Monday, November 5, 2012

vote

Whatever your politics, however sick you are of the non-stop electoral nonsense, however discouraged, VOTE! To keep our power to choose, we must exercise it.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Nomination!

  I can't say I've never won anything. I've won a few bucks on scratcher lottery tickets (once it was $30, I think; another time, $100., but belatedly, after I had already thrown out the ticket after being assured that despite appearances, I hadn't really won at all), but I've never won a poetry contest, though I've entered my share. I have never been nominated for such an award either, until now.
 This morning I got a note from my publisher, Karen Kelsey Davies, that she was nominating my poem "Pranayama Lesson," forthcoming in her journal Victorian Violets Press, for a Pushcart Prize! I have followed the Pushcart nominations of friends for years, since the infamous edition years ago of the Pushcart anthology that thumbed its nose at the rest of us with its title: All of Us, and None of You. And I have voted for nominated poems from journals I have published in. But it is wonderful to finally see myself among the nominated!
Maybe my luck is turning?
Also, I am hoping to attend the L.A. book Launch for the anthology, The Poetry of Yoga, in which 4 of the poems from Balance will appear. I will paste the blurb for this anthology below:

The Poetry of Yoga is a ground breaking book anthology expanding the literary tradition of yoga to include the cultural perspective of the 21st century. A modern day collection compiled and edited by artist, poet, and yogi HAWAH, this second volume is distilled from over 1,900 pages of poetry, submitted from 19 countries.

Shiva Rea calls the book project, "A great victory... through which we get to see the somatic power of consciousness."

The Yoga Journal writes, "Perfect for solitary contemplation... this anthology is full of yogic wisdom."

Volume 2 contains a special foreword from Jivamukti's own Sharon Gannon and features writing from: Hemalyaa Behl, Jeffrey Cohen, Seane Corn, Angela Farmer, Ana Forrest, Dr. James Gordon, Judyth Hill, Faith Hunter, Alanna Kaivalya, Victor Van Kooten, Prem Lakhoti, Jason Nemer, David Newman, Panda, John Schumacher, Cameron Shayne, Dave Stringer, MC Yogi, and many more!

Fifty percent of ALL book sales are donated to the non-profit organization, 
One Common Unity. Their pioneering work brings non-violence through arts & music to inner-city youth. 

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