Blog of the Week - Everyday Amazing

Our friend Grace, who writes so beautifully at Everyday Amazing, has been a faithful member of Poets United for a few years now. You will also bump into her at dVerse and Real Toads. Recently, Grace wrote a few poems back to back that are so exceptionally beautiful I decided we just had  to feature her site as a Blog of the Week. Grace lives in Mississauga, Ontario,  in Canada.

Poetry Pantry #220

Greetings, Poets!

Glad to see each of you here this week for Poetry Pantry.  It is always enjoyable for me to get to know you through your poetry; and I hope you feel the same.  Admittedly, I personally appreciate those with whom there is a feeling of reciprocity, which makes for a feeling of community.  I think we ALL tend to visit (after a while) people with whom we reciprocate.  I just don't GET people who link and enjoy visits, yet don't bother to visit others -- even those who spent time making comments on their poetry.

This week I am sharing an autumn photo that was taken in my area.  As time goes on, the colors will become more and more brilliant.  But already the colors are beautiful.

Be sure to visit Poets United Monday to see what Sherry Blue Sky  has planned to share.  Will it be a featured poet?  A featured blog?  Or a featured poem?

Glad to see there is always a  great turn-out for Midweek Motif.  We hope to see you this coming week for another challenging prompt by Susan Chast!  (And, ha, perhaps many of you have noticed that if you look at one week's prompt Susan gives  a clue about the following week's prompt as well, so you can get a head start.)

And on Friday, remember to see who Rosemary Nissen-Wade features on "I Wish I Had Written This" or  "The Living Dead."

Again:  I issue an invitation here to those of you who participate in Poetry Pantry.  If YOU have special photos that you would like me to feature some week, let me know what kind of photos you have.  There are participants here from many different cities, many different countries.  I think it is great fun to see different areas featured. I am especially interested in scenic views of your area or an area you have visited.  Send inquiries first to dixibear@aol.com letting me know what you have.  I am interested in city or country views - in your home area or places you have traveled.

Link your ONE poem.   Then leave a comment below. Then visit other poets.  And I will too.  (If I miss your poem, visit me, and I will visit you... I am like anyone else, appreciating reciprocity.) We ALL like comments, so if you link please DO spend time visiting others.  That is part of the fun as well.  We really like it if you link back to Poets United too, so we spread the Poetry Pantry word in the blogosphere.

Come back a few times on Sunday and Monday to see what's new.  Visit some strangers, and they will become new friends!  Making new friends and reading new poetry, what more could one want?

If you are on Facebook, look for us there as well. Join our site.  It is one more way to stay in touch!

And now...here is the procedure, for those who are new here:  Each Sunday we start a new post with a New Mr. Linky for you. This is so that you can post a link to a poem in your blog. The link will close Monday at 12:00 p.m. (CDT), but you can still visit the links of those who have posted them.

I Wish I'd Written This

Mother Sky

By Susie Clevenger

Mother Sky, send your nightlight stars

to candle our way out of darkness.

Let us hear the voices of our ancestors

who spoke the language of the trees.

We have walked across the forest

in our stone moccasins for so long

we can longer hear the roots cry.

In the noise of our tongues speaking

iron and glass we became deaf.

Mother Sky, we are listening,

the days of stealing years from limbs are ending.

Our hands will nurse the great oak while you

water seedlings from tears of joy instead of pain.

Susie Clevenger, who lives in Houston, Texas, blogs at Confessions of a Laundry Goddess, where I've been enjoying her writing for some time. I thought this beautiful piece was particularly outstanding.  

She posted it only last month, so I have waited a little while to share it further. I expect it will already be familiar to some of you, but perhaps the lapse of time allows you to appreciate it all over again. 

I find it very moving, all the more so in the simplicity and restraint of the language. Let us hope for an end to our collective deafness, and for the "joy instead of pain" she predicts!

Susie's Google profile says: 

I am an author, poet, and amateur photographer. I recently published my first poetry collection, Dirt Road Dreams.

I am a member of the Academy of American poets and a member of the online writing community, Imaginary Garden with Real Toads. My work has been featured online in The Creative Nexus, Poetry & Prose Magazine, The Brinks Gallery, and The Global Twitter Community Poetry Project.

You can find links to my written work, photography and social media on my author’s page.

Her Laundry Goddess blog has links to her photography, and to her other social media outlets. She also posts her poems at Butterfly Poet on facebook.

