The Meeting of the Flowers--By David Fox--United States

The Meeting of the Flowers

The flowers all sat in a row

With daffodil's face all aglow

Rose spoke first saying, "Now that it's spring

We should savor the sunshine it brings"

Weeping willow started to cry

Knowing someday her friends would die

But cheerful daisy said with a grin,

"Not to worry, come spring we will sprout again."

Bluebell ended the meeting with a chime

Thus ending the meeting, and with it, this rhyme.

David Fox’s writing has appeared in over 100 venues, including newsletters, blogs, print journals and websites. He has been published in the U.K., Canada, India, Finland and the U.A.E.  He edits a print journal, The Poet's Art, (see his ad in the Whispers Ad column).

Sunset on the River--By Adam Levon Brown--United States

Sunset on the River

Boiling over cold

Red rolled with bright gold

A sun of stories untold

Adam Levon Brown is a poet and student residing in Eugene, Oregon. He enjoys the outdoors, playing with cats, and meeting new people. He runs a blog at www.AdamLevonBrown.com    

No Less A Man--By Emile Pinet--Canada

No Less A Man

Waking to a world of pain,

truth cuts deep as any blade.

And as eyes squint from the strain,

the sun rises and dreams fade.

Held to ridicule and jest,

hunger haunts body and soul.

And yet, there’s no time for rest,

as I wolf down scraps I stole.

Searching faces with no name,

I'm seldom far from a tear.

And I feel nothing, but shame,

alone and bullied by fear.

Children sometimes rudely stare,

and I feel hurt and unsure.

Yet, it's what I'm forced to bear,

like the laughter, I endure.

I'm human, no less a man,

praying upon bended knee.

And I do the best I can,

so I ask, "please God, why me?”

Emile Pinet was born in a small city, (Bathurst) New Brunswick, Canada, the third eldest of thirteen children, ten girls and three boys. He is the product of a semi-dysfunctional family, brought up by a physically abusive and controlling father, versus a loving, nurturing mother. Many of his poems reflect the uniqueness of nature, which he loves, and his poetic observations of life in general. Emile is 66 years old and has been writing poems since he was about 35. The ideas started to come to him rapidly one day at work-- he decided to write them down and express himself through his poetry.

Qualify--By Richard Sponaugle--United States

Qualify

A poetry editor was my friend.

I asked how

he could reject all 12 of my poems.

He said his interest was quality,

not quantity.

I replied, “there’s strength in numbers.”

He said, “Margaret Mitchell wrote trash

except for Gone with the Wind.”

But that book made her

a literary immortal.

I pointed out that

she had mental problems

and died young.

He asked, “What’s that got to do

with your poems?”

I had no good reply,

but got the last laugh.

Our confrontation

led to a published poem.

Richard Sponaugle was born 4-20-60 in Maryland and raised in Northern Virginia.  He received a BA from George Mason University.  A prolific poet and songwriter, he has been published in many venues. 

free verse poem--By ayaz daryl nielsen--United States

evening wind over the meadow

clusters of blackberry thickets

with meadowlarks, again, calling 

their luminous notes, prickling 

my heavily veined hands 

and weathered skin. . .

and it seems I’m more than I was

a man, yes, quivering and awake 

yes, a man, 

awake

ayaz daryl nielsen, a veteran, x-roughneck (as on oil rigs) and hospice nurse, editor of bear creek haiku (25+ years/125+ issues), homes for his poems include Lilliput Review, Cattails, High Coupe, Shamrock, Scifaikuest, Shemom, Whispers… and! online at bear creek haiku poetry, poems and info (translates as joie de vivre)

