Volume 60 Issue 3 Summer 2010 The Sylvan

Volume 60 Issue 3

Summer 2010

The Sylvan

NEWSLETTER OF THE PENNSYLVANIA POETRY SOCIETY,

INC.

Spurlock's Parting President's Message

POINTS OF

SPECIAL INTEREST

News from Chapters

October Meeting Schedule

October Meeting registration forms

Membership forms

Contests

Dear Pennsylvania Poets,

Nearly four years ago, at our fall biannual meeting in October, I was honored to receive the President's gavel at a lovely Italian restaurant where we had gathered in Reading. Little did I know that my time to serve PPS as president would pass so quickly. I've enjoyed my work for PPS immensely because I've worked with so many very kind and talented poets from so many different walks in life. Thank you for giving me such an opportunity as well as for all of the time and work you have given to our organization during my tenure as president of PPS.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Sonnenschein's Poem

2

Member Poem 3

Slate for Election 3

Chapter News

4

October Meeting, Membership Forms

5-6

Kooser Column 7

Contact Us

8

During these past four years, you have organized eight (8) biannual meetings, including major two and three day conferences, presented seventeen (17) workshops, published nine (9) poetry anthologies and sixteen (16) newsletters, entered contests, given readings of your work, provided critiques of submitted poems, published your poems and, most importantly, maintained a spirit of camaraderie and good will. Moreover, in your chapters you have done amazingly creative outreach work to promote poetry and to support each other. (See particularly chapter news in this issue.) You have also continued to write poems representing a variety of traditions on a wide range of themes. Congratulations to each one of you!

he will be working with a stellar Board which has also worked hard on a variety of initiatives. These past two years, efforts at the forefront have included balancing our budget at a time when interest on our investment account is much less than it has been in the past. But there is good news. We can now happily report that thanks to the Board's decision to cut back on the number of category offerings in our annual contest and the membership's generous response to our appeal for Patrons to support publication of Prize Poems, our 2010 contest paid for itself. Thank you. Of course, austerity measures must continue. We urge you to continue to support publication of Prize Poems through Patron donations this month, our Membership Month. Those poets who paid dues after November 30, 2009, are not required to pay dues again until September 1, 2011. However, if you feel you are able to donate the $18.00 annual dues, PPS will be grateful. Please note that donations to PPS (a 501(c)(3) organization) are tax deductible. See the newsletter for the membership renewal form.

Finally, please mark your calendars for October 9 at Allenberry. The day promises to be one enjoyed by all. Hope to see you soon.

With warmest regards,

As my successor begins work in October, DeAnna Spurlock

Page 2

The Sylvan

Global Warming: a Sentence

Dana Sonnenschein Once upon a time, spring started a day or two earlier each year, and autumn lingered longer,

and the pine bark beetles killed lodgepoles in the valleys, but in time the pines that were left burned and cones burst, and seeds sprouted in the ash,

and every year in the mountains cold killed beetle eggs in the whitebark pines, and the cones opened, and red squirrels buried the nuts,

and the bears licked up this tribute among roots and wintered beneath snow and gave birth to cubs,

and in the spring, they clawed up the meadows in their demesne to get at wildflower corms and the first green beside rivers, and it was good,

and then one year summer lasted long enough for beetle eggs to hatch higher on the hillsides,

and pine needles fell in drifts,

and there were no nuts to be squirreled away

and no veins of pale gold when the bears cleaved the earth,

and the next year the whitebarks stood like ghosts along the continental divide,

and the grizzlies woke when the snow melted, and they had no young, and their eyes were muddy;

they were hungry, and all the spring beauty and all the sedge and all the winterkill were not enough:

The bears came down into the valley when cows were calving; they smelled blood and it was good,

but the people rose up over their fiefs of flesh, and so, in time, the lords fell, and the stewards,

and the kingdom was lost, all for the want of a killing frost.

We are Pleased to welcome Dana Sonnenschein, award winning poet, to our fall meeting. She'll present a workshop titled, Writing About Animals--It's Only Natural.

