Sol Magazine
April 2001 Edition

Sol Magazine © April 2001
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This month our efforts were coordinated by Lead Editor, Craig Tigerman.
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Our topics touch a variety of subjects about nature and the nature of humanity.  The purpose of our all volunteer organization is to educate poets, and to foster the reading and writing of short poetry.  We are not a vanity press.  Not every poem submitted will be published.  We are a family magazine.  Do not advocate the use of alcohol or drugs in your poetry then ask us to consider your work.  Please read our monthly rules before sending us your work.
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APRIL'S SPONSORS
SuzAnne Cole, Maryann Hazen-Stearns, Cliff Thomas Roberts
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APRIL'S JUDGES
SuzAnne Cole, Maryann Hazen-Sterns, Kathy Kerhli, Cliff Thomas Roberts
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FEATURED ARTICLES


GLOSSARY 
"The Samisen,"
by Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant Editor
http://pages.prodigy.net/sol.magazine/glossary.htm

 
 
ON THE WEB 
"An Unexpected Treasure: The Poetry & Literature Center of the Library of Congress,"
by Craig Tigerman, Lead Editor
http://pages.prodigy.net/sol.magazine/onweb.htm

 
 
SPOTLIGHT
"Being Who We Really Are," - An Interview with Lynette Bowen, 
by Paula M. Bentley, Assistant Editor
http://pages.prodigy.net/sol.magazine/spot0102.htm

 
 
POETRY WORKS 
"The New United States Poet Laureate, Stanley Kunitz," 
by Betty Ann Whitney, Assistant Editor
http://pages.prodigy.net/sol.magazine/works.htm
"The Resonant Truth," 
by Michael Cooper, Guest Editor
http://pages.prodigy.net/sol.magazine/works.htm

CONTENTS:
 

WELCOME
Ross Clark, Bradley Cole, Jennifer Gadd, Loren Kleinman, Roland Miranda, Idamarie Naelitz, Dennis J. Smith.

LETTERS
From Larry L. Fontenot: I very much appreciate having one of my poems selected as a winner in your March contest.  Please thank all the judges for me and tell them they have made me very happy.  Regards.
From Diane Davis:  Thank you for the poetry book. It is beautiful. I've been thinking about getting poems together for a picture book myself. This one ("The Forests," by Courage Books) is inspiring in it's beauty. Happy writing.

Diane won the drawing from among those who sent us articles for our Current Events page:  http://pages.prodigy.net/sol.magazine/events.htm
From Kay Lay Earnest:  Received the book yesterday and, as you suspected, am enjoying the stories and poems.  No apologies necessary; I know what a heavy work load these past months you and your staff have carried and understand.  All our family and friends are thrilled with Lois' accomplishment. Keep up the good work.

Kay, one of our "First Poets,"  is the sister of Lois Lay Castiglioni, our new Poet Laureate 2001.
From Warner Conarton:  The pleasure, the adventure, the real fun [of judging] is in the doing.  I loved it and hated it. Being a judge sucks.  It also sings. I win a lot of contests myself. I've won a bunch of Sol's.  Just got back from the Mount Dora (FL) Festival of Music and Literature. Two of my poems were winners in the writer's contest.  So was an article of mine and a short story and a play.  I know what it feels like to win.  Pretty satisfying, but it doesn't hold a candle to what it is like to lose. As a feeling, losing is a real bummer. My hat goes off to your new Poet Laureate 2001, my heart goes out to the rest.

Warner, a Poet Laureate 2001 Judge, is a long time Sol Magazine poet.
From:  Maryann Hazen-Stearns:  Hi there!  Wow!  I just received my prizes for the Poet Laureate Competition and the March contest as well, and I'm floored!  Craig Tigerman's book "Indigo Avenue" is just lovely; I can't wait for some quiet time this weekend to enjoy it. Not to mention the other wonderful prizes.  I'm thrilled!  Once again, I thank you.

Maryann was the 2nd Runner-Up in the Poet Laureate 2001 Competition.


 

"A Class of its Own," a book review of "3 Savanna Blue," 
by Nancy Milnor, Guest Book Editor
3 Savanna Blue.  Poetry by Peggy Zuleika Lynch and Carlyn Luke Reding, with poetry and photography of Glynn Monroe Irby.  Edited by Susan Bright.  Plain View Press, 2000.

