I want to thank Barbara Harris Leonhard and her staff for publishing my poem, Just Me and the Clock, today on Masticadores USA. I hope you will visit them and show them your support. Thank you!
Archery in the UK by Nick Reeves and Ingrid Wilson (2023). Available on Amazon.com.
While reading this beautiful and deeply-moving collection of poems, certain associations kept popping into my head. Sonnets fromthe Portuguese. Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Robert Browning. This book is quintessentially a collection of verses devoted to Love – the remarkable uniting of two cherished souls, love of the land, love of nature, love of beauty, and love of the language that allows us to shape our thoughts, feelings, and dreams into words.
Most of the poems in this collection are not sonnets, but the quality, tone, rhythm, and spirit of these verses capture the essence of Shakespeare, the two Brownings, and classic British lyrical poetry in general. Love in this poetic realm spreads its wings wider and flies higher than mortals are allowed in the ordinary world. The poets invite us into their secret bower of shared passion and romance, reminding us that love is a beautiful gift, and so is every precious moment of our lives.
This is an excerpt from Honeymoon Night, whose simplicity, sincerity, and repetition captured my heart and helped me to visualize the scene so clearly:
One of my Facebook friends messaged me with this information:
“From Editors: Thresh Press publisher Donna Biffar and Christal Ann Rice Cooper.
Thresh Press is open for submissions for the poetry anthology The Power of the Feminine “I”
Poems must be from a female perspective or transitioning to a female perspective from any orientation. Female voices from an animal, vegetable, mineral, or any inanimate object are welcome, as well as female historical, literary, cinematic, or religious voices. Only poems in the first person will be considered.
No more than three poems per person and each poem must not be longer than three pages.
Previously published poems are acceptable as long as the author has reprint rights, or secures reprint rights from the original publisher and provides the previous publisher’s name, date of publication and volume number if applicable.
Submissions must be typed Times New Roman font, no smaller than a 12-font size, and submitted as an MS word document email attachment to caccoop@aol.com
The deadline is May 31, 2023 Publication is planned for Autumn 2023.
For more information email Christal Ann Rice Cooper at caccoop@aol.com or call her at 618 420 6386.”
Already an Amazon #1 Bestseller in New Releases of Poetry Anthologies, Hidden in Childhood: A Poetry Anthology, is now available on Amazon.com! Two of my poems appear in the collection, The Listener and I HATE SNAKES.
Amazon Description
“From authors featured on NPR, BBC, and the New York Times, and from emerging poets, comes a monumental anthology in which every poem sends shivers down your spine. Childhood’s joy and trauma expressed – with stunning talent and sincerity – by over 150 poets in more than 280 poems. Childhood spaces magnified by the human memory, populated by good and bad, by trips to hell and heaven, in an almost Hieronymus Bosch type of atmosphere. Over 150 voices call you to read this book. Read it. You will learn that childhood never goes away. You will be reminded of the beauty of the seraphim and the need to protect children from any form of abuse. 150 voices knock on your door. Open the door. A chorus of childhoods will tell you that our children need love.
“Literary Revelations is proud to bring you this anthology and deeply grateful to all contributors for pouring out their hearts into the pages of this book.” (Gabriela Marie Milton, Editor)
It’s a wonderful collection, full of wonderful poems by talented poets.
Get your copy today!
Dawn Pisturino
January 30, 2023
Copyright 2023 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
Co-Author, #1 Amazon Bestseller, Hidden in Childhood: A Poetry Anthology (2023)
Co-Author, 2023 Arizona Literary Magazine
Co-Author, #1 Amazon Bestseller, Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women (2022)
A few months ago, I suddenly realized that I had not been to the local library since before the pandemic, so I dusted off my old library card and made a point of visiting. During the lockdown, the county remodeled the whole facility and expanded the number of books available. They did a fantastic job! I was very impressed with the results and enjoyed browsing the shelves for a few good mystery books — and it didn’t cost me a dime.
