I enjoyed writing this poem, and really appreciate Esthetic Apostle for publishing it in their June 2019 poetry issue.
Rough Draft/ The Nine Month Sentence/Newish Poem
ROUGH DRAFT. To revise. Sometimes things come out and I am not sure what they mean, but for this one, I know it’s an autumn facing winter poem. To work on and revise. Thanks for reading!
Laura
The Nine Month Sentence–(Must work on this title. Sounds weird.)
Stunned. Nine months of
little sun, closed streaked
windows to follow.
We had not
used our summer well.
We had not slept
under a June blue sky,
toes curled in fresh green.
We had not wrapped nights
in tender sighs under stars;
our nights
were wasted in worries.
Midnight.
If we slip outside now,
we might walk unnoticed.
We might find the source
of the crescent, the crickets,
the scamperers.
We might
flee with them.
?????
************* Let’s slip outside
find sources of
crescents
crickets
scamperers.
maybe we’ll leave
with them.
*****Addendum:
Worked a lot on editing this one, and it’s ready to submit…but where? It’s no longer..Nine Month Sentence…because winter is not that long. Other good revisions… now to look for a home for this revised and edited (for the better, I hope!) poem. #poetrycommunity #poetry
From a PIP (poem in progress)
Line breaks, wording, so much work needed. A much longer poem, but I don’t want to post complete poems here. And they are MISSING GIRLS, which is important. And missing small ones… hmm.. Lots to consider.
Middle of the night
moon casts
umbrella shaped shadows.
Soft light of night
I’d hoped would help
find the lost (missing?)
(??find the missing
small ones?)
** Word Press doesn’t like to format poetry, it seems.
I’m playing with language, tone, line breaks, meaning. (I don’t want to post a complete poem here, since I will submit for publication.)
Nine Month Sentence ROUGH DRAFT. To edit. Revise.
ROUGH DRAFT. to edit. Revise.
Just a few snippets from that time ten years ago, since I am submitting a revised/ edited full version for publication and don’t want to have this considered published.
The Nine Month Sentence
Stunned. Nine months of
little sun, closed streaked windows to follow.
We had not
used our summer well.
We had not slept
under the June blue sky,
toes curled in fresh green.
…We might
flee with them.
Moth Mate/ Rough Draft
Just a few snippets, since I hope to submit a revised/ edited full version for publication and don’t want to have this considered published.
Moth Mate
Moth to a
Fake flame
Candle, lit
To accompany
Mid summer’s night
Solitude
White flint
Small gold flutter
Before any
Dawn songs.
(I wanted to see what I could do with this learning and healing time. Can I observe more? Can I see what I don’t really see on a busy workday? What do you do, what do I do with those middle of the night silences? The crickets have stops singing. The cicadas have not yet started their trilling. And I am waiting to learn when the robins start their dawn songs.
I shall find out soon.
I hear frogs now. They’ve joined us.
And I’m trying to find out what can I do with my limited mobility and access right now to Technology.
This was created in the hopes of making meaning out of silence and pain.
Dare I send from my iPhone? So unliterary.
But this to me also speaks of the power of literacy to sustain.
I turn to words.)
sent from my iphone
Having Fun with Words and Images–TINY (Short) Poem
Just Playing with Images and a Short Poem-Held Breath Living
Current List of Publications
Publications, Laura Lee
Some of my poems, short stories, and nonfiction articles are included online and in print books and magazines published in the UK, Greece, India, New Zealand, and the United States. Many thanks to the staff at these publications.
“Where You Are Not,” a poem, June 2019, in Esthetic Apostle, here.
“Swamp Pearls,” a poem, May 2019, here at: Prometheus Dreaming.
“Not Sleep,” a poem, in Cagibi: A Literary Space, April 2019, here: Cagibi.
“The Professor and the Gravel,” a poem, 2019, at Wingless Dreamer.
“Saltwater Faces,” an ekphrastic poem inspired by paintings at the Art Institute of Chicago, High Shelf Press, 2018, https://www.highshelfpress.com/saltwaterfaces.
“Click,” “The Night is our First Language,” and “They Left the Bed,” poetry published in The Poetic Bond VIII print issue, December 2018. Available at Poetic Bond VIII.
“Moving Gravel” a short story at Crack the Spine – Themed Anthology Submissions, “Routine”, print edition, 2018. Available at Crack the Spine Anthology.
“Walk with Child” at https://www.snapdragonjournal.com/ September 2018 Issue, “Here and Gone.” http://pub.lucidpress.com/9b90935e-82ec-4edd-a09e-725a9cf574b8/#Vu72fBijlewR
Coffin Bell Journal,2018, “Herstory,” October 2018. https://coffinbell.com/herstory-lesson/
Spillwords Press, “Stopped,” 2018, http://spillwords.com/stopped/.
Tuck Magazine, June 2018, “Teach to Kill” http://tuckmagazine.com/2018/06/06/poetry-1528/.
Tuck Magazine, May 2018, “Refuge,” http://tuckmagazine.com/2018/05/29/poetry-1511/.
Southernmost Point Guest House (UK), poetry.
Journal of Modern Poetry 21 (Volume 21), “Hell, No,” a poem at JOMP Volume 21 Dear Mr. President.
Journal of Modern Poetry 20 (Volume 20), “Moonlit Awakening,” JOMP Volume 20 Poetry Writer’s Guide to the Galaxy.
Journal of Modern Poetry 18 (Volume 18), The Official Poets Guide to Peace, two poems: “Open” and “After Poetry Class.” 2015. Purchase here.
Journal of Modern Poetry 17 (Volume 17), JOMP Volume 17.
Cram Volume 12: “White Board Clown,” 2011. Chicago Poetry Press 2011.
Magazine (New Zealand) , Raewyn Alexander, Publisher, nonfiction and poetry. Raewyn Alexander NZ.
Fiction in: http://staxtes.com/2003/ “Between the Sunlight and the Skipping” in English Wednesdays
Poetry in: https://poetsagainstthewar.org/ archives.
Illinois English Bulletin, a publication of the National Council of Teachers of English, nonfiction article about teaching in an alternative education program.
Poetry in Marginalia, Elmhurst, IL.
Pleased a poem to be published in Esthetic Apostle this week
Poem here.
***Edited/ revised to add–I am sorry to learn this journal has ceased publishing. It is simply not to be found anymore. I enjoyed reading what they published.
I was pleased to learn a poem, “Where You Are Not,” is to be published in Esthetic Apostle this week. Great to wake up to pleasant news.
It was written during a time of grief, and as I have returned to such a time, it was fitting to send this poem out into the world.
Thanks for reading my blog–and thanks to Esthetic Apostle for publishing my poem later this week.
New Poem at Prometheus Dreaming
I am delighted to be having a poem titled “Swamp Pearls” published this weekend in https://www.prometheusdreaming.com/poetry.
Not only is the publication BEAUTIFUL, but I love their statement:
We are dedicated to publishing both established and aspiring writers. We believe in encouraging creativity in all forms, and strive to create an artistic community built on inclusion and mutual support.
Why not give Prometheus Dreaming a look, and while there, look for “Swamp Pearls” by me?
Thanks for reading.
Laura
(photo in the creative commons)
Laura Lee 