This is an unusual book of poetry, in that it combines poems with photographs and rather extreme graphics.  The combination of poems and photographs is not rare, but the third element of the graphics puts this book in a class of its own.  The graphics often pick up words from the poem they share the page with and present them “writ large” in various styles of display type.  In a few cases the whole poem, on the page in regular type, is also presented a second time in its entirety in the display type.  At first glance, I had a negative reaction to these graphics; but as I perused the book more, read the poems and studied the words pulled out of them for the graphic type presentation, I came to find them more pleasing.  They are in some places too heavy in their impact and detract from the impression the poem makes, but overall I think they are effective, and certainly innovative.

The black and white photographs are pleasant and obviously the work of an accomplished photographer.  Best of all, they are paired beautifully with the poems and in many cases actually help reveal or enhance the meaning of the poem–something that is fairly rare in these combinations.

The poems, along with their accompanying graphics and photographs are divided into three sections, “Analogs of Being,” “Analogs of Place,” and “Analogs of Memory.”  The poems fit pretty naturally in these categories, and the categories provide and effective way of organizing the work of these three poets/artists.  The poems are of varying quality and impact, but they are all quite obviously the work of accomplished and experienced writers.

Overall this book makes a nice impression with its unusual format.  It is nicely designed and edited and would make a nice addition to any collection of contemporary poetry.  It will be especially appealing for those in search of the unusual in poetry books.

Nancy Milnor is Director of the Rosenberg Library in Galveston, Texas.  Selected as a juried poet by the 1999 Houston Poetry Fest, her work has been published in Lucidity, Galaxy, and Tidelines II, An Anthology of Galveston Writers.  Nancy lives on the Island, and is a member of both the Galveston Writers Coalition, and the Galveston Poets Roundtable. 

TO A CHILD - Judged by SuzAnne Cole

FIRST PLACE - Winner of an electronic $10.00 book gift card from Barnes and Noble.

        Words Become Poems

        Sometimes I take my favorite phrase
        connect it to a word or two
        and suddenly I hear a poem.
        Simple words like sky and blue,
        names of flowers or special pets,
        strung together they become
        poetic thoughts to share with you.

        Janet Parker, Leesburg, FL

JUDGE'S COMMENTS:  The invitation to write poetry is implicit in this poem which simply and beautifully describes  how easy it can be to write poetry--and the point of poetry which is sharing.

EDITORS' COMMENTS:  Gives the child a handle on where to begin writing poetry.  Any writer might benefit from trying to emulate this method of writing.
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SECOND PLACE - Winner of a signed copy of "3 Savanna Blue," by Peggy Lynch, Carlyn Reding, and Glynn Irby.

Words in Motion

When I am bored, I choose a word
Sing it to myself, so it can be perfectly heard
Thinking of another word, which sounds the same
Suddenly, I having fun playing a rhyming game
I piece the words together into a story I can sing
Creating words with motion...a poem which sways and swings.

Denise Nichols, Freeport, NY

JUDGE'S COMMENTS:  Great syncopated rhythm which both supports and proves the poet's point in the last line; poetry swings!
EDITORS' COMMENTS:  Excellent on-topic piece, appealing to a child's mind with a key to creating poetry, expressed in easy-to-appreciate rhythm and rhyme.  Sincere and engaging.
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THIRD PLACE - Winner of a bookmark.

Everyday Poetry

In the morning, the sun writes
on my windowshade, inspiring me to wake up
and look around.  Word pictures follow me all day
in the wind, in the clouds, in the rain, under blue skies
as memories form for a moment and I write them down
so I won't forget.  By evening, darkness tucks me in
as I dream of the poems I will write tomorrow.

Deborah P. Kolodji, Pasadena, CA

JUDGE'S COMMENTS:  Dreamy evocation of how poetry can be a part of daily life, everyday.
EDITORS' COMMENTS:  Encourages the child to view the world through a poet's eyes.  Nice choice of words.
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Carrot Top

If you were a carrot
what would you do,
grow down from your head
or avoid someone's chew?
Just put yourself in some other's shoe
and write about life
as if they were you.
That's how to make your poetry true.

