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Opportunity Knocks for Women Poets: Calls for Submissions and Competition

The Muses Clio, Euterpe, and Thalia, by Eustache Le Sueur, c. 1652-1655 / Public Domain

“Poems are like dreams: in them you put what you don’t know you know.”  Adrienne Rich, Arts of the Possible: Essays and Conversations

CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS

ARTEMIS POETRY, a publication of Second Light Network of Women Poets, is open for submissions to its November 2020 issue: Poetry by 31st August; Artwork by 15th September: Members’ News & Readers’ Letters, 15th September. Details HERE.

LITERARY MAMA “believes that all mothers have a story worth sharing and honors the many faces of motherhood by publishing work that celebrates the journey as well as the job.” Literary Mama invites submissions to its blog. It also publishes book reviews, creative nonfiction, fiction, literary reflections, photography, poetry, and profiles. Details HERE.

COMPETITION

SECOND LIGHT POETRY COMPETITION FOR LONG AND SHORT POEMS BY WOMEN 2020:

JUDGE MYRA SCHNEIDER. Myra Schneider’s latest collections are Lifting the Sky (Ward Wood, 2018) and Persephone in Finsbury Park (SLP, 2016). Writing Our Selves, a writing resource written with John Killick, was published by Continuum Books in 2009.

£300 First Prize for each of Long (no upper limit) and Short (max 50 lines) poems

£150 Second Prize (1 poem from either category)

£75 Third Prize (1 poem from either category)

Winning & Commended Poems published (in full or extract) in ARTEMISpoetry

Winners offered a London reading.

Deadline Thursday 6th August.

Entry: £6 each per long poem. Short poems: £4 each or £9 for 3, £14 for 8. Enter by post (2 copies) or online.
**Members are entitled to one free entry into the competition. Join now to be eligible.** (see About Second Light/Joining)

More: Rules & Entry        direct link to payment at poetry p f online shop

Myra Schneider: “…I shall be looking for poems which travel, poems in which the form fits the subject matter and the language is alive. This is a time when contemporary issues are very much at the front of everyone’s minds and, very understandably, give rise to strong feelings. On the whole I believe poems dealing with this kind of subject matter work best if the approach is indirect. When I read entries which deal with this type of material I shall be particularly considering whether it has been fully transformed into poetry.”

The results will be posted on the website by 30th September. Once winning poems (or extracts) are published in ARTEMISpoetry, they will be available to read on site.

Photograph courtesy João Silas, Unsplash

Mbizo Chirasha, founder and curator of Wombwords Literary Press, announced a Call for Submissions to the June 2020 edition themed Imagining Life After COVID-19.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

IMAGINING LIFE AFTER COVID-19

“The June edition is to be edited by our Poet Laureate and USA Associate to the Womawords Hall of Fame, Jamie Dedes.

“The call is open to women poets from May 20 through June 20.

“Ten poems and poets will be selected from the submissions, which should include a short third-person bio of thirty-to-sixty words and your photograph.

TO ENTER

“Submissions to be forwarded to BOTH

  • Mbizo Chirasha womawordpress@gmail.com
  • and cc’d Jamie Dedes at thepoetbyday@gmail.com”

About Womawords Literary Press

Womawords, an international eZine based in Africa, is the heart child of multi-award winning Zimbabwean poet in exile, Mbizo Chirasha.  It was established to support women and girls through the publication of activist poetry by women.  Current projects are Womawords companion publication, Liberating Voices Journal, and the newly founded Womawords Hall of Fame.

The Womawords Hall of Fame seeks to amplify women’s voices through literary and other arts and comprises representatives from around the globe: writers, poets, editors, and mentors among others.

Jamie Dedes:

Your donation HERE helps to fund the ongoing mission of The Poet by Day in support of poets and writers, freedom of artistic expression, and human rights.

Poetry rocks the world!

FEEL THE BERN

For Peace, Sustainability, Social Justice

Maintain the movement.