Susie is a member of the Poets United community and was featured as a Blog of the Week three years ago, as well as being quoted earlier this year in a Midweek Motif.

Poems and photos used in ‘I Wish I’d Written This’ remain the property of the copyright holders (usually their authors).

Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Heritage Day

Bishop Desmond Tutu

Midweek Motif ~ Heritage Day

Today is Heritage Day in South Africa: "On this day, South Africans across the spectrum are encouraged to celebrate their culture and the diversity of beliefs and traditions in their country."   One way South Africans celebrate is by barbecue gatherings, or braai.  In 2007 South Africa combined National Braai Day and National Heritage Day for a people-made cultural holiday.

I wish every town/region/country had a Heritage Day.

Your challenge for the midweek poem:  If you celebrated a Heritage Day, what culture(s) would it include? and what would be a good way to celebrate?


      Poetic Inspiration:      

Blues-ing on the Brown Vibe

BY ESTHER BELIN

I.

And Coyote struts down East 14th

feeling good

looking good

feeling the brown

melting into the brown that loiters

rapping with the brown in front of the Native American Health Center

talking that talk

of relocation from tribal nation

. . . . (Read the rest of this amazing poem HERE at the Poetry Foundation.)

“I emerged from the black oil pools in the forgotten house of dreams in the wild backcountry of the heart. I am heir to the sun, child of Mother Earth and the Mayan galaxy. All the mountain cures and healing waters and winds and junipers run deep in my bloodstream.”

― Jimmy Santiago Baca, The Face

Poetry Everywhere: "won't you celebrate with me" by Lucille Clifton

For those who are new here:  

1. Post your Heritage Day  poem on your site, and then link it here.
2. If you use a picture include its link.  
3. Share only original and new work written for this challenge. 
4. Leave a comment here.
5. Visit and comment on our poems.

~Next week's Midweek Motif will be Children's books.~

Mister Linky's Magical Widgets -- Auto-Linky widget will appear right here!
This preview will disappear when the widget is displayed on your site.
If this widget does not appear, click here to display it.

LIFE OF A POET - TORIE GREGG

You are in for a treat today, kids, as we visit the young poet, Torie Gregg, who lives in Bakersfield, California. Torie writes at Inspired Leo.  She has shared a feast of beautiful photos, so we can enjoy the best that California has to offer - beaches, cliffs, canyon, forest trails - so hop aboard, and we'll zip down Highway One, swoop along the heavenly beach, cross the Golden Gate, and find Torie in her inland home.

Sherry: So nice to be meeting with you, Torie! Let's dive right in. Tell us about your writing. Have you always written? 

Poetry Pantry #219

Photos from Slovenia by Natasa Dolenc

Birdhouse

River Soca

Strunjan Salt Pans

Strunjan

View of Lake Bohinj from Vogel

Waterfall Mostnica

Greetings, Poets!

Glad to see each of you here this week for Poetry Pantry.  It is always enjoyable for me to get to know you through your poetry; and I hope you feel the same.  Admittedly, I personally appreciate those with whom there is a feeling of reciprocity, which makes for a feeling of community.  I think we ALL tend to visit (after a while) people with whom we reciprocate.  I just don't GET people who link and enjoy visits, yet don't bother to visit others -- even those who spent time making comments on their poetry.

This week I am sharing the third set of photos shared by Natasa Dolenc.  This week the photos are of Slovenia!  How wonderful it is to be able to visit so many parts of the world through the Pantry. Thank you, Natasa, for your gift of photos.

Be sure to visit Poets United Monday to see what Sherry Blue Sky  has planned to share.  Will it be a featured poet?  A featured blog?  Or a featured poem?

Glad to see there is always a  great turn-out for Midweek Motif.  We hope to see you this coming week for another challenging prompt by Susan Chast!  (And, ha, perhaps many of you have noticed that if you look at one week's prompt Susan gives  a clue about the following week's prompt as well, so you can get a head start.)

And on Friday, remember to see who Rosemary Nissen-Wade features on "I Wish I Had Written This" or  "The Living Dead."

Again:  I issue an invitation here to those of you who participate in Poetry Pantry.  If YOU have special photos that you would like me to feature some week, let me know what kind of photos you have.  There are participants here from many different cities, many different countries.  I think it is great fun to see different areas featured. I am especially interested in scenic views of your area or an area you have visited.  Send inquiries first to dixibear@aol.com letting me know what you have.  I am interested in city or country views - in your home area or places you have traveled.

