Boyne Berries 18 Open to Submissions

Boyne Berries 18 opens for submissions of poetry and prose today. The submission period will end on Saturday, 11th July. Boyne Berries 18 will be published in late September. I took over as editor of the magazine last year from Michael Farry and I have two issues under my belt. Boyne Writer Rory O'Sullivan has produced the cover design on both occasions.

I went blindly into the editing process and it was difficult at first to deal with the volume of submissions and with the technicality of producing a print magazine. Luckily I was taking the reins of a well oiled machine and the Boyne Writers were all supportive. I've made mistakes, in the type, in omitting submissions I'd forgotten...but I've learned a lot too. There is no doubt about it that editing a magazine like Boyne Berries is a big responsibility and it is time consuming. Any blinkers worn must be taken off.

I'm excited now to start reading submissions again from all over the world. I'd ask submitters to follow the guidelines regarding submitting in the body of the email and as a word document attachment, and to use times new roman 12 and single spacing. Include a short bio. It will make my work easier and more pleasurable. Please see guidelines

I will endeavour to answer every submission as soon as I can. I particularly encourage first time submitters and anyone who is having second thoughts, don't, never be afraid to begin a journey. Be brave. Open my mind, strike me dead, silence me, lead me onto a new path. Thanks for submitting.

Girls of the Globe by Rosemarie Rowley

Rosemarie Rowleys's seventh poetry collection Girls of the Globe has been published by Arlen House. Rosemarie had her poem There Are Few Times More Precious published in Boyne Berries 17. She has written extensively in form and she has degrees in Irish and English literature, and Philosophy from Trinity College Dublin. Her work has been included in Poetry Ireland Review, Southword, Riposte, Crannog, The Cork Literary Review and The Irish Times, among others.

 

Rosemarie will be reading on the 17th June at 7 p.m. in Pearse Street Library. You can read more about her here: http://www.rosemarierowley.ie/

Crannog 39

Crannog 39 will be launched on Friday, 26th June in the Crane Bar, Sea Road Galway at 6.30 pm. I have a poem accepted for this issue which I'm delighted about. The poem is called 'Look Back in Wonder...' and it was written about a photo taken from Mars of Earth last year.

 

Crannog is edited by Sandra Bunting, Jarlath Fahy, Ger Burke and Tony O'Dwyer. It is published in February, June and October and always has a lovely cover design and is a great read. You can find out how to submit here: http://www.crannogmagazine.com/submissions.htm 

Into 2015

Here we are quite quickly in 2015. I've been too busy with my degree last year to do much creative writing but hopefully, fingers crossed and touch wood, I will pass all my modules and have my degree finished this summer. Boyne Berries 17 is due in March so I will be doing further work on that soon. 

I'm looking through my documents for an old poem because the butterflies keep appearing in the house. It must be the warmth. The document is from December, 2010. I've immediately deleted three verses, the sentiment they contained was embarrassing. 

Butterfly in December

It is strange to find

amid Christmas preparation

some relic of summer,

but on newly varnished wood

meeting Waterloo I rescue

lepidoptera from death.

Why come you here with frosted wings

out of winter melting to memories

prime?

What spirit are you?

A lover’s heart

I hold you tenderly,

for I do not know the annals

and feeling like a child remember

life is the weight of wings.

The SHOp Issue 45

I'm a proud contributor to The SHOp Issue number 45, Summer 2014. My poem After MC Escher's Hands Drawing Hands made the cut.  It had been highly commended last autumn in the Jonathan Swift Creative Writing Poetry Award.  I wrote it in pencil late one Saturday night last summer. In this issue of The SHOp I'm back to back with Kevin Graham whose poetry I admire a lot.  I had a poem beside one of his a couple of years ago in The Stony Thursday Book too.

I was saddened to read that the editors John and Hilary Wakeman are to cease publication of The SHOp after 15 years of dedication to the magazine.  There will be two more issues, 46 and 47, combined in one final double issue to appear in November. Over the past few years having a poem appear in The SHOp was something I always aspired to.  It is looked upon as being one of the finest magazines of poetry in Ireland.  

The Rose That Grew From Concrete

Did you hear about the rose that grew
from a crack in the concrete?
Proving nature's law is wrong it
learned to walk with out having feet.
Funny it seems, but by keeping its dreams,
it learned to breathe fresh air.
Long live the rose that grew from concrete
when no one else ever cared.

Tupac Shakur 

A Wedding Poem

My brother, Christopher, is getting married in July and I've been asked to write a poem that I will recite also at the reception.  It will be a near formal occasion so I was thinking of writing a sonnet.  Are there any great wedding poems out there?  This is the best I could find so far.

A Bridal Song

OMFORTS lasting, loves increasing,

Like soft hours never ceasing;

Plenty's pleasure, peace complying,

Without jars, or tongues envying;

Hearts by holy union wedded,

More than theirs by custom bedded;

Fruitful issues; life so graced,

Not by age to be defaced;

Budding as the year ensu'th,

Every spring another youth:

All what thought can add beside,

Crown this Bridegroom and this Bride!

John Ford