Calendar Updates

by Deirdre Neilen. The Muse is on the road again and invites all our Ithaca area readers to bring their friends to Buffalo Street Books Sunday April 14 at 2 pm for some poetry, prose, and conversation from and about the journal. In addition to the pleasure of listening to our wonderful poets, we can also browse the aisles and shelves of this wonderful bookstore. It's becoming increasingly rare to find indie bookstores; this one is great, friendly and has knowledgeable personnel, lots of inventory, and treasures everywhere to bring home. Come early to the reading and browse or stay after the reading and browse.

A little farther away from us geographically, Donna Emerson writes to let us know that Finishing Line Press has accepted her chapbook Following Hay. We look forward to the publication date and will send that info to you as soon as we get it. Congratulations, Donna.

We'd also like to remind our readers that the latest issue of The Healing Muse (Vol. 12) is now available as an ebook. This would make a great gift for any of your acquaintances who struggle with regular typeface sizing. Consult your favorite ebook provider and buy a Muse that way.

Finally, Onondaga County is also celebrating National Poetry Month. Those of us living near "Westcott Nation" in the Syracuse University environs can stop at the Petit Branch Library on Victoria Place Saturday April 13 from 2:30 to 4:30 pm and listen to area poets and musicians. We saw some familiar names on the poster (Muse poet Deborah Diemont and tireless poetry advocate and poet Georgia Popoff) and are looking forward to this event.

While you're there, also be sure to look for Healing Muse alum Joan Applebaum's exhibit "Time Stands Still."  Her works will be on display at the Petit Branch Library throughout the month of April.

Keep your notes coming to us. We love hearing about what you're doing. Our gumball poetry machine is going very well too. Spring, poetry, readings--it's a great time to be alive!

National Poetry Month!

by Deirdre Neilen. The Muse is happy to join in the national celebration of all things poetic; we have gone into the poetry gumball biz; take a look at our photo. We've loaded up our machine with some poems from the last four Muse issues; for only twenty-five cents, you can purchase a poem and center your day on a lyrical note.

Our friend and long-time contributor, poet Bruce Bennett even gave us a limerick to mark the occasion. "A gumball machine? Something new! / A quarter per poem, just for you. / It's pretty darn neat: / it comes as a treat / that you can chew over, not chew."

Med student Michael Enechukwu gets his "two bits" of poetry.

We're hoping to build some interest not only in The Muse but also in Upstate's internal writing competition (the Dearing Awards) which will occur at the end of April in the Medical Alumni Auditorium on campus. Poetry is an ancient art, one that is meant to be recited aloud and heard by others. This April, pick up a copy of a Muse and read at home, in the office, waiting for the bus, or in a beautiful Inn by Cayuga Lake.

That's what several of us did last Tuesday, March 26 at the Inns of Aurora, in Aurora NY. Emily Ambrose served as our gracious host and provided delicious pastries and coffee and tea plus an inviting cash bar. Sipping a beverage by a cozy fire is a highly recommended way to experience the Muse's poetry and prose.

Done more as a conversation than a formal reading, this Literature by the Lake program allowed the audience to question the writers closely about their process, their intentions, and their work. The writers in turn were able to talk to their colleagues about particular lines and images. It was a dynamic evening that gave us all an inside look at the writer's process. We hope to be invited back.

The evening also reminded me of how Muse artists can help spread the word about their own work in their communities. For example, ask your local librarian if the library would sponsor such an activity; we can help identify other Muse artists in your vicinity who might want to come and read with you. Coffeehouses obviously are great gathering places. It only takes a few writers to call a few friends who call a few more and suddenly you have an appreciative audience for a spirited reading. These gatherings can inspire writers to do further work, better revisions, and publish in more places.

Here's hoping National Poetry Month will prove both Eliot and the meteorologists wrong: April is NOT the cruelest month! Happy reading.

Readings, Readings, Readings Galore!

by Dorit Barlevy.  What better way to usher in the spring time than by attending an inspiring poetry reading?!  We at The Healing Muse are excited to announce some upcoming readings that are sure to delight and touch all in attendance.  All events are free and open to the public.  Attend on your own or bring a friend along with you!

First up, on Sunday, March 17, at 2 p.m., poet and Muse contributor, Kathleen Kramer, will be joined by poet Jack Hopper in presenting a reading at the Ulysses Public Library, located at 74 E. Main St., Trumansburg, NY.  Ms. Kramer will read poems from her book, Boiled Potato Blues, as well as new works from her forthcoming book, Planting Wild Grapes.  The reading will be followed by refreshments and a chance to visit with the poets.  Books will be available for sale and signing.