Diane M. Davis, Chelmsford, MA
JUDGE'S COMMENTS:  Brief, easy-to-follow description of one part of the poetic process-adopting the point of view of someone (or something) else.
EDITORS' COMMENTS:  This appeals to the child's imagination and gives specific helpful advice to help with writing a poem.  Following this point of view would certainly help a new poet understand how to begin writing.
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Patchwork Keepsake

Take your spiral notebook and gel pen
For a walk through my woods to the pond
Listen, the woodpecker is matching your heartbeat
Catch the woodsy smells fresh as your shampooed hair
Arrange your mental pictures the way I put swatches on a quilt
Use your pen like a needle with thread capturing your thoughts
Now you have a poem to pass to your children yet to come

Kay Lay Earnest, Smyrna, GA
EDITORS' COMMENTS:  Nice effects...something to see, hear, smell, and something for the imagination to do as the poem is read.  Full of affectionate motherly wisdom.  This might be needlepointed onto a wall-hanging that becomes a family keepsake.


SPRING IN FULL SWING
Judged by:  Maryann Hazen-Stearns, and Kathy Kehrli

FIRST PLACE - Winner of a copy of "Under the Limbo Stick," by Maryanne Hazen-Stearns.

        Harbingers

        Martins light in the loblolly tree
        Bringing spring on purple wings
        Filling winter-weary hearts with glee
        Martins light in the loblolly tree
        Herald April’s splendor for all to see
        The special month when nature sings
        Martins perch in the loblolly tree
        Bringing spring on purple wings

        Lois Lay Castiglioni, Galveston, TX

JUDGES' COMMENTS:  Skillfully rendered. Excellent use of alliteration and internal rhyme, as well as the required end rhyme. A wonderful treat for the tongue to repeat the delightful phrase, "loblolly tree" three times!  Nice visual effect of bringing spring on purple wings.  Loblolly tree has a nice lilting alliterative effect.
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SECOND PLACE - Winner of an electronic $10.00 bgc from Barnes & Noble.

April Arrives

April arrives with warmer days
and gentle nurturing showers.
Showing her kind and thoughtful ways,
April arrives with warmer days.
Now the call of the bright bluejay
comes along with the pretty flowers.
April arrives with warmer days
and gentle nurturing showers.

Janet Parker, Leesburg, FL

JUDGES' COMMENTS:  Excellent cadence and perfectly true to form. This expertly crafted triolet expresses all of April's virtues in one succinct rendition.  Soothing word choice.  Very peaceful.
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THIRD PLACE - Winner of a bookmark.

Freedom from the Frozen Realm

Each day as snow recedes into the spring
earth warms beneath the sun's embracing arms
and welcomes robins home upon their wings.
Each day as snow recedes into the spring
no longer under reign of winter's king
the flowers peek their heads up, free from harm.
Each day as snow recedes into the spring
earth warms beneath the sun's embracing arms.

Diane M. Davis, Chelmsford, MA
JUDGES' COMMENTS:  True to form using lovely imagery. Warmth actually radiates from this triolet.  Excellent iambic pentameter rhythm.  Overall beautiful flow to this poem.
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Paths of Red

Dreaming of a springtime pathway of red
In December I planted dry tulip bulbs
Loosening cold clay for a soft bed
Dreaming of a springtime pathway of red
I watched April's warm sun nudge up each head
Saucy cups sway beside green shrubs
Dreaming of a springtime pathway of red
In December I planted dry tulip bulbs

Kay Lay Earnest, Smyrna, GA
JUDGES' COMMENTS:  Highly visual with good use of near rhyme, as in "bulbs" and "shrubs."  Wonderful sense of awakening and rebirth. "Saucy cups" shows an especially nice use of word choice.
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Grandma's Golden Eves

Goodbye winter! Hello spring!
April the birds begin to sing.
Grandma tells Grandpa, "Hang our porch swing.
It's goodbye winter! Hello spring!
Soon it will be warmer.  We can enjoy the cool nights.
Smelling fragrant lilacs, swinging in the moonlight."
Goodbye winter! Welcome back spring!
April the birds begin to sing.

