“ . . . for there is nothing heavier than compassion. Not even one’s own pain weighs so heavy as the pain one feels with someone, for someone, a pain intensified by the imagination and prolonged by a hundred echoes.” The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera
COMPASSION ANTHOLOGY has been publishing anthologies of “compassion-based works of visual art, essays, stories, poems and video” since 2015. The editors are interested in work that inspires and engages compassionate tendencies including mindfulness and meditation. It is partnered with The Charter for Compassion founded by Karen Armstrong. Submissions are open through January 31, 2019for the next anthology, which is themed “Mercy for the Displaced.”
“key terms: refugees, caravan, California fires, Puerto Rico, hurricanes, Syria, illegal immigrants, family separation, deportation, RAICES*, domestic violence)”. RAICES is a refugee aid project in South Texas.
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.”
“What if our religion was each other. If our practice was our life. If prayer, our words. What if the temple was the Earth. If forests were our church. If holy water–the rivers, lakes, and ocean. What if meditation was our relationships. If the teacher was life. If wisdom was self-knowledge. If love was the center of our being.” Ganga White, teacher and exponent of Yoga and founder of White Lotus, a Yoga center and retreat house in Santa Barbara, CA
“Every pair of eyes facing you has probably experienced something you could not endure.” Lucille Clifton
Thank you for sharing your love of words. Comments will appear after moderation.
John Oliver at the 2016 Montclair Film Festival, photo courtesy of Neil Grabowsky under CC BY 2.0.
Comedian John Oliver to Serve as Master of Ceremonies at PEN America Literary Gala, May 21 at the American Museum of Natural History, NY.
Today PEN America announced that comedian and Last Week Tonight creator and host John Oliver will host of this year’s PEN America Literary Gala where New York’s literary, activist, cultural and social life collides in a celebration of free expression.
The event will honor:
Bob Woodward, the investigative journalist who has held the White House accountable for decades through his no-holds-barred books and journalism, with the PEN America Literary Service Award.
Scholastic Chairman and CEO Richard Robinson will be this year’s Publisher Honoree, for his outstanding leadership in bringing millions of children worldwide credible information and inspiring books that help them navigate the world around them.
This year’s host and honorees are each distinguished for their commitment to truth, an essential value at the heart of PEN America’s mission to safeguard open discourse and press freedom. The Gala—at which leading authors sit among nearly 1,000 guests as Literary Hosts—takes place Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at the American Museum of Natural History (Central Park West at 79th Street, New York City).
As the event approaches, PEN America will announce the 2019 winners of the other prestigious awards presented at the gala:
the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award (given in 2018 to Myanmar reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo), honoring an imprisoned writer or artist persecuted for exercising their right to free expression; and
the PEN/Toni and James C. Goodale Freedom of Expression Courage Award (conferred in 2018 to leaders in youth activism against gun violence Samantha Fuentes, Cameron Kasky, and Zion Kelly), recognizing an individual or group that embodies courage in self-expression.
Journalist and Author, Bob Woodward, Public Domain Photograph
The PEN America Literary Service Award is given each year to a cultural luminary whose efforts help us understand and interpret the human condition in powerful and original ways. Past awardees include Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, Toni Morrison, Tom Stoppard, Philip Roth and Margaret Atwood, and this year the award celebrates Bob Woodward for his illustrious and prolific career as an author and journalist.
From his coverage of the Watergate scandal and Richard Nixon’s role in the ensuing cover-up, to, more recently, the “remarkable feat of reporting” (The New Yorker) of his examination of a chaotic presidency in which has sold nearly two million copies, Woodward has pioneered a form of political journalism that has achieved unmatched power in informing the public about the inner workings at the pinnacle of government. Across his 19 national non-fiction bestseller books (13 of which were #1 bestsellers), countless articles and work as an associate editor of The Washington Post, Woodward’s intrepid reporting has moved citizens from across the political spectrum and around the globe to hold their leaders accountable and cast better informed votes.