Here is her biography: Dana Sonnenschein is a full professor at Southern Connecticut State University

where she has been teaching literature and writing since 1994. Her most recent collection, Bear Country, won the 2008 National Federation of State Poetry Societies Stevens Manuscript competition and was published in July 2009. Her previous works include another book, Natural Forms (Word Press, 2006) and two chapbooks, Corvus (winner of the Quentin R. Howard Prize, Wind, 2003) and No Angels But These (Main Street Rag, 2005). Her poetry has appeared recently in Feminist Studies, Epoch, Lumberyard, and Silk Road. As a visual and verbal artist, she is inspired by nature and particularly by animals, from the black bears and bobcats where she and her husband camp in the Adirondacks to the deer in her garden and the cats who stretch in between her and the computer screen.

Volume 60 Issue 3

Page 3

Member Poem

In Memoriam

We include this poem because Nancy Kline, who organized our Spring Meeting, thought it would be a conflict of interest to enter her chocolate poem in the contest. She did share it, and we wanted to share it with all of you!

Richard R. Gasser, a veteran of World War II and former PPS Treasurer, died on June 25th, one month before his 91st birthday. He was a Life Member of PPS who

Nancy Henry Kline

served as Treasurer from 1993 to 2006, and whom, with his wife Ann, handled PPS bulk

If I could be queen for only one day I would decree, "Throw that diet away!" My throne would be fashioned of huge chocolate bars: Cadburys Hersheys Oh Henrys and Mars.

mailings for 11 years. They attended NFSPS Conventions for 13 years, where Dick's affable manner and sense of humor made PPS many friends.

My ladies in waiting would be chocolate truffles

Wearing rum, amaretto, and raspberry ruffles. for breakfast they'd bring me three humongous dips Of chocolate tofutti with mint chocolate chips. Then I'd mount my fleet horse. His name's Semi Sweet,

PPS October Election

Slate

And ride to the bonbon hounds. Oh! What a treat! This invitation to lunch is for you. We'll dunk ripe strawberries in chocolate fondue My afternoon snack will be Devil's food cake Before skinny dipping in Milk Chocolate Lake

Nominating Committee: Chair, Marilyn Downing Anthony Gulatta Sandra Kolinofski

For dinner I'll have a hot fudge brownie sundae. (Oh dear! I'll be just plain old Nancy on Monday.) I'll set my blonde hair in large tootsie rollers;

Slate:

Richard Lake, President Lynn Fetterolf, Vice President

Push tootsie pop princes in white pretzel strollers

Ann Gasser, Recording Secretary

Then we will all snuggle in warm cocoa nook

Janet Manwaring, Corresponding Secretary

With Chuck's Chocolate Choo Choo, our favorite book.

Ann Copeland, Treasurer

In our chocolate mousse beds we will dream pleasant dreams

On pillows of huge chocolate marshmallow creams.

Gettysburg Poetry Society News

Linda Clark The Gettysburg Poetry Society has been busy seeking submissions for their anthology entited "Almost Time Enough"

which features poetry on timely issues. While seeking to get the word out, we snagged an article in the Celebrate Gettysburg! magazine. So our state and national poetry organizations should be getting some great publicity. The anthology is being published by Masterpiece Creations Graphics and Publishing and should be available by the end of September.

GPS member, Mark Starkweather, was so impressed by the PPS spring event presentation on "Where I'm From" that he treated us to a a workshop on the topic. Everyone gave rave reviews for his presentation and the venue, the Battlefields & Beyond Military History Book Shoppe. So, we are pleased to announce the addition of a special poetic session on the third Wednesday of each month for the purpose of writing! So, in August we will be having the following sessions:

Second Tuesday - August 10 - Eisenhower Room, Library - 6:30 - regular meeting (anthology preparation) Third Wednesday - August 18 - Battlefields and Beyond Book Shoppe - 777 Baltimore St. - 6:30 - poetic workshop by Denise Jackson Fourth Tuesday - August 24 - Eisenhower Room, Library -6:30 - regular critique

Volume 60 Issue 3

Page 4

Keysner News

Chapter News: Carlisle Poets

Marilyn Downing Keysner Poets offer each other fresh challenges every month. We are amazed at the variety of poems from this approach. In April we celebrated National Poetry Month with an open reading at The Crimson Frog, a caf? in Camp Hill. The July meeting was combined with a picnic meal in Hershey. Placing brochures about our meetings in the local libraries brought in a couple prospective members. We hope to continue to grow in numbers to replace the several members who have moved away from the area.