Link your ONE poem.   Then leave a comment below. Then visit other poets.  And I will too.  (If I miss your poem, visit me, and I will visit you... I am like anyone else, appreciating reciprocity.) We ALL like comments, so if you link please DO spend time visiting others.  That is part of the fun as well.  We really like it if you link back to Poets United too, so we spread the Poetry Pantry word in the blogosphere.

Come back a few times on Sunday and Monday to see what's new.  Visit some strangers, and they will become new friends!  Making new friends and reading new poetry, what more could one want?

If you are on Facebook, look for us there as well. Join our site.  It is one more way to stay in touch!

And now...here is the procedure, for those who are new here:  Each Sunday we start a new post with a New Mr. Linky for you. This is so that you can post a link to a poem in your blog. The link will close Monday at 12:00 p.m. (CDT), but you can still visit the links of those who have posted them.

<

The Living Dead

Honouring our poetic ancestors

Balade

By Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1343 - 1400)

Hyd, Absolon, thy gilte tresses clere;
Ester, ley thou thy meknesse al a-doun;
Hyd, Jonathas, al thy frendly manere;
Penalopee, and Marcia Catoun,
Mak of your wyfhod no comparisoun;
Hyde ye your beautes, Isoude and Eleyne;
My lady cometh, that al this may disteyne.

Thy faire body, lat hit nat appere,
Lavyne; and thou, Lucresse of Rome toun,
And Polixene, that boghten love so dere,
And Cleopatre, with al thy passioun,
Hyde ye your trouthe of love and your renoun;
And thou, Tisbe, that hast of love swich peyne;
My lady cometh, that al this may disteyne.

Herro, Dido, Laudomia, alle y-fere,
And Phyllis, hanging for thy Demophoun,
And Canace, espyed by thy chere,
Ysiphile, betraysed with Jasoun,
Maketh of your trouthe neyther boost ne soun;
Nor Ypermistre or Adriane, ye tweyne;
My lady cometh, that al this may disteyne.

I love the Chaucer of The Canterbury Tales. I think his breadth of understanding of human nature rivals that of Shakespeare. Both writers, even while seeing clearly our flaws, pettiness and sometimes downright evil, have a warm tolerance for human foibles. For the record, I think Shakespeare wrote Shakespeare, one reason being that he was a man of the people, not an aloof aristocrat. Both men were middle class, and rubbed shoulders with those above and below them in station. They were great observers who were not afraid to confront and express what they saw. And they were great story-tellers and entertainers.

They were of different eras, of course, and led different lives. As well as a writer, Chaucer was both a man of science and a public servant, and it's thought that he also studied law. In the course of his life he did acquire connections to the nobility. He was an important writer even in his own day, and was the first person to be interred in Poets' Corner, in Westminster Abbey. For more details of his life, the link above will take you to the Wikipedia entry. That tells us that he was an influential poet, in his naturalistic style, his drawing on real life subject matter, and his metrical and satiric innovations.

But The Canterbury Tales, or even any one story from it, is far too long to reproduce here. Instead, I give you this little love poem. There's another version which names the lady (Alceste). I don't know which is the more authoritative, but I like the poetry of this one a little better. However there's not much to choose between them. And both, from this distance in time, are open to interpretation.

At first glance it seems that he praises his lady obliquely, without once describing her, by saying that she eclipses other, more famous beauties and lovers. Or is he saying something else entirely? Is it a poem of praise or one of disappointed love?

My first thought was that the final phrase of the chorus line, 'that all this may disdain', means that her mere presence will put 'all this' to scorn, because she is so far superior. However, the balade was often satirical, and so was Chaucer. He may well mean, instead, that she is cold-hearted, and despises love despite all the famous tales of great lovers.

That aside, for its time his language was forthright and colloquial (if satirical). This kind of language has great energy — and he uses it well.

But it's medieval language. Are you tearing out your hair trying to understand it? I am no scholar of Middle English, but in this transcription I understand some of it; and I can also make some likely guesses on the basis of the sounds, so I think the following is close. (If anyone knows better, please enlighten us in the comments!) Some of my version is still old-fashioned, e.g.'tresses' for locks of hair. Though I have taken some liberties, I didn't want to depart too far from the original. I'm not attempting a proper, poetic translation; merely trying to make it a bit clearer.

Hide, Absolon, your clear gold tresses;
Esther, lay your meekness all down;
Hide, Jonathas, all your friendly manner;
Penelope, and Marcia Caton,
Make of your wifehood no comparison;
Hide your beauties, Isold and Elaine;
My lady comes, that all this may disdain.

