SECOND LIGHT 20th ANNIVERSARY! The Bardo Group community extends to Second Light Network (women poets forty-years old or better) our best wishes, appreciation, and congratulations for its on-target focus, fine work and unrelenting commitment to poets, poetry, and to giving women in their third act a second chance. Special kudos to poet and founder, Dilys Wood, and all those who provide regular support to us here at The Bardo Group especially poets Myra Schneider who keeps us informed, provides us with wonderful poetry and instructive feature articles and Ann Stewart who so ably assists us with the details of coordination.
SECOND LIGHT POETRY COMPETITION DEADLINE: TUESDAY 17th JUNE. Judge: Multi-award-winning JACKIE KAY. Long and Short Poems by Women. (‘Long’ = 50+ lines). 1st Prize £300 (in each category). More cash & book prizes + publication in ARTEMISpoetry + London reading. Enter by post or online.
Amongst Jackie Kay’s many poetry awards and prizes are the Forward, Saltire, Scottish Arts Council (for The Adoption Papers) and a shortlisting for Costa. She also writes award-winning fiction both for adults and children, and for stage and TV. She is Professor of Creative Writing at Newcastle University. She was awarded an MBE in 2006, and made a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2002.
£300 First Prize for each of Long (no upper limit) and Short (max 50 lines) poems
£100 Second Prize (1 poem from either category)
£50 Third Prize (1 poem from either category)
Commended poets: book prizes
Winning & Commended Poets published (in full or extract) in ARTEMISpoetry
A reading will be organised for winners in London in Autumn 2014.
Entry: £6 each per long poem. Short poems: £4 each or £9 for 3, £14 for 8. Enter by post (2 copies) or online.
Complete details HERE. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALTHOUGH SECOND LIGHT NETWORK OF WOMEN POETS IS BASED IN ENGLAND, MEMBERSHIP IS OPEN WORLDWIDE AND SUBMISSIONS TO ARTEMISpoetry and to various anthologies and competitions are considered from women anywhere in the world. You do not need to be a member to submit your work to be considered for publication.
A BEA IN YOUR BONNET, FIRST STING: If Charlie Martin has felt his ears ringing this month, it’s probably because we’ve been reading – and talking about – his newest collection and are delighted with it. It was worth the wait. It’s filled with humor, irony and folksy wisdom.
Charlie says, “Bea In Your Bonnet: First Sting is a collection of germinal poems featuring Aunt Bea. Aunt Bea’s voice is one I’ve heard almost every day of my life. Family observations, lessons, and advice given to me and every other family member who had the good sense to listen. Her homespun philosophy most likely will not be found in any collegiate textbooks or for that matter in any local town crier newspaper catering to city dwellers. Indeed, she has a different way of viewing the world; a bit old fashion, sassy, and steely at times but a viewpoint which has engaged my imagination and heart. I sincerely hope you too will find some morsel of wisdom in her personal observations and interpretations of life’s events, but do watch out for her stingers.”
