Tag: Poetry

Word Weaving: A Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse: #1 New Release in Japanese Poetry & Haiku – Colleen M. Chesebro @ColleenChesebro

Congratulations to Colleen Chesebro on her new release Word Weaving – its doing so well!!!

So pleased to be a contributing poet with so many amazing community members being a part of it.

My review:

Word Weaving #1: A Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse by Colleen M. Chesebro

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I’m thrilled to be a participating author in this lovely collection of poetry compiled by Colleen Chesebro and edited by Jules Paige. My review relates to the other authors in the journal.

It begins with an introduction by Jules Paige in which she discusses the choice of theme in this particular collection.

There are haiku, senryu, tanka, tanka prose and many more forms, all of which are fabulous with so many favourites…

dancing in moonlight
in the autumn of our years
still chasing blue skies

Pat Raffington.

the empress rises
summer and winter curtsy
nature holds its breath
while the symphony begins
fireflies dance in the moonlight

Gwen M. Piano

Other highlights include D. L. Finn’s Moon’s Magic which I loved – about a lone black cat on the edge of the world, under the harvest moon and her “Harvest Moon,” Butterly Cinquain.

The collection concluded with a Best of Issue Poetry with favourites chosen by Jules and Colleen. The chosen poems were by D. L. Finn, Merril D. Smith and Ken Gierke. All excellent.

D. Wallace Peach’s “Moon-spun” tanka prose idyll – so magical and enchanting and her “Revolutions” Butterfly Cinquain.

Merril D. Smith’s Crapsey cinquain entitled “October Night,” her shadorma sequence “Harvest Moon,” and her abhanga “Through the Leaves.”

A new poet to me Sujata Khanna wrote a lovely double inverted etheree entitled “A Viaduct.”

And I particularly enjoyed Bill Engleson’s nonet, “Her Winged Way,” and his diatelle “Above Campbell Bay on a Hot August Night.”

Loved Colleen Chesebro’s Luna’s Soft Glow.

Shadorma took me to a “Moon Dance” with Ruth Klein’s contribution.

There was a “Meeting of Minds,” with a Badger’s hexastich written by Susmita Ramani and her “Autumn Half-Dream” “Prom-ises.”

A Triple Abhanga by Annette Rochelle Aben was lovely too.

I could go on and on. Do read this wonderful collection you won’t be disappointed.



View all my reviews

Find out more about this from Colleen….

Source: Word Weaving: A Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse: #1 New Release in Japanese Poetry & Haiku – Colleen M. Chesebro

MJ’s Book Reviews: Life is like a Mosaic: Random fragments in harmony #poetry #newrelease @sgc58

“Use a picture. It’s worth a thousand words.” Arthur Brisbane 1911.

An image offers an opportunity to see endless possibilities depending on the viewer’s perspective. Where some might see beauty and joy, others imagine sadness and loss of hope.

In this collection, images and syllabic poetry are brought together to tell a story based on the author’s perspective. The poetry explores our human experiences such as love, happiness, hope, aging, friendship, new beginnings, dreams and loss.

The world around us is an amazing playground and source of all our essential needs as well as sensory experiences that bring wonder into our lives. What lies beyond the horizon? What surprises will we discover as a garden bursts into bloom? Where do the night creatures live?

At the end of the collection there are some longer poems celebrating memories of the author’s life of travel, teenage exploits and love of food!

My review

Life is like a Mosaic: Random fragments in harmony by Sally Cronin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


What strikes me about Sally Cronin’s books is the quiet unassuming way in which they appear without too much fanfare. Sally is a wonderful supporter of the indie writing community, so I am glad to be able to give her a little fanfare too by writing a review for her latest book Life is Like A Mosiac: Random Fragments in Harmony. Great title, I’m sure you will agree!

I loved the dedication within with all the names of the people within her writing circles, so lovely.

I’m a big fan of poetry in all its forms, so this book of eclectic poems from Sally Cronin really appealed to me. There are a wide variety, some wise, some amusing, some thoughtful, some just darn well cute. They are all beautiful presented with accompanying photographs taken from various sources.

Favourites include: Farewell to Colourful Friends, Spices, Dreams, Happiness, Mother Nature, Immortality, Hope, Loose Lips, First Steps, The Circle of Life, Finding Clarity, Creatures of The Night, A Toast to Life, Beneath The Redwoods, Persecution in The Garden, Advancing Years, The Crocodile, Silver Lining to Isolation, The Wise Woman’s Apprentice.

