Thursday, October 14, 2021

Poetry Friday: I'm in Bridget Magee's new poetry anthology

 




It's the book birthday of Bridget Magee's first poetry anthology! Happy birthday to:
10*10 Poetry Anthology: Celebrating 10 in 10 Different Ways! 

Bridget's clever idea was to feature poems in ten categories based on "TEN": 

TENtative
TENderness
TENacity
TEN More Minutes
TENsion
I Wouldn't Touch That With a TEN-Foot Pole
TEN Little Fingers / TEN Little Toes
Take TEN
TENth _____
I TENd To  

She called for submissions and chose poems from 58 poets, including: 

LINDA BAIE • MICHELLE HEIDENRICH BARNES • ROBYN HOOD BLACK • JAY BRAZEAU • SUSAN BRUCK • ELENORE BYRNE • CATHY CHESTER • KELLY CONROY • LINDA M. CRATE • MARY E. CRONIN • ANGELA DE GROOT • MEENAKSHI DWIVEDI • KAREN EASTLUND • DAVID EDGE • KAREN EDMISTEN • JANET FAGAL • DANIEL J. FLORE III • MARILYN GARCIA • DAVE GOODALE • MARY LEE HAHN • RUTH BOWEN HERSEY • CORINNE HERTEL • REBEKAH HOEFT • MOLLY HOGAN • MICHELLE KOGAN • MARTY LAPOINTE-MALCHIK • IRENE LATHAM • BRIDGET MAGEE • HELEN MAGEE • MAUREEN MAGEE-UHLIK • CARMELA A. MARTINO • KATHLEEN MAZUROWSKI • KAY JERNIGAN MCGRIFF • CHRISTY MIHALY • LINDA MITCHELL • COLLEEN OWEN MURPHY • ELISABETH NORTON • AIXA PEREZ-PRADO • LISA VARCHOL PERRON • MOE PHILLIPS • JENNIFER RAUDENBUSH • LAURA PURDIE SALAS • SHANAH SALTER • JANICE SCULLY • LAURA SHOVAN • BUFFY SILVERMAN • DONNA JT SMITH • EILEEN SPINELLI • LIZ STEINGLASS • STEPHAN STUECKLIN • SUSAN JOHNSTON TAYLOR • LINDA J. THOMAS • LINDA KULP TROUT • GERALDINE TYLER • CAROL VARSALONA • JANET WONG • ALAN j WRIGHT • TABATHA YEATTS

Why, yes, you did see my name nestled in among the others! I'm thrilled and honored that Bridget deemed my little offering worthy of inclusion. What a delight to be in such stellar company. 

My contribution for the category TENth__ was an etheree (a 10-line poem in which each line follows a syllable count that matches the line number: line one has one syllable, line two has two, etc.) from the point of view of a child who conquered a fear: 

Winning at Tenth
(an etheree for young poets everywhere)

I
came in
tenth place when
I entered that
contest at my school.
Some might say that I lost.
Not me. I was terrified
but I saw it through to the end.
I shook the fear, took the risk, and won:
I let them read my poetry out loud. 

Where to find the book? Visit Bridget here to find out more. 

She's also hosting Poetry Friday this week. 
and help Bridget celebrate her book birthday! 

17 comments:

Linda said...

Karen, congratulations on your poem! I love the message that will inspire young (and old) writers! I haven't received my copy yet, but I can't wait to read the entire book.

Denise Krebs said...

Ah, what a perfect poem to be included. I love the winning of letting a poem be read aloud. Winning happens in so many ways--not just the ones who get the gold. Lovely post today, Karen.

Elisabeth said...

This is a wonderful poem Karen - perfect for the anthology and one I'm sure poets of all ages can identify with! I love the form you chose for the poem. Congratulations and thanks for sharing this today!

elli said...

How lovely, Karen!

Bridget Magee said...

I'm honored to have your poem in my anthology, Karen. With your words and the words shared by all the contributing poets I am winning at 55! (ssshhh, don't tell anyone how old I'll be next Wednesday... ;)

Janice Scully said...

A perfect pairing of form for your poetic idea. I'm sure it was a thrill when your poem was read out loud!

Linda B said...

Taking any risk is huge, Karen & you shared that thing one must be so proud of, to do it! Well done! I'm glad to have your poem in the anthology, will share it with the granddaughters for sure. The older one, a softball player, stepped up this year to be a pitcher. I am so proud of her because, as your poem shows, she "was terrified".

jama said...

Love your poem with its positive message. Congrats on being included in the anthology!

skanny17 said...

Karen,
So glad Bridget chose your sweet poem because being #1 isn't everything as your poem shows. How clever to choose an etheree form and your surprise ending hits home. It does take a lot of courage for so many to have their words read aloud, from young child to major writers/poets. Congratulations; I have a copy waiting me when I get home on Sunday!! I am eager to read all of the poems. Thanks for this lovely appetizer!
Janet Clare F.

Alan j Wright said...

Your joy at being part of this project shines through in your post. It's wonderful to share this space with you Karen. I am equally excited by this publication. It's so great to be part of a collaborative effort and I am grateful to Bridget for making this a reality. What a moment for we poets!

Carol Labuzzetta said...

Congratulations, Karen, on your poem about being 10th. It is definitely a winner - both the number and the place in the contest. I envy your inclusion in Bridget's new book! Congratulations! Carol from The Apples in My Orchard.

Carmela Martino said...

I LOVE your poem, Karen. And congrats on being in the anthology. I look forward to seeing my copy. One of my poems in it is also an Etheree!

Mary Lee said...

I'm THRILLED that my poems will live inside the same covers as yours! And I, too, wrote an etheree!

Linda Mitchell said...

I love your etheree. I need to make sure MY middle schoolers see it. It is a scary thing to share your words out loud. Love that this poem is included.

Jone said...

Karen, I know that feeling! You nailed it. Congrats on having this included in the book.

Karen Edmisten said...

Thanks, everyone! You're all so kind.

As a kid, I never entered a poetry or recitation contest, but I think we can all relate to the feeling of losing at something (or coming in tenth, or twentieth, or not at all) and still feeling — knowing in our bones — that we've won something. :)

Bridget, happy early birthday! Enjoy turning (insert mumbled age here) next Wednesday! :D

Carol Varsalona said...

Karen, your poem is a wonderful one for helping students see that they can be successful even when it is not a first place piece. It is important to portray the positive when helping students learn to write. Congratulations on being one of the writers of Bridget's new anthology!