l u c e m
june is a summer sweet battle-song
the world blooms again; the seeds sown sprout upwards.
there is still much work to be done, but we begin to emerge from the ground.
a season of cold and stillness is blissfully, finally over, and we will
grow with the summer herbs and vegetables. don't forget to
cultivate your community in this upcoming summer.
h a p p e n i n g s
the poet successfully debuted a combination of recycled art and poetry at the Pretzel Park Farmer's Market
on May 1st, and will be there again on Saturday, June 5th, Saturday July 3rd, and
Saturday August 7th for anyone in the area.
"life as a religious allegory", a shape poem, debuted in Interstellar Lit, and is free to read here.
the poet has also started a Patreon, which you can find here
EARTH IS FULL; GO BACK HOME had it's first anniversary on May 18th,
and the poet held a live reading to celebrate, which is now
archived here
f r o m t h e p o e t ' s d e s k
"The darkness is many-limbed. The passenger seat should not be left empty.
The diners should not be visited after sunset. The locks are not enough, but your will might be.
The ferry(wo)man inches closer. Tonight, when the moon rises. The night is tonight."
- m. r.
recommendations
l i t e r a t u r e
rebecca by daphne du maurier
a beautiful lesson in the power of suggestion and suspense,
with a very interesting, somewhat unreliable narrator.
a classic in the world of women's spec fic.
we do this 'til we free us by mariame kaba
a communication about abolition and transformative
justice from one of the most influential, behind-the-scenes
abolitionist of our time.
the ten thousand doors of january by alix e. harrow
a beautiful fantasy title. alix harrow has a knack for weaving
magic and storytelling, and i was absolutely absorbed
in this tale of other worlds.
the odyssey as translated by emily wilson
the most beautiful translation of the odyssey, or any classic work, that i've read.
emily wilson is a phenomenal translator, and you will be in love
from the author's notes to the very last page.
a room of one's own by virginia woolf
virginia woolf's landmark essay about a space of one's own to create,
which touches both my dislike for being interrupted by daily
life in my creativity, and a woman's disadvantage as a
creator. a quick and worthwhile read.
nothing left but mud by jennifer r. donohue
a story that searches for meaning, catharsis, and hope in the world
of a pandemic not so different from ours. an original from
sword & kettle press.
and while you're on the sword & kettle shop, check out
the cup & dagger series of chapbooks! my chap,
"bury me in iron and ivy" is among a collection
of many other incredible works, hand
bound and printed.
m u s i c
tongues & teeth by the cranes wives
heron blue by sun kil moon
oh death by noah gunderson
tusk by fleetwood mac
maya the psychic by gerard way
a c t i v i s m
Harriett’s Bookshop in Philadelphia (a black-owned business named
after Harriett Tubman and supporting women) is fundraising for a permanent
home after their lease ends, to own outright. you can donate here.
arrests often rise in the summer. you can donate to the bail
fund in your area, but i'm boosting the Philly Bail Fund
here to support my community.
c r e a t o r s
the sword & kettle team
website
sword & kettle press is an independent publishing house,
publishing inclusive feminist fantasy & speculative writing,
creating resources for other editors & writers,
and building a business driven by compassion.
kay allen, founding editor
website
"Kay Allen is a writer and editor
living in Somerville, Massachusetts.
They hold a Master of Arts in English
from Northeastern University, and their poetry has appeared
in Stone of Madness, Dear Damsels, & Canned.
As a writer, their work centers on magic, memory, and place;
as an editor, they love fairy tales, folklore, and transformative works.
Kay is enthusiastic about DIY publishing, and
binds many Sword & Kettle books by hand."
naseem jamnia, associate editor
website
"A former scientist, Naseem Jamnia is an MFA student
at the University of Nevada, Reno represented by Erica Bauman
at Aevitas Creative Management. Their work has appeared or is forthcoming
in Aurelia Leo, Bitch Media, The Writer’s Chronicle, The Rumpus, The Washington Post, and other places.
A 2019 Lambda Literary Fellow and the managing editor at Sidequest.Zone,
Naseem left their hometown Chicago for Reno, where they currently live
with their husband, dog, and two cats."
jessie ulmer, associate editor
Jessie Ulmer is a queer writer and editor with a fondness for magic.
She loves ghosts and anything wild and eerie, often using elements of the unreal
to heighten themes of representation within her work. She is delighted to edit for Sword & Kettle Press,
and has been published in Syntax & Salt, Gingerbread House, 3Elements Review,
Pins and Needles: A Journal of Contemporary Fairy Tales, The Yellow Chair Review,
and Washington’s Best Emerging Poets Anthology.
In 2019 she was nominated for a Best of the Net Award.
fin
if you like seeing this in your inbox, consider donating to my ko-fi or paypal to keep it running!
you can follow my own poetic endeavors at mrobinsonwrites.com
- m. r.