GRANNA by Nick Young


Literary Revelations is thrilled to bring you a piece by Nick Young entitled GRANNA. We hope you liked it as much as we did.

BIO

Nick Young is a retired award-winning CBS News Correspondent.  His writing has appeared in more than thirty publications including the Pennsylvania Literary Journal, The Garland Lake Review, The Remington Review, The San Antonio Review, The Best of CaféLit 11 and Vols. I and II of the Writer Shed Stories anthologies.  His first novel “Deadline” was published in October. He lives outside Chicago.


GRANNA

She couldn’t know—how could she? 

She was but five, so she couldn’t know that the ancient figure across the room was anything but stooped by the weight of time. She couldn’t know that once that woman with brittle skin etched by life’s toil was as full of joy as she, reveling in the summer sun as she ran, laughing, through the dazzling wildflowers sprinkled up the slope of the low hillside that rose toward a patch of thick timber behind the faded brick farmhouse. How could she know that as a schoolgirl the old one was bright, full of curiosity about the world and thirsty as a sponge for knowledge? Or that in her teenage years, she kept a secret diary, confiding in its deckled pages the thrill of kissing a boy for the first time and her dreams of going to a college in the ivied East and living in a city with soaring buildings of dizzying heights. She couldn’t know how those yearnings were crushed away to dust by parents who put no stock in a girl having “them notions,” prodding her relentlessly so that she finally surrendered, exhausted, abandoned her books and fell in with a fast crowd, living loose, for the thrill of the moment, roiling convention, flouting rectitude. How could she know that the woman before her with lank gray hair and a stolid thickness about her once had a pin-up’s face and a body that was all tightness and curves, driving men to frenzies of passion and jealousy sometimes settled with fists or a knife. She could not know about the barroom nights that ended, panting, in a back seat or a shabby room in a rundown motel on the far side of the railroad tracks. And she could not know how the people of the town whispered cruelly behind the woman’s back, even as she strove to pull free of wantonness, refashion her life and let the past slip into the distance of memory.

No, she didn’t know—how could she?

What she knew was that this is old soul in the faded cornflower-blue shift who shuffled so slowly, hardly lifting her worn slippers as she moved, would never fail to bring her favorite teddy, to see them both safely tucked within the cocoon of blankets infused with the faint scent of cedar as the evening drew down. And she knew this woman would bend low to stroke her hair with tremulous hand, place a gentle kiss upon her forehead, smile and whisper that the night would hold no terrors, and the morning would come with warm sunshine and bright birdsong.





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Weekend Poetry – Diane Funston


Bio

Diane Funston writes poetry about nature, and human nature. She co-founded a women’s poetry salon in San Diego and created a weekly poetry gathering in the high desert town of Tehachapi.

She has been the Yuba-Sutter Arts and Culture Poet-in-Residence for the past two years. It is in this role she created Poetry Square, a monthly online venue that features poets from all the world reading their work and discussing creative process. 

Diane has been published in Last Stanza, Synkronicity, California Quarterly, Whirlwind, San Diego Poetry Annual, Meat for Tea, Tule Review, Lake Affect Magazine, and other literary journals. Her first chapbook, “Over the Falls” was published this July 2022 from Foothills Publishing. 

Diane is also a visual artist in mosaic, wool felting, and collage. Her pieces have been in galleries in the Sacramento Valley. 


Still Waiting

I creep in to the butterfly habitat,
dappled with perfume.
Wearing my most colorful,
flower-full blouse.
Ready for filigree butterflies
to cover me.

I stand still as a park statue.
Silent as the pious in prayer.
Occasionally I drift
toward a new feathery squall—
offer myself,
passive altar,
a turned-down bed.

Amazed, I see whorls of wings
flicker and flutter past me,
to settle instead upon
silver haired shrieking tourists,
corpulent camera man in a sweat logged suit,
chocolate smeared children waving their arms,
calling “Come here butterfly, come over here”.

I watch amidst chatter and clutter,
silent, scented, open palmed—
still waiting.

Saving Time

If I could save time in a bottle;
I used that old song as prayer.
1973, I was fifteen,
my grandmother, sixty-six.
Her extended round belly,
hard under her jersey dress
resembled new life growing strong
but the cancer grew as death’s quickening.

