A Poet's Alphabestiary, Etc.

Tanka Published in “Moonbathing”

penhart — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:56:56 +0000

I’m happy to share that my tanka “Surfacing From Sleep” appears in Issue 5, Fall/Winter 2011-2012 of Moonbathing: A Journal of Women’s Tanka. It’s a fine collection of tanka by any number of very talented woman poets. Thanks to Pamela Babusci for editing and publishing it.

Also, I spent a wonderful four day weekend last week at Peter Murphy’s Poetry and Prose Getaway. After I get photos into my computer, I’ll write about it. It’s been a busy time, and I really enjoyed the entire weekend—workshopping poems written to Peter’s prompts, seeing old poet friends from North Jersey. It was at the Seaview Hotel in Galloway, now part of Stockton University, a lovely venue. A great time was had by all, and I plan to attend from now on every chance I get.

New Publications InTwo Anthologies and a Blog

penhart — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:18:21 +0000

I’m delighted that my poem “Because a Volcano Has Erupted in Japan” appears in the just released anthology Sunrise from Blue Thunder: Japan, Earthquake-Tsunami, March 2011“. (c) Pirene’s Fountain, 2011. Edited by Ami Kaye.The poems in this anthology honor the people of Japan as they try to rebuild their lives after these two disasters.

And four of my haiku and a New Year’s Eve haiku sequence appear in Aubrie Cox’s blog anthology *The Language of Dragons*:

http://yaywords.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/the_language_of_dragons.pdf

To find them, please scroll down to pp. 2, 3, 6, 26, and 34-35.

It’s been a fine 2011, and I wish you all a great 2012! Happy New Year!

“Moon-Seeking Soup”, a haibun, posted on “Jama’s Alphabet Soup” blog

penhart — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 04:57:02 +0000

My haibun, “Moon-Seeking Soup” from my chapbook Recycling Starlight, appears on Jama Rattigan’s blog, Jama’s Alphabet Soup, posted today, December 10th, to accompany the December 2011 full moon.

http://jamarattigan.com/2011/12/09/friday-feast-moon-seeking-soup-by-penny-harter/.

I am blessed and honored, both by Jama’s comments and by the responses of her readers, to whom I’ve replied both individually and in a post at the end (so far) of the comments. And I encourage you all to try making the soup—it’s really good.

Poems to Honor the Earth—-a video with accompanying text

penhart — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 04:16:26 +0000

On Sunday, November 27th, I was invited to give the sermon at the Unitarian Church of the South Jersey Shore area. The church posted the video of my talk, “Poems to Honor the Earth,” on YouTube

They also posted the video on their website. If you click on the link below, you’ll be taken to the “sermons” page. Then scroll down to find my presentation. And when you click on the title “Poems to Honor the Earth,” you will now also access a PDF of the accompanying text.

When presenting, I did adlib a little spontaneously here and there, but other than that, I followed the text in the video. So you can now view the video while referring to the text. Here’s the link to sermons:

http://www.uucsjs.org/sermons.html

Long Persona Poem published at Adanna Literary Journal, Nov. 15, 2011

penhart — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 17:31:07 +0000

I’m delighted to announce that a long persona poem I wrote several years ago, “Mad Lucy’s Day,” was just posted on-line today on the Nov. 15th quarterly page, “Featured Poets Page Body Image,’” at Adanna Literary Journal. This journal of women’s poetry is a wonderful new addition to our on-line journals, and I’m honored to be in such good company.

http://adannajournal.blogspot.com/p/featured-poets-page-body-image-nov-15th.html

Essay Published in “Lighting the Global Lantern”

penhart — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 17:23:19 +0000

My essay “Literary Inspiration for Writing Haiku” appears in *Lighting the Global Lantern: A Teacher’s Guide to Writing Haiku and Related Literary Forms*, edited by Terry Ann Carter. (2011. Wintergreen Studios Press, Ontario, CA).

This is an excellent collection of essays by a number of fine writers of haiku and related genres. Terry Ann gives teachers of all grades, as well as poets and anyone interested in exploring Japanese literary genres such as haiku, haibun, linked verse, etc., access to wonderful information that will help them either teach or write in these genres.

Exciting News: My Haibun Collection “One Bowl” Wins Publication!

penhart — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 01:03:40 +0000

I just learned that my collection of haibun, One Bowl, is a winner in The Snapshot Press eChapbook Awards. I’m very excited and honored to be among such fine company. You can see the eight winners here:

http://www.snapshotpress.co.uk/contests/echapbook_awards/results.htm

The books will be published on-line during January and February. Wow!

Two Haibun, an Essay, and an Interview Published in “Notes from the Gean”

penhart — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:34:27 +0000

This week, two of my haibun, the reprint of an essay about haibun published in Wingbeats: Exercises and Practice in Poetry (Dos Gatos Press, 2011), and an interview including a number of poems from several of my books–including one from my children’s alphabestiary,The Beastie Book, and the first paragraph of Limula’s Magic Tail, my new children’s story for the Delaware Bay ecosystem–have just been posted in Volume 3, Issue 1 of Notes from the Gean (Aberdeen, Scotland)

Haibun: http://www.notesfromthegean.com/archives/sept-2011/haibun/haibun_006.html

Essay: http://www.notesfromthegean.com/archives/sept-2011/haiku-matters/haiku-matters_001.html

Interview: http://www.notesfromthegean.com/archives/sept-2011/interviews.html

There’s quite a bit to take in here, and I’m honored to have so much space in this fine journal. Hope you can dip in and out of these now and then, and that you enjoy what you read.

Using Writing To Move Through Loss and Grief Into Healing

penhart — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:44:55 +0000

I am behind on posting here, so I’ll start with going back to the end of August. I was invited by the Unitarian Church to give the morning message on August 21st. My topic was using writing, specifically poetry, to move from loss and grief into healing and light. I spoke of my several journeys through loss and grief (divorce, death of my parents, and loss of my husband) and incorporated a number of my poems. My talk was about 1/2 hour long, and they posted it on their web site. To see it, please go to:

http://www.uucsjs.org/sermons.html and scroll down to August 21st.

I’m moved to post this today because today, October 11th, is the third anniversary of my husband Bill Higginson’s death.It was a privilege to share my journey with the congregation. I offer another message on November 21st, this one on honoring the planet. I’ll share poetry that focuses on the natural world—-poems that witness what we’ve done to harm the Earth, and poems that celebrate its beauties and gifts. I’ll post a link to that one too if they video it.

Linking to Haiku Sequence

penhart — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 01:59:30 +0000

I’ve been having fun on Facebook—and figuring my way around on how to use it better. I am also very behind on posting here.

I can’t believe it’s October already, and I have much to catch up on here, which I’ll do over the next couple of weeks. However, here’s a link to a sequence that evolved on Facebook and is also posted on Aubrie Cox’s blog:

http://yaywords.wordpress.com/projects/backlitfog/