"Firemen cut the car open like a cake but when
they reached through the windshield to pull me out
they instead grabbed handfuls of confetti.
After the last of that came the poultry--
the rubber chickens and ducks that moaned
in a chorus as they were scooped into the men's arms
as if they dreaded for their lives to be saved.
Then came the great men of history--Caesar,
Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, Ben Franklin,
together with their wives, who they led carefully
to be sure their skirts didn't catch
on the jagged glass. Then my boyfriend was pulled out, shrugging."

[...]

-- Excerpt from the beginning of "Wreck" by Stefania Gomez

---
Terrific opening poem from the new issue of Poetry Magazine, May 2025, which arrived in my mailbox yesterday. Go find a copy -- it's worth it for the full text of this poem alone, I think!

#TodaysPoem #Poetry #PoetryMagazine #StefaniaGomez

New issue of #PoetryMagazine is all Diné poetry.

Not just some of the issue --- the whole thing! All Diné poetry! How very refreshing, how very necessary in this particular time and place.

My regular reading has been non-existent lately, giving way to the chaos of the semester. This was a beautiful, exciting thing to find in my mailbox and a reminder to slow down and make some room for that which is important, and that very much includes poetry.

Can't wait to dive in.

#Poetry

Breaks are often when I try to retrieve a regular poetry-reading habit from wherever it escaped...

(Why does it so easily slip out of reach at times when we almost certainly need it most?)

But this morning I read 3 poems from the December issue of *Poetry* and all 3 were just brutal in their own ways and now I'm exhausted.
---
Michelle Otero - Communion

Observations of a father's loss of speech and grounding after his stroke.

"He lost the words communion
santo
pecado
lamb He lost"
---
Gina Franco - To Shelter Itself and, Sheltered, to Conceal Itself

Memories of a house fire (?), the fire itself working as a metaphor for trauma.

---
Blas Falconer - The Wake

I won't try a pithy description here.

"sitting on the curb, I watched a procession
carry a white coffin which must have been

a child's -- that small. I lie down in the dark."

#BlasFalconer #GinaFranco #MichelleOtero #PoetryMagazine

Libations
(By Jayne Cortez)

I witnessed
the lynchings of Jonathan of George
and heard bulldozers coming
for our ghetto tears

and i said to myself then:

without libations and flames and sacrifice
without understanding and dreams
emotion and protest
without struggle
there will be no childhood to grow among
the corn and cassava
watered by brown blood
shelling between zones

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/1615078/libations

#poetry #poem #poetrymagazine

This morning I received an e-mail noting the passing of Harriet Monroe on this day of September 26, 1936. Who was Harriet Monroe, I wondered? With that question, I felt the ground shake and a rabbit hole suddeningly appeared. As you know, I love rabbit holes for they open me up to unexpected insights and knowledge that enrich my understanding of the world. With Harriet Monroe’s name in my mind, I jumped in with both feet.

A Farewell

by Harriet Monroe

GOOD-BY: nay, do not grieve that it is over—
  The perfect hour;
That the winged joy, sweet honey-loving rover,
  Flits from the flower.

Grieve not,—it is the law. Love will be flying—         
  Yea, love and all.
Glad was the living; blessed be the dying!
  Let the leaves fall.

Harriet Monroe (1860-1936) was a poet, editor, scholar, literary critic, and a generous patron of the arts, most notably recognized for founding the literary journal Poetry: A Magazine of Verse in 1912. Monroe’s meticulous and thoughtful approach to editing became her hallmark; she championed an “Open Door” policy, emphasizing that art and integrity were paramount, even above her own preferences and the biases of influential peers and competing publications.

Under Monroe’s leadership, Poetry emerged as a prestigious and influential publication, navigating challenges such as a world war and the Great Depression during her editorial tenure. Harriet Monroe’s keen eye for lasting quality enabled her to sidestep the allure of fleeting literary trends and the comfort of traditional poetic forms.

In her later years, she undertook extensive travels that were dedicated to the promotion of literature and the enhancement of global literary culture. She excelled in her role as editor of the Poetry magazine until she died in Arequipa, Peru on September 26, 1936, at age 75. She was on her way to climb Machu Picchu, and the high altitudes reportedly triggered a cerebral hemorrhage, which caused her death.

Harriet Monroe’s legacy is firmly imprinted on the literary landscape, reflecting her unwavering commitment to the arts. Her work allows poetry to thrive in our lives today, ensuring that the voices of countless poets continue to resonate.

Monroe’s pioneering spirit and dedication to nurturing poetic voices have undoubtedly opened doors for poets of today, allowing them to explore and express their creativity in an ever-evolving literary landscape. Her legacy lives on in the diverse array of contemporary poetic forms that have emerged, including spoken word, slam poetry, and digital poetry. These new avenues not only challenge traditional structures but also amplify the voices of marginalized communities and foster innovative modes of expression. Thanks to Harriet Monroe’s foundational work, the world of poetry continues to thrive, inviting all to participate in its vibrant and dynamic tapestry.

https://rebeccasreadingroom.ca/2024/09/26/milestone-harriet-monroe/

#HarrietMonroe #Milestone #Poetry #PoetryMagazine #RebeccaSReadingRoom

we had to go find Karl Marx’s grave

The Boy with a Flower Behind His Ear
Rick Barot #Poetry #PoetryMagazine
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/159231/the-boy-with-a-flower-behind-his-ear

Aberration Labyrinth is open for submissions!

http://aberrationlabyrinth.blogspot.com/?m=1

#aberrationlabyrinth #callforsubmissions #poetrymagazine #poetrycommunity #WritingCommunity #writercommunity