I watched the electric pump drain her poison
nearly every day as the six weeks it took,
the doctors having told me, by myself,
we had a 4 to 6 weeks left together.
I held her straw of the ice cream sodas
I’d bring her on the bus after school.
The time sipped and pumped away,
until she passed in the red of October.

I was her daughter in all but sown seed.
She still speaks every time I state “No”.
Every time I stand up by my roots,
untangle the ivy of pretense
from the brick walls of my growing up.
Each time I set a boundary these days,
I see her smile in raw approval
feel her hand in mine.



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Michael Shoemaker and his wonderful poetry

Literary Revelations is pleased to bring you the poetry of Michael Shoemaker.

BIO

Michael Shoemaker is a poet, writer, and photographer. His writing has appeared in Ancient Paths Literary Journal, Last Leaves Literary Magazine, Front Porch Review, Littoral Magazine, Clayjar Review, the Compass Literary Magazine and elsewhere. His poems are in anthologies at Central Texas Writers Society, Poetica, Poetry Pacific, Pure Slush and Poets’ Choice. He lives in Magna, Utah with his wife, and son where he enjoys looking out on the Great Salt Lake every day. His book of poetry and photography “Rocky Mountain Reflections” which will be published by Poets’ Choice in November 2023.


Clackamas River Tubing

Floating back and forth 
swinging in the swirling stream
sweet sounds in the leaves
like the flight of piccolos 
flickering above the flutes. 

Taking the Long Way Back

I trekked out
in a flurry
beating hot thin dust
on the trail
burdened with
the swiftness
of worry
and pretense.

On the way back
there will be
no such error.

I will take time
to lean on the
old picket fence
and stare at the
far distance of
the mist rising
above the hills
counting my brothers
the quail bolting
the trees
to lie on the
cool damp ground
in the meadow
tasting the tang
of wild raspberries
looking up
saluting the
bottom of daisies
listening to the musical
consonance of bees
that must also breathe
in the sweet smell
of the graciousness of grasses
to sit in playing
light and shadow
almost like a laugh
by the brook
with feet immersed
in cold brisk liquid-
self-transcendence.

You ask me
how to live,
this is how.

Below Michael’s original photograph that accompanies this poem.





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Happy Halloween! Dark Fantasy by Spyder Collins

Telling scary stories is one of the Halloween’s traditions. Today we feature dark fantasy by Spyder Collins.

Trigger warning: Those of you who do not like this genre are advised not to read.

Eve of Elena

Alas, she sings, and with each note, my heart beats. Her warmth washes over me like the rising sun upon freshly fallen snow. She, my love, my soul, and the warmth of Heaven’s grace. Here with me, my dearest.

***

It has been a fortnight since the return of my darling Elena on Forefathers’ Eve—the night of ghosts and ghouls, a child’s play of tricks or treats. It will be a night I will never forget, nor take as play. 

          You see, a seer portended the fall of my love. She would surrender to consumption, if I did not take precautions. I, a proud and in retrospect foolish man, refused the seer. I had no belief in such craft or any craft I could not physically witness. Carpenters and masonries were crafters. I begrudge the wise who looked at mystics with a believing eye.

         Enough of my ignorance. I am so pleased with the necromancer who came to my aid. Her raiment of ancient times and incantation from the tongues of devils brought my Elena home.

         I fell into a grave sorrow upon Elena’s passing. The consumption riddled her with pain and dolor. My guilt rode on a trail of snide quips to the doctors who tried to cure her. Their failure was my guilt, and that failure stoked my fury. I would not let them take her after her death. She lay in my bed until her rotted flesh soaked the bed and the stench became unbearable.

         As she was placed into the ground, I vowed—silently—that she would return to me. I struggled with courage, belief, and a willingness to sell it all for her. In the end, I did. My eternal life is nothing. I live for today, and this day I want Elena.

         On the night of October thirty-first and until the aurora of November first, my immeasurable love would be tested. The necromancer did her due. I won’t go into details of the incantations or the process of removing the dead from their sacred home. It is not something I wish to narrate or relive. Just know you would need to prepare yourself for that unholiest affair.