Some are illustrated with personal photographs taken from the authors Childhood Memories in Ceylon, and on Summer Holidays, and as she gets a bit older she becomes Rebellious in Frome!

This poetry collection is accessible, unpretentious, (which I love,) and enjoyable. It will make you smile, reflect and bring back your own memories of when you were young, mischievous and perhaps a little difficult too!

In my case, it brought back memories of when I lived abroad in Childhood Memories – Sally’s poetry spoke to me taking me back in time.

Highly recommended – 5 stars

Many thanks to the author for an ARC copy for review which I happily give with no bias.

View all my reviews

My previous reviews for Sally Cronin:

https://atomic-temporary-67364188.wpcomstaging.com/2020/08/08/book-review-lifes-rich-tapestry-by-sally-cronin
https://atomic-temporary-67364188.wpcomstaging.com/2021/01/08/mjs-book-reviews-sally-cronin-life-is-like-a-bowl-of-cherries-sometimes-bitter-sometimes-sweet-bookreview-shortstories-poetry/

Details about Sally Cronin:

Delighted to promote authors for FREE please see for details: Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore

And the new: Smorgasbord Children’s Reading Room

Sally’s books are available on Amazon, the Moyhill site and  Smashwords. 

Amazon: Amazon US

Amazon UK: Amazon UK

More reviews can be found on Goodreads: Goodreads

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2021/

Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore – Update – #Reviews – #Poetry Balroop Singh, #YAFantasy M. J. Mallon, #Romance Jacquie Biggar | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

Thank you so much to Sally for this lovely update featuring reviews for Balroop, Jacquie and myself. Do pop over to see Sally’s update  – link below.

Source: Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore – Update – #Reviews – #Poetry Balroop Singh, #YAFantasy M. J. Mallon, #Romance Jacquie Biggar | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

Oh and while I am here, just to let you know you can request a review copy of my YA Fantasy Bloodstone via Book Sirens: https://booksirens.com/book/H4SI6L4/Q9PZX3A

and for those who are on Netgalley: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/230784

#NewRelease: Slivers: Chiseled #Poetry – Emotional Shadows

Congratulations to Balroop on her new release.

Source: #NewRelease: Slivers: Chiseled #Poetry – Emotional Shadows

Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 228, #Poet’sChoice @ColleenChesebro

A Slice of Sky Pie - Shadorma 

Blue and white 
A slice of sky pie
Massive tree
A redwood
 Leafy lollipop heaven
Steep climb to the top!

My poem is inspired by a recent trip to the botanical gardens in Cambridge. I noticed this magnificent tree and the wonderful slice of blue and white sky.

To join in Colleen’s poetry challenge:

https://wordcraftpoetry.com/2021/06/01/tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-no-228-poetschoice/

Here are some other magnificent champion trees that I saw on my walk. Enjoy!

And a bee hotel.

I intended to go for another walk today but it’s pouring with rain so I’m writing this blog post.

I managed to go for a walk in the rain later!

Check out this wonderful review post from Balroop Singh for Colleen Chesebro’s Wordcraft Prose and Poetry and my poetry and prose book – Mr. Sagittarius.

#Bookreviews #Prose & #Poetry

Bye for now,

#Bookreviews by @BalroopShado #Prose & #Poetry: Wordcraft Prose and Poetry and Mr. Sagittarius Poetry and Prose

Thank you so much to Balroop Singh for these wonderful reviews of Colleen Chesebro’s Wordcraft Prose and Poetry and Mr. Sagittarius Poetry and Prose. So thrilled.

Do pop over to Balroop’s blog to find out more: https://balroop2013.wordpress.com/2021/06/03/bookreviews-prose-poetry/

Book Review of Word Craft: Prose & Poetry: The Art of Crafting Syllabic Poetry @ColleenChesebro

Amazon Synopsis:

Are you ready to learn how to craft Japanese and American poetry? Consider this book the first step on your journey to learning the basics of how to craft syllabic poetry. Inside, you will discover many new forms, syllable combinations, and interpretations of the different Japanese and American forms and structures of haiku, senryu, haiga, tanka, renga/solo renga, gogyohka, haibun, tanka prose, the cinquain, and its variations, Etheree, nonet, and shadorma poetry.

