Spring 2004 issue
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President's Message
      I’m glad to report that (1) at last we have a winter like the ones I remember as a kid; and (2) so far everyone seems to be surviving it pretty well. By the time we all read this, it’ll be one more pleasant memory—you know, snow up to your butt, kids out of school (adults should be so lucky!) The unforgettable sound of the snowplow at 4 AM making its first pass in front of the house; cross-country skiing on a nearly-balmy Saturday afternoon; and, of course, the occasional white-knuckle night drive in a whiteout. Comes with the territory.
      Plan on attending the Spring Conference in Madison this April 23-24. We have a full slate of programs and several important items of business to discuss at the General Business Meeting.
      One of the more significant decisions we have to make is whether to continue our membership in the National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS). At its Winter meeting, our Board decided to recommend to the membership that we no longer belong to the NFSPS. We looked at the cost of that membership ($2.00 per member per year) against the benefits we received, and decided that our money was better spent within our own organization. At the General Business Meeting on Saturday the 24th, the membership will vote on this question. If you wish to participate in this decision, please be there.
      I’d also like to address a question that’s come up several times, from several different regions. I’ve been asked if the Muse and Triad contests are really fair. A number of winners of these contests have been officers of the Fellowship, or members of the Literary Fund Committee (which administers the contests). The implied question is, “are you guys just running a charade, and giving the good awards to yourselves?” The second implied question is, “wouldn’t it be more fair if the officers and Literary Fund Committee members were disqualified from the contests?”
      We take great pride in running a fair contest, and made the rules to do just that. Entries are blind: a poem with the poet’s name on it is disqualified. The only person who sees the name of the poet is the contest coordinator. Judges are selected by someone other than the contest coordinator. The judges are almost always from out-of-state, and are selected for both the quality of their work, and the likelihood that they are completely unfamiliar with our contestants’ work. First-place winners may not enter the Muse again for three years, and the Triad for one.
      When we designed these contests, we were very aware of the “incestuous” nature of other high-profile contests. We wanted to avoid those pitfalls. However, there’s a certain Charles Darwin effect here: those who are interested in such contests are also those who are likely to be involved in the creation and administration of same. We’ve had a few “repeat” winners—but in each case, it’s someone who’s entered many contests over the years.
      I don’t think it’s appropriate to ask Fellowship officers and Literary Fund Committee members to disqualify themselves from these contests. It’s one of the benefits of membership, available to all. We’ve made the judging as blind as we can get it. If there are any concerns about this, please bring them directly to me. If we find a break in the contests’ integrity, we’ll fix it.
      See you this April in Madison!
      I welcome comments and criticisms. My address is: Peter Sherrill, 8605 County Road D, Forestville, WI 54213; e-mail meadowcroft@dcwis.com; home phone (920) 825-7651.
Hugs, Peter
“Triple Treat” at Spring Conference: Fleming, Strasser, Chapman

      Attendees at the 2004 WFOP Spring Conference will be treated to three outstanding presenters: first, Jim Fleming of Wisconsin Public Radio, and then our own Judith Strasser and Robin Chapman.
      Jim Fleming’s voice, though perhaps not his face, is familiar to many WFOP members. A Madison native, he has been heard on Wisconsin’s airwaves since 1974. He is currently the host of the “Morning Classics” show, heard every weekday between 8 and 10 AM on the Wisconsin stations of the NPR News and Classical Music Service. Which means, as I’m sure most of you reading this already know, that he introduces the “Writer’s Almanac” every weekday morning!
      Jim is also part of the national production team for the weekly “To the Best of Our Knowledge” show, a sort of “audio magazine” that is organized around hourly themes. He anchors the show and is one of three interviewers—the other two being Steve Paulson and Anne Strainchamps. He has held a number of management positions with WPR as well, and has been a reader for “Chapter a Day” for more than twenty years. He will draw on his long and varied career in reading aloud, and perhaps offer us a bit of advice. We’re sure to be educated and entertained!
      Second on the program will be Judith Strasser and Robin Chapman. For the past two years, these two WFOP members have taught a very successful week-long class on the poetry of place at The Clearing in Ellison Bay. In their presentation, they will give us a taste of the workshop, including writing exercises focusing on the question “Where do poems come from?”

