A Letter from the President
Good morning, poets and poetry lovers -- and happy Independence Day! May a large number of ladybugs enter the White House and bring us luck.
We call them ladybugs, but the British "ladybirds" also has a nice ring to it. And I believe they do bring us luck, or simply remind us of how much we already have. Ah, summer. I have so much to tell you. First, we have received a $3,000 grant from South Carolina Humanities for the Every Corner, Every County Series. Thank you so much for your hard work on this, Ashley Crout! More good news will follow in my reflection on a June 23 meeting further down. I'm seeing so many connections forming, and that thrills me.
Each bloom becomes a bouquet,
housing a kiss of ladybirds,
a throatiness of frogs.
You can read the rest of this poem by Marlynn Rosario at Poems about Gardens -- enjoy the others there as well.
Last summer, I tried to bring ladybugs into my greenhouse, but I didn't release them correctly, and they all just flew away. You have to time things just right for those little ladies. I also have a toad friend named Eduardo -- maybe I've mentioned him before. He left his greenhouse bed apartment for a brief stay among the young radishes, and since then, I've not seen him. Summer is brief, I mean to say. I intend to live it fully. Come with me. I've taken to filling a glass pitcher with ice water, lemons, cucumber, fresh mint and basil from my garden and keeping it nearby for refreshment, so we won't be thirsty.
We're going to see Marcus Amaker on July 6 -- the third session of our "Every Corner, Every County Reading Series." I would really appreciate your support and attendance as this special event. Fly over and bring us some luck.
Zoom links are provided below in the Every Corner, Every County section of this newsletter.
Next up, I'll provide a recap of June, but let me ask you to renew your membership if you have not done so. Please reach out to Jim if you have any questions about membership: FlatBlueSky@hotmail.com.
Another county and another Ag & Art tour down! I'm discovering that the community keyboard is a big draw, especially for children and their parents/grandparents. That gives me a chance to talk about The Poetry Society and our statewide initiative. I just take a big bag of books by South Carolina poets, find a place to lay them out along with a Poetry Trails bumper sticker and Society flyers, and presto: we have a venue.
I was especially pleased by one young pianist's admission after playing: "I'm actually a slam poet." I got him up to the mic and listened as he recited a meaningful poem about the way he perceives the world around him. His name is Noah, and I hope he will make the Poetry Society part of his future. Every encounter matters.
Oh, and I strongly recommend a visit to the Fishing Creek Creamery, where they make cheeses from their own goats' milk --- spicy, mild, and dessert cheeses. I bought banana split cheese, garlic and jalapeno cheese, and cranberry walnut. I wish I had bought one of every kind, and I'm sending a friend who lives near there to buy more. Plus, you'll love the animals. One goat named Chip refused to be contained and actually lined up for open mic.
This Poetry Trails was especially meaningful due to our special guest Glenis Redmond, who had the idea of doing a nature poetry prompt with us at the falls. Thank you, too, to Amy Randall, who spread the word for this event and accompanied us with laughter and poems. We loved our walk. I hope to get more of you at these events with us.
The winner of this round of the Poetry Trails contests, as blind-judged by Amy Randall (thank you!) is Tina Baumis! She wins the beautiful American-themed guitar sponsored by Danny Sciortino. Thank you to Danny and to everyone who entered the contest.
A word about our judge:
Amy Randall, a storyteller from upstate South Carolina, weaves captivating tales through her favorite mediums of photography and poetry. With a B.A. in Art and a minor English from Winthrop University and postgraduate studies at King's College London, she has led poetry workshops at the Peace Center for Performing Arts, co-founded the Upstate Poets critique group, and been published in Emrys and Dodging the Rain. Amy's talent shines through her business, Amy Randall Photography, where she specializes in crafting compelling branding and corporate images.
The winning poem follows these brief comments from Amy:
I loved the imagery of the poem and the way the speaker follows their path of memory to share thoughtful reflections on the past. I especially appreciate the ending line as it ties the two different stories back together.
Ceasefire
Nana used lattice and twine to bind a miniature rose bush
Which scraped and pricked our brown flecked fingers,
Forearms in defiance. She continued the lesson
Embroidering stems to the frame, pushing leaves out of the way.
Mosquitoes nibbled our exposed flesh
Flanking us from another side.
Nana mused aloud, “It must be penance.
Brazen folly to skip gloves.”
Gazing at her weathered hands,
she considered the soil caked under her nails.
Her thoughts strayed, drifting to the men, “really boys.”
Younger than hers who perished in the Carolinas.
Soldiers brash enough to be loud.