When digital publishing became popular, people predicted the demise of public libraries. While bookstores in general have been profoundly affected, local libraries seem to have thrived. And, thank goodness for that! Libraries offer so much more than just checking out books.
I still remember Mrs. Brown from my childhood days, the chubby little librarian with stern eyes and short grey hair, who presided over our tiny branch of the county library. We lived out in the country then, and I used to ride my bike several miles to check out books. Whenever I chose something she didn’t approve of (I was an advanced reader and liked to check out the latest New YorkTimes best-sellers), she would ask me: “Did your parents give you permission to read that?” Now, my parents didn’t care what I read, but I always told her “yes,” and that was the end of the conversation. I still remember her looking at me with grave doubts when I checked out The Collector by John Fowles (which is still a good book and a great movie, by the way).
One of the most famous scenes from musical theater is “Marian the Librarian” from The Music Man – a musical that will put you into a joyous and inspired mood like nothing else. The movie (1962), starring Shirley Jones, is delightful!
Have a great day!
Dawn Pisturino
January 6, 2023
Copyright 2023 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
I’m pleased and honored to announce that my poetry has been accepted for inclusion in the upcoming anthology, Hidden inChildhood, edited by the wonderfully gifted Gabriela Marie Milton, and published by Literary Revelations Publishing House. The anthology will be released in late January 2023. Submissions will remain open until January 3, 2023.
Thank you so much for including me!
Dawn Pisturino
December 22, 2022
Copyright 2022 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
Richard Cory– the poem that inspired Simon & Garfunkel
by Edwin Arlington Robinson
Whenever Richard Cory went downtown,
We people on the pavement looked at him:
He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean favored, and imperially slim.
And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
“Good morning,” and he glittered when he walked.
And he was rich — yes, richer than a king —
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.
So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.
~Edwin Arlington Robinson~
~
In 1966, Simon & Garfunkel borrowed Robinson’s poem, “Richard Cory,” modernized the language, and set it to music. The song is both thought-provoking and astonishing – just like Robinson’s poem – and was included in the duo’s hit album, Sounds of Silence.
I personally think the song lyrics are infinitely better than the poem. But,listen for yourself!
~
Bio: While Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869-1935) is not remembered much now, he was a highly prolific and enthusiastically praised poet in his time. He often wrote on “themes of personal failure, artistic endeavor, materialism [and wealth], and the inevitability of [progress and] change” (Robert Gilbert). Robinson self-published his books of poetry until Houghton Mifflin agreed to publish his book of poems, Captain Craig, in 1902. The book was not successful, and Robinson became a drifter and alcoholic. In 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt became aware of Robinson and his book, The Children of the Night. Roosevelt convinced Charles Scribner’s Sons to republish the book. He also obtained a job for Robinson at the New York Customs House. Job security allowed Robinson to continue with his writing. Robinson won a Pulitzer Prize for his Collected Poems in 1922. He won a second Pulitzer Prize in 1924. In 1927, he won a third Pulitzer Prize. Robinson died of cancer in 1935.
Thanks for visiting!
Dawn Pisturino
Copyright 2022 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women anthology officially launches on Amazon and Kindle on Saturday, June 18, 2022.
Here’s the official Amazon description:
“Award-winning authors, Pushcart nominees, emerging poets, voices of women and men, come to the fore in this stunning, powerful, and unique anthology. Their poems testify to the challenges that women face in our society, and to their power to overcome them. A memorable collection of over 200 poems by more than 100 authors, this anthology is a must-have for anyone. We all can benefit from the poetry of survival, and of healing. We all can benefit from the experiences so beautifully evoked in this book. We can all come together to emerge triumphant from pain.”
The first line of your novel or story can make it or break it. Are your words intriguing? Compelling? Do they make the reader hungry for more? Consider these first lines written by well-known authors. How do they make you feel? What images come into your head? Do you want to read more?