Reflection--By Anna-Marie Docherty--Wales

Reflection

Your warped song and dance play to my soul

twisting and turning me inside out

melting and moulding my depths

creating, shaping, chiselling away to new form

until no longer do I recognise

the one whom it is looks back through the mirror

a reflection of self

Anna-Marie Docherty lives in Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK and is often inspired by nature and the world around her. Having been writing poetry now for 4 - 5 years, her works have developed in structure and form as well as using free verse in her writing as she walks this endless art form and creativity in her thirst to further learn. Letting the pen and the muse dictate topic and form both humour, religion, nature or the serious subject might be touched upon therefore keeping the writing fresh and easy to read by those who follow. Writing both as given name above and pen name anaisnais through the net, examples of poems can be found both in Snippets, an anthology of short verse by various international poets, compiled by Karen O'Leary and Patricia Ann Farnsworth-Simpson; also Pink Panther magazine, an anthology written by several poets and artists on feminist issues in our environment and various poems on the internet for taster.

Sometimes--By Gert Knop--Germany

Sometimes (English)

Sometimes I feel

like an old, ragged wear.

Sometimes I feel

like a disillusioned cloud.

Sometimes I play with the wind,

which brings the birds from afar

and gives them shelter

in a sun of the past

as in a nest of rain and desires.

The moon eases me,

but it's another moon

I know,

It's a moon that shines

and full of flowers and oblivion.

The past is like a vagabond,

who has forgotten his faith

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

A Veces (Spanish)

A veces yo me siento

como un vestido viejo y roto.

A veces yo me siento

como una nube desilusionada.

A veces yo juego con el viento

que trae los pájaros de la lejanía

y que se esconden

en un sol del pasado

como en un nido de lluvia y deseo.

La luna me calma,

pero es otra luna

que yo conozco,

es una luna que brilla

y llena de flores y de olvido.

El pasado es como un vagabundo,

que ha perdido su fe

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Manchmal (German)

Manchmal fühle ich mich

wie eine alte, zerlumpte Kleidung.

Manchmal fühle ich mich

als desillusionierte Wolke.

Manchmal spiele ich mit dem Wind

der die Vögel aus der Ferne bringt

und sie versteckt

in einer Sonne der Vergangenheit

wie in einem Nest aus Regen und Wünsche.

Der Mond beruhigt mich,

aber es ist ein anderer Mond

den ich kenne,

es ist ein Mond, der strahlt

und voller Blumen und Vergessen.

Die Vergangenheit ist wie ein Vagabund,

der seinen Glauben vergessen hat

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Gert W. Knop, born in 1943, studies art and tropical agriculture in Germany and Scotland (University of Edinburgh). He has lived in many different countries and writes mainly in German, English and Spanish. He currently resides in Zittau (Saxony), Germany. 

Haiku--By Elizabeth Howard--United States

spring wind  

the wild geese’s course

hits turbulence

_______________

crack of thunder . . .

yellow tulips cascade

from the split poplar

_______________

April rain

landscape gravel washing

into the goldfish pool 

 _______________

out of the sunrise

a dark swallow curving

with the river’s ess

_______________

mid step

a timber rattlesnake coiled

in the barn shadows

_______________

Elizabeth Howard lives in Crossville, Tennessee. She writes poetry and fiction. Her poems have appeared in Comstock Review, Big Muddy, Appalachian Heritage, Cold Mountain Review, Poem, Still, Mobius, Now & Then, Slant, and other journals.

Rebirth--By Irsa Ruçi--Albania

Rebirth

Take away this silent smile from me
That chants to happiness
Like the birds to spring;

Travel it without showing mercy
And find the light to the light
Through the butterflies’ dance
Like the flirtatious
But give it back to me again
Again give it back:

Because the smile is like sun
Rises to give life…

(Translated by Silva Daci)

Irsa Ruçi is an Albanian Writer, Speechwriter and Lecturer who has received numerous awards, and whose books include Trokas mbi ajer (poems and essays), 2008 and Peshtjellim (poetry), 2010. 

Man VS. Machine--By Jean Calkins--United States

Man VS. Machine

I look at the screen and push a key.

It asks for an input strange to me.

My fingers rest a bit heavily;

before me appears a word spelled “dddddd.”

I file my text and the monster saves,

but ask for it back and it only raves

“invalid command or file,” in waves!