Harsh enough to be heard
Charged, though full of fear, as all around them
Carnage engulfed their senses day and night.
She whispered to me, “Where was sanctuary
under the ashy Palmetto Moon?”
Fife, drum, flags, cards, pencil, diaries and marbles in tow
Kept them from becoming glum.
Our Patriots of freedom whose boyhoods they’d forgo.
Acquired boots from the reaper’s shadow, fashioning blistered soles.
Grimaces of grit in sepia toned photos spoke where words were silenced.
Oppressive war and separation from families haunted those boys’ souls.
Due to her diversion, I was struck by images
Conjured of this sacred soil. Historic thick blood
red clay that traverses through the state into coarse
abrasive ivory-bone specks of sand.
Her head solemnly bowed in a moment
of quiet. Roses and mosquitos ceasefire.
I've been saving this news to bring you joy. Della Watson, journalist, event planner, poet, and art lover has donated the use of her gorgeous E. Bay Street condo for the Poetry Society to use in September! I met with her and MarQuel Landy because he will be part of a special event that involves Argentinian tango -- he's not just a pianist; he's a dancer. We have a total of four events scheduled. More details later, but here are the basics:
September 7, Claire Bateman's workshop and reading
September 13, Elizabeth Robin's workshop on how to create a Poetry Trail like the one in Hilton Head
September 13, evening poetry, music, and art event called E. Bay Street La Noche -- featuring Spanish poets and friends.
Here's a sneak preview of the outside of the condo, featuring my favorite thing: the poet's balcony. Wait and see. This is going to be lovely. Save the dates.
Tina Baumis put together this program, which featured poets D.L. Mack, Jr. and Zachery Williams. Wonderful place! We also had a brief workshop with a writing prompt, and a few guests to join us. We plan to have another reading at Hurricane Coffee soon. Meanwhile, stop by and visit --- I recommend the dirty chai.
I was so proud to experience part of this inaugural festival hosted by Jennifer Bartell-Boykin, poet laureate of Columbia. I loved the Spanish poets panel, which included our own board member Loli Molina-Munoz, and Al Black's community poetry gathering, where member Libby Bernardin read beautifully. Pleased to see so many familiar faces including Evelyn Berry, Ray McManus, Susan Craig, and Kristine Hartvigsen!
What matters at these events is presence --- showing up, setting up a mic and a community keyboard along with books by South Carolina poets. Meeting folks (and their pets), buying an iced drink, admiring and buying local art. I met several people and had a good conversation with a musician who would like to join us for some of our events such as Poets on Stage.
We did not have a Poets on Stage in June, by the way -- just too much else going on. We'll see about July!
The Richland County Ag & Art Tour was one of the best because so many people participated in reading poetry and playing the community keyboard. Cassie Premo Steele read from her new book Beaver Girl, and board member Chris "Chrisso" Blackmon attended and performed his spoken word. Some young women from the nearby River Church joined in the festivities and combined their talents to perform. I hope you'll visit this urban farm and some of the others for next year's Ag & Art Tour, and thank you to Cassie for getting me involved in this. I have many more photos and videos from this two-day event in Richland County. Someday I'm going to put all of my documentary videos together where you can all see them.
The second event in our Every Corner, Every County series featured the delightful Evelyn Berry. In the afternoon, she led us in a tarot-card poetry prompt exercise, and in the evening at the Georgetown County Museum, she and James Parker gave us exceptional readings. Good snacks, good people, good atmosphere, and above all shared words that enlightened and enriched us.
And that, my friends, was a busy June! I was flying around like a ladybug, hoping to spread the light of poetry on your behalf. Please make your way through the rest of this newsletter, noting our upcoming events and members in the news as well as the winner of the Poetry Trails contest for June and the monthly poetry prompt contest.
The Oliver Bowman Memorial Prize
When Oliver Bowman passed away at the age of 92 on July 25, 2023, the Poetry Society of South Carolina suffered the loss of one of our finest, most beloved central figures. Generations of PSSC members have experienced his friendship and graciousness, from his first appearance before the group in 1963 right up to the time of his unexpected death. To honor Oliver, we are raising funds for the Oliver Bowman Memorial Prize that will begin this coming calendar year and continue for at least 10 years, if we can raise sufficient funds. If you would like to contribute to this collective, "The Friends of Oliver Bowman," send a check for any amount you're comfortable with to PSSC, P.O. Box 1090, Charleston, SC 29402. Make check payable to "PSSC." Please indicate that your donation is for the "Oliver Bowman Memorial Prize." Your donation is tax deductible to the full extent of the law and will be acknowledged with an official letter for tax purposes.