Denise Nichols, Freeport, NY
JUDGES' COMMENTS:  Spring's exuberance abounds in this happy-go-lucky slice of Americana.  Stirs up all those warm delights that spring is famous for.
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I Drink In the Somnolence

You sleep deeply -- sleep in silence.
The night is my haven.
I drink in the somnolence
as you sleep deeply -- sleep in silence.
I have tasted the nectar of your eloquence,
it is for me to remember Spring.
You sleep deeply -- sleep in silence.
The night is my haven.

Dennis J. Smith, Cedar Falls, IA
JUDGES' COMMENTS:  Very nice use of metaphor and internal rhyme.  Intriguing title.  Beautiful choice of words.
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Welcome to Texas, April Visitors

The birds are thickest at this time of year,
When visitors stop by on their way north.
The center of their favorite route is here.
The birds are thickest at this time of year.
From every branch a twittering we hear;
From every tree gold flutterings spring forth.
The birds are thickest at this time of year,
When visitors stop by on their way north.

Katherine Swarts, Houston, TX
JUDGES' COMMENTS:  Fine use of form with exceptionally good cadence. Charming.  "Gold flutterings" is an excellent use of synesthesia.
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April’s Call

Love’s awakening at April’s call
To vibrant flowers and greening stalks holding hands.
Small tulips sparkle next to others that are tall.
Love’s awake to April’s call.
Birds chirp atop a rose-covered wall
While butterflies sample nectar from flowers across the lands.
Love’s awakened at April’s call
To vibrant flowers and greening stalks holding hands.

Andy Verrett, Kenneth City, FL
JUDGES' COMMENTS:  Beautifully expressed tribute to spring. Colorful images abound. Excellent use of a difficult form.  "Holding hands" extends the "love" metaphor nicely.  Excellent use of imagery.


FINE AMERICAN ARTS
Judged by:  Kathy Kehrli, and Maryann Hazen-Stearns

FIRST PLACE - Winner of an electronic book gift card from Barnes & Noble.

        Cultural Collage

        Rooted in ancient continental cultures, they were
        seeds carried by wind and water. Routed
        by chance - a backward glance before the dance -
        poet, potter, painter, sculptor, scribbler, scrimshander, all
        found this land. Found fresh forage, found fountains. Fed
        well, drank deeply. Old world and new, hand in hand, into
        bright lights of a plane prairie palette, here today:
        American Artists, down from the mountains.

        John E. Rice, Houston, TX

JUDGES' COMMENTS:  Exceptionally deft usage of alliteration, metaphor, internal rhyme, cadence, and enjambment.  The author of this work obviously toiled to take the reader on a delightful journey of sight and sound.  Very nicely done.  Wonderful storytelling, beautiful diversity of arts included.

EDITOR'S COMMENTS:  John Rice was the well-deserving title winner of Sol Magazine's Poet Laureate in both 1999 and 2000.
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SECOND PLACE - Winner of a copy of "Indigo Avenue," by Craig Tigerman.

Summer Ritual

It is spring now, too early
for Hollywood Bowl nights
when we listen to Tchaikovsky
& fireworks light the ebony sky,
light splashes hiding the stars.

The 1812 Overture
plays in my soul's orchestra
& I remember you each time I hear it.

Deborah P. Kolodji, Pasadena, CA
JUDGES' COMMENTS:  The building of expectation, and straightforward presentation of each statement is well done.  This poem aches with both remembrance and desire.  Lovely vocabulary in both word and vision.
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THIRD PLACE - Winner of a bookmark.

An American Muse

I still see him in his studio, in a San Diego courtyard
germinating in wet pregnant palettes
soulful seeds of himself
His wizened, annoyed face dodged
my 12-year old kitten-persistent curiosity until
our eyes met, flashed an ageless synchronous fire
Then he led me to the place on the canvas
between light and dark
where contrast gives birth
and art takes its first breath

Lynette M. Bowen, Webster, TX
JUDGES' COMMENTS:  Excellent use of alliteration, with an outstanding extended metaphor via the language of birth:  germinating, pregnant, gives birth.  Full of marvelous images.  Precise, hard-working adjectives; language so specialized that no other words would have worked as well.
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The Saturday Evening Post

My father, a house painter by trade,
Never finished high school
Nor toured the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Yet he understood every Rockwell illustration
That graced the cover of
His Saturday Evening Post

Lois Lay Castiglioni, Galveston, TX
JUDGES' COMMENTS:  Wonderful comparison of painter-in-trade showing an appreciation for the art form.  Delightful humor.  A moving tribute to the unique ordinariness we each share.
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Hopefully, Harring

Who knew
that some punk kid,
on discovering empty poster holders
would vandalize city property,
inspired by the need
to make a smile
appear on a stranger's face,
bringing solace to a pained world
through faceless, stick-figure people.