Your fair body, let it not appear,
Lavyne; and you, Lucrece of Rome town,
And Polixene, that bought love so dearly,
And Cleopatra, with all your passion,
Hide your truth in love and your renown;
And you, Thisbe, that has such pain from love;
My lady comes, that all this may disdain.

Hero, Dido, Laudomia, all of you,
And Phyllis, hanging [longing/languishing] for your Demophon,
And Canace, known by your cheer,
Ysiphile, betrayed with Jason,
Make of your truth neither boast nor sound;
Nor you two, Ypermistre or Adriane;
My lady comes, that all this may disdain.

You can read more of Chaucer's poems, including chapters of The Canterbury Tales, at PoemHunter, where they tell us he is known as 'the Father of English literature'. Works by and about him are also available at his Amazon page.

Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Hildegard von Bingen

“Like billowing clouds, 
Like the incessant gurgle of the brook,
The longing of the spirit can never be stilled.” 
― Hildegard von Bingen

Midweek Motif ~ 

Hildegard von Bingen

From "8 Reasons Why Hildegard Matters Now" by Mary Sharratt in the Huffington Post: 

 "Born in the Rhineland in present day Germany, Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) was a visionary [Benedictine] nun and polymath. She founded two monasteries, went on four preaching tours, composed an entire corpus of sacred music, and wrote nine books addressing both scientific and religious subjects, an unprecedented accomplishment for a 12th-century woman. Her prophecies earned her the title Sybil of the Rhine. An outspoken critic of political and ecclesiastical corruption, she courted controversy.

" . . . .  Reason #4:  "A cornerstone of Hildegard's spirituality was Viriditas, or greening power, her revelation of the animating life force manifest in the natural world that infuses all creation with moisture and vitality. To her, the divine was manifest in every leaf and blade of grass. . . . Hildegard celebrated the sacred in nature, something highly relevant for us in this age of climate change and the destruction of natural habitats."

"I, the fiery life of divine essence, am aflame beyond the beauty of the meadows, I gleam in the waters, and I burn in the sun, moon and stars ... I awaken everything to life." -- Hildegard von Bingen, Liber Divinorum (Book of Divine Works)

Your Challenge:  
Use any element and/or image from Hildegard von Bingen's music, writing and life as inspiration for a new poem.

Awakening The Heart By Hildegard of Bingen

Holy Spirit,
Giving life to all life,
Moving all creatures,
Root of all things,
Washing them clean,
Wiping out their mistakes,
Healing their wounds,
You are our true life,
Luminous, wonderful,
Awakening the heart from its ancient sleep.

(from Huffington Post, "Daily Meditations: Awakening the Heart") 

Illumination from the Liber Scivias showing Hildegard 

receiving a vision and dictating to her scribe and secretary. 
From Wikipedia: Hildegard of Bingen.

"Universal Man" illumination from Hildegard's Liber Divinorum Operum, 
I.2. Lucca, MS 1942, early 13th century

   Additional Resources:                                                          

~Hildegard of Bingen at Wikipedia

~St. Hildegard of Bingen at Hildegard.org

~St. Hildegard of Bingen at Catholic Online

~International Society of Hildegard von Bingen Studies

~Circle of Wisdom at All Music

~"8 Reasons Why Hildegard Matters Now" by Mary Sharratt and "Canonization Coming for Hildegard" by Michael Sigman in the Huffington Post

#

For those who are new here:  

1. Post your Hildegard  poem on your site, and then link it here.
2. If you use a picture include its link.  
3. Share only original and new work written for this challenge. 
4. Leave a comment here.
5. Visit and comment on our poems.

~Next week's Midweek Motif will be Heritage Day (South Africa)~

Mister Linky's Magical Widgets -- Auto-Linky widget will appear right here!
This preview will disappear when the widget is displayed on your site.
If this widget does not appear, click here to display it.

POEM OF THE WEEK - THERE IS A POEM

This week, my poetic buddies, we are featuring a poem by our very own Mary, who writes at In The Corner Of My Eye. This poem really speaks to a poet's heart, from one poet to another, and as soon as I read it, I appointed it our Poem of the Week!

THERE IS A POEM

There is a poem at the end of the world

it is by an unpublished poet

it is not a war poem or a political poem

it is not obscure and not divisive

it is a poem of the heart not the hand.

it is the poem many have tried to write

but only a lone poet has achieved

it is the poem that gives universal hope

but does not drip with maple syrup

it is the poem I wish I had written.

