OUR THEME THIS MONTH:
POETRY in honor of
interNATIONAL POETRY MONTH
Mid-wife
A poem is as new as beginnings,
as fresh as the first day at school.
A poem is as bright as our admiration
for courage, our respect for freedom.
A poem is as early as the first leaf,
as white as the most swan-white cloud.
A poem is a drop of rain, a little
convex mirror with the prime of day in it.
A poem is so raw, so young that it has grown
no first, second or third skin.
– Dilys Wood, All rights reserved
April 15, 2015
Poetry is that particular way of organizing our thoughts and imagination into music, emotion, image and story. Through poetry we live hugely, with more beauty, and we seek to break the limitations of our minds, to understand the powers that are living us (to borrow from Auden) and connect with the rest of humankind and that ineffable something that is greater than ourselves. It is both art and meditative practice. Ultimately it becomes a collaboration between writer and reader.
Celebrating poetry in April for interNational Poetry Month has been a Bardo Group tradition since 2011. This year, together with our partner, Second Light Network, our core team and our guest poets we bring you – as poets and poetry lovers – a rich collection of poems, resources and inspiration.
We are pleased to partner with Second Light Network of Women Poets and to bring to your attention the work of 100,000 Poets for Change and Stephen F. Austin State University Press, which recently published a new biography of Sylvia Plath by Julia Gordon-Bramer. Ms. Gordon-Bramer explores Plath’s work through her well known interest in Tarot and Qabalah.
It occurred to me as I was putting the final touches on this month’s The BeZine that there is a sub theme: the way poets reach out not only with words – but with actions – to help make the world a better place. Second Light Network reaches out to support women poets in their later years. 100,000 Poets for Change is a global effort to raise awareness of environmental issues, climate change and human rights issues. Poet Silva Zanoyan Merjanian, a Lebanese-American of Armenian decent, is donating the sales of her second book, Rumor (Cold River Press), to the Syrian Armenian Relief Fund.
Second Light Network (SLN) of Women Poets
Founded by English poet Dilys Wood, SLN is all about encouraging and promoting the work of women in their third act, especially those who are coming to poetry for the first time late in life. Full membership is open to women over forty years and affiliate membership is open to those under forty. Visit Second Life Live for details. Membership is not limited to residents of the U.K.
SLN sponsors classes (including remote classes), is often able to make special arrangements for disabled, and publishes anthologies of women’s work and ARTEMISpoetry magazine (May and November). While the network is for women only, the poetry is for everyone.
– Jamie Dedes
The HEADER this month is the work of our AmeriQuebeckian poet Annie Wyndham, who publishes Salamander Cove. It has an irregular schedule. There’s a fine archive of poems from some of the world’s finest poets.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BOOK EXCERPT
Fixed Stars Govern A Life: Decoding Sylvia Plath by Julia Gordon-Bramer.
SECOND LIGHT NETWORK (SLN) OF WOMEN POETS
About SLN
Second Light Welcomes Women Poets
Comments on Second Light: organization, publications and remote workshops
Enthusiastic Supporters of Second Light
Features from ARTEMISpoetry
Three Young Poets on Plath’s Influence by Kim Moore, Lavinia Singer and Sarah Westcott
We As Human Beings Must Not Forget, An Interview with Argentinian Poet Ana Becciú by Maria Jastrzębska
My Life in Poetry by Ann Stevenson
Petronella Checks Submission Guidelines by Kate Foley
100,000 POETS FOR CHANGE
Poets and Artists Raise Awareness, Work to Inspire Positive Change
Poems
Past Master by John Anstie
The Dream of a Poet by John Anstie
Le Fée Verte, Absinthe by Jamie Dedes
Blue Echo by Jamie Dedes
Wabi Sabi by Jamie Dedes
Father Sky by Priscilla Galasso
Morning Dove by Priscilla Galasso
How to Write a Poem by Joseph Hesch
The Saints in My Rain by Silva Zanoyan Merjanian; artwork by Steve McCabe
Converge by Silva Zanoyan Merjanian
race by Lilianna Negoi
The Will of the Quill by Corina Ravenscraft
Survival by Myra Schneider
Reel to Reel by Anne Stewart
Double Dutch by Terri Stewart
Reasons by Blaga Todorova
After Neruda by Blaga Todorova
Our Stories by Annie Wyndham
The BeZine, Issue 5
The BeZine, Issue 4
The BeZine, Issue 3
The BeZine, Issue 2
The BeZine, Issue 1
The Bardo Group/Beguine Again on Facebook
The BeZine 
You’ve got a great group going, Jamie! I am sorry to be so taken up with just getting through life at the moment! Hopefully can get freer soon! K.
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I would dearly love to have you join in K. Whenever you are ready. Hugs!
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Thanks! You are always very kind. K.
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