         Elena is here now. Her melodic voice carries the beauty of her soul, though she sings of longing for death, The fey sound haunts each moment of each hour, of each day and night. She never sleeps. My heart sings of joy—madness, perhaps. Her flesh is all but decayed from her bones. Her clothing hangs, as it did in the armoire. Her scent is as I imagine hell will be for me. Sulfuric, biting, and oddly metallic.

         She sits before her vanity, as she has done many times. The empty stare at her reflection is unnerving. She’s all but brushed her hair from what remains of her scalp. Her sunken eyes shed tears, I swear it. Impossible, I know, or a product of my growing insanity. One must ask themself if this may be bedlam; it could only be expected. 

         My gluttony will never wane, no. I fear thralldom has me in its clutches. I wonder what will become of her when I find death’s door. But I’ve no time for such thoughts.

  Elena, my love…welcome home.


Spyder also wrote a poem for us.

As the gloaming arrives
my hopes for my love arise
it has been far too long
since I have heard her melodic song

Quietus the rogue took her
from between my loving arms
in my shame I confess, I did not stir
to protect my beloved from harm

On the altar on All Hallows’ Eve
this incantation I weave
to sell my eternal soul to him
as my future is quite dim

Evermore on the raven’s wing
darkness casts its eternity River Styx
endless flames it brings
I will drown in Hades’ pitiless sea

I will pay my due, whatever it may be
to share another moment, her with me
for my undying love is greater than God
for I know the truth of His façade

I’ll play that wager for her
and I will take my punishment, for her
as there is no life, without her
this forevermore is for her




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Halloween is almost here! Exclusively for Literary Revelations an interview with Iuliana Irimia conducted by Virginia Mateias

Interview

VM. Congratulations on your successful start in the art world! Can you tell us about the journey that led you here?

II. I started drawing when I was very young. My parents allowed me to draw on everything: books, post-its, walls… nothing escaped my crayon! I started taking drawing classes at 14, where I was taught in a more traditional approach using large paper pads and an easel. This has given me a good foundation to build my personal style upon and served me well in school while I studied Illustration at Dawson College. I have since done a variety of projects as a self-employed artist, from logos to murals, and everything in between. 

VM. Your work has a unique style. How do you incorporate your love for Halloween into your paintings?

II. I’ve loved Halloween since I was young. Every year, my friend and I would spend a lot of time and effort planning and decorating her house for trick-or-treaters. We would make paper maché cauldrons and elaborate cemetery displays in her front yard, complete with zombie hands and legs sticking out of the ground. 

While my art doesn’t necessarily always revolve around typical Halloween imagery, I have incorporated the oddities and feeling of eeriness using a more surreal style. 

VM. How has your recent success impacted your creative process and inspiration?

II. Much like other artists, I also worry about my art being “good enough” or liked by others. We of course have to cultivate our audience, but in the end people respond to authenticity. The work I’ve done recreating Nalini Malani’s mural at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts reminded me how important it is to do work that is inspiring to us. Malani’s work is much different than mine, but her art and process are nothing if not authentic, and it really reminded me to enjoy and trust the process of creating art. 

I was also able to gain more immediate feedback while working in front of the public during Montreal’s Mural Fest. It is a street art festival where, among other activities, artists are commissioned to paint on large wooden boards on the pedestrian-only street. Initially, I had created a design where I tried to cater to what I thought people would want to see at such a festival: something colourful and a much simpler theme revolving around the city. However, I changed my design a few days before the event. Remembering the authenticity in Malani’s art, I simply felt like it didn’t reflect my personality and instead created something that was more in line with my vision as an artist. 

VM. What are some of your favorite themes or subjects to paint that relate to Halloween?

II. I very much love the idea of magic and witches. It’s the feeling in the air during the fall season that is charged with the possibility that anything could happen. Even if my subject is still, I want there to be some kind of presence that isn’t explicitly stated. There is a power and control to the concept of magic, which lends itself well to the power and control an artist has over their art. 

VM. Are there any specific artists or painters who have influenced your work?