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“YOU BRING TO THE ACT OF PHOTOGRAPHY all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.” Ansel Adams (1902-1984), American photographer and environmentalist
interNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY MONTH: We’ve spent a good portion of our May posts on photography in honor of this celebration. We’ve explored photography as art, journalism, documentary, story, creative outlet, means to enter sacred space and as spiritual practice. In case you’ve missed any of these delicious and sometime provocative posts, here are the links/subjects covered:
interNational Photography Month, join us in celebrating this art form, May 1
The Very Picture, a photo-essay/story by Naomi Baltuck, May 2
Sacred Space in the Frame, a Sunday meditation by Terri Stewart, May 4
St. Louis Arch, a meditation by Liz Rice-Sosne (a.k.a. Raven Spirit), May 5
Life is Like a Camera, May 9
Sacred Space in Photograph: Perspective, a Sunday meditation by Terri Stewart, May 11
interNational Photography Month: Wordless Wednesday essay and event host, Prisciall Galasso, May 14
About My Friend, Wendy Alger, Fine Arts Photographer by Jamie Dedes, May 16
Sacred Space and Light, a Sunday meditation by Terri Stewart, May 18
Through a Lens Darkly: How African-Americans Use Photography to Shape Their Cultural Representation, May 18
Tempest in a Teapot, a photo essay/story by Naomi Baltuck, May 20
Travel Themes: Blossoms by Imelda de Castro-Santore, May 20
Fusion: The Synergy of Images and Words by Steve McCurry, May 21
Expanding the Circle: The Engaged Photographer, May 22
Photoshopping My Life by Charles W. Martin
stalking the wild tombstone by Jamie Dedes, May 24
Sacred Space and Photography: Light v 2, a Sunday meditation by Terri Stewart
TIDBITS: Niamh Clune reports that she is busy busy expanding Plum Tree Books children’s division. Liz Rice-Sosne (noh where) and Jamie Dedes (The Poet by Day) have both moved to new digs and are recuperating from exhausing work and the many complications (anticipated and unanticipated) that are always involved in such endeavors. Both will be back online more frequently soon, as will Liliana Negoi (Endless Journey and in Romanian curcubee în alb şi negru) who has been up to some truly interesting things, which we hope she’ll share with us.
and Golden Lens Awards to:
- Terri Stewart (Begin Again ~ Slow Down, Begin Again, Spiritual Practices in Context) who has done such a superb job in that place where photography meets spiritual practice.
- Priscilla Galasso (scillagrace) who did a fabulous job on our first ever Wordless Wednesday.
- Naomi Baltuck (Between the Lines: Life from the Writer’s POV) for her wonderful stories told with many photographs and few words. Naomi says that she has some 30,000 photographs in her collections from travel and everyday life, which her brother is helping her organize.
- Corina Ravenscraft, dragonkatet (Dragon’s Dreams) who did such a touching photo of Planet MoM. Check it out if you haven’t as yet.
- Pat Baily (A New Day: Living Life Almost Gracefully) and Roger Allen Baut (Contemplative Photographic Art) for the endless inspiration of their work. They have not been featured here (yet?); but, we do recommend visits to their sites. P.S.: look for Roger’s interview with John Anstie (My Poetry Library and 42) coming up on Roger’s BlogTalk Radio Show. The interview will include John’s poetry reading.
WRITER’S FOURTH WEDNESDAY/Coming up 28 May: Writers’ Fourth Wednesday prompt is hosted by poet, novelist and writing coach, Victoria C. Slotto, from January through October. Victoria’s next Fourth Wednesday writers’ prompt will post at 12:01 a.m. PST on May 28. Please join us. Mister Linky will remain open for seventy-two hours so that you can link your response to this blog.If you find Mister Linky too combersom to use, please feel free to leave your link in the comments section on Wednesday. Victoria and Jamie will read and comment and we hope you will read each other’s work as well, comment and encourage.
THE BEST FOR LAST:
POETS AND ARTISTS OF EVERY ILK GATHER FOR POSITIVE CHANGE AROUND THE WORLD: As part of the planning process for 100,000 Poets for Change in Septermber, we are interviewing one of the founders of the event, Michael Rothenberg, poet, songwriter, editor and environmentalist. (Terri Carrion, poet, writer and photographer is the other founder.) We will complete the interview and deliver it here sometime in June. It’s a work in progress right now. The Bardo Group is officially partnered with 100,000 Poets for Change. We will sponsor a virtual event. Liz Rice-Sosne (noh where) hosts.
Thank you to all who share their extraordinary and diverse works here, to those who read and comment, and to those who spread the word and reblog posts. Thanks to the Core Team for their consistency, commitment, and professionalism. You rock!
In the spirit of peace, love and community,
THE BARDO GROUP
The Bardo Group, Facebook Page
bardogroup@gmail.com
Photo credits ~ all portraits belong to those whom they picture unless otherwise indicated; roses by Jamie Dedes, © 2014, All rights reserved; 100,000 Poets for Change banner belongs to that organization.
The BeZine 