So… what are you waiting for? Let’s craft syllabic poetry together!

My review

Word Craft: Prose & Poetry: The Art of Crafting Syllabic PoetryWord Craft: Prose & Poetry: The Art of Crafting Syllabic Poetry by Colleen M. Chesebro
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a comprehensive guide covering both American and Japanese poetry including Haiku, Senryu, Haiga, Tanka, Gogyohka, Haibun, Renga, Crapsey Cinquain Etheree, Nonet, Shadorma, and variations, as well as examples of all the forms and recaps to refresh the memory too.

It is written in such a way that it is easy to understand and get the most from.

The Art of Crafting Syllabic Poetry begins with an introduction to how Colleen’s journey began – her poetry community, and goes on to discuss definitions of “meter, syllable, and stresses,” and the hard work required to find your creative soul. She suggests ways to encourage creativity, and talks about figurative language too.

It is clear that author Colleen Chesebro has put her heart and soul into this guide and loves helping others to be the best poets they can be. She runs a wonderful community of poets with weekly prompts, (which again must be an incredible amount of work,) and is now expanding her repertoire to include online submissions to her poetry venture with poet JulesPaige. Colleen is also a co-editor of “Word Weaving, a Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse,” at wordweavingpoetryjournal.com more about that below in her Bio.

What an incredible amount of work, dedication and research has gone into this book and into everything that Colleen Chesebro does.

It is a wonderful resource for both new students of poetry to learn and to refer to whilst writing poetry and for old hands, (such as me,) to jog our memories and to avoid making careless mistakes about the forms!

There is a bibliography at the end with the names/links/detail of all the poets who have contributed to the anthology. I’m delighted that my #Garland #Cinquain poem is included amongst this section along with so many awesome contributions from poetry community members.

My recommendation: This is a fabulous book, and one that Colleen Chesebro should be very proud of.

5 stars. I’ll be buying a paperback to use as a resource.

View all my reviews

Biography

Colleen M. Chesebro is a Michigan Poet who loves crafting syllabic poetry, flash fiction, and creative fiction and nonfiction. Colleen sponsors a weekly poetry challenge, called Tanka Tuesday, on wordcraftpoetry.com where participants learn how to write traditional and current forms of syllabic poetry.

Along with JulesPaige, Colleen is also a co-editor of “Word Weaving, a Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse,” at wordweavingpoetryjournal.com. The debut issue of this journal will publish in October 2021.

Colleen’s syllabic poetry has appeared in various other online publications. Recently, she created the Double Ennead, a 99-syllable poetry form for Carrot Ranch. Colleen’s poetry has poetry in various anthologies and journals including “Hedgerow-a journal of small poems,” and “Poetry Treasures,” a collection of poetry from the poet/author guests of Robbie Cheadle on the “Treasuring Poetry” blog series on “Writing to be Read” in 2020.

Colleen published “Word Craft: Prose & Poetry, The Art of Crafting Syllabic Poetry,” which illustrates how to write various syllabic poetry forms used in her Tanka Tuesday challenges; and a collection of poetry, flash fiction, and short stories called, “Fairies, Myths & Magic: A Summer Celebration,” dedicated to the Summer Solstice. She contributed a short story called “The Changeling,” in the “Ghostly Rites Anthology 2020,” published by Plaisted Publishing House.

Find Colleen at Word Craft: Prose & Poetry at wordcraftpoetry.com.

Find Colleen’s author blog at colleenchesebro.com

#TANKA TUESDAY WEEKLY @ColleenChesebro #POETRY CHALLENGE NO. 225, #SYNONYMSONLY

“LIFE & MOVE” are the prompt words this week.

For life I chose fate, for move I opted for disturbed

I saw these trees whilst out for a walk with friends. There was something quite melancholy about their soaked roots.

I see a wonder

Trees disturbed in deep water

Soaking up their  roots

Drinking in fate’s wilful woes

Sorrow is an endless pit

I originally wrote this before I knew the prompt synonyms! The 2nd line was: Trees submerged in deep water, which I changed to Trees disturbed in deep water. And thereafter, I made a few other adjustments – fourth line – was Drinking in life’s wilful woes, I changed to fate’s wilful woes. Colleen’s SYNONYMS made me dig deeper for a different word!