It is one of the tricky, roguish knaves.

Or perhaps the stupidity is mine.

It has a brain with a logic line

while I have a most emotional sign,

drunk as I am on agéd wine.

(It’s the only way I can stand the beast.)

My most precious notes become its feast.

It could show a little respect at least!

Today this machine may become deceased!

Jean, at 82, has been writing poems since she was 18. For 25 years she published a popular poetry quarterly of up to 100 pages, with a subscribership of nearly 500. Illness in 1986 ended the magazine. She currently publishes, by email, a 2-page monthly of clean humor. Contact her at joker31277@yahoo.com

Eternal Truths--By Ojo Taiye--Nigeria

Eternal Truths

home is not a portion of earth
Neither is it country dawn
nor city light
home is the fate beyond the sun
beyond feelings and time
a sanctum for lambs
a burning belly for dogs
a fatality for both wisdom and foolishness
thither – finally, when this noose is
 loose

Ojo Taiye is a writer from Delta State, Nigeria. He is a graduate of Microbiology from Tansian University. Taiye, has some of his muddled thoughts published in a few online and offline magazines.

Sweet Revenge?--By Charlene McCutcheon--United States

Sweet Revenge?

Will

ever

I be rid

of temptation,

excessive sugar;

favorite comfort foods

that seemingly dull the pain

of doubt, fear, anger and malice

associated with offensive

behavior by those who say they love me?

with

prayer

and God's grace;

fear and hurt healed,

I won't take offense.

It is the greater sin!

Forgive as I'm forgiven,

seventy times seven; God's word!

Unforgiveness only adds insult

to injury, more anger and greater pain.

Charlene McCutcheon is a 73 year old, wife, mother of seven, grandmother of thirty and great-grandmother of 14. She has just discovered her voice through poetry within the last few years. Her former ways of expression have been through the media of arts and crafts. Her desire to share herself with others for their benefit has been the motivating factor in all her endeavors. She loves life, work, play and most of all people. 

Poetic Silence--By Molly Moore--United States

Poetic Silence

Poets speak in the language of silence

Words descending like quiet flakes of snow

On the hearts of readers whose psyches sense

Nuances even the poet didn't know.

Just as the wafting fragrance of the rose,

Who remains unaware of her beautiful array,

So the trailing wake as poetic verse flows

Uplifts each reader in a personal way.

Like the evening mist arising from the pond

That communes and allures us quietly

So the words of the poet take us beyond

The world of sound into subtlety

Where we're freed from the bonds of space and time

Soaring with the bird on silent wing

Traversing the cosmos in rhythm and rhyme

As in quietude the poet makes our souls sing.

Claiming Hawaii as her true home, Molly Moore is currently residing in Seattle, Washington, pursuing a nursing degree. Perhaps her previous career as an international flight attendant is what launched Molly’s "flights of fancy" into poetry. A love of rhythm and rhyme sparks her creative side, especially while outdoors in nature.

Blessed--By Sunil Sharma--India

Blessed

A shirtless man

Lying on a slim back

Face covered with a hanky

Fast asleep beside the pile

Of debris, a thin towel shielding

From the bare concrete.

Unmindful of the usual honking traffic

Loud barking and the incessant chatter

Of the co-workers digging deeper, the right side

Of the narrow street, suburban Mumbai.

It is 9 am only.

Rushed hour---not for him.

Commuters are in frenzy.

The sleeper---

Unaware.

Orbiting the realm of dreams.

The dispossessed guy, denied from the mainstream---

Subject of the pompous middle-class envy!

Sunil Sharma is a writer based in Mumbai, India. A college principal, he has published four books of poetry, two books of shorts and a novel in English, apart from co-editing six literary anthologies.  He edits Episteme: http://www.episteme.net.in/  

Mother’s Day--By Lois Greene Stone--United States

Mother’s Day

I never realized

how much she taught me 

until I was grown

and needed those lessons.