“Democracy is not a spectator sport.” Bernie Sanders

“Every pair of eyes facing you has probably experienced something you could not endure.”  Lucille Clifton

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Women Poets, Here’s an update on Second Light Poetry Competition and information on ARTEMISpoetry Call for Submissions

Artemis pouring a libation, c. 460-450 BCE photo  courtesy of Jastrow and generously released into the public domain

“So many more women have found now their voice. Let’s celebrate poets who excite us, from Emily Bronte (say) to Jorie Graham (say). We can also start thinking seriously about differences and about inflated reputations. Let’s be wary about ‘celebrity status’. This tends to narrows true appreciation. Read voraciously. Include lesser known poets and dead poets. You will be impressed by how much exciting writing is on offer.” Convener (Founder) of Second Light Network of Women Poets, Dilys Wood, in an interview in The Poet by Day HERE.

SECOND LIGHT POETRY COMPETITION is open for entries of poetry by women on August 6th. The competition includes first prizes for best long length poem [no length limit] and best short length poem, as well as 2nd and 3rd prizes and commendations publication in ARTEMISpoetry magazine for all these [or extracts in the case of long poems]. Also readings to prize winners and commended poets. For full details got to Second Light Live HERE. 

UPDATE: I’ve published the announcement on this competition twice, once HERE and then again yesterday included in Opportunity Knocks. According to the guidelines HERE: “Poems on any subject. Must be the unaided work of the writer and must not have been previously published unless in a magazine only.” I asked for clarification and Myra Schneider and Dilys Wood confirmed that “magazine” includes Zines and personal blogs. Good news for those of us who publish online and have been included in digital publications. Note the deadline is August 4th but you may submit via email, so go for it.  Good luck.

ARTEMISpoetry is the bi-annual journal (May and November) of the Second Light Network of Women Poets, published under their Second Light Publications imprint. Members receive a copy as part of their membership benefits. Issues are available to non-members by subscription at £9 p.a. or as a one-off purchase at £5 a copy (plusp&p).

Prices with p&p:
Subscription:   UK £12,   Eur £17,   ROW £20
Single Issue:   UK £6,   Eur £9,   ROW £10

Cheque payable to “Second Light” and send to Administrator, Anne Stewart at 20 Clovelly Way, Orpington, Kent, BR6 0WD. Please use the Subscription order form and include your telephone number with your order in case of query. Or you can subscribe online here. Enquire for back copies and/or Sold Out issues as pdf for £4 (e-mail Administrator editor@poetrypf.co.uk).

See Dilys Wood’s Guest Blog on Ambitious Women Poets at Brittle Star

ARTEMISpoetry at the Poetry Library’s digital archive

ARTEMISpoery (& Myra Schneider/John Killick’s Writing Your Self at the Bluebell Books blogspot

ARTEMISpoetry at Abegail Morley blogspot

Submission Guidelines

Submission is open to women only, including non-members. We aim to publish new work, so submissions should be unpublished (by ‘published’ we mean: in print, on the internet or by way of media broadcast or on CD), and not ‘out in submission’ elsewhere, whether to magazines or competitions.

ARTEMISpoetry Issue 23, November 2019 (& Issue 24, May 2020)

Editors for Issue 23 are: General & Artwork – Dilys Wood and Myra Schneider; Poetry – Anne Stewart.

Readers’ Letters are invited. Comments on the journal’s content or anything you would like to see discussed in relation to women’s writing. (max 100 words).

All submissions: submit paper copy initially to Dilys Wood, 3 Springfield Close, East Preston, West Sussex, BN16 2SZ. Please write “ARTEMISpoetry” on your envelope. (Enquiries only: e-mail Administrator editor@poetrypf.co.uk)

Poems: Issue 23 deadline – 31st August 2019

Poems by women of any age. Poems should be typed, or if written, then very neatly. Each poem should commence on a new page, headed “Submission for ARTEMISpoetry”. Please SEND TWO COPIES. Do include your name with each poem and include your name and full contact details in your submission. Long poems are considered. Submit up to 4 poems to a maximum of 200 lines in all. Our line counts are for poem (and any footnote) text lines only, so excluding titles and breaks.

Contributors whose poetry is accepted will be notified by 31st October 2019.

Poetry Editor: Anne Stewart, whose latest collection is The Last Parent, published in April this year by Second Light Publications. She has an MA (Dist.) in Creative Writing from Sheffield Hallam. Awards include The Bridport Prize (2008), the Southport Poetry Prize, the Silver Wyvern (Poetry on the Lake, Italy), and a Hawthornden Fellowship. She created and runs the poet showcase site poetry p f. More at Anne’s website.