Diane M. Davis, Chelmsford, MA
JUDGES' COMMENTS:  Interesting depiction of the increasingly popular art form of graffiti.  Nicely done!  One person's graffiti is another person's masterpiece.
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An American Treasure

Nimble fingers flying over embroidery frames stiffen
Turning to brushes and oil paint at 75 Grandma Moses
Captured childhood memories of broad landscapes
Filled with country homes and  candle dipping
Road breaking sleigh rides and farm workers
Primitive paintings of steady rural values

Kay Lay Earnest, Smyrna, GA
JUDGES' COMMENTS:  Art spans all generations.  This poem poignantly reminds that age may bring clarity and focus to canvas or page. Fine use of metre and line break to create a vivid portrayal of Americana at its best.


FIRST POETS CONTEST:  POETRY IN MOTION
Judged by Craig Tigerman, Lead Editor

Winner of a copy of "Tidelines, an Anthology of Galveston Writers."

        Octopi

        From tip to tip, arms writhe and slip,
        sly restless, slithering color whips.
        Slow-motion crawlers radiate and sink,
        ripple and blink, sucking velocity from indigo ink.
        Pouring out of their shrouded lairs,
        their baleful eyes glare, their fury bares.
        Brooding and plotting, expanding storms
        slyly drag their writhing forms along the paths of confident arms.
        I worry when they descend from burrows. They hurry,
        leaping and whipping like gossamer, a slurry
        of tentacles flying from amphorae and pots.
        Their suckering plots connect the dots
        to imagination. Like grasping primordial drains,
        unthinkably alien octopi draw fear from slow swimmers' brains.

        Candace A. York, Austin,TX

EDITOR'S COMMENTS:  Comments: The rhythm and internal/external rhymes lend a "creepy crawly" feeling to this well-written observance of octopi in motion.  A delight to read, with a wealth of visual images and descriptive phrasings.  Well done!


THE BEST POEM OF APRIL
Judged by Craig Tigerman, Paula Marie Bentley, Kathy Kehrli

        "Ancients"

        a flash streaks, bolts
        an ancient splits
        for days the rain
        poured, knew this one
        mother nature tagged
        would fall
        before wind's breath
        blushed faintest warmth
        roots never saw
        the sky shoot fire
        too busy drowning
        underground
        the forest always
        hears death sounds
        needs no mortal ears around
        adorns their dead
        with fragrant moss
        tucks ferns that spread, fan
        brightest green
        in honor of these ancient ones
        that stood for unknown centuries

        Rochelle E Zumwalt, Federal Way, WA

JUDGES' COMMENTS:  Succinct word choice.  The title word is skillfully employed throughout, not fully revealed until the final lines.  A beautiful poem that speaks to the power of nature.  Nicely done.  Well woven tale of the end of a single tree.  The stream-of-consciousness style of writing truly lends itself to the breathless nature of the work.  The ending reflects both the beginning and the title, implying the circuitous nature of Nature.  Vivid imagery throughout makes this a strong piece.


FROG HAIKU
Sponsor:  Cliff Thomas Roberts
Judged by Cliff Thomas Roberts

FIRST PLACE - Winner of an electronic $10.00 Book Gift Certificate from Amazon.com.

        swamp frog's
        swelling throat
        full moon

        Ross Clark, Brisbane, Qld, Australia

JUDGE'S COMMENT:  Amazingly visual.  Wonderful use of "swamp" as a descriptive word.
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SECOND PLACE -  Winner of a copy of "The Haiku Seasons, Poetry of the Natural World, by William J. Higgison."

tree frog perched
on strand of lemon grass
delicate chirping

Paul Boor, Galveston, TX
JUDGE'S COMMENTS:  The "strand of lemon grass" and "delicate chirping" clearly show the tiny size of the frog.  Excellent visual effect.
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THIRD PLACE - Winner of a bookmark.