The mother I am

with my own children

is her example. The way

I show love and caring 

is also because she gave

both without conditions.

But there’s a quiet ‘thanks’

for giving me life.

Lois Greene Stone, writer and poet, has been syndicated worldwide. Poetry and personal essays have been included in hard & softcover book anthologies. Collections of her personal items/ photos/ memorabilia are in major museums including twelve different divisions of The Smithsonian. 

Paper Shell Pecans--By G. Louis Heath--United States

Paper Shell Pecans

I harvested them as a teen summers on our ranch.

I knocked them down, picked them up, took them

to Mom in the kitchen. She packaged them for sale,

easy to shell, easy to sell, fast food from a tree.

I ate some last week, studied the shells for a while,

a long while. My Mom appeared, fully alive and well.

It is so, though she’s been gone years. She’s smiling

at me now, showing me an apron full of pecans.

Mom is gone but she isn’t. She’s here and she’s not.

Mom still struggles. The pecan I placed in her grave

became a tree, a tall paper shell in a cemetery of oaks.

When it’s ready, it sheds its bounty on my Mom.

G. Louis Heath, Ph.D., Berkeley, 1969, teaches at Ashford University, Clinton, Iowa. He retires in June, 2016 because his university is closing. He enjoys reading his poems at open mics. He often hikes along the Mississippi River, stopping to work on a poem he pulls from his back pocket, weather permitting. His books include Mutiny Does Not Happen Lightly, Long Dark River Casino and Vandals In The Bomb Factory. His most recent poems have been published in Dead Snakes, Poppy Road Review, Writing Raw, Inkstain Press, Verse-Virtual, Eunoia Review and Squawk Back. He can be contacted at gheathorov@gmail.com     

A Tribute to Glen Frey and The Eagles--By Sandra Stefanowich--Canada

A Tribute to Glen Frey and The Eagles

A shadow of amber light
hidden eyes that betray
of the heartache tonight
down inside the sad café

a distant church bell ringing
rain upon sorrowed ground
then a wind blew in stealing
a soft, easy, peaceful sound

wishing but I can't tell you why
of the loss that has you reeling
when you've set them free to fly
it's one of the loneliest feelings

pen to paper in a simple rhyme
the best of my love I give to you
and to sweet memories in time
bright lights have faded to blue

Song titles and words used from The Eagles; Sad Café, Heartache Tonight, Peaceful Easy Feeling, I Can't Tell You Why, The Best of My Love, Take It To the Limit.

Born in Toronto, Ontario, Sandra Stefanowich is a self-taught writer. She has been writing off and on since an early age. Most of her writing revolves around what she sees in everyday life, nature and her concerns about mankind. She enjoys reading, writing, hiking, animals and photography. 

Love's Lingering Scent--By Andrea Dietrich--United States

Love's Lingering Scent

(etheree)

Two

candles

melt away

fragrantly as

twin flames above them

mirror one another

in a bright dance of passion.

The wax bodies fade away, but

love’s scent beautifully lingers as

the steadfast flames burn slowly down to die.

Andrea Dietrich grew up in Iowa and now resides in Utah with a spouse and two cats. She has two grown children and six grandchildren. Having graduated BYU with a Spanish major/ESL minor, she has spent most of her adult life teaching. It wasn't until 2000 that she began writing in earnest and discovering her "niche" as a writer of lyrical poetry. The internet opened up a new world for her, and she has spent nearly a decade now participating in poetry clubs, acting as a judge of poetry contests for various magazines and for the website Shadow Poetry.

World of Colors--By Maricris Cabrera--Philippines

World of Colors

Imagine the world

without colors; gloom

dry, dull

dead and doom.

Colors are created

for all of us to see

endless horizon

and the deep blue sea.

Green trees, blooming flowers

birds in the sky

fishes under the water

even the shimmering sunset, oh my!

I love lots of colors

my summer dress would be yellow

dashing, glamorous

shoulders glow.