On Sunday, March 24, at 1 p.m., another poet and Muse contributor, Tish Pearlman, will be joined by artist Barbara Mink at Constance Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts, located at 435 Ellis Hollow Creek Road, Ithaca, NY.  Ms. Pearlman will be reading from her chapbook, The Fix Is In, as well as selections of her new work.  A short Q & A will follow the reading.  For more information, go to:

http://saltonstall.org/salons.html

Then on Tuesday, March 26, at 7 p.m., The Healing Muse will hold its first of two readings this year.  This reading will be presented as part of the Literature on the Lake series at the Inns of Aurora, located at 391 Main Street, Aurora, NY.  Eight of our contributors will read their work, as published in Volume 12 of The Muse.  Coffee and refreshments will be provided.  A cash bar will also be available.

A couple of nights later, on Thursday, March 28, at 7 p.m., poets Jim Ferris, Laurie Clements Lambeth, and Stephen Kuusisto will be reading selections of their poetry at SU's Watson Theater, located at 316 Waverly Avenue in Syracuse, NY.  This event serves as the second part of the "Disabilities as Ways of Knowing: A Series of Creative Writing Conversations."  Although The Healing Muse is not associated with this particular reading, we thought that its content would be of interest to our readers.  Thus, we wanted to pass the word along for those that might be interested in attending what's sure to be an insightful event.  A reception and book signing will follow the reading at 8 p.m. at Light Work (within the same building as the reading).

And finally, on Sunday, April 14, at 2 p.m., The Healing Muse will hold its second reading, at Buffalo Street Books, located in the DeWitt Mall, at 215 N. Cayuga St., Ithaca, NY.  This time, ten of our contributors from Volume 12 will read their work.  At this and the March 26 Healing Muse reading, copies of the latest volume will be available for purchase.

Happy listening!  See you there!

March Musings

by Deirdre Neilen. March is a paradoxical month, teasing us with spring's arrival, while usually showing off winter's might. Nonetheless we anticipate good things happening this month. And the mailbag confirms this.

 

Late Fall Last Light

Tully Fields IV

How about an art exhibit that highlights the beauty of the natural world? Painter Karen Burns whose work appeared in Muse 9 and 10, has let us know of two upcoming exhibits of her work. Those of you living near Syracuse have an opportunity to see her latest canvases at the Baltimore Woods Art Gallery in Marcellus, NY. The exhibit is called Natural Vistas, Intimate Views. Karen writes, "My work coalesces around color, light, and the things I love--the changing seasons in the Northeast, a certain time of day or night, rich textures, surprising shapes; making sense out of chaos or finding wonder in subject matter others dismiss." http://karenburnspaintings.com This exhibit will be up from March 4-April 26. The Gallery is open during BW's regular hours: M-F from 9-4, and Saturdays from 10-4. The Gallery will be open this Sunday March 10 from 2-4 pm for a reception. Admission is free.

Baltimore Woods is a great place for hiking either before or after visiting the exhibit. Here's info on the exhibit and directions to get there. http://www.baltimorewoods.org/

Karen's work will also be part of the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center's (Auburn NY) juried show, Made In NY opening March 30. More details on that later in the month.

From writer Judith Hannan whose essay"The Limits of Swallows and Seals" appeared in Muse 10 we receive the following good news. Her book Motherhood Exaggerated was published by CavanKerry Press in 2012 and has received good reviews. Kirkus called it, "penetrating and frequently poetic" and ForeWord Reviews wrote, "While Motherhood Exaggerated has a foot in the world of the illness memoir. . . it is too well-rounded in its own right to be so firmly labeled."

Judith has been an invited guest at Upstate's Grand Rounds and medical conferences where she shares her experiences of being a mother whose eight year old daughter was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma. Their journey together has been one of determination, courage, and faith. She has been working on developing a curriculum and writing guide for others who wish to create their own narratives of illness and healing. She has a website where you can buy the book and learn more about what she is doing to help other families whose children face a life-threatening illness. http://motherhoodexaggerated.com/ We are proud that The Healing Muse was the first journal to feature a part of her story. Congratulations, Judith.

