Archive for the 'Poetry' Category

Poetry and Fiction on the Internet

3 Comments »28th February, 2007; Category: Articles, Poetry, Short Stories

Have you ever thought of publishing your own poetry or fiction on your blog or on the internet?

I was reading through some articles that have appeared over recent years in Southern Write, newsletter of the South Australian Writers’ Centre of which I am a longstanding member.

One article caught my attention. “Poetry and Short Stories on the Internet” written by South Australian poet Graham Catt. This article appeared in March 2003, almost exactly four years ago. He did a Google search for poetry e-zines and fiction e-zines. He found 96 entries for poetry and 114 for fiction.

Times have changed:

How the times have changed in four years. Today a similar search (using quotes around the words) returns over 1600 for poetry and 2000 for fiction. This means that there are many hundreds of potential markets for your poetry or fiction on the internet. Mind you, only a handful are paying markets, but that is the case with print magazines too.
The Poetry Kit

One useful resource mentioned by the author is still very active. It can be overpowering and time consuming getting a list of thousands of sites to check out. The beauty of The Poetry Kit site is that all the searching has been done for you.

Publishing on your blog:

I read a variety of blogs in the course of week. It surprises me that so few writers actually publish their own fiction or poetry on their blogs. I have been doing this for some time now (see the links below or go to the Contents section of the sidebar). I also have inspired and encouraged at least one person to do the same (Rick on Shards of Consciousness). I think that it is something writers should seriously consider.

Links:

The Poetry Kit – lists of on-line and print magazines

South Australian Writers’ Centre – I recommend belonging to a writers’ group as there are many benefits. Check out my links section for more organisations.

Poetry blogs – some of the sites on this list may be worth checking out – I’ve only checked a handful and they looked interesting if you have the time to browse.

My poetry – read some of my poetry

My fiction – read some of my fiction.

Poem #27 In Between Times

No Comments »23rd February, 2007; Category: Poetry

In Between Times

Running, running, running
Through the everlasting tunnel.
Running, running, running
Through the everlasting tunnel.
Darkness all around and around
In and through and all surround.
Enveloping and shrouding,
Encompassing and clouding.
Running, running, running
Through the everlasting tunnel.

Sunlight piercing all whiteness.
One light all over in its brightness.

Running, running, running
Through the everlasting tunnel.
Running, running, running
Through the everlasting tunnel.
Stumble and atumble and crumble
Bumble and arumble and fumble.
Disturbing and distorting,
Perturbing and contorting,
Running, running, running
Through the everlasting tunnel.

Tonight will be gone and then rightness.
Heaviness gone and then lightness.

Poem #26 Raindrops in your heart

No Comments »16th February, 2007; Category: Poetry

Raindrops in Your Heart

You reach out your hand
To grasp at what you call love,
To have that which your tormented heart
Has longed for through many sleepless nights.

You wander down the avenue
Of wind strewn golden leaves,
And brace yourself against the bitter wind
Of mid-winter with a heavy heart of ice.

The lonely bird in the tree above
Is your only companion; he, like you,
Is in need of companionship, in need
Of a friend to share the warmth of love.

Memories there are â€“ but they only taunt
The emptiness that weighs you down
And stir the longing for a hand to hold,
For lips to kiss, for arms to be embraced.

You must wander on through restless days
And toss through tiring nights,
Until she returns â€“ or live through a life
Of endless misery and dejection.

And even the bird flies away â€“ wait!
A solitary ray of sunlight, a heart-leap of hope â€“
But no – just fleeting hopes â€“ for the rain returns
And trickles down your crying face.

Haiku #33: Kookaburra

No Comments »10th February, 2007; Category: Haiku, Poetry

Kookaburra
Gargling in rapturous joy
With an anthem of praise.

Laughing Kookaburra

Poem #25 Morning Mist

No Comments »9th February, 2007; Category: Poetry

Morning Mist

Mist in the morning,
Mist in the valley,
Flowing silently
Over mountain ridges
Down into valleys.
Hovering, dampening,
Evil and close.

Sunlight
Weak and cold,
Meekly trying
To brighten the day.

No bird sings.
No creature stirs.
All is silent
Cold and damp.

I shiver
And sullenly tramp
On through the wet grass,
Down through the gloom
Of the valley ahead.

A lone magpie
Bravely carols a greeting
And I courageously
Shout in reply
But my words
Only echo
Mockingly
As a flurry of feathers
Tell of my departing friend.

But the spell has been broken.
The mist
Like a stealthy ghost
Slips silently away,
Quickly enveloped
By the strengthening glow
Of the new dayâ€™s sun.