“Throughout his decades-long career and innumerable political bombshells that he has revealed, Bob Woodward’s scrupulous reporting and meticulous sourcing have set the standard for dogged and objective reporting and gripping storytelling,” said PEN America Chief Executive Officer Suzanne Nossel. “His work has helped fortify American democracy for decades and reminds us of the potency of truth and the essential role of a free and fearless press at a time when these values are under attack in Washington and around the world.”
Scholastic Headquarters, NY by Matthew Bisanz under CC BY-SA 3.0
The PEN America Literary Gala pays tribute to the role of publishers and writers in bringing great works to a wide audience and using the written word to bridge divides. Last year, Simon and Schuster President and CEO Carolyn Reidy was named the PEN America Publishing Honoree, and PEN America this year turns to publishing powerhouse Richard Robinson as this year’s Publishing Honoree. With Robinson at the helm for more than 40 years, Scholastic has informed the next generation and inspired them to be empathetic, engaged citizens. PEN America celebrates Richard Robinson for his unparalleled leadership of Scholastic. Whether through the high-quality children’s literature the company publishes and distributes around the world, or the classroom magazines which present news and current events in an age-appropriate way to 15 million students each year, Scholastic tirelessly engages children’s intellects, imaginations, and social consciences.
“At a time of sharp polarization and fragmented media consumption habits, Scholastic stands out as a beacon of credible, verified non-fiction and great books that are trusted and treasured by teachers, parents, and students around the world, and across race, ethnicity, and political persuasion,” said PEN America President Jennifer Egan. “Richard Robinson has done a remarkable job of forging Scholastic’s essential role as a lingua franca of American civic and literary education. By providing common ground through unforgettable stories and characters and balanced perspectives, he ratifies the power of the written word to transcend cultural divisions.”
The PEN America Literary Gala is a highlight of the annual New York literary and social calendar that leaves its guests moved and inspired to redouble their efforts in defense of truth, facts, the role of the media, and open dialogue as foundations of democracy. Proceeds of the dinner are crucial to PEN America’s cultural programming and critical advocacy work.
Tickets to the 2019 PEN Literary Gala will go on sale in March. To inquire about table sponsorship opportunities, contact Jafreen Uddin at juddin@pen.org or 646.779.4815.
***
PEN America nonprofit logo under fair use
Pen America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect open expression in the United States and worldwide. It champions the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Its mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible.
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.”
“What if our religion was each other. If our practice was our life. If prayer, our words. What if the temple was the Earth. If forests were our church. If holy water–the rivers, lakes, and ocean. What if meditation was our relationships. If the teacher was life. If wisdom was self-knowledge. If love was the center of our being.” Ganga White, teacher and exponent of Yoga and founder of White Lotus, a Yoga center and retreat house in Santa Barbara, CA
“Every pair of eyes facing you has probably experienced something you could not endure.” Lucille Clifton
Thank you for sharing your love of words. Comments will appear after moderation.
“The soul is silent. If it speaks at all it speaks in dreams.” It Is Daylight, Louise Gluck
CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS
Opportunity Knocks
BOSTON REVIEW is currently reading query letters and unsolicited nonfiction up to 5,000 words. Watch the site for its 2019 poetry and fiction contest announcement. Details HERE.
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY MAGAZINE, Helping Families Thrive™ discusses marriage and parenting from a biblical perspective and has an open call for article submissions. Writers’ guidelines are HERE.
THE GOOD MEN PROJECT (in its seventh year) has on ongoing open call for articles that “spark an international conversation about the changing roles for men in the 21st century.” No submission fee. Optional membership fee. Details HERE.
GUERNICA, a magazine of global arts & politics, publishes fiction, nonfiction, poetry and art. Calls for submissions will reopen in February. Watch the site.
HAUNTED WATERS PRESS publishes prose and poetry and welcomes submissions from new and emerging writers as well as established writers. There are a number of opportunities with a variety of opening and closing dates. Details HERE.
THE HELIX LITERARY AND ART MAGAZINE, a publication of Central Connecticut State University, publishes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and art twice a year and is open to submission for its spring 2019 edition. No submission fee. Deadline: April 5, 2019.Details HERE.