Artwork: Issue 23 deadline is 14th September 2019

Black/white photographs or line-art, maximum of 4 pieces. Please give a title for each work. We are looking to include a wide range of subject-matter and style. Images which work best have good definition and contrast. … Paper copy to Dilys Wood (as above)

Contributors whose artwork is accepted will be notified by 31st October 2019.

“SECOND LIGHT is affirming and creative, thoughtful and wide-ranging. It is unique in offering practical advice, support, activities geared to promoting visibility and publication outlets for older women poets.” Poet, Katherine Gallagher

ABOUT

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Recent in digital publications: 
* Five poems, Spirit of Nature, Opa Anthology of Poetry, 2019
* From the Small Beginning, Entropy Magazine (Enclave, #Final Poems)(July 2019)
* Over His Morning Coffee, Front Porch Review (July 2019)
Upcoming in digital publications:
* The Damask Garden, In a Woman’s Voice (August 2019)

A busy though bed-bound poet, writer, former columnist and the former associate editor of a regional employment newspaper, my work has been featured widely in print and digital publications including: Levure littéraire, Ramingo’s Porch, Vita Brevis Literature, HerStry, Connotation Press, The Bar None Group, Salamander Cove, I Am Not a Silent Poet, Meta/ Phor(e) /Play, Woven Tale Press, The Compass Rose and California Woman.

I run The Poet by Day, a curated info hub for poets and writers. I founded The Bardo Group/Beguines, a virtual literary community and publisher of The BeZine of which I am the founding and managing editor. Among others, I’ve been featured on The MethoBlog, on the Plumb Tree’s Wednesday Poet’s Corner, and several times as Second Light Live featured poet.

Email me at thepoetbyday@gmail.com for permissions or commissions.

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ARTEMISpoetry, issue 19 has landed in the U.S.

ARTEMISpoetry’s (U.K.) nineteenth issue landed in my mailbox this evening. Yes! It’s always a good day when a fave poetry magazine arrives, especially good on a day like today that was grueling. Once I finish reading this issue, I’ll write the editors and get permissions to bring you some samplings. Meanwhile, I encourage you to explore Second Light Network (SLN) of Women Poets. As I say, probably ad nauseum, the poetry is by women but it is for everyone.

I’m pleased to see this issue is focused on accessibility, an important concern for poets and poetry lovers.  The editors are Katherine Gallagher (Katherine Gallager’s Website), Dilys Wood (Dilys page on SLN), and Anne Stewart (poetry p f).

Myra Schneider (Myra Schneider’s Poetry Website) gifts us with a fine interview of Deborah Alma the “Emergency Poet,” who was also interviewed by Mendes Biondo (Ramingo’s Blog), one of the founding editors of Ramingo’s Porch, in The BeZine – The Healing Adventures of Poemedic, Deborah Alma. We love Deborah’s idea/ideal of bringing poetry to people in need. Talk about accessibility.

In the opening editorial, Katherine and Dilys write:

“Selling poetry as the provision of life-belts for deep distress is a good play but can’t be the whole story. Poets are ‘servants of the Muse.’ ‘Inspiration’ can mean having no choice in what we write when impelled towards a certain form or subject matter.  Though some poets place serious reliance on ‘first readers’ (often fellow-poets), poetry is by no means necessarily driven by out-reach. A poet may be concerned with the ‘great issues of the day’ or not. This reflects the person – active citizen or primarily concerned with inner life?  Poets must also grapple with their demanding medium.”

You can purchase ARTEMISpoetry through Anne Stewart’s poetry p f and sign-up for membership in SLN as well, if so inclined. There are demographic restrictions on membership (age, gender) and its most productive for those living in the London area, but membership is open to women poets anywhere in the world.

Second Light offers workshops including remote (distance) learning, poetry reading events, competitions and publication of anthologies as well as the magazine. Info on Calls for Submissions for Issue 20 is HERE. 

If you live in the UK, you’ll want to reserve these dates (details on the site) in 2018:

  • Friday 25th & Saturday 26th May, Spring Festival
  • Monday 30th July to Friday 3rd August, Holland House Residential
  •  Friday 16th & Saturday 17th November, Autumn Festival

This year has been a physically challenging year but I hope in February 2018 to start catch-up on reviews for you of collections from SLN members Myra Schneider, Anne Stewart and few others and to restart the Celebrating American She-Poets series, something I look forward to and hope you do as well.