Conference Info & Schedule

Send Museletter contributions to the Editor:
Christine Falk
9556 Upper 205th Street West
Lakeville, MN 55044
(952) 985-5375

thefalks@frontiernet.net

SEND US YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS if you haven't already, so we can update the WFoP database. Your address will only be used for communication among members. Please let Chris know if you would like to be e-mailed a printable .pdf of the Museletter rather than having it bulk-mailed.
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Welcome
to the following new members of the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets who have joined since the last Museletter issue.

Carol Andersen
 Madison
Tina Burlingame Marshfield
Elizabeth Campbell Lodi
Margaret DeBroux DePere
John Feith Madison
Linda Frank Eau Claire
Wayne Frank Milwaukee
Sarah Gilbert Appleton
Shelly Hall Waukesha
Susan Huebner Mukwonago
Sally Johnson Appleton
Linda Konichek Eagle
Michael Kriesel Aniwa
Patricia Larson Lone Rock
Aline Mohr Mequon
Kathryn Prosser Baraboo
William Quist River Falls
Paul Sadofsky Watertown
Katrin Talbot Madison

New member inquiries should be directed to Peter Piaskoski,the credentials chair. Join us!

Membership List Available
Fellowship members are entitled to receive a list of members at a cost of $2.00 to cover postage. Please send cash, or check payable to Chris Falk. Receiving the list via e-mail is free. E-mailed
lists will be sent as a .PDF which requires Adobe Reader, available as a free download from www.adobe.com. In order to receive the list, members must now sign the agreement and submit it with each request (copy and paste to e-mail it).

Meet Your Officers:
Peter Piaskoski, Membership Chair
      I am closer to 63 than 62. I was teaching Margaret Craven’s I Heard the Owl Call My Name a few years ago when I discovered that she was 69 when she had this, her first novel published. I thought, OK; I ought to try publishing somepoetry. Consequently, I’ve only been working on my poetry for about 5 years. I joined the WFOP just before that epiphany, after a colleague of mine had given me a copy of the Wisconsin Poets’ Calendar as a Christmas present. I taught English, Comparative Religions, and Latin at Shorewood High School for 35 years and retired June of ‘02. I am now supervising student teachers for Cardinal Stritch University. My wife Kathy and I will have been married 39 years in September, and we have lived in Shorewood, the 1st suburb north of Milwaukee, since 1968. I see good literature as the best thoughts and insights of some of the best people in history, and poetry as soul of language and the language of the soul.

 River of Words PEN Project Funded
      WFOP member Judith Strasser, Mary Pardee, coordinator of Wisconsin River of Words (WROW), and Madison educator Martin Scanlan, have received a grant that will fund an exciting pilot project for elementary school poetry workshops around the state. The Quixote Foundation is supporting the PEN (Poet-Educator-Naturalist) Pilot Project, modeled after a project Judith conducted in two Madison elementary schools in 2002. WFOP provided an important letter of support for the grant proposal, and WFOP members will lead most, if not all, of the workshops.
      The PEN project brings a poet and a naturalist together to conduct workshops for fourth and fifth graders, focusing on learning and writing about their local watershed. Two years ago, Judith worked with naturalist Tim Andrews and students at Randall Elementary and Edgewood Campus Schools. The students’ poems about Lake Wingra were published in a booklet and turned into laminated posters that were displayed at a nearby coffee shop and the local library. (You can read poems written as a group effort by two of the classes on Judith’s web site: www.judithstrasser.com. Click on “student workshops.”)
      This year, the poetry workshops will be expanded to include nine schools in four watersheds: Bad River (northwest Wisconsin), Fox River, Black Earth Creek (southwest Dane County), and Yahara River (Madison). Planning sessions with poets, teachers, andnaturalists will occur this spring; the student workshops will be scheduled for next fall.
      The pilot project is designed to test a workshop model that will be made available through WROW to anyone in the state—poet, naturalist, parent, or educator—who wishes to use it with students in their local watershed. For more information about the PEN project, e-mail Judith Strasser at jlstrass@wisc.edu or talk with her at the spring WFOP meeting in Madison.

