Joy Harjo (b 1951), Mvskoke (Creek) Poet, Musician, author and key player in the second wave of the Native Merican Renaissance (literary efflorescence)
All you have to do is listen to the news or browse through Facebook or Twitter or the blogosphere to know that people are in pain and fear – personal, political, cultural. Two or three years ago Joy Harjo invited us to share her poem and after the news tonight, I thought this might be a good time to post it again. / J.D.
Because of the fear monster infecting this country, I have been asked for this poem, this song. Feel free to use it, record it, and share. Please give credit. This poem came when I absolutely needed it. I was young and nearly destroyed by fear. I almost didn’t make it to twenty-three. This poem was given to me to share.” Joy Harjo
Fear Poem, or I Give You Back
I release you, my beautiful and terrible
fear. I release you. You were my beloved
and hated twin, but now, I don’t know you
as myself. I release you with all the
pain I would know at the death of
my children.
You are not my blood anymore.
I give you back to the soldiers
who burned down my home, beheaded my children,
raped and sodomized my brothers and sisters.
I give you back to those who stole the
food from our plates when we were starving.
I release you, fear, because you hold
these scenes in front of me and I was born
with eyes that can never close.
I release you
I release you
I release you
I release you
I am not afraid to be angry.
I am not afraid to rejoice.
I am not afraid to be black.
I am not afraid to be white.
I am not afraid to be hungry.
I am not afraid to be full.
I am not afraid to be hated.
I am not afraid to be loved.
to be loved, to be loved, fear.
Oh, you have choked me, but I gave you the leash.
You have gutted me but I gave you the knife.
You have devoured me, but I laid myself across the fire.
I take myself back, fear.
You are not my shadow any longer.
I won’t hold you in my hands.
You can’t live in my eyes, my ears, my voice
my belly, or in my heart my heart
my heart my heart
But come here, fear
I am alive and you are so afraid
of dying.
…With a double shot of heart, beauty, freedom, peace and grace that blends traditional Native rhythms and singing with jazz, rock, blues and hip-hip,
Harjo is right at the top of the best contemporary American poetry and music artists.”
—Thomas Rain Crow, The Bloomsbury Review
Poet and writer, I was once columnist and associate editor of a regional employment publication. I currently run this site, The Poet by Day, an information hub for poets and writers. I am the managing editor of The BeZine published by The Bardo Group Beguines (originally The Bardo Group), a virtual arts collective I founded. I am a weekly contributor to Beguine Again, a site showcasing spiritual writers. My work is featured in a variety of publications and on sites, including: Levure littéraure, Ramingo’s Porch, Vita Brevis Literature,Compass Rose, Connotation Press, The Bar None Group, Salamander Cove, Second Light, I Am Not a Silent Poet, Meta / Phor(e) /Play, and California Woman. My poetry was recently read byNorthern California actor Richard Lingua for Poetry Woodshed, Belfast Community Radio. I was featured in a lengthy interview on the Creative Nexus Radio Show where I was dubbed “Poetry Champion.”
“One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and, if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship
CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS
Opportunity Knocks
ARABESQUES REVIEW is an international Algerian English-language poetry. literature, and cultural review that publishes original poetry, criticism, interviews, fiction, nonfiction, essays, translations, social and political commentary, art and photographs. Details HERE.
AJI MAGAZINE publishes poetry, fiction, literary nonfiction, graphic art and photography. Submissions are open through (their guesstimate) mid-January 2019. The theme for the spring issue is emerald. No submission fee. Details HERE
CHERRY TREE (Washington College) will open for submissions of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and literary shade on August 1, 2019. Mark your calendars. Payment: $20 and two copies. Details HERE.
DOPPEL HOUSE PRESS accepts queries for feature articles for The Nomadic Journal. Details HERE.
DUM DUM ZINE publishes experimental work: “hybrid fiction and poetry, text message interviews, experimental music and art reviews, prank email chains, crowd-sourced community photo projects, and even serialized radio plays.” Submissions are welcome on a rolling basis. Details HERE.
FROM EVERYWHERE A LITTLE: A MIGRATION ANTHOLOGY is being assembled by a writer, Lisa Vihos, from Wisconsin. “… we are looking to create an anthology of poems that speaks to the broadly defined theme of “migration.” This includes migration (of people, animals, and ideas), immigration (in current events and throughout history), cultural movement through time and space, taking root in a place, finding home wherever we find ourselves, and being a collaborative citizen of the world. Like we said, it is a BROAD theme. The collection is tentatively called “From Everywhere a Little: A Migration Anthology” and it is inspired by the words of Uruguayan singer/songwriter Jorge Drexler who wrote in his song Movimiento (Movement): “I’m not from here / But you’re not either / From nowhere entirely / From everywhere a little” Payment: contributor copy. No submission fee. Further detail on Facebook HERE.
GUERNICA MAGAZINE welcomes submissions of news, reviews and commentary, essays, memoir, reportage, interviews, fiction, and poetry. No submission fee. Details HERE.
HANGING LOSE PRESS publishes poems, stories, and reviews and welcomes emerging writers, and includes a special section and special guidelines for high school writers. (This is Sherman Alexie’s publisher, by the way.) Details HERE.
LIMINALITY POETRY, A Magazine of Speculative Poetry asks: “In anthropological terms, liminality is the midpoint of a ritual: the threshold where a person is no longer quite who they were, not yet who they might become. In between masks, what face might you have? What might you be in transit? Where will you go? Everything is possible in that moment; change is its own goal. Liminality is the space between.” Liminality Poetry is open for submissions through November 30. Payment: $10. Details HERE.
