Steve Bloom has put together several videos centered around this theme. I have been lucky enough to be in two of them (September, 2021: https://youtu.be/me9wqlqmN0g and January, 2022: \https://youtu.be/Lez870OO3_Q?t=2) Many of my poems are from a POV of activism–I don’t set out to write them but they surely come through. Thanks to Steve for representing my poetry in these collections.

I am delighted to be reading in the Author’s and Artists Festival 2022 with Writing the Land. Please join in on the fun Saturday, February 26th and Sunday, February 27th. I’ll be reading during the 11-noon slot on Sunday. The event is free and online. https://www.nature-culture.net/authors-artists-festival

My poem, “Between the Sheets,” was published in “The Disasters of War: An Anthology for Veteran’s Day.” Thanks Larry Robin and the Moonstone Arts Center, for finding a place for my work in this anthology and sponsoring a reading on Veteran’s Day.

After the onset of COVID-19, I discovered that the New Jersey YMCA State Alliance, in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Health, and Healthy NJ 2030 were gathering stories and artwork to document what NJ residents experienced throughout the pandemic. I submitted two poems, “Sleep Cycle” and “Pandemic Living 101,” both of which were accepted. 

As the days and months went by, I learned more about the project. According to the organizers, “Community Conversations: Pandemic Perspectives, NJ’s COVID-19 Storytelling Project gathered, documented, and analyzed the personal accounts of over 580 New Jersey residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project captured the experiences of residents with an emphasis on those who have faced increased risk because of the pandemic. They collected stories from all 21 NJ counties from August 2020 through March 2021. Submissions included individual interviews, focus groups, social media dialogues, creative artworks, and journaling.”

Recently, invited to present my poetry at the 9th annual conference as an Essex County resident at the Building a Culture of Health in New Jersey: Healing Communities and Connecting Voices conference, I was overwhelmed by participants’ stories, poetry, artwork, musical compositions, and dance performances. 

Ambreen Ali, for NJ Spotlight, wrote an article, “Community Conversations: NJ’s time in COVID,” about the project. https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2021/12/covid-19-coronavirus-variant-delta-omicron-masks-mask-mandate-long-haul-covid-19-vaccination-cdc-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-pandemic-pediatric-covid-19-front-line-workers/, in which my work is mentioned. 

History and art are both passions of mine. As everything in the last year and three-quarters has unfolded, it has been important to me that beyond the science, artist’s accounts were being recorded and preserved for prosperity. 

If you would like to learn more about Community Conversations and their plans for sharing this body of work, log onto https://www.njymca.org/communityconversations. 

I am very excited that my poem, “Risk,” appeared in the inaugural issue of kerning: a space for words. The book, filled with excellent writing, is beautifully designed. Maya Stein, Amy Tingle and Liz Kalloch did a fabulous jobs. Check out their website, Toad Hall Editions, https://www.toadhalleditions.ink.

Red Fern Review, edited and created by Michelle Messina Reale, published my poem “The Venetian Blinds.” I am honored to be in their first issue. https://www.facebook.com/Red-Fern-Review-110899691255148

In Poets Online, Ken Ronkowitz chose to publish “Imagining an Idylic Day.” The theme of this issue is modeled after a Laura Boss poem “Ideal Day”. Laura was a friend and mentor who died this year. I am so happy to be part of this issue. https://poetsonline.org/archive/arch_idealday.html

Thank you to Jessica de Koninck, Esther Cohen and Lawrence Bush for including my poetry in Alte, Growing Old Together:  “Weather” (Alte #7: Earth https://www.altegettingoldtogether.com/themes/alte-7-earth)  and “The Pink Hula Hoop” (Alte #8” The House I Live In https://www.altegettingoldtogether.com/themes/8-the-house-i-live-in).

There is information on their site if you feel inspired to submit to Alte. When you get there, read an issue or two.

Thrilled that I am amongst such wonderful writers in issue #49 of the Paterson Literary Review. My poem, “The Unlocked Door,” won an Honorable Mention in the 2020 Allen Ginsberg Contest. Thanks goes to Maria Mazziotti Gillan, Founder & Editor and the staff at PLR for their contributions to poetry.

I am pleased to announce the publication of my short story, “The Refrigerator,” in The Path: volume 11, no. 1. If you would like to purchase the journal, go to https://www.amazon.com/Path-v-11-no/dp/B098GT2P3M/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=%22The+Path%3A+v.+11%2C+no.+1%22&qid=1625756741&sr=8-3. Thanks goes to Editor, Mary Nickum and the staff at The Path for publishing my story.