sound of silence
broken by
spring peepers

Lois Lay Castiglioni Galveston, TX
JUDGE'S COMMENTS:  Tranquil and beautiful in its simplicity.
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Pollywogs in puddles
Ripple wiggles and splashes
Squiggle flipping

Ron Blanton, Alpharetta, Ga
JUDGE'S COMMENTS:  Lively alliteration wonderfully illustrates the pollywogs' movements.
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murk puddles dance
with tadpoles struggling
against the sun

Bradley Cole, Houston, TX
JUDGE'S COMMENTS:  Good word choice.
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cloud crossing moonlight
punctuates the wind’s sighs
unseen chorus trills

Mike Gregory, Corpus Christi, TX
JUDGE'S COMMENTS:  Well done.
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jumping frogs splash noise
into the winter quiet
new music of spring

Deborah P. Kolodji, Pasadena, CA
JUDGE'S COMMENTS:  Effective bridging of the seasons.
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ancient pledge
witnessed by frogs
spring released

Roland Miranda, Garland, TX
JUDGE'S COMMENTS:  Deep and ancient in feeling, primal and sacred.
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Lonesome croak of frog
Sitting in a lily pad
Tells me, hear the spring

Idamarie Naelitz, Lorain, OH
JUDGE'S COMMENTS:  Unusual wording in the last line.
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dancing moonlit pond
Spring concert at wateredge
cricket-frog duet

Denise Nichols, Freeport, NY
JUDGE'S COMMENTS:  Is the narrator dancing around the pond, the moonlight dancing across the surface, frogs leaping in, causing the pond to ripple and dance?
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garnet butterfly
emerald frog snaps long pink tongue
jewelry exchanged

John E. Rice, Houston, TX
JUDGE'S COMMENTS:  Exquisitely beautiful, vividly visual.
EDITORS' COMMENTS:  Lovely, delicately beautiful, imbued with the essence of haiku.
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absence of color
frog in grayscale diffusion
inefficacious vision

Dennis J. Smith, Cedar Falls, IA
JUDGE'S COMMENTS:  A reminder of yin and yang, where nothing is only black or white.
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water's edge
into the ripples
webbed feet

James M. Thompson, Baytown, TX
JUDGE'S COMMENTS:  Almost a fleeting peek at Master Basho's unseen, yet heard, pond frog.
 


 

Sol Magazine will mail no book prizes to poets outside the United States of America.  Electronic book gift certificates will be substituted.  No exceptions.
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Have a comment?  Want to be added to our list?  Want to be taken off our list?
Write to us at:  Sol.Magazine@prodigy.net

Or at:
Sol Magazine
P.O. Box 580037, Houston, TX  77258-0037
Phone number:  (281)316-2255 weekdays 8-5.

Sol Magazine's Website:  http://www.sol-magazine.com

So you want to be judge, guest editor, interviewee?  Tell us.  Judges are asked to write a guest editorial on a topic we set before being invited to judge a contest.
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All poetry remains the property of the poet, except Sol Magazine reserves the right to publish all poems (once) at a future date, and/or to post them to a web page.  NONE may be reproduced without permission of Sol Magazine.  Electronic forwarding is permitted as long as no portion of this magazine is changed and all credits are given.
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Sponsors in 2001:  Lois Lay Castiglioni, SuzAnne Cole, Marsha Steed, Leo F. Waltz, Cliff Thomas Roberts
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Angels in 2001:  Leo F. Waltz.
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Book donors in 2001:  Paula Marie Bentley, SuzAnne Cole, Katherine Elmore, Glynn Monroe Irby, Peggy Zuleika Lynch, Carlyn Luke Reding, Kathleen Elizabeth Schaefer, Craig Tigerman, Maryann Hazen-Stearns, Cliff Thomas Roberts.

Corporate book donors:  Flying Cow Productions, Bookstop.  New sponsors and angels always welcomed.  Thanks for your support.
 

Sol Magazine, P.O. Box 580037, Houston, TX  77258-0037
Phone number:  281-316-2255       Call weekdays 8-5 (CT)
Send comments, questions, advice to:
Sol.Magazine@prodigy.net

Sol Magazine © 2001
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