Retirement Anthology Submissions Requested
Poems wanted for anthology on retirement, and after: what makes life vibrant, engaged, and optimistic? How do you cope with loss? What do you learn? Send up to 5 poems with SASE and brief bio to:

R. Chapman & J. Strasser
P.O. Box 1123
Madison, WI 53701.

Triad Winners
Membership Renewals
Muse Contest
What's Happening in Your Region?
Central-Fox Valley Region
       The Company for Wisconsin Arts Press has published a book of poems by Jo Alderson entitled From the Fairy Tales and Other Children’s Yarns. This is her fifth book of poetry. Jo will be listed in Who’s Who in the World as well as Who’s Who in America in the upcoming 2004 issues as writer and poet.
      Rusty McKenzie, Mike Koehler, Susan Kileen, Judy Kolosso, Sheryl Slocum and Sherry Elmer read at the New Moon in Oshkosh in conjunction with ArtWalk.
      Sherry Elmer taught a workshop called “Where Do Poems Come From?” at St. Norbert in October. She participated as a workshop facilitator at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Student Creative Writing Festival in November. Sherry recently had a poem published in Mars Hill Review, and there are two forthcoming in Free Verse.
      The schedule of readers at Conkey’s Between the Pages Readings in Appleton included/includes:
            January 20: Rusty McKenzie
            February 3: Ellen Kort
            February 17: Linda Nett Duesterhoeft
            March 16: Mary Downs
These readings begin at 7 PM with a featured reader and open mic. Come early; seating is limited. This is a small venue with an appreciative crowd.
      Karla Huston read, as a guest of the Wasteland Poets, at Kosmic Koffee in Whitewater in December and at Canterbury Books in November in Madison. She served as a workshop facilitator at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Student Creative Writing Festival in November. She will be the luncheon speaker for the annual University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Writing Festival in March and teach
poetry at Write by the Lake in Madison this summer.
      Karla Huston has had poems published in Nanny Fanny, Chiron Review, and others. She has poems forthcoming in Free Verse, Poet Lore, Pearl, and Nerve Cowboy. She’s published new reviews in Chiron Review, Midwest Book Review, Cambridge Book Review, TMP Irregular and Poesy.
      Linda Nett-Duesterhoeft attended the St. Joseph’s Poetry Retreat in November.
      Cathryn Cofell has had poems accepted and/or published by Cream City Review, The Scene and TMP Irregular. She has read throughout the state to promote her new books, Tiny Little Crushes and Roadkill, and was most recently a first-round judge for the Wisconsin Academy Review Annual Poetry contest.
      Three of Rusty McKenzie’s poems “Rivertime”, “Alice” and “Moon of the Birds Returning” were set to music by Kathy Punwar and performed by the Ocooch Chorale Chamber Singers at the Tippesaukee Symposium at UW—Richland in August 2003.
      Ellen Kort has directed more than 40 writing workshops for children and adults throughout the Fox Valley, Green Lake, Door County, and as far away as New Hampshire. She’s given readings from
Hortonville to Madison. Ellen rang the Salvation Army bell for the holidays and each person who donated money received a poem in return. She was the keynote speaker for a myriad of organizations, including UW-Green Bay Commencement, Appleton Downtown Rotary and UW-Whitewater’s High School Student Creative Writing Festival. Ellen attended a first-ever gathering of state poet laureates in New Hampshire.
In addition, she partipated in a 10-day exchange between Wisconsin women and Japanese women in Chiba, Japan. Ellen’s poem “Walking on Water” was set to music by internationally known composer Fred Sturm and performed by Appleton North/West High School Orchestras and Choirs and again at the state high school music clinic in Madison.
      Five of Mary Wehner’s poems are featured online at www.zinkville.com. Select zinkzine and you’re there.
      submitted by Karla Huston, Central-Fox Valley Regional VP
East Region
      Peter Whalen presented an essay, “How to Keep the Earth”: Lorine Niedecker and Wisconsin’s
Environmental Tradition" on Saturday, October 11th at Fort Atkinson High School for the Lorine Niedecker Centenary Celebration.