Colors make us happy

like red apples, lips of a baby

and the sparkling lights around the Christmas tree

family surround, cheering merrily.

Maricris Cabrera is a wife and mother from the Philippines. She has been writing since 2009. Maricris joined Poems and Quotes, Poets and Poets Dream communities at Google Plus last year, where she started posting her poems.  She hopes you enjoy her poetry.

Numerology--By Richard Carl Subber (Rick)--United States

Numerology

He’s counting his fingers now,

another threshold passed without a look back.

He puts some energy into it,

doesn’t remember to count every one every time,

but he’s counting, he’s doing it.

Old Grandfather starts it off,

tapping fingertips, “One, two, three…”

and he picks up the rhythm,

splaying the fingers of one hand,

fearlessly extending the count, “…four, five, seven, eight.…”

A couple of those eager fingers get counted twice,

sticking up like chicks in the nest stretching for the worm,

and that’s alright, those fingers are stretching

for the joy of discovery and the cool of flashing in the air

in the ritual of counting fingers with Old Grandfather,

and counting twice is confirmation, not a sin.

We do it again.

Same noisy delight. Different count.

Someday he’ll understand that doing it together is what counts.

Richard Carl Subber (Rick) is a freelance editor, a writing coach and a historian. He lives with his family in Natick, Massachusetts, USA. He’s a former newspaper reporter/editor who now indulges his love of the right words.  Rick is a proud grandpa who is teaching his granddaughter to read and write, in case there is poetry in her future.  His poetry appears in The Australia Times Poetry Magazine, miller’s pond poetry magazine, The RavensPerch, Northern Stars, and elsewhere. His blog: http://barleyliterate.blogspot.com/  

In the Nursing Home--By Neil Creighton--Australia

In the Nursing Home

That great gift-giver, Time,
Has brought them to a point
Where they shuffle slowly in their frames
Or sit quietly in their chairs
Sustained by remnants of memory,
Waiting for they know not what.
Weep for them, shed your tears,
But in this life of vulnerable mortality
Time has gifted them abundance of years.
The weight of Time's gifts has bent them,
Carried them at last to the great, dark portal
Through which all life must flow,
Carried them ceaselessly along
With one final gift to bestow,
The release into serenity,
Into quiet, conscious-less eternity,
Time's final gift of letting them go.

Neil Creighton and his wife, Diana, live in a small village outside of Sydney, Australia. He was an English and Drama teacher. He has had a lifelong love of poetry. His subjects of love, justice, the beauty and mystery of the world, evocation of place and the search for meaning are expressed in a variety of styles. His poems have been published in The Second Genesis, An Anthology of Contemporary World Poetry and Prosopisia, An International Poetry Journal. He blogs at. "Wind of Flowers--Poems by Neil Creighton."

Reunion--By Douglas Polk--United States

Reunion

hugs from the grave,

in the photographs of black and white,

familiar faces,

smiles and laughter,

captured for eternity,

in the dusty frames,

boxed and numbered,

and hidden away,

in the attic,

a treasure trove,

patiently awaiting discovery,

when opened and viewed,

hugs will again be given,

from beyond the grave.

Douglas Polk is a poet living in the wilds of central Nebraska with his wife and son, two dogs and four cats. Polk has two pushcart nominations and over 800 poems published in hundreds of publications.

Special Feature Collaborative Poem--By ayaz daryl nielsen and Peggy Dugan French--United States

the meadow

By ayaz daryl nielsen and Peggy Dugan French

filled with dove and meadowlark

the meadow outside my window ablaze in song

hymns of awakening and well-being

spill into the valley through the pines

wild grasses and flowers sway to the rhythm

a new peace falls over me

and it seems I’m so much more than I was

long ago, lost in the world without you

Album--By Sanjeev Sethi--India

Album

Through your harmonies I have been able to touch

the hoofprint of your tenderness. The fragility

of your fear grabs me. We have a generation

between us. Time hasn’t altered anything. You have

to wear your garment of grief I have to wear mine.

