For Adults

I have been reading mostly poetry these days and have come late to the game to the Beat Poets. I happened upon Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s Coney Island of the Mind, and my own mind was blown. I had never ready anything like that. Non sequiturs which made sense and had rhythm and came back around to itself. I don’t know that I can ever write like that, with that flair and skill and imagery. I think I’m too concrete. But I’m going to keep reading and maybe try my hand at some post-Beat poetry. Free my mind. Wish me luck.

What I’ve been reading:

  • Lawrence Ferlinghetti – Coney Island in my Mind
  • Jack Kerouac – Mexico City Blues
  • Sharon Olds – Satan Says
  • Aimee Nezhukumatathil – Worlds of Wonder

Beth has her adult poetry published in Writer’s Digest, Written Tales Volume ll and lll, Poet’s Choice: Flight of a Feather, Auroras & Blossoms (2021), Wild Words Journal (2021).

Sing the Solitary Sunrise

Writer’s Digest Poetry Winner 2018

 The echoing call
 Of the red-eyed loon
 Rings, 
 Bell-hollow, 
 Against first-light.
 A chorus of chirrups,
 Whist-whistles, and
 Trills.
 A run of scales.
 A wail.
 Soft rustles in the distance.
 Voices calling across tree limbs still veiled with night,
 Made daring by the rising light.
 Damp fog seeps in through my window jamb.
 It permeates my waking-sleep.
 Wraps itself around my legs and breath,
 Pulling off warm covers,
 Pushing me towards coffee,
 Towards the dock,
 Where I sit next to your empty chair,
 Listening,
 To the bell-hollow call of the red-eyed loon,
 Ghostly in the early morning mist.

Vermont College of Fine Arts

www.vcfa.edu
Hogwarts in Northern Vermont. If you are interested in writing for children or other MFA writing programs, it doesn’t get better than VCFA.

Poetry Foundation

www.poetryfoundation.org
My favorite resource for all things poetry including terms, forms, poets, and there’s a link to children’s poetry as well.

2018 Writer’s Digest Poetry Awards

1st Place Winner