LUCENT DREAMING, a magazine for emerging writers and artists, publishes short stories, poetry, and artwork in print publication and online. Payment: Contributor copy. Details HERE.
SPRING SONG PRESS has an open call for submissions from February 1- May 1, 2019 to its upcoming fiction Starlight and Mist anthology. 1,000 – 10,000 words. Paying Market. Submission guidelines forthcoming HERE.
VITA BREVIS, an online poetry journal for emerging poets, publishes poetry and feature articles and will review queries for interview. Vita Brevis also hosts a poetry community. Details on poetry submissions HERE. Explore the site for other info.
VOICEMAIL POEMS is open for submission to its spring 2019 issues. No submission fee. Modest charge if you want critique. Details HERE.
CONTESTS
Opportunity Knocks
WHISPER FROM THE HEART POETRY CLUB (South Africa), POETRY AND SHORT STORY COMPETITION is hosting an International Poetry & Short Story Competition for an upcoming anthology. The competition is open to the international community. Cash award and copy of anthology. $30 submission fee.
The entry fee of $30.00 gives an entrant
A chance to win a prize
Every entry is published
Every entrant gets a copy of the Book of Verse and Short Stories
RIVER STYX INTERNATIONAL POETRY CONTEST opens for submissions through May 31, 2019. Entry fee, which may include subscription. Cash award: $1,500 first prize. Details HERE.
ZÓCALO PUBLIC SQUARE POETRY PRIZE is awarded each year to a U.S. poet “whose poem best evokes a connection to place. ‘Place” may be interpreted by the poet as a place of historical, cultural, political, or personal importance; it may be literal, imaginary, or metaphorical landscape. Cash award and published interview. No entry fee. Deadline: February 4, 2019. Details HERE.
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.
The Poet by Day always available online with poems, poets and writers, news and information.
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) are published here on the following Tuesday.
The Poet by Day, Sunday Announcements. Every week (except for vacation) opportunity knocks for poets and writers. Due to other weekend commitments, this post will often go up late.
THE BeZINE, Be Inspired, Be Creative, Be Peace, Be – always online HERE.
Beguine Again, daily inspiration and spiritual practice – always online HERE. Beguine Again is the sister site to The BeZine.
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
TO CONTACT ME REGARDING SUBMISSIONS FOR THE BeZINE: bardogroup@gmail.com
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.”
“What if our religion was each other. If our practice was our life. If prayer, our words. What if the temple was the Earth. If forests were our church. If holy water–the rivers, lakes, and ocean. What if meditation was our relationships. If the teacher was life. If wisdom was self-knowledge. If love was the center of our being.” Ganga White, teacher and exponent of Yoga and founder of White Lotus, a Yoga center and retreat house in Santa Barbara, CA
“Every pair of eyes facing you has probably experienced something you could not endure.” Lucille Clifton
Thank you for sharing your love of words. Comments will appear after moderation.
“On a very personal level, I have fond memories of spending a lot of time in the Library of Congress working on my collection of poems ‘Native Guard.’ I was there over a summer doing research in the archives and then writing in the reading room at the Jefferson building.” Natasha Trethewey
The Library of Congress launched a yearlong initiative for 2019 inviting visitors to Explore America’s Change Makers with a series of exhibitions, events and programs. Major exhibitions drawing from the Library’s collections are focused on important figures in women’s history and the fight for suffrage, Rosa Parks’ groundbreaking role in the civil rights movement and artists’ responses to major issues of the day.
Additional events will Explore America’s Change Makers through music, films, performances and public programs throughout the year.
The 2019 initiative is being announced on the 101stanniversary of the day when the U.S. House of Representatives first passed a constitutional amendment for women’s suffrage on Jan. 10, 1918 – a victory that Rep. Jeannette Rankin, the first woman to serve in Congress, helped achieve. The Senate would pass the measure in 1919 to send the amendment to the states for ratification. The story of the lengthy movement for women’s suffrage will be told in the Library’s centerpiece exhibition.