Congratulations to Colleen on her new release and on her new poetry journal. So exciting!

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https://wordcraftpoetry.com/2021/05/11/tanka-tuesday-weekly-poetry-challenge-no-225-synonymsonly/

Treasuring Poetry: Meet author and poem M J Mallon | Writing to be Read

Thank you so much to Robbie Cheadle for this lovely feature on Treasuring Poetry over at Kaye Lynn Booth’s Writing To Be Read

Curious about my favourite poem? A clue… think Autumn. Want to know what my favourite poem is from Mr. Sagittarius? A clue… a bird. There’s more… a wonderful review of Mr. Sagittarius from Robbie, (thank you so much,) and a discussion about my inspirations.

Do pop over to Writing To Be Read to read more about it at source: Treasuring Poetry: Meet author and poem M J Mallon | Writing to be Read

NEW Release: “Word Craft: Prose & Poetry, The Art of Crafting Syllabic Poetry” | 🌸Word Craft Prose & Poetry🌸

My good friend, and sis Colleen Chesebro has some wonderful news!! Her new book Word Craft Prose and Poetry is out in kindle! Such a huge accomplishment. I know that Colleen has worked so hard on this. It is a huge poetry community endeavour and she includes so many of her community’s poems as examples in the book.

I’m thrilled that my Garland #Cinquain poem about a copse of trees is included!

Over to Colleen…

In her words: I’m honored to share with you the Ebook release of “Word Craft: Prose & Poetry, The Art of Crafting Syllabic Poetry.” Are you ready to learn how to craft Japanese and American…

Are you ready to learn how to craft Japanese and American poetry? Consider this book the first step on your journey to learning the basics of how to craft syllabic poetry. Inside, you will discover many new forms, syllable combinations, and interpretations of the different Japanese and American forms and structures of haiku, senryu, haiga, tanka, renga/solo renga, gogyohka, haibun, tanka prose, the cinquain, and its variations, Etheree, nonet, and shadorma poetry.

So… what are you waiting for? Let’s craft syllabic poetry together!

Amazon.com

My review:

Word Craft: Prose & Poetry: The Art of Crafting Syllabic Poetry by Colleen M. Chesebro

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is a comprehensive guide covering both American and Japanese poetry including Haiku, Senryu, Haiga, Tanka, Gogyohka, Haibun, Renga, Crapsey Cinquain Etheree, Nonet, Shadorma, and variations, as well as examples of all the forms and recaps to refresh the memory too.

It is written in such a way that it is easy to understand and get the most from.

The Art of Crafting Syllabic Poetry begins with an introduction to how Colleen’s journey began – her poetry community, and goes on to discuss definitions of “meter, syllable, and stresses,” and the hard work required to find your creative soul. She suggests ways to encourage creativity, and talks about figurative language too.

It is clear that author Colleen Chesebro has put her heart and soul into this guide and loves helping others to be the best poets they can be. She runs a wonderful community of poets with weekly prompts, (which again must be an incredible amount of work,) and is now expanding her repertoire to include online submissions to her poetry venture with poet JulesPaige. Colleen is also a co-editor of “Word Weaving, a Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse,” at wordweavingpoetryjournal.com more about that below in her Bio.

What an incredible amount of work, dedication and research has gone into this book and into everything that Colleen Chesebro does.

It is a wonderful resource for both new students of poetry to learn and to refer to whilst writing poetry and for old hands, (such as me,) to jog our memories and to avoid making careless mistakes about the forms!

There is a bibliography at the end with the names/links/detail of all the poets who have contributed to the anthology. I’m delighted that my #Garland #Cinquain poem is included amongst this section along with so many awesome contributions from poetry community members.

My recommendation: This is a fabulous book, and one that Colleen Chesebro should be very proud of.

5 stars. I’ll be buying a paperback to use as a resource.



View all my reviews

Source: NEW Release: “Word Craft: Prose & Poetry, The Art of Crafting Syllabic Poetry” | 🌸Word Craft Prose & Poetry🌸

More news! Today Colleen’s poetry submission window opens for her new word weaving journal. Pop over to her blog to find out the theme: https://wordweavingpoetryjournal.com/2021/05/15/announcing-the-theme-for-the-1st-word-weaving-poetry-journal/