II. I find myself drawn to artists from the Golden Age of Illustration. The first that come to mind is Harry Clarke. I discovered his drawings for an Edgar Allan Poe book titled “Tales of Mystery and Imagination” while researching a project for one of my classes at Dawson College. I immediately loved the texture and detail in his art, and it has since heavily influenced how I approach any ink drawing I do. I also love the beautiful curves in the illustrations of Art Nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha, and I try to incorporate those kinds of shapes in many of my own work. If I had the opportunity, I would love to go back in time and take a look at his studio. It would be fascinating for me to see how he approaches illustrations that are so intricate. 

VM. Could you describe a recent project or painting that you are particularly proud of?

II. I was commissioned, along with a friend, to recreate a mural designed by the artist Nalini Malani, at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Unlike a lot of murals that are normally done with paint, this one was done using markers and charcoal. We spent two weeks working in front of the public at the museum, and had a multitude of interactions with many who had never seen a mural being created. This experience has been an absolute honour and I will cherish it for the rest of my life. 

VM. How do you balance the spooky and playful aspects of Halloween in your art?

II. I find it important to stay away from obvious clichés. There are plenty of images of witches or zombies, so I ask myself what kind of story I want to tell. To me, Halloween is about the strange and unexpected, so I take inspiration from many sources and mix them in my personal cauldron to create something new yet still familiar. 


VM. What can your fans and art enthusiasts expect from your upcoming projects, especially in the context of Halloween-themed works?

II. I’ve experimented with many styles in the past years, but some ways of working come more naturally. I love intricate linework done in ink, and while it’s true it takes more time than other drawings I’ve done, I believe the investment is worth it! The style really evokes the look of an old engraved illustration in a grimoire, and I can really immerse myself in the drawing during the time it takes to create it. I intend to follow the path of many of the Golden Age artists who have illustrated books, to soon illustrate my own. 

Website: iulianairimia.com
Instagram: @mtl_raiin


Works by Iuliana Irimia




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Weekend Poetry – Michael Parker

Literary Revelations is proud to bring you the poetry of Michael Parker. I hope you enjoy it. Have a great weekend and “see you soon.”

BIO

Michael Parker’s poems have appeared in PoetsArtists, Moss Trill, Surely As the Sun, Dialogue, New Letters, and elsewhere. His poetry collection Divining the Spirits in the House of the Hush and Hush won the Utah State Poetry Society’s Book of the Year Award in 2021. Michael and family live in Orem, Utah.


WHEN PRAYING

after Mary Oliver

I have a vision in my mind of Jesus
kneeling in front of His followers, His knees
rooted like a Shepherd’s tree,
hundreds of feet underground.

His heart is formidable like a mountain,
its purpose etched into the walls of His heart:
“Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done.”

The thoughts of my own mind soar in flight,
like a murmuration of starlings flying
in the wild season’s breezes under
the ethereal foundations of heaven.

I speak words of gratitude
gracefully, penitently, as I consider
the voice of His disciples admonishing
“give thanks in all circumstances,”
“enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise,” and
declare “thanks be to God
for His indescribable gift!”

Then, finally, I listen for the quiet
voice in life’s song or in the desert whirlwind
startling this life-worn soul
awake.


LOVE

watching side-by-side the infinitude of light
burst from the iridescent sunset

the marriage of complimenting luminaries
kissing under a resplendent blanket of stars

cultivating the garden of another’s soul
yielding its fruit together at harvest time

feeling the sparks flying inside our souls
like the electricity flowing between two hearts

hearing the words adoration, devotedness,
ardency, and confidant

how an investment is a great metaphor
for our burgeoning relationship

the encouragement we award one another
the charity we impart to a fellow traveler of life

the buoyant meditations and singing bowls
which ring out the pure tones of our tenderness

the language of compassion and harvests–
beneficent words borne with holiness


and you and I rediscovering one another
as we transverse through our own Garden of Eden


Please continue to submit to our anthology Petals of Haiku. Submission guidelines here.


Please note that mid-December we will publish Greenlandos, an excellent book for children written by Virginia Mateias. More about the book here.