Shall Not Be Denied: Women Fight for the Vote June 4, 2019 – September 2020
The new exhibition, “Shall Not Be Denied: Women Fight for the Vote,” will tell the story of the long campaign for women’s suffrage – considered the largest reform movement in American history – which lasted more than seven decades. The struggle was not for the fainthearted. For years, determined women organized, lobbied, paraded, petitioned, lectured, picketed and faced imprisonment.
The exhibition draws from the Library’s extensive collections of personal papers and organizational records of such figures as Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Mary Church Terrell, Carrie Chapman Catt, the National Woman’s Party, the National American Woman Suffrage Association and others. Documents, images, video and audio recordings will trace the movement leading to the women’s rights convention at Seneca Falls, the contributions of suffragists who worked to persuade women that they deserved the same rights as men, the divergent political strategies and internal divisions they overcame, the push for a federal women’s suffrage amendment and the legacy of this movement.
“Shall Not Be Denied” is part of the national commemoration of the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, marking major milestones in 2019 and 2020. The exhibition will open on the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Senate’s passage of the suffrage amendment that would become the 19th amendment to the Constitution once ratification by the states was certified on Aug. 26, 1920.
The Library’s 2019 exhibitions also will include:
Art in Action: Herblock and Fellow Artists Respond to Their Times Jan. 31, 2019 – Aug. 17, 2019
A new exhibition, “Art in Action,” will explore the tradition of artists as social commentators. Drawings by renowned editorial cartoonist Herblock will be paired with historical and contemporary artists’ prints, drawings and posters that respond to major issues from the 17th century to the current day. As a political cartoonist for The Washington Post and other newspapers, Herbert L. Block, better known as Herblock, devoted his career to creating social commentary through art. Topics that drew his attention provide the exhibition’s framework, including civil rights, women’s rights, health, war, refugees and the role of media.
Herblock’s cartoons provide a call and response with other socially-engaged artists who expressed their opinions through art. The exhibition includes depictions of Pablo Picasso and works in the global tradition of political art by Jacques Callot, Francisco de Goya, and Leopoldo Méndez – as well as modern and contemporary American artists including Alexander Calder, Enrique Chagoya, Shepard Fairey, Kerry James Marshall, Juan Fuentes, Favianna Rodriguez and Helen Zughaib, among others.
Public domain photograph of Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Rosa Parks December 2019
Rosa Parks is best known for her refusal to give up her seat to a white man on a crowded bus in Montgomery, Alabama on Dec. 1, 1955. Her arrest sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a seminal event in the civil rights movement. But Parks is often characterized by misconceptions. Contrary to popular belief, she was not a demure seamstress. The real Rosa Parks was a seasoned activist. She would be punished for the famous bus incident with death threats, unemployment and poverty – but she remained committed to the struggle for social justice until her death in 2005 and inspired millions of people worldwide.
This will be the first major exhibition to showcase the Rosa Parks Collection, which came to the Library in 2014. The collection includes thousands of pages of Parks’ personal correspondence, letters from presidents, her writings from the time of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and about 2,500 photographs, as well as her Presidential Medal of Freedom and Congressional Gold Medal.
Public domain photograph of the Library of Congress, Main Reading Room
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States – and extensive materials from around the world – both on site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov, access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov
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.”
“What if our religion was each other. If our practice was our life. If prayer, our words. What if the temple was the Earth. If forests were our church. If holy water–the rivers, lakes, and ocean. What if meditation was our relationships. If the teacher was life. If wisdom was self-knowledge. If love was the center of our being.” Ganga White, teacher and exponent of Yoga and founder of White Lotus, a Yoga center and retreat house in Santa Barbara, CA
“Every pair of eyes facing you has probably experienced something you could not endure.” Lucille Clifton
Thank you for sharing your love of words. Comments will appear after moderation.
The Library of Congress launched a yearlong initiative for 2019 inviting visitors to Explore America’s Change Makers with a series of exhibitions, events and programs. Major exhibitions drawing from the Library’s collections are focused on important figures in women’s history and the fight for suffrage, Rosa Parks’ groundbreaking role in the civil rights movement and artists’ responses to major issues of the day.
Jamie Dedes' THE POET BY DAY Webzine 