We’ve just wrapped up our second year, and the Poetry column is doing great.
We’ve received so many great submissions and we’ve had the privilege of publishing amazing writers. J.P. Dancing Bear, one of our Featured Artists for the magazine, submitted his work to this column. And that’s just one example of the quality of work we’ve seen in the past year. What a rush!
One of the highlights of the past year has been publishing state Poets Laureate. It’s been such a joy getting to know, interview, and publish the poets that the states have chosen to honor. In the past year, we’ve published work by David Mason (Colorado), Marilyn L. Taylor (Wisconsin), Edmund Skellings (Florida), Dick Allen (Connecticut), David Evans (South Dakota), Kelly Cherry (Virginia), Mary Crow, Ret. (Colorado), Kevin Stein (Illinois), Marjory Wentworth (South Carolina), Norbert Krapf (Indiana), and Karla K. Morton (Texas). Each one has such a unique style and voice, and each one has so many diverse accomplishments. Getting to know and read the work of these poets, I feel like I’ve been watching a garden bloom across the United States, and each bud blossoms into a different colorful flower. We’re hoping to bring you more Poets Laureate in the coming year, so stay tuned!
We’ve published several poets this past year who have simply floored me. Some of their poetry we’ve published leaves me excited, some of it leaves me hushed, some of it makes me weep, and all of it leaves me humbled.
Peauladd Huy’s poetry is an example of why I want to be involved with the arts. I recommend her poetry to anyone, all of you, whether or not you’ve ever been remotely interested in reading poetry. Huy’s voice is genuine, and it calls out to me clearly through everything I’ve experienced since I first read her poetry. At the end of her interview with Monica Mankin, Peauladd wrote, “My hope is to be read.” That is my hope for her, too. Don’t miss this one. Please. Don’t miss this one.
I don’t know that I have ever read a poem that works like, or that is more genuinely poem-like than Emilian Galaicu-Păun’s “passagère.” I am embarrassed to be doing it such a disservice with that shoddy description of his work, except that no matter how I describe it, I will be doing it a disservice. Read “passagère,” and you will find yourself surrounded by poetic genius—and I mean that: you won’t just be reading a poem, you will feel surrounded by the immensity of this achievement. Then reread it a few times; it’s not done yet.
If you haven’t read Thomas Reiter’s poem “SHELTER,” you’re missing out. The language in this narrative poem is as fine as silk, and the poem’s texture is like graying split rails, somewhat smooth with age but still splintered. It’s a stunning poem. We’ve published Mr. Reiter’s work twice, and his poem “Pin-Setting: Key City Lanes, 1958” sticks with me. Catch his interview with Monica Mankin, too—I love what he has to say about the line, its relationship to the sentence, and its control over the reader’s attention.
Jim Ferris’ poetry, and his interview with Nicelle Davis, are wonderful. I love his insights, his beautiful phrases and imagery, and his humor—and, as often accompanies humor, a reminder of things that make us uncomfortable and sad.
Cindy Hollenbeck’s narrative poetry is stunning, beautiful, chilling, and almost frighteningly honest. This is another one you shouldn’t miss. Check out her great interview with Monica, too.
The music in Luke Hankins’ work is wonderfully fresh—I love his lines “If you can sing, sing. / If you can only croak, croak like you’ve never croaked before.” Also, check out his translations of Stella Vinitchi Radulescu’s poetry.
I clearly remember the calm of Mari L’Esperance’s poems. I love the way these poems make me entirely aware of the inside of minds—the narrator’s mind, my mind—while describing what’s outside. I am thrilled that Mari is joining Connotation Press as an Associate Poetry Editor along with JP Reese, whose beautiful poem “June, Texas, 1993” we published a while back. I cannot wait to work with these two amazing writers, and I’m certain that we will all be enriched by what these poets will bring to the column.
Nicelle Davis and Monica Mankin are still on board, too, so watch for interviews by all five of us in the near future. I’m so grateful for the help and fine contribution Nicelle and Monica have given over the past year. They both bring so much unique flavor to the column. I’ve also been really busy lately, and I couldn’t have produced this column without them. They’ve brought so much talent to the magazine and conducted interesting, surprising, informative interviews with a
lot of writers who deserve to be heard. Thanks so much, ladies. And welcome, Mari and JP!
It’s been a great year at Connotation Press. One of my favorite things about art is that it inspires more art. If you’re moved and inspired by these poems or if you already have some work in the wings, please consider submitting work to Connotation Press. We don’t just publish people with fantastic resumes; we are focused on finding new talent with unique perspectives, and our column is primarily composed of submissions, not solicitations. We are always open for submissions, and we love to add new voices to the choir. Mari, JP, Nicelle, Monica, and I put a candle in the window, and we’re waiting for you.