descubriendo, nombrando todas las cosas: fue mi destino amar y despedirme and I was discovering, naming all these things: it was my destiny to love and say goodbye. View all my reviews

Peeking Cat Poetry   (UK) will publish my poem “Age of Gold (after Rimbaud “Âge d’or”) online  on March 18 and in an upcoming print issue. This is the second time I have had a poem published there. Thank you, Editor Sam Rose.

Peeking Cat Poetry (UK) will publish my poem "Age of Gold (after Rimbaud “Âge d’or”) online  on March 18 and in an upcoming print issue. This is the second time I have had a poem published there. Thank you, Editor Sam Rose.

The Spring 2019 issue of Light – A Journal of Photography and Poetry is available in digital format now and in print after March 11. Included within is my poem, “Fecundity.”

The Spring 2019 issue of Light - A Journal of Photography and Poetry is available in digital format now and in print after March 11. Included within is my poem, “Fecundity.”

Congratulations to all the other poets included: Prolific Press! Poetry Quarterly Winter 2018 - Our Winter Issue showcases a fine assortment of hand-selected poetry by: Duane Anderson, Ted O. Badger, Robert Baldwin, T.P. Bird, Gary Bloom, Richard G. Bouchard, Nancy Brewka-Clark, D.C. Buschmann, Len Carber, Carl Chen, Ayaz Daryl Nielsen, Ted Davis, Deborah L. Davitt, Julie A. Dickson, Milton P. Ehrlich, Regina Elliott, Martin Elster, Lynette G. Esposito, Isaac Eustice, Michael Flanagan, Kelly Foster, Keith Mark Gaboury, Ann Halvorsen, Michael Hammerle, John Hawkhead, Tim Heerdink, Juleigh Howard-Hobson, Linda Imbler, Jeanne Julian, Candice Kelsey, William Kofoed, John Leonard, Bruce Levine, Patricia Anne Lind, Catherine LoFrumento, Maryam Maleki , Salvatore Marici, Philip McDonald, Sydney McQuoid, Alan Meyrowitz, Terry Miller, Jennifer Montgomery, Glenn Moss, Suzanne Osborne, Maryalicia Post, David Pring-Mill, John Raffetto, Carolyn Riner, David Anthony Sam, Gerard Sarnat, Claire Sco...

Congratulations to all the other poets included: Prolific Press! Poetry Quarterly Winter 2018 – Our Winter Issue showcases a fine assortment of hand-selected poetry by: Duane Anderson, Ted O. Badger, Robert Baldwin, T.P. Bird, Gary Bloom, Richard G. Bouchard, Nancy Brewka-Clark, D.C. Buschmann, Len Carber, Carl Chen, Ayaz Daryl Nielsen, Ted Davis, Deborah L. Davitt, Julie A. Dickson, Milton P. Ehrlich, Regina Elliott, Martin Elster, Lynette G. Esposito, Isaac Eustice, Michael Flanagan, Kelly Foster, Keith Mark Gaboury, Ann Halvorsen, Michael Hammerle, John Hawkhead, Tim Heerdink, Juleigh Howard-Hobson, Linda Imbler, Jeanne Julian, Candice Kelsey, William Kofoed, John Leonard, Bruce Levine, Patricia Anne Lind, Catherine LoFrumento, Maryam Maleki , Salvatore Marici, Philip McDonald, Sydney McQuoid, Alan Meyrowitz, Terry Miller, Jennifer Montgomery, Glenn Moss, Suzanne Osborne, Maryalicia Post, David Pring-Mill, John Raffetto, Carolyn Riner, David Anthony Sam, Gerard Sarnat, Claire S...

Magnolia Review has just accepted 6 of my poems for their January 2020 issue on the theme of “The Day that Changed Me.” This is the seventh issue they have featured some of my poetry, and I deeply appreciate their support for my work being read. My thanks to Editor-in-Chief Suzanna Anderson.

Magnolia Review has just accepted 6 of my poems for their January 2020 issue on the theme of "The Day that Changed Me." This is the seventh issue they have featured some of my poetry, and I deeply appreciate their support for my work being read.  My thanks to Editor-in-Chief Suzanna Anderson.

Fredericksburg author and member of the Edit Sober Society, Jim Hall, talks about his book and an ugly part of Virginia and American history. “ Virginia author explores lynchings with Germanna audience “

Fredericksburg author and member of the Edit Sober Society, Jim Hall, talks about his book and an ugly part of Virginia and American history. " Virginia author explores lynchings with Germanna audience "