Actually, Mary, I think you just wrote that poem. It really says it all - what we feel when we tap the keys or pick up the pen - wanting to express that elusive thought, not always as clearly as we wish. But at least we try! I love this poem. Especially "There is a poem at the end of the world...." Beautiful!

"Thank you" is not enough words, Mary, for all that you do to keep Poets United alive and thriving. We appreciate you so much. 

Do come back to see who we talk to next, my friends. Who knows? It might be you!!

Poetry Pantry #218

Natasa Dolenc's Photos of Italy

Basilica of Aquileia

Candles in Basillica

Castle Duino

Inside Basilica of Aquileia

Monument of Romulus and Remus in Aquileia

Roman Settlement Aquileia

A fellow Natasa met in Aquileia

World War Memorial in Redipuglia

Greetings, Poets!

Glad to see each of you here this week for Poetry Pantry.  It is always enjoyable for me to get to know you through your poetry; and I hope you feel the same.  Admittedly, I personally appreciate those with whom there is a feeling of reciprocity, which makes for a feeling of community.  I think we ALL tend to visit (after a while) people with whom we reciprocate.  I just don't GET people who link and enjoy visits, yet don't bother to visit others -- even those who spent time making comments on their poetry.

This week I am sharing a second set of photos that Natasa Dolenc has shared from her trips this past summer.  This week the photos are of Italy.   How wonderful it is to be able to visit so many parts of the world through the Pantry. 

Be sure to visit Poets United Monday to see what Sherry Blue Sky  has planned to share.  Will it be a featured poet?  A featured blog?  Or a featured poem?

Glad to see there is always a  great turn-out for Midweek Motif.  We hope to see you this coming week for another challenging prompt by Susan Chast!  (And, ha, perhaps many of you have noticed that if you look at one week's prompt Susan gives  a clue about the following week's prompt as well, so you can get a head start.)

And on Friday, remember to see who Rosemary Nissen-Wade features on "I Wish I Had Written This" or  "The Living Dead."

Again:  I issue an invitation here to those of you who participate in Poetry Pantry.  If YOU have special photos that you would like me to feature some week, let me know what kind of photos you have.  There are participants here from many different cities, many different countries.  I think it is great fun to see different areas featured. I am especially interested in scenic views of your area or an area you have visited.  Send inquiries first to dixibear@aol.com letting me know what you have.  I am interested in city or country views - in your home area or places you have traveled.

Link your ONE poem.   Then leave a comment below. Then visit other poets.  And I will too.  (If I miss your poem, visit me, and I will visit you... I am like anyone else, appreciating reciprocity.) We ALL like comments, so if you link please DO spend time visiting others.  That is part of the fun as well.  We really like it if you link back to Poets United too, so we spread the Poetry Pantry word in the blogosphere.

Come back a few times on Sunday and Monday to see what's new.  Visit some strangers, and they will become new friends!  Making new friends and reading new poetry, what more could one want?

If you are on Facebook, look for us there as well. Join our site.  It is one more way to stay in touch!

And now...here is the procedure, for those who are new here:  Each Sunday we start a new post with a New Mr. Linky for you. This is so that you can post a link to a poem in your blog. The link will close Monday at 12:00 p.m. (CDT), but you can still visit the links of those who have posted them.

I Wish I'd Written This

Eleventh

by Samuel Peralta

The streets
weft breeze-swept sheets, texts,
letters, sentences never ended:

Beth,
Next bet, Everest! Ever been
there? They tell me extreme,
WTC-sheer. Yes! Wherever
there’s extreme, there’s me! Tell

Jeff:
See Excel sheets 20-23, rev 7.
The VP feels the new Eng’g Dept
spend needs exec check. Prep
NYSE. Then pre-Dec 3, delete

Bennett:
These extensions skew the
expected rent levels. Next term,
they’ll exceed the free expenses
precendent. Nevertheless

Helen,
When we met, speech deserted
me... Never expected the sweetness,
the perfect tenderness... Melt me,
tell me the deepest secrets... Let me

September 11.
The breeze sweeps the letters.
The letters never sent.

I couldn't make up my mind what to use today, though there were several possibilities. I procrastinated ... then I came across this on facebook and knew it was the one I'd been waiting for. 