Now and then, a breed of stallions kickoff their tantivies

on the bridle path of polymorphism. The manners of mating

are perilous. Our placement keeps us as kleptomaniacs

in the emporium of love. Shortages do this. Perception

of chronic shortages more so.

(First published in Coldnoon Travel Poetics)

Sanjeev Sethi has published three books of poetry. This Summer and That Summer (Bloomsbury, 2015) is his latest work. His poems have found a home in The London Magazine, The Fortnightly Review, Ink Sweat and Tears, Sentinel Literary Quarterly, Allegro Poetry Magazine, The Galway Review, The Open Mouse, I am not a Silent Poet, Otoliths, Right Hand Pointing, Down in the Dirt magazine, and elsewhere. He lives in Mumbai, India.

Under These Slow and Sinking Pale Half-Moons--By Robert Lindley--United States

Under These Slow and Sinking Pale Half-Moons

Angel of soft, ever wanting touch;

Delivers with serenity in tow;

That this sunken vessel needs very much-

Set thy eyes upon my dark, fleeting soul!

Will this humble plea strike upon thy heart;

Shall from it, thee ever give joyous tunes?

Or force in me yet another sad start-

Under these slow and sinking, pale half-moons.

Angel of my heart's desperate desires;

Will thee ever prepare that blessed meal,

Roasting delicately upon hot fires-

Aye, thy gentle hand my soul doth now feel!

Robert Lindley is poet from the Southern USA. He has been writing poetry since 1969. Robert writes with the intent to offer others words to enjoy and with high hopes he may inspire and brighten lives in some way.

Haiku--By Arvinder Kaur--India

farewell dance--

prairie grass sways

this way and that

ਪਛੋਂ ਦੀ ਵਾ --

ਅਲਵਿਦਾ ‘ਚ ਝੂਮ ਰਿਹਾ

ਪਰਾਰੇ ਘਾਹ

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

fragrant breeze--

the way your presence

fills my life

ਮਹਿਕੀ ਪੁਰਵਾਈ—

ਤੇਰੀ ਹੋਂਦ ਨਾਲ ਸ਼ਰਸਾਰ

ਮੇਰੀ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

bedtime stories--

tracing the flowers

on mother's quilt

ਪਰੀਆਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਬਾਤਾਂ—

ਅੰਮੀਂ ਦੀ ਰਜ਼ਾਈ ਤੇ

ਵੰਨ ਸਵੰਨੇ ਫੁੱਲ

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These haiku are from Arvinder’s new bilingual book, dandelion seeds, a collection of poetry in both English and Punjabi.  The book is available on www.amazon.in

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arvinder Kaur is an Associate professor in English and Media Studies. She writes haiku both in Punjabi as well as English. She has four books to her credit which include poetry, a work of translation and her first collection of punjabi haiku, Nimolian. Her work has been published in several haiku journals and anthologies. She lives in Chandigarh with her family.

Anomie--By David Palmer--United States

Anomie

Alone! In a room full of strangers

Chatting amiably around, not to

Me.  Cloaked with Invisibility,

Stealth Secret Agent Double-oh-seven;

But currently unassigned, mission less,

Meaningless! Really? A non-entity,

Expendable, recyclable, NADA?

Social ghost haunting your periphery.

We are shallow, failing to see the worth

Of the eternal souls who share limelight

In our transient moments on life’s stage.

Each one a Masterpiece before Father God,

Who IS so rapturously enthralled.

To Him, precious sparkling crowning jewels!

David Palmer makes his home in Renton, Washington, just outside Seattle.  As a former minister, and avid reader, he is a lover of poetry and has written 88 sonnets, mostly for the delight of his friends.  He currently works for Bloodworks Northwest in Bellevue, Washington, a blood center supplying whole blood, platelets and plasma for transfusion to patients in hospitals in Alaska, Washington, and Oregon.