And from Mary Jo Balistreri whose poetry appeared in Muse 8 and Muse 10 we learn of the publication of her latest book, Gathering the Harvest http://maryjobalistreripoet.com/listpage.jsp?page=publications (Bellowing Ark Press 2012). Proceeds from the book go to United Mitochondrial Foundation for research. Mary Jo's earlier book Joy in the Morning features one of her Healing Muse poems in it. She writes, "Thank you again for the wonders I encounter on your blog, in everything The Healing Muse does. It does indeed heal."

We thank Mary Jo and all our writers and artists for sharing their stories, vision, and courage with us. March is indeed a powerful reminder that the wheel continues to turn, that we continue to go forward finding meaning in the life around us, that spring will come again.

Likes and Tweets

by Dorit Barlevy. For those of you social media enthusiasts out there, The Healing Muse is pleased to announce its presence in the realms of Facebook and Twitter.  Be sure to "like" us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hlgmuse, and follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/hlgmuse.  (Please note that liking us on Facebook will enable our weekly posts to come up on your personal feed.)  We're very friendly and excited about expanding our social network.  So if you have something you'd like to share with The Muse and its audience, or think there's something worthwhile for us to "like" on Facebook or follow on Twitter, feel free to connect with us and let us know via these new channels.  Just another couple of ways to stay connected to The Muse!

Big News

by Deirdre Neilen. I love when the new year starts on a triumphant note: we've just learned that one of our contributing writers, Tish Pearlman, has been named poet laureate of Tompkins County.
http://www.artspartner.org/news/story/tompkins-county-names-tish-pearlman-poet-laureate.html
Tish's poetry has appeared in Vols. 10, 11 and 12; her book The Fix Is In was published by Finishing Line Press in 2012. She is a journalist, community activist and has an award-winning radio program on NPR called Out of Bounds (admission--she interviewed me on the show a couple of years ago and I had a wonderful time.)  Just like her poetry, Tish's interviews are carefully crafted, thoughtful, deliberate, and insightful. The panel who named her laureate noted and praised her passion for social justice; her poetry too reminds us to work for a better world. We are very proud of this latest honor for her.

I realized as I was going through our contributors' bios that we have had a previous poet laureate from Tompkins County in our pages--Katharyn Howd Machan whose work is in Vol. 12 held that honor in 2003-2004. Maybe there's something in the water! We salute both women and send our thanks too to Tompkins County for its commitment to recognizing the importance of poetry in the life of the community.

Tish's radio program is featuring one of our current writers on an upcoming broadcast; Emily Weston, whose short story "Being Lucy" gave readers a sobering glimpse into the life of an ICU nurse, will be talking about her writing as well as her profession on January 24 at 7 pm. Live stream is at WEOS.org
http://weos.publicbroadcasting.net/

We call your attention to an upcoming event at the Armory Square Playhouse (Jazz Central, 441 E. Washington St., Syracuse) Sunday January 27 at 1 pm: Complications by Janice Scully will have its premiere. A feedback and discussion between audience and playwright will follow the reading. Admission is $7 regular, $5 for seniors and students. http://www.cnyplaywrights.org/performances.html

Who says January is a long, bleak month? No one at The Muse.

January Resolutions

by Deirdre Neilen. Have you made any resolutions about your writing and your reading? Most of us do envision being better organized and more disciplined. How many entries have you made in your journal this month? How many lines of poetry have you scribbled or typed? Perhaps the great essay or novel is slowly rising from the deepest recess of your mind. Or perhaps you have begun to fulfill that promise that you really will read some of "the great books" before you head out to see their movie counterparts!

Well, here at The Muse we are happily reading some of your efforts from 2012 and beginning to see the outlines of issue 13. We had a note from one of our contributors, Carol Scott-Conner, who is now also wearing the hat of editor in chief for The Examined Life, the literary journal of the U of IA Carver College of Medicine. This relatively new journal is sponsoring a contest and asked us to send along their information. http://theexaminedlifejournal.blogspot.com/ Contests can be a good way to have your work read, but Carol also notes that they are accepting work outside the contest as well so don't let money be a hindrance to sending them some of your work.

We are lining up some readings in our area for the spring time and will inform you of them very soon. In the meantime, I remind our contributors and supporters that you too can organize a reading in your community or suggest that your book club try The Muse for its next text. Both are wonderful ways to spread the news of Muse 12.

I'm cutting this short to get back to my writing! Keep us informed of your progress and success. All good wishes for 2013.