After much reflection, I’ve decided to close the 14-year chapter of Taos Journal of Poetry www.taosjournalofpoetry.com, ofwhich during the last five years I have been sole editor and publisher. This has been a deeply meaningful period of my life, a profound and humble privilege to receive thousands of submissions, read each poem with awe, publish, and correspond with the spirited and loving voices of poets worldwide. I love this aspect, the connection and appreciation for one another. For those who might remember, in 2011 poet, Veronica Golos and I as active and working poets, expressed desire to publish poets from around the globe having brainstormed in the lobby of the Tennis Ranch in Taos, New Mexico. Her wealth of knowledge, enthusiasm and love of the poetic word blossomed into a beautiful journey. We worked closely together as co-founders and editors (the fun the banter the enlightenment) until 2020, when we reached out to Robin Shawver to take the helm for a period so that we could each delve into our own then current writings. I took over as sole publisher/editor sometime during the isolating pandemic missing terribly, contact with poets from other countries.
As life does, the last 15 years shone and stunned with unexpected life journeys particularly the untimely death of my late husband in 2016 after living brilliantly-ached with Parkinson’s; the pandemic; and after 42 years of living in Taos, my cherished spirit-home I will always return to (grandchildren, step-children, beloveds and friends), my move back to Cape Ann, MA to be closer to my daughter who’d settled here and to assist with an aged mother, now 95. I now listen to the wailing of seagulls rather than the warbling of magpies. Time is passing quickly and the preciousness of writing time is at the helm of my life as it has always been, at the same time the necessity to assist as caregiver. The woods here beckon with scents of damp piney earth mixed with salty sea different than those of sweet piñon, cedar and high-desert mountain air of northern New Mexico, and breaking of waves along this rocky coast lull and stir me nights rather than the high-pitched cries of coyotes and silence of majestic elk passing by. With four poetry books behind me, and a few poetry manuscripts and essays in progress, and my continued love as a writing coach for poets and essayists, I am filled up. Reach out though for poem and manuscript support as I do love teaching and will find that space for you! Gratitude to all who donated to our 501(c)(3), your generous donations helped keep this beautiful online publication afloat in order to share the voices of the many poets who submitted and were published by TJOP. Endless appreciation to the advisory board for lending their names and time. To end this reign, two upcoming online poetry readings hosted by Taos Journal of Poetry: August 31, 7 pm ET with poets Veronica Golos, Mervyn Taylor, Eleanor Kedney;October 1, 8 pm ET with poets Brenda Hillman and Donna Masini. With my web designer, SpicerDigital we are working on archiving all issues so please enjoy into the future the poems and essays.
Σας ευχαριστώ cherished intrepid poets and readers.