Every Corner, Every County
Marcus Amaker Reading
Georgetown Historical Museum
June 1, 2024, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Georgetown County Museum, 120 Broad St, Georgetown, SC 29440, USA
Unable to attend in person? Use this link to attend via Zoom on the night of the reading:
Workshop with Marcus, Saturday, June 1, 1:00 p.m., Pawleys Tap House and Grill, 13089 Ocean Hwy, Pawleys Island, SC 29585
If you would like to add an event to future newsletters, email the information to FlatBlueSky@hotmail.com before the first of the month.
Members in the News
Loli Molina-Munoz has a new website. She also represented the Society beautifully at the Soda City Poetry Festival with the Spanish Poetry panel.
Al Black is hosting Mind Gravy at Cool Beans Coffee in Columbia on July 10 with featured poet Nicola Waldron, returning from a year in Norway. Other upcoming dates include July 17 with poet Fayaz Kabani, July 24 with poet Kevin Oliver, and July 31 with poet Vix Huda.
Charles Watts took part in the Adirondacks Kickass Poetry Festival.
Eugene Platt's poem "The Constellations after Cataract Surgery" will appear in the next issue of the Irish journal Drawn to the Light Press. Drawn to the Light Press – A Magazine of Poetry
Also, his next collection, Slaughter of the Innocents, will be published the fall by Revival Press in Ireland. A book launch will be held in Charleston in December. More details to come!
Finally, see Eugene's review of Colm Toibin's new book, Long Island.
Former South Carolina Poet Laureate Marjory Wentworth to release“One River, One Boat” with Evening Post Books August 12, 2024.The collection of poems and stories covers critical times in South Carolina’shistory as well as milestones in Wentworth’s own life.
The release of the book will be celebrated by a reading and book signing reception on September 12, 2024 at 6:00 in the evening at Circular Congregational Church, located at 150 Meeting St, Charleston, SC. The event is open to the public.
For further information about the author visit her website, marjorywentworth.com. “One River, One Boat” will be available for purchase from customers online at eveningpostbooks.com, or, for bookstores, by order with assistant editor Alex Lanning (alanning@eveningpostbooks.com). Retail price is $19.95 plus SC sales tax and shipping charges. Marjory Wentworth is available for interviews and events.
Find Society merchandise below, followed by the Poetry Prompt Contest.
You can look sporty and support the important work of the Poetry Society with each purchase. Click here to visit the website.
You can also pick up a copy of The History of the Poetry Society of South Carolina from Amazon --- and if you enjoy it, please leave a review.
The Poetry Prompt Contest is a monthly contest where we encourage you to submit a piece inspired by the new prompt found below. The winning poem or flash fiction is published in the following month's newsletter. We also offer the winner the opportunity to record a video of him or herself reading the poem to be posted to the Poetry Society's YouTube channel. There is no obligation to record the video, it is only there as an offer if the winner feels comfortable doing so.
Thank you to those who entered our Poetry Prompt Contest for June!
Our April judge is William "Bill" Epes, and his choice for the winner is a collaborative poem by Paula Appling from Pickens County, and Kari Moss from Oconee County!
Bill writes that he was very moved by this poem, admired its concision, its title, was made curious not only by its deceptively simple form, but by its reach into so many evocative sensory experiences, resolving joyously and hopefully in way that brings the reader back to its title.
Wm. Epes, M.Div, is a Lowcountry poet and founder and host of the online series Tuesday Duets. He curates the FaceBook arts resource group strand line break. As a comeya, Bill is honored to be writing and reading in 2024 in a community of great South Carolina writers.
The winning poem is provided below:
“d’accord”
whereby the whole
is greater than
the sum of its parts,
as found in collaborations,
curries and
choirs.
Seasoned as such
she stood singing
in a whisper, her contribution
weak and breaking
bound only by music, and
mosaic.
Friends collaborate –
voices blend –
create this …
Across the planet,
women bond –
a dozen sounds to one,
change the world.
(Congratulations, Paula and Kari!)
This month's prompt is "ladybug" or "flight" or some derivative that inspires you. Submit a poem or a piece of flash fiction related to one or both of these themes. Take this in any direction you want. We'll announce the winner in the next newsletter.
Send the poems to everycornereverycounty@gmail.com, and let me know which county you are in!
With respect to the convergence of lady beetles, I am flying away home.
Tamara
Copyright © 2023 The Poetry Society of South Carolina, All rights reserved.
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Editor: Tamara Miles
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