PRETTY OWL POETRY publishes poetry, flash fiction, and art. No charge for submissions but there is an option to make a donation. Details HERE.
SPILLWAY, A POETRY MAGAZINE is an annual published by Tebot Back, Inc. It includes poetry, reviews and articles. Submissions for 2019 should open early in the year. Watch the site. Details HERE.
VOLNEY ROAD REVIEW publishes fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and art and is open for submissions through February 1, 2019. Payment: $10 on acceptance. Details HERE.
REMINDERS:
The Poet by Day
WEDNESDAY WRITING PROMPT
Response deadline is Monday, November 12, at 8 p.m. Pacific. Poems on theme are published on this site on Tuesday, the October 23. Details HERE.
The BeZine
Call for submissions for the December issue.
THE BeZINE, Be Inspired, Be Creative, Be Peace, Be.
Submissions for the December issue – themed A Life of the Spirit – is extended to NOVEMBER 30 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.
Please send text in the body of the email not as an attachment. Send photographs or illustrations as attachments. No google docs or Dropbox or other such. No rich text. Send submissions to bardogroup@gmail.com.
Publication is December 15th. Poetry, essays, fiction and creative nonfiction, art and photography, music (videos or essays), and whatever lends itself to online presentation is welcome for consideration.
No demographic restrictions.
Please read at least one issue. We DO NOT publish anything that promotes hate, divisiveness or violence or that is scornful or in any way dismissive of “other” peoples.
The BeZine is an entirely volunteer effort, a mission. It is not a paying market but neither does it charge submission or subscription fees.
Previously published work may be submitted IF you hold the copyright. Submissions from beginning and emerging artists as well as pro are encouraged and we have a special interest in getting more submissions of short stores, feature articles, music videos and art for consideration.
Prolific Yorkshire Poet, Paul Brookes
FYI: Paul Brookes, a stalwart participant in The Poet by Day Wednesday Writing Prompt, is running an ongoing series on poets, Wombwell Rainbow Interviews. Connect with Paul if you’d like to be considered for an interview. Visit him, enjoy the interviews, get introduced to some poets who may be new to you, and learn a few things.
NARRATIVE MAGAZINE’s fall contest will close for entries on November 30th and is open for short stories, essays, memoirs, photo essays, graphic stories, and literary nonfiction. Cash awards. $26 entry fee. Details HERE.
STROKESTOWN INTERNATION POETRY FESTIVAL 2019 COMPETITIONS: The International Poetry Prize (English language), The Duais de hÍde (Irish language prize) and The Percy French Prize for witty verse are open to entries through 7th December 2018. For further information about each prize, click on the name of the competition above. The Roscommon Poet’s Prize and The Schools’ Competitions will launch on January 8th 2019, and close on February 15th 2019. The prizes will be awarded for all competitions at the 2019 Festival, 2nd – 6th May in Strokestown.
Trivia: Sesame Street was born forty-nine years ago yesterday.
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The Poet by Day, Wednesday Writing Prompt, online every week (except for vacation) and all are invited to take part no matter the stage of career or status. Poems related to the challenge of the week (always theme based not form based) will be published here on the following Tuesday.
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THE BeZINE, Be Inspired, Be Creative, Be Peace, Be – always online HERE.
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YOUR SUNDAY ANNOUNCEMENTS may be emailed to thepoetbyday@gmail.com. Please do so at least a week in advance.
If you would like me to consider reviewing your book, chapbook, magazine or film, here are some general guidelines:
send PDF to jamiededes@gmail.com (Note: I have a backlog of six or seven months, so at this writing I suggest you wait until June 2018 to forward anything.Thank you!)
nothing that foments hate or misunderstanding
nothing violent or encouraging of violence
English only, though Spanish is okay if accompanied by translation
your book or other product should be easy for readers to find through your site or other venues.
TO CONTACT ME WITH ANNOUNCEMENTS AND OTHER INFORMATION FOR THE POET BY DAY: thepoetbyday@gmail.com
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PLEASE do not mix the communications between the two emails.
Often information is just that–information– and not necessarily recommendation. I haven’t worked with all the publications or other organizations featured in my regular Sunday Announcements or other announcements shared on this site. Awards and contests are often (generally) a means to generate income, publicity and marketing mailing lists for the host organizations, some of which are more reputable than others. I rarely attend events anymore. Caveat Emptor: Please be sure to verify information for yourself before submitting work, buying products, paying fees or attending events et al.
Poet and writer, I was once columnist and associate editor of a regional employment publication. I currently run this site, The Poet by Day, an information hub for poets and writers. I am the managing editor of The BeZine published by The Bardo Group Beguines (originally The Bardo Group), a virtual arts collective I founded. I am a weekly contributor to Beguine Again, a site showcasing spiritual writers. My work is featured in a variety of publications and on sites, including: Levure littéraure, Ramingo’s Porch, Vita Brevis Literature,Compass Rose, Connotation Press, The Bar None Group, Salamander Cove, Second Light, I Am Not a Silent Poet, Meta / Phor(e) /Play, and California Woman. My poetry was recently read byNorthern California actor Richard Lingua for Poetry Woodshed, Belfast Community Radio. I was featured in a lengthy interview on the Creative Nexus Radio Show where I was dubbed “Poetry Champion.”
Jamie Dedes' THE POET BY DAY Webzine 