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Literary Revelations Journal and our upcoming anthology Petals of Haiku added to Doutrope

My Dear Readers,

I am thrilled, proud, and excited so time to celebrate! Eleven months ago when I started Literary Revelations I secretly hoped that my publishing house would be listed by Doutrope in three or four years. I did not share my hope with anyone. Eleven months after Literary Revelations was born it made to Doutrope. I am happy as a human can be. I will share the links after I set up the profile for the publishing house.

Doutrope is an award-winner resource for writers and artists. As a writer and artist you can use it for a fee. You can access what Doutrope lists as best publishers, editors, journals, and literary agents.


On Sunday Literary Revelations received the following email.


And this is not all. Our upcoming collection Petal of Haiku: An Anthology was added as a resource too.


Please continue to submit to our anthology Petals of Haiku. Submission guidelines here.


Please note that mid-December we will publish Greenlandos, an excellent book for children written by Virginia Mateias. More about the book here.

Enjoy the rest of the week and thank you for submitting to Literary Revelations.




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Literary Revelations burns the midnight oil to bring you in December Greenlandos by Virginia Mateias aka Virginia Witch!


Dear all,

I am thrilled to let you know that Literary Revelations is working hard to bring you an excellent children book written by Virginia Mateias aka Virginia Witch mid-December.


Let’s open the curtains:


Good morning/Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen

Welcome to Greenlandos!  In this epic clash of good versus evil, loyalty versus betrayal, and the natural world battling the artificial one, who will triumph?

Meet Belladonna, the enigmatic heroine, as she defends her pristine land. Follow the clever and brave Mandragoras as he unravels a sinister plot to obliterate Greenlandos, while Mr. Pepper falls hopelessly in love with Miss. Cauliflower. What is threatening everyone in Greenlandos?

This gripping tale raises its voice against the rampant use of pesticides, championing a return to a cleaner world. It’s ideal for young adventurers aged 9 and up, as well as for their parents. Greenlandos introduces ecological and moral values through its unforgettable characters and extraordinary escapades.



Greenlandos is a fantastic book. Children and parents will enjoy it alike. Virginia is an outstanding writer. The book is illustrated by Serban Adreescu whose work shines.


For the moment, let’s listen to Virginia

I was five years old when I discovered books. For me books are a magical universe. I started reading long before going to school and my mother was proud I was able to read the newspaper to my father. Boredom prompted me to learn how to read early on. However, I wasn’t bored at all once I started reading books.

On my journey to becoming an author I read a lot, studied literature and drama at the university. I was and I still am a cultural journalist. Yet I believe life itself has been the most effective instructor for me.

I was born in Europe. I left Europe and moved to Canada. Moving to a new country with a new culture has brought about a new perspective and new challenges. I would say that life constantly gives us the opportunities we need in order to evolve. It’s up to us to accept or reject these challenges.

My first book called “The Persistence of Memory” was published in Romania and it was received with much success. The public purchased all the available copies and the book was highly praised by critics. The second book called “In the Shadow of the Angel” was published in Canada in 2019. The poetry I wrote emerged from a soul that has walked along fiery instants and from a mind that never ceased to question existential concepts.

In my opinion, the author and the reader are the opposite sides of the same coin. Writers cannot exist without readers and readers cannot exist without writers. A book is simply a bridge that invites the mind and soul of the two entities to meet.

A book is a chance for the reader to enter a new time frame, to live a new life and learn something new. I would encourage readers to choose books that allow them to dream, to learn what they do not know and to rediscover themselves.

My passion for nature extends beyond my poetry to Greenlandos. I’m an advocate for preserving our environment and stop harming it. Children and animals hold a special place in my heart. Tyger, my cat, being a cherished family member. Lost civilizations have always captivated my curiosity. Traveling with my daughter, Andra Maria, to explore ancient ruins brings me immense joy. I hold life in the highest regard, and it saddens me to witness ongoing conflicts at the dawn of the 21st century. My hope is for human progress and peace.


Announcements:

Please, stay tuned for more news on Greenlandos!


Thank you to everyone who submitted to Petals of Haiku: An Anthology. Please continue to submit by entitling your email only HAIKU SUBMISSION. If you use more words your email will end up in the wrong folder. Those of you who submitted incorrectly please resubmit.