Triplets, Unbound Memories: Ancestral Call--By Nana Arhin Tsiwah--Ghana

Triplets, Unbound Memories: Ancestral Call

on this hot nipples of poetry
we hold our stretched lips
like the Nile drowned
by the Volta

on every noon
after our fathers' sweat pour
we beat the drums
with our sweaty palms
that perhaps yester-memories
might wake from palm nut soup

this was the lord's will
the ancestors' prayers
that our mortality
shall kiss the lips
of these memories
unforgotten

Nana Arhin Tsiwah, a linguist-performist, disciple of Africanism-consciousness & student of 'Akanism' is the author and co-author of two poetry collections: Dead Epistles and Palm Leaves. Nana doubles as the chief-linguist in the Africanism Poetry Movement, "The Village Thinkers" and African Poetry Editor for Lunaris Review, Ghana & Nigeria Respectively. He writes from Cape Coast, Ghana.

Dance of Life--By Colleen Keller Breuning--United States

Dance of Life

Perched by the open window

tiny dancer bathed in glow

beneath a veil of green eyes

gilded lily in disguise.

Faded scars cannot erase

sad memories from a place

where sticks and stones broke her bones

sharp lessons learned long ago.

Dodging minefields, cat and mouse

secrets hidden in old house

one magic moment has turned

to cold dust where fire once burned.

Sinews, muscles stretch and thrash

finding strength amidst the ash.

though hope seems lost with no trace

she exudes amazing grace.

A strong breeze from down under

pushes sorrow asunder

as she glides forth, free from strife

in this mystic dance of life….

Colleen Keller Breuning is a poet and photographer who was born and raised in Maryland. She currently resides in Purcellville, Virginia. Her poetry, short stories and photography have been published in a variety of print and online magazines during the past decade. Her first poetry book, Shadows of My Father, was a tribute to her father and published in 2011. She is currently working on her second book of poetry, along with assorted photography projects. She participates in several online writing groups. In addition to poetry and photography, she loves nature, music, cats and wine (not necessarily in that order).

MAY ANNOUNCEMENTS/PUBLICATION OPPORTUNITIES

NEW CONTRIBUTORS IN APRIL—

Marietta Jane McGregor—Australia

Anna Maris—Sweden

                                                Pravat Kumar Padhy—India

                                                Rob Harle--Australia

                                                Nicholas Klacsanzky—Ukraine

                                                Thomas Canull—United States

                                                Martha Magenta—England

                                                j. lewis—United States

                                                Arthur Turfa—United States

Please welcome them to our community. We now have representatives from the following countries--Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Canary Islands, Costa Rica, England, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Malawi, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, U.A.E., United Kingdom, United States, Wales and Zimbabwe. I look forward to expanding this list in the future. Thank you to everyone that has supported Whispers in any way.                                                    --Sincerely, Karen

We have a worldwide audience. If you are currently reading Whispers, please consider submitting a poem for consideration for publication. Click on the bright blue “Submission Guidelines” on the right side of the main page for guidelines.  Email submissions to Karen at  karenoleary1956@gmail.com  Thank you.

Note--Ads due for the June column by May 25

ANNOUNCEMENTS—

Robert P. Hansen recently published 2015: A Year of Poetry and Exploitation and Other Stories ---Science Fiction and mystery short stories. Visit his blog rphansenauthorpoet.wordpress.com for samples of his work and links to online retailers.

Joann Grisetti announces the publication of her tanka book Dark Maroon Jacket, available at Amazon. Signed copies can be ordered straight from Joann gneissmom@aol.com.

Michael Lee Johnson chief editor and Ken Allan Dronsfield co-editor are excited about the release of a new poetry book shaking the poetry world apart, 53 professional poets on the rise, Moonlight Dreamers of Yellow Haze, now available on Amazon.com and Europe.  Buy now: 

https://www.createspace.com/6126977
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1530456762

Marcus E. Omer has published his 3rd Poetry Book entitled Facing the World With Chuckles & Sighs. The book has 132 pages, and as the title indicates, has two distinct sections. The humor we find in this life and the more serious side. The Poetry Book may be found at Lulu.com.  