Meanwhile, my friends, poem on … and come out to play for Wednesday Writing Prompt tomorrow, a poem on Thursday, and an introduction to the Israeli Diaphanous Press written by Krysia Jopek, poet, artist and publisher on Friday.

ABOUT THE POET BY DAY

 

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LATE BREAKING NEWS: “RESIST” live and virtual events and “Artemis Poetry” calls for submissions

“On January 15, 2017, poets around the U.S., in cities, towns and villages, will gather on the steps of their local city hall to read poetry against the coming dictatorship of Trump.”

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Organized by Alan Kaufman and Michael Rothenberg.

Alan Kaufman is the Editor of The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry

“Outlaw poets” is a term of endearment used in reference to poets whose work is featured in the Outlaw Bible. The following is a partial list of the characteristics of such poets:

  • anti-authoritarian personality;
  • anti-Vietnam war activists known for their anti-war rhymes (many poets write about Vietnam who are by no means outlaw poets).
  • Elder poets that gained notoriety via unconventional forms
  • Poets deliberately not included in most academic curriculums
  • Often inspirational to or inspired by the so-called “Beat” movement in American poetry during the mid-20th century

and

Michael Rothenberg is co-founder (with Terri Carrion) of 100 Thousand Poets For Change. He is an American poet, songwriter, editor, and active environmentalist who recently moved to Florida from the San Francisco Bay area. Born in Miami Beach, Florida, Rothenberg received his Bachelor of Arts in English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1993 he received his MA in Poetics at New College of California. In 1989, Rothenberg and artist Nancy Davis began Big Bridge Press, a fine print literary press, publishing works by Jim Harrison, Joanne Kyger, Allen Ginsberg, Philip Whalen and others. Rothenberg is editor of Big Bridge, a webzine of poetry. Rothenberg is also co-editor and co-founder of Jack Magazine

It’s probable that The BeZine January 15, 2017 issue will be devoted to this event. Save the date for both live and virtual events and prepare to submit your poems. Let them be both truthful and artistic . . .

Tell all the Truth but tell it slant —
Success in Circuit lies
Too bright for our infirm Delight
The Truth’s superb surprise

 

As Lightning to the Children eased
With explanation kind
The Truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind — Emily Dickinson

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The latest issue of ARTEMISpoetry (UK) just landed in the USA with its usual rich assortment of essays, book reviews, art, announcements and – Yes! – of course, a wealth of good poems. (Apologies for not getting a better photograph of the cover.) ARTEMISpoetry is the bi-annual journal (November and May) of the Second Light Network and published under its Second Light Publications imprint. The poetry is by women forty-plus or better. The poems are for everyone. You can order this issue and others through Anne Stewart‘s poetry p f and/or sign up for membership. Membership includes a journal subscription.

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CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS

Opportunity Knocks

Poetry Deadlines: Issue 18, February 28, 2017 and Issue 19, August 31, 2017. “Women poets only, of any age. Unpublished poetry only and not out in submission elsewhere.  Strict limit: max 4 poems; the total number of lines in all should not exceed 200 lines (i.e. you could send a poem of 200 lines and this would restrict your submission to just one poem).  Two copies, A4 paper only [U.S. standard letter paper – 8 1/2 x 11 is the closest we have in the US to A4], typed or neatly handwritten.  Each numbered sheet to bear the poet’s contact details (name, address, telephone, e-mail). Send to ARTEMISpoetry, ATTN.: Dilys Wood, 3 Springfield Close, East Preston, West Sussex, BN162 SZ.”

Response by April 30 for Issue 18 and October 31 for Issue 19.  Kate Foley is the poetry editor for Issue 18.

Artwork – Black and white photographs or line-art sketches are welcome for submission. Four max.

For new and emerging writers, Second Light also offers “remote” – i.e., distance – workshops.  Check out the website for details.

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HEADS-UP: December 7, 2016,

Poetry Now @ The Department of English and American Studies, The Lester and Sally Entin Faculty of Humanities, Tel Aviv University

Our own Michael Dickel is a featured.15289246_10154375245428557_1972176959953952764_o