Young at Heart News

Nancy Henry Kline The Young at Heart Chapter has not been active

during the summer months, but our members are looking forward to meeting again on the third Monday in September at the home of Nancy Henry Kline.

We will share the Guided Personal Profile poems that we wrote in Deb Ritter's workshop at our P.P.S. spring meeting in Hershey, and make plans for future meetings and events.

Michael Hoover

Janet Manwaring At the June Carlisle Poets meeting, we shook the dust out

of our brains and came up with some ideas to re-invigorate our dwindling active membership. Maybe our ideas will help those of you who face a similar challenge.

We are changing our long-held meeting format, previously held the second Saturday of the month at a local retirement home. Those of us who are able will be getting together on a non-specified weekday afternoon at member homes. We will have pot-luck lunch, no business and we will coyly share our latest writing, expecting helpful critique. Our first meeting was held July 29 at President Janet Manwaring's home. It proved to be a delightful experience for our group.

Our other new venture is an arrangement with Piatto Italian restaurant in Carlisle to hold "Poetry in the Piatto Garden" events. The events will be held monthly on the first Saturday from 1:00p.m. to 3:00 p.m. There is "Music in the Garden" every Saturday at Piatto from 4:00p.m. to 6:00p.m., so the tradition is already in place. The intended format is a halfhour reading from a local poet. September 4th will feature our own Scarlett O'Hamlet, a.k.a. Janet Manwaring, then an open mic for anyone there. If time permits, we will do some exercises and prompts on the spot.

We welcome participants from out of the area, so any PPS member who wants to participate (or anyone who wants more information) should call our computer-challenged president,

Janet Manwaring at 717-254-6723 any weekday afternoon.

Unfortunately, Michael Hoover has a scheduling concern that precludes him from presenting at our conference.

He sends his sincere regret and apology, and wishes us poetic peace.

Note on Dues

Individuals who paid dues between December 1, 2009 and April 30, 2010 will not have to pay them again until September 1, 2011. This policy is applicable only for the specified period and only to the individuals paying dues during the specified period. See our winter newletter containing discussion of Constitution and Bylaw changes.

Cadence Crafters News

Prabha Prabhu Cadence Crafters will hold its Annual Fall Tea at the

Lansdowne Public Library, 55 S. Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, PA 19050 from 1:30 PM to 3 PM onSunday, October 17, 2010. The featured poet is Eileen M. D' Angelo, Director of Mad Poets Society and President of the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Writers' Conference.

Volume 60 Issue 3

Page 5

September is Membership Month!

We heartily invite you to attend our luncheon at Allenberry Resort, Inn and Playhouse in Boiling Springs on October 9, 2010. The day will begin at 10 a.m. with a meeting followed by lunch, a workshop, and poetry readings.

Feel free to send both forms below in one envelope with one check! If you are eligible to vote in October and plan to attend the October meeting, please send reservation form to Ann Copeland no later than September 28. September is Membership Month! New Membership and Fiscal Year begin October 1.

PPS Luncheon: October 9, 2010 Noon

_______I will attend (enclose check for $20.00/person).

_______I will attend and arrive October 8th; let me know about dinner.

_______I will not attend. Email address______________________________________________ (Your e-mail address is for PPS, Inc only and will not be shared with or sold to third party vendors.) Deadline for reservations: no later than 12:00 noon on October 2, 2010.

Membership Renewal PPS, Inc.

_______ I will enroll as a member, please find my check for $18.00 enclosed.

_______ I will enroll as a patron member, please find my check for $18.00 covering annual dues, plus an additional amount of, (circle one)

$25.00.

$30.00.

$40.00.

$50.00.

_________Other amount (minimum $25.00).

Total Enclosed: $_________

Due Sept 28,2010. Dues must be paid on or before November 30, 2010 for the 2010-2011 Fiscal Year.

Name:________________________________________________________________________

Address_______________________________________________________________________

________________________________________Phone Number_________________________

Make Checks Payable to PPS, Inc. Mail to:

Ann Copeland, PPS Treasurer 106 Hayden St. Sayre, PA 18840

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