Jack Horne announces the release of his second poetry collection, Living, Loving & Legends. This book is currently available from eTreasuresPublishing.com or Amazon, price £2.10/$2.99 http://jackhorne.blogspot.co.uk

John W. Williams has a new chapbook called A Cup of Warm Words for your enjoyment.  The book includes 82 poems on love, the art of living, nature, spiritual verse, and philosophy.  An autographed issue is available for $8 including postage and handling by contacting him at PO Box 326, Martin, GA 30557

Angelee Deodhar's, Journeys 2015, An Anthology of International Haibun, with 145 haibun by 31 poets of international repute, is available from Amazon.com.

For ordering details, here: http://www.amazon.com/Journeys-2015-Anthology-International-Haibun/dp/1515359875 or contact Angelee at angeleedeodhar@gmail.com

Scott Thomas Outlar runs the site 17Numa where links to his published poetry, essays, and fiction can be found. The site also features a page devoted to literary publications which currently has nearly 150 venues listed. The blog’s page at 17Numa has links to the personal sites of other writers and artists, and has been designed with the hope that artists from all fields will check out and be inspired by the work of their contemporaries.

Beth Winchcombe announces her novel, For LOVE of Maria: A compelling love story. This is currently available in paperback on Amazon.co.uk, also Amazon.com priced at £7-99p. Kindle version to download for just £2-00p. Published by Diadem Books, Author name Beth Richards.

Paul Callus published his first ebook of poetry called Meander in December 2014. It is a collection of 86 poems and songs which should appeal to those who read poetry for pleasure and relaxation. It is available at Amazon.

Marianne Szlyk has released a new chapbook, Listening to Electric Cambodia Looking Up at Trees at Heaven, through Kind of a Hurricane Press' Barometric Pressures Authors Series. You may download the chapbook for free at this site: http://barometricpressures.blogspot.com/2014/10/listening-to-electric-cambodia-looking.html Thank you.

Lisa DeVinney has a website for her devotional poetry called Lifting My Eyes, at liftingmyeyes.com

Karen O’Leary released Whispers, her first book of poetry in 2011, published by APF Publisher. It has been getting good reviews and is available at online at www.lulu.com (Search Whispers under Karen O'Leary) or contact Karen at karenoleary1956@gmail.com

PUBLICATION/CONTEST OPPORTUNITIES--

ayaz daryl nielsen's print publication bear creek haiku is always open for postal submissions, mail poetry to bear creek haiku, PO Box 596, Longmont, CO 80502, USA, 11 lines and less, include SASE. Can be contacted at darylayaz@me.com, blog site is bearcreekhaiku.blogspot.com.

David Fox, editor of The Poet's Art, is looking for family-friendly poems.  U.S. and foreign contributors can send as many poems that will fit on one page.  Send poems to: David Fox, 171 Silverleaf Lane, Islandia NY 11749 or contact him by email for any questions ipoetdavid2@gmail.com

Maurice J. Reynolds would like to share that Creative Inspirations, an email poetry publication, is accepting poetry submissions for publication. This publication offers an interview column, creative activities, information and advertisement, writer’s comments, good poetry, and more. Guidelines and subscription information for two first class postage stamps (To God be the Glory! Publications P.O. Box 19051 Kalamazoo, MI 49019). You can also go to: www.tgbtgpublictions.com for more information.

Tom Davis, publisher of Old Mountain Press, invites all to review his eBook site (Kindle and NOOK) where numerous Old Mountain Press Anthologies of poetry and prose are listed see: Self-publish an electronic book e-book with Old Mountain Press. Visit Old Mountain Press' eBook site at http://www.oldmp.com/e-book

Whispers is always looking for new writers to join our community.  Please send family friendly poems 20 lines or less karenoleary1956@gmail.com  Complete guidelines posted at the end of each month.  Thank you to everyone who has already contributed to the site.