Perhaps others of you will already have seen it on facebook too; it's still worth sharing here for those who haven't. With what magnificent understatement it evokes that massive and sudden interruption to so many individual lives. It's an original approach, which doesn't tell us how to feel or how the poet feels. There is no need. We all know in any case what we did and do feel about this particular tragedy. In these imagined, different fragments, though — presented almost without comment — somehow there is great tenderness. The brief framing verses, with the merest mention of the breeze, the sentences never ended and the letters never sent, provide sufficient poignancy in just those few unadorned words.

Whether or not you've seen this poem, probably many of you have encountered Sam and his poetry — on twitter @semaphore, on facebook, at his 'Semaphore' blog, or as a presenter at dVerse for some months, where he taught us well about traditional forms (and cured my fear of the sonnet). I first became aware of him in 2009 when Collin Kelly and Didi Menendez compiled a collection by poets on twitter, which included us both. (It was issue #24 of a magazine called OCHO). Ever since then I've been a huge admirer.

You can always count on him for originality. Even when he is using traditional forms, he finds new ways to use them, such as writing a sonnet which is also a ghazal. And I find his use of language very beautiful.

He has not merely one distinguished career but several simultaneously, in literature, science and business. He also writes music. Here, concentrating on the literary, are the impressive details taken from his facebook profile:

Sam is the author of five poetry collections, all of which rose to #1 on the Amazon Kindle Hot New Releases in Poetry, and all of which have hit the Top 10 Bestsellers list in their Amazon Kindle Poetry category.

Sam has won awards for his poetry in the US, Asia, the UK, and Canada. At 19 he was the youngest to win a Palanca Award for Literature for his manuscript 'Pacific'. At 24 he was a winner in the BBC and the UK Poetry Society’s National Competition for 'Hush'.

The League of Canadian Poets included 'A Mother', 'Concatenations' and 'Savannah' in its award anthology series. In 2000, an analysis of 'A Mother' was included in provincial examinations.

In 2002, he accepted an Innovative Technology Achievement Award from the Digital Literature Institute for ebook software development. 

Until 2009, Sam took a hiatus from literature to write music and lyrics as 'Sam Parr', and for other musicians and bands. His music garnered thousands of followers on MySpace, and played in front of thousands more in live venues. 

In 2010, Sam placed # 1 in the voting for the Best Poetry on Twitter; and was listed at #29 in a compilation of the Top 100 Twitterers in the Book World. 

In 2011, he placed 12th in a Facebook reader's poll of favourite classic and modern poets; a poll topped by William Shakespeare, Robert Frost and Pablo Neruda. Samuel was the #2 favourite living poet on the list, behind Leonard Cohen.

In 2011, Sam was also named to the Top 10 List of Most Influential People on Twitter That You Don't Know. Also in 2011, his poem "Radar" was shortlisted for the ARC Poem of the Year.

In 2012, he released "Sonata Vampirica", which rose to #1 on the Amazon Kindle Hot New Releases in Poetry, and #1 on the Amazon Kindle Bestsellers list for poetry. His subsequent collections all hit #1 on the Hot New Poetry Releases list, and all hit the Top 5 Poetry Bestsellers list.

In 2013, Sam was tapped as a juror in the Scholastic Writing Awards, for Poetry. "Sonata Vampirica" was shortlisted for the Elgin Award.

Over 2013-2014, he branched into support for independent filmmakers, helping fund nearly 50 short and feature films; becoming Associate Producer for "Trust Me", "Splinter", "Decon", "Rest Stop", "All the Marbles", "Mai Mai Miracle"; and Executive Producer for "Closure", "Flower Girl", "Dorsal", "A Letter from Vienna", "Butterfly", "Little Fishes", and "A Murder of Crows".

His music continues to be produced and performed by independent musicians, notably Friedrick Ryan and Paul Grai.

By day, Sam is a high technology business executive.

His poems have been featured in Combustus, Existere, The Malahat Review, Metazen, MiPoesias, OCHO, Poets and Artists, Undercurrents, Scholastic, Seedpod, and elsewhere. He has written a regular column on poetic form for the Dverse Poetry online blog, and edits The Semaphore Anthology, a journal of poetry he wishes he'd written, but didn't.

Lately he has been bursting into print as a fiction writer. His Amazon page connects you to both his fiction and his poetry.

You can sign up here to his newsletter to keep up with his latest literary endeavours, and even receive gifts of new reading matter now and then.

Samuel Peralta has become one of my favourite poets. He's also a very nice person, generous to others and showing no signs of the conceit to which he might seem entitled.

Poems and photos used in ‘I Wish I’d Written This’ remain the property of the copyright holders (usually their authors).