Autumn Abundance

Autumn brings forth abundance--it is a productive season for me, and I have come across more than one poet or artist who agrees.  This time last year, Meredith Wise, editor of the poetry journal Dappled Things, wrote

It’s October as I write, which seems to be a poetry-writing season for me and possibly a lot of people—off the top of my head: Dylan Thomas, Sylvia Plath—and I wonder why that is. Is it because we finally give up on the lie of eternal summer and accept that we have limited light to work in (easy thing to forget, when poetry is something you can procrastinate on until you die without inconveniencing anyone)? 

If you are one of these people and you are thinking about your neglected poetry or fiction again, you are probably praying for inspiration right now. In addition to praying, I must admit that I always revisit a handful of poems that have a quality best captured by the Welsh term “hwyl” (hoo-ill?)—a kind of high-handed mastery, a sense that the poet has just been ordained and that power has been poured into him. . .

The article, "Welsh Starlight," can be read in full here.  What's higher than highly recommended?  That's my recommendation that you read this article, especially in the season of the waning sun.

There is also a new publication from a fairy tale acquaintance, affectionately referred to as Mr. Pond: New Fairy Tales, a collection of poems and essays.  In addition to Mr. Pond (John Patrick Pazdziora), it includes contributions by another acquaintance, Josh Richards, and Katherine Langrish, of Seven Miles of Steel Thistles, worthy author of West of the Moon, Forsaken, and others.  It can be purchased from Amazon here.

Goblin Fruit's late summer edition includes a poem of mine written in the season last year, more toward the dead-end of autumn.  You can even listen to a recording of me reciting the poem!  And the most recent issue of Dappled Things features a poem of mine as well.

Tahlia Merrill of Diamonds and Toads, the used-to-be sister site of Enchanted Conversation, has inaugurated a new fairy tale webzine of her own: Timeless Tales, now open for submissions.  What's neat about these fairy tales it that you can listen to them--there is an audio version of each issue!

As for me, I hope to settle down into the harvest season and reap some new inspiration myself.  What about you?