      Elaine Cavanaugh won 5th place in the Free Verse poetry publication’s Niedecker Contest sponsored by John Lehman. The prize was a copy of John Lehman’s book about Niedecker, America’s Greatest Unknown Poet. Elaine Cavanaugh would like to thank her sponsors for encouragement and support. She read her poems at Woodland Pattern Book Center January 31 during the book center’s annual Poetry Marathon. She recently has published in Hummingbird: Magazine of the Small Poem and Free Verse.
      Charles P. Ries received a 2003 Pushcart nomination from Anthology for his poem “Los Huesos (The Bones)” and took top honors in the second annual OnMilwaukee.com Poetry Contest for his poem “Milwaukee’s First Dance.” He has also had work accepted by Liquid Muse, Zen Baby, Circle Magazine, Free Verse, Muses' Apprentice Guild, Word Riot, Staplegun, Iodine, Latino StuffReview, MusesKiss, and Wisconsin River Valley Journal.
      Bud Johnson, Milwaukee, had a poem accepted for a coming issue of The Birmingham Poetry Review.
Mid-Central Region
      Barb Germiat did a poetry reading at Conkey’s Bookstore in Appleton in December. She had a poem
published in the Wisconsin Poets’ Calendar: 2004.
      In February, poets from Barb Cranford and Mary Lou Judy’s writing workshops read their poetry at the McMillan Coffeehouse, McMillan Memorial Library, Wisconsin Rapids. The group of readers included Barb, Mary Lou, Lilas Smith, Kris Rued-Clark, Lou Roach, Grace Bushman, and Linda Aschbrenner.
      In December, Bruce Dethlefsen read his poetry from his book Something Near the Dance Floor on Higher Ground with Jonathan Overby on Wisconsin Public Radio.
      Marshfield poets invite all area writers to the Final Friday Poetry, Prose and Anything Goes Open Mic Night. They are held the last Friday of each month, January through October, at Simply from the Hearth in Marshfield at 126 S. Central Ave. Doug Seubert serves as MC.
      Linda Aschbrenner, Marsh River Editions publisher, released two new chapbooks: in search of Green Dolphin Street by Robert Schuler and Slightly Off Q by June Nirschl, Nancy Rafal, and Judy Roy.
      Joan Wiese Johannes sponsored a poetry contest in a recent issue of Free Verse.
Northeast Region
       It seems that many of the Northeast region members are hibernating, busy working with words, or digging out from the glorious snow. Very little news has come my way.
      Cynthia Johnson’s new book of poetry and paintings came out in January. Cynthia has been busy with readings in Appleton, Ephraim, Sister Bay, Oklahoma City, and Dallas. The book is entitled The Way Crows Really Fly and features Cynthia’s paintings and poems.
      David Jones presented his latest works accompanied by Roger Kuhns at The Bridge in Egg Harbor and at St. Joseph Retreat on Kangaroo Lake in Baileys Harbor on two dates in January. Ed DiMaio and Rolf Olson read at The Readers Loft in DePere on Thursday, February 19th.
      Alan VanRaalte has published a chapbook with a seasonal theme, A Well-Seasoned North. Alan won third place in the April 2003 Writers Journal poetry contest. His “Poet’s Pen” appeared in the November/December 2003 issue. Alan delivered a poetry reading to the Fortnightly Club in Beloit on December 12. An article appeared in the December 31st issue of the Beloit Daily News.
      Sue De Kelver, Michael Farmer, Barbara Larsen, and Judy Roy have been published in the latest issues of Free Verse. Michael Farmer and Nancy Rafal participated in the 10th Annual Woodland Pattern Poetry Marathon on January 31st in Milwaukee.
      Judy Roy, Cynthia Johnson, June Nirschl, and Nancy Rafal read at four consecutive pot-lucks held in connection with the winter program at Ellison Bay’s The Clearing.
      Barbara Larsen taught “Looking for Answers with Garrison Keillor” through The Clearing’s Winter Program.
      submitted by Nancy Rafal, Northeast Regional VP
Northwest Region
South-Central Region
      Yvonne Yahnke has published her second chapbook, All the Colors of the World (Fireweed Press). She also has recently had poems published in Hummingbird, Free Verse, and the Wisconsin Academy Review.
      Poets are everywhere! Bobbie Krinsky’s photographic exhibit “Elegy for an Asylum” was on display from November through the middle of January at the Butler Café in Madison. The show featured Bobbie’s photographs and descriptions of scenes at the old Dane County Home.