1. “Sometimes Sonny felt like he was the only human creature in the town.” Larry McMurtry, The Last Picture Show
2. “It was about eleven o’clock in the morning, mid October, with the sun not shining and a look of hard wet rain in the clearness of the foothills.” Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep
3. “When he woke in the woods in the dark and the cold of the night he’d reach out to touch the child sleeping beside him.” Cormac McCarthy, The Road
4. “The alchemist picked up a book that someone in the caravan had brought.” Paul Coelho, The Alchemist
5. “Renowned curator Jacques Sauniere staggered through the vaulted archway of the museum’s Grand Gallery.” Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code
6. “When a traveller in north central Massachusetts takes the wrong fork at the junction of the Aylesbury pike just beyond Dean’s Corners he comes upon a lonely and curious country.” H.P. Lovecraft, The Dunwich Horror
7. “On these cloudy days, Robert Neville was never sure when sunset came, and sometimes they were in the streets before he could get back.” Richard Matheson, I Am Legend
8. “The cat had a party to attend, and went to the baboon to get herself groomed.” David Sedaris, squirrel seeks chipmunk
9. “‘To be born again,’ sang Gibreel Farishta tumbling from the heavens, ‘first you have to die.'” Salman Rushdie, The SatanicVerses
10. “The witnesses standing at the edge of the field were staring in horrified silence, too stunned to speak.” Sidney Sheldon, TheDoomsday Conspiracy
11. “I had this story from one who had no business to tell it to me, or to any other.” Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan of theApes
12. “Amerigo Bonasera sat in New York Criminal Court Number 3 and waited for justice; vengeance on the men who had so cruelly hurt his daughter, who had tried to dishonor her.” Mario Puzo, The Godfather
13. “I see . . .” said the vampire thoughtfully, and slowly he walked across the room towards the window.” Anne Rice, Interviewwiththe Vampire
14. “Almost everyone thought the man and the boy were father and son.” Stephen King, ‘Salem’s Lot
15. “Scarlett O’Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were.” Margaret Mitchell, Gone With the Wind
And the list goes on, ad infinitum. But you get the idea.
Dawn Pisturino
April 24, 2012; June 15, 2022
Copyright 2012-2022 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
(Turn of the 20th century writer’s corner – Bonelli House Museum, Kingman, Arizona. Photo by Dawn Pisturino.)
Adopting the writer’s mantle places us instantly in the spotlight. Everything we say, write, and do is being evaluated and judged by people we don’t even know.
With this in mind, it’s important to display our best writing at every opportunity.
I recently read a blog post by an English writer that was poorly formatted, riddled with errors, and unprofessional-looking. The purpose of the blog was to dispense writing advice to budding young authors. But what can a young author learn from run-on sentences and words that blend into one another with no punctuation or spaces? Needless to say, I no longer follow that blog.
Many self-proclaimed authors haunt Facebook and other social media sites. They promote their books with quickly-composed, ungrammatical sales pitches that reflect poorly on their abilities as writers. My thought is this: if they can’t write a simple post on Facebook, how can they write the next Great American novel? The answer is obvious.
E-mail tends to be a casual form of communication, but some people take it for granted that it’s okay to write in texting jargon and incomplete sentences. Clear, concise communication should be even more important when writing e-mails. I check my grammar and spelling every time I send out an e-mail because I want my readers to see me as a real writer.
My elderly aunt fills her hand-written letters with poetic descriptions of the seasons and countryside where she lives. She’s not a writer, but she knows how to write. She knows how to turn a phrase and color a description so that it sticks in my head. She makes me imagine that once upon a time she wrote poetry in some dark garret. That reminds me–I need to ask her!
Writing is a 24/7 job. And everything we compose should reflect our abilities as a writer. Our readers expect it. Our profession demands it.
Published in the July-August 2012 issue of Working Writer.
Dawn Pisturino
June 13, 2022
Copyright 2012-2022 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
Cosmic Health Blog
Entertaining and informative articles about health and wellness, yoga, meditation, nutrition, stress management, exercise and more, written by a licensed Registered Nurse.
Summer Eden Poetry center
A site for sharing poetry, mine and others’. Come and browse the offerings!
Dawn Pisturino's Blog 