It’s Poetry Friday hosted today by the amazingly creative and prolific Irene Latham Here. Thank you, Irene! This week, I turn my blog over to guest blogger, Janet Clare Fagal, with a poetry opportunity that I know will interest many here on Poetry Friday.
Here is Janet:
Thank you to my friend, Janice, for the opportunity to guest blog today. Janice and I have been lucky attendees at Highlights workshops with Georgia Heard and Rebecca Kai Dotlitch, and were roommates at NCTE’19 in Baltmore. It has been great getting to know her better!
I have two poetry opportunites to share with you.
FIRST, as past president and the current treasurer of the Central New York Branch of the National League of American Women here in snow country near Syracuse, NY, I would like to invite you to attend a Zoom presentation by poet, educator and creator of Metaphor Dice, my friend, Taylor Mali. It is Feb. 9 at 6:30 pm EST.
Here’s a Twitter post about one of Taylor Mali’s previous presentations. Maybe you’ve heard him before. He’s particularly well-known for his poem “What Teachers Make.”
So how do I sign up? Email me, Janet Fagal, at cnypenwomensignup@gmail. I will be in touch with further information.
We now have 500 spots in the Zoom session. I am planning to share a recording of the session with those who can’t make it.
Description of the presentation: Sometimes we need to be given permission to change the details of our memories so that they create better poems. Sometimes we need to be told that certain lines just don’t work in poems even if “that’s how it was.” Taylor Mali discusses memory, telling stories, and poetic license.
This all came about when our Branch of Pen Women was awarded a community grant from the CNY Arts Council to bring Taylor to our area to share insights and ideas on poetry. The grant also included some of our Pen Women poets working with area students. Taylor teaches a lesson to those students via Zoom (recorded).
SECOND: Taylor is sponsoring The Golden Die Poetry Contest + Anthology using the words from Metaphor Dice. There will be one adult winner who will receive $1000. In addition many poems will be selected to appear in the anthology. The student winner receives $500 and sets of Metaphor Dice. ALL who enter the contest will be considered for the contest!
Complete GUIDELINES to the Golden Die Poetry Contest are HERE
You don’t have to own Metaphor Dice to enter. The list of all the words for you to see, and hopefully use, is HERE .
Good luck should you enter the contest and I hope you will. As a level 1 judge for students (blind review) I am not eligible to enter but hope to see some of my wonderful Poetry Friday friends in the anthology.
Janet Clare Fagal
Oh, my goodness…hello Janet! And, thank you for the opportunities. I’ve already sent you an e-mail. Thanks also to Janet for letting you host her blog today.
I have you on the list, Linda. Yes, I love my Poetry Friday friends and so appreciate their willingness to host me now and again. Glad you are giving this all a go!
I have you signed up! So glad you can attend, Linda.
It is so nice to have friends in the Poetry Friday community who so kindly host me every now and then. I love it when I can read all the blogs AND when I can respond!
Hi Janice and Janet! Thank you for sharing these wonderful opportunities… and Janet, thank you for helping to make them happen! It’s a yes for me. xo
Wonderful. I am putting you on my list. Just send in your “sign up” so I have it in that email at cnypenwomensignup at gmail. (Don’t want to forget anyone!)
How cool! I’d love to see the recording when it’s done!
I will put you on the list! I think you’d be our only international viewer if it would work for you!!!
Technically, I am clueless on that part but happy to sign you up so that you are not over-looked by moi after the fact!!!!!
Janet
How exciting, Janet. I Love Taylor. I first met him at NCTE where he spoke to the Secondary English teachers at the Thursday Get Together. Then, I spent a delightful time talking to him about his Metaphor Dice and bought a set (NCTE 19). Thanks for reminding me I have my own set. I just got to find it in one of my moving boxes.
I am definitely in for the Zoom presentation and already mentioned you.
Thanks, Janice, for having Janet as a guest blogger/
Hi Janet. I’ve tried to send you an email, but for some reason I’m getting a failure to send. (Which sounds like a problem my end – but not to be beaten, I will ’email’ via this comment.
Firstly, I’m thinking, Janice, based on your introduction, did we meet at Baltimore – with Janet? If I did, I hadn’t made that connection!
Secondly, I can’t make the live Zoom session with Taylor Mali (I will be presenting poetry a poetry workshop myself at that time.💓) but I would love to catch the recording, if that is at all possible? It’s a great topic!
And thanks for the information about the competition, too. I will see what I come up with!
Thanks, Janice and Janet!
Hi Kat,
Terrific!! I just need your email eventually. Here is the sign up link at cnypenwomensignup at gmail etc
I may have your email in my files/home email, though and will look! So glad you will get to see him in Australia. He really is a good presenter and I know it will be interesting. Have you met him? He was in Baltimore with his Metaphor Dice booth and spoke, too. But I did not go because there was a conflict.
Hugs from the northern climes where we are getting some of what purports to be a blizzard in the USA up near Boston ! But not as rough here. Am at my grandkids’ home for a birthday soiree today so at least the neighbors can come for the very small planned gathering. Janice did not get to our dinner as she is in Miranda Paul’s Gratit-ku book and Janice went to an event at the Lucille Clifton home. I loved seeing everyone in Baltimore and miss our chances of reconnecting. Perhaps in the future!!
Thank you, Janice and Janet! I emailed you, Janet :>)
Thank you Janice and Janet!
I’m frustrated with Highlights. Last year, they changed the annual poetry class from October to September…the same weekend as the CFR retreat. This year they changed it to May…the same weekend as the CFR Alumni retreat. Maybe SOMEDAY I’ll be able to go!!
I was going to attend a different session which was right after lockdown and won’t go back again until no masks. The kn95 are important but tough. I do LOVE Highlights overall though and look forward to going back. I also would love to do a retreat time there as well. Some times several friends might want to do that at the same time and then meet up to share or offer prompts or whatever….so that is something I have toyed with doing, too. Have you been before Mary Lee?
Thanks for sharing these opportunities with us today!
Yay for Janice and Janet for being generous poetry pals and spreading the word of this cool event. Would love to watch the recording – the timezone challenges prevent me from being able to live. 🙂
Thanks Janice and Janet for this rich source of opportunities!
I’ve sent an email to you Janet for attending the Taylor Mali presentation, and am looking forward to it!
Hi, Janet and Janice! I’ve been hearing about the metaphor dice from some of the February Poetry Project group. It sounds like the dice have provided surprises, inspiration, and fun. Taylor Mali came to our area to speak several years ago. I love his energy.