I have big and exciting news about the Literary Revelations Journal and our anthology Petals of Haiku. I am beyond happy and beyond proud. I will share the news with you in an upcoming post.




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Weekend Poetry – Peter Kaczmarczyk

Literary Revelations is thrilled to bring you the poems of Peter Kaczmarczyk . I hope you enjoy them.

Bio

Peter Kaczmarczyk was raised in New England and has lived the last 30 years in Southern Indiana. He has written poetry his whole life but has only recently been putting them out into the world. His works are inspired by his life, loves, travels, and experiences. Peter strives to create poems that are accessible to all, and hopes that his words will resonate with those who read them. Peter is always surrounded by cats. He has published a chapbook of his work through Alien Buddha Press titled Distant Yet Always Heard as well he was works in numerous journals and anthologies. He is co-creator of the Captain Janeway Statue in Bloomington, Indiana.


Bittersweet

That moving on is bittersweet
Tells me it was right
To be with her
Even as I face the end
That I should not regret
That all that is left now
Is fading memories and growing pain

Bittersweet tells me
Had I never loved her
So much happiness
Would never have been
So much that she taught me
Never learned
That I must leave and begin again
Will never diminish
All the love
All the strength
That I still and always will
Carry along with me


A Flower Rises

A weed is defined as something that grows
Where you don’t want it to be
We raise neighborhoods for high-rises
Pave farm fields for interchanges
All just human capital pushed aside
Weeds cleansed from the earth
As gardens are turned

Yet sometimes a flower rises
From a pile of refuse leaves and debris
Resurrected like the body of Christ
To demonstrate the resilience
Of nature and the human spirit


Thank you to everyone who submitted to our Petals of Haiku: An Anthology. I am humbled by the number of submissions I received. Please continue to submit but do not forget to label your submission email Haiku Submission only. More info here.



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Petals of Haiku: An Anthology – Call for Submission –

Petals of Haiku – Call for submission.

Literary Revelations invites you to unleash your poetic prowess and be part of our upcoming poetry collection entitled “Petals of Haiku: An Anthology.” With a cover designed by the brilliant duo of award-winning Japanese artists, Hikari, and her mentor Naoki Kimura, please do not miss the chance to have your words grace the pages of our anthology.

Featured image by Hikari and Naoki Kimura. Note: This is not the image that will be used for the cover design, but it’s a work that those fabulous artists created together and I hope you enjoy it.

Interpret the theme the way you want.

Here are two haiku that I like.

“A Poppy Blooms” by Katsushika Hokusai

I write, erase, rewrite
Erase again, and then
A poppy blooms.

“The Old Pond” by Matsuo Basho translated into English by Robert Hass

Old pond…
a frog jumps in
water’s sound.

[see https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-old-pond/%5D

Guidelines for Submission

Email your submission at literaryrevelations@pm.me and title your submission HAIKU SUBMISSION. Please note that any other title will land your submission in the wrong email folder, and your submission will not be read.

Do not submit more than 6 haiku. We will select 3 or 4 for publication.  For your submission you should use Times New Roman 12, double space.

Submit your name and your haiku in the body of the email. No attachments will be open. No need to submit a bio.

By submitting to the Petals of Haiku: An Anthology you, as a contributor, affirm that you own the rights to your piece(s) submitted and/or accepted for publication by Literary Revelations LLC and give Literary Revelations LLC permission to publish your work.

You attest that you are 18 years or older.

If you commit plagiarism Literary Revelations LLC is discharged from any liabilities.

You retain the right to your work. Literary Revelations LLC retains the right to the anthology, and it remains its exclusive publisher in perpetuity.

Pieces accepted for the anthology may be used by Literary Revelations LLC in whole or in part to promote the anthology.  Writers and artists will be appropriately credited in all promotional materials.

Read the About section before submitting. You will find the Terms and Conditions under which we operate there.

Example of submission:

Dear Editor,
Name: (please use the exact name you want to appear in the anthology)

Here are my 6 haiku

Haiku 1

Haiku 2

Haiku 3

Haiku 4

Haiku 5

Haiku 6

If you have any questions please leave them in the comments below.

Thank you.

Submissions will close on January 15, 2024. We will let you know when the book will be publish.




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