      On November 9th, Bruce Dethlefsen, Karla Huston, and Kathy Miner read at Canterbury Booksellers. Later that day, Judith Strasser read at the west-side Barnes & Noble store. Judith’s chapbook, Sand Island Succession, has been published by Parallel Press, and her memoir Black Eye: Escaping a marriage, writing a life is scheduled for publication this spring.
      Jeannie Bergmann and Ron Ellis were among the poets featured at “Willy Street Live” at the Art Beat Gallery on November 14th. It was an evening of poetry, music, wine, and many good things.
      On December 8th, poets gathered for the annual Calendar Reading at Canterbury Booksellers. All who will have poems published in the Wisconsin Poets’ Calendar: 2004 were invited. We missed the presence of Marge Pettit, who died in August. She loved those readings and always had a witty piece to present. WFOP members participating this year were Robin Chapman, Diane Harvey, Bobbie Krinsky, Fran Rall, Barbara Houghton, Kathy Miner, Nancy Jesse, Joan Zeier, Brenda Lempp, Shoshauna Shy, Katrin Talbot, Richard Roe, Jackie Langetieg, Margaret Benbow, Alice D'Alessio, Bill McConnell, Lenore Coberly, Peg Sherry, John Lehman, Jeri McCormick, CX Dillhunt, and Yvonne Yahnke.
      DB Appleton, Jeannie Bergmann, Susan Godwin, Lou Roach, Charlotte Johnston, Josie Zell, Nancy Jacobsen, Marion Rewey, Charles Cantrell, Kathy Gruenewald, and Brian Powers were unable to attend that evening but have poems featured in the Calendar. Their poems were read by other participants. A second Calendar reading was held at the Village Booksmith in Baraboo on
December 12th. This time, members of the audience were invited up to the mike to read selections from the 2004 Calendar as well.
      The American poet William Stafford would have been 90 years old on January 17th. Honoring that occasion, the Friends of William Stafford sponsored readings across the country—Oregon to Massachusetts. Wisconsin did its share by contributing two readings, January 16th at the Village Booksmith in Baraboo, and January 17th at Avol’s Books in Madison. The programs followed a common format, opening with a video of Stafford reading and discussing his work, then a series of readers presenting a Stafford poem followed by one of their own. Ron Ellis was the organizing force, and Jeannie Bergmann, Kathy Miner, Ron Czerwien, Susan Elbe, Richard Roe, and Lynn Patrick Smith variously participated. Ron Ellis and Fuzzy Logic wrapped up each program with their
“intermedia poems.”
      Daniel Greene Smith read from two of his works on January 20th at Fyfe’s Corner Bistro, where his photographs were also on exhibit.
      Poets featured at the monthly Barnes & Noble readings since last report have included Jeffrey Johannes, Joan Johannes, Helen Padway, Nydia Rojas, Shoshauna Shy, Dave Scheler, Jeannie Bergmann, Wendy Vardeman, and Richard Roe. (I heard a rumor these folks, along with Robin Chapman, Mitchell Metz, and Lou Roach, are aka “The Entendres.”) The January reading was a special program for new and “unaccustomed” poets. New WFOP members Katrin Talbot and Ron Aygarn were notable that evening.
      As of March 1st, Canterbury Booksellers of Madison is no more. The space will be occupied by Avol’s Books. Canterbury’s owner Trudy Barash has been a grade-A champion of poetry, local and otherwise, for 13 years; Avol’s owner and WFOP member Ron Czerwien promises to continue that tradition. We will miss Canterbury but wish Ron all success.
      At this writing the Winter Festival of Poets is ongoing. A complete list of participating poets will appear in the next Museletter.
      The always-busy Jeannie Bergmann has a new enterprise, PoemFactotum—see www.fibitz.com/poemfactotum/. For a small fee, she will submit your poems to magazines and journals for you. Jeannie also reports that she and Robin Chapman were finalists for the Violet Reed Haas poetry prize, and Jeannie has had poems accepted by the Wisconsin AcademyReview, Rosebud, Chiron Review, Southern Poetry Review, and the Beloit Poetry Journal. And last but not least, she won the ekphrastic* poem contest in Tattoo Highway #8, as well as having two other poems in that issue. (*ekphrastic=written in response to visual art. Knew you were wondering!)
      If there is anyone in the South Central chapter who has E-mail and is not on the group mailing list, please notify me at kdminer@wisc.edu if you would like to be added.
      submitted by Kathy Miner, South-Central Regional VP

      Shoshauna Shy read with Fellowship calendar poets at Canterbury Booksellers in Madison, and performed with the Prairie Fire Poetry Quartet at the Wagon Factory in Cambridge. She also partnered with a neighborhood association to produce a collection of poetry by neighborhood residents. Her poems were published by Fox Cry Review, Poetry Daily, Rattle, Cup of Poems, Rosebud, Moon Journal Press, Devil Blossoms and anthologized by Hunger Enough: Living Spiritually in a Consumer Society.
South Region
West Central Region
       There may be a foot of snow on the ground but the climate for poetry is positively balmy in the West Central District. Fifteen poets and fifteen artists have started work on the Epidemic Peace Project Show which will be held at the State Theater Gallery in October 2004.
      February 4th Nadine St. Louis presented a three-hour poetry workshop to 7th and 8th graders at Eau Claire’s South Middle School. Thirty-five energetic and enthusiastic students attended. The workshop was highlighted in the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. February 5th Sue Thibado read her poetry on the Spectrum West Radio Show on public radio WHWC 88.3. February 12th, St. Louis read poems on Spectrum West to advertise 4 Women Talk About Love, the 9th Annual Valentine’s Day Poetry Reading February 13th at the State Theater Gallery.
      March 17th Nadine St. Louis, Sandra Lindow and Yvette Flaten will be among the presenters at a poetry reading honoring Mildred Larson, a local arts and poetry patron.
      Nadine St. Louis’s poem “Poetry, you Say, Is Slow Talk” appeared in the December issue of Byline Magazine.
      The January 2004 “Aging” issue of Kaleidoscope #48 included “Things to Do When You Turn Fifty,” “Meditations of an Aging Wife” and “Like Sweet Bells Jangled” by Nadine St.Louis and “Checkout, the Home Place” by Sandra Lindow. Candace Henneken’s “Country” and Sandra Lindow’s “Mourning” received Honorable Mention in the Free Verse Lorine Niedecker Contest and appeared in #68-69, November–December 2003.
      Sandra Lindow’s poem, “The Winter Garden”, won the Free Verse Caretaking Poetry Contest. Lindow’s poem “Revelation” has been accepted by Poetry Motel. Lindow’s “Powers Bluff” and “Morning Becomes the Milkman” appeared in the December 2003 issue of the Magazine of Speculative Poetry. “Of Onions Dreaming” and “Going With Ahab” will appear there in the Spring or Fall 2004. “Xochiquetzal’s Event Xerox” will be reprinted in Fables: Best Of Anthology 2004. “Love and the Polar Handshake” will appear in the Snow Monkey Anthology 2004.
      submitted by Sandra Lindow, West-Central Regional VP

In Memoriam

Kay Saunders
      The Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets and especially the Central Fox Valley region will miss Kay Saunders, who died December 8, 2003, with her family at her side. She had been a Fox Valley resident for over 50 years. In her lifetime, Kay published five books: A Whippoorwill Calls for Memories, Gift of the Strangers, Only the Footprints are Gone, Pluck, and Letters from the Other Side: The Gift of Flannery O’Connor. She also wrote numerous poems, articles, essays and short stories, which were published in magazines, journals and newspapers. Kay was a correspondent for the Catholic newspaper, The Compass, for over 20 years and a creative writing instructor for Elderhostel at Treehavenfor more than 15 years. With Helen Fahrbach, Kay organized the Tuesday night poetry readings at Conkey’s Book Store. Kay was instrumental in the organization of Noonhour Philosophers. She was also a member of the National Association of Poetry Therapy, Sacré Coeur Book Club, Wisconsin Regional Writers Association, Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets, Catholic Daughters of America, the Flannery O’Connor Society of Shreveport, Louisiana, and the Fox Valley Writer’s Club.
       A member of WFOP for 40+ years, Kay served the Fellowship as Regional Vice President: Central Fox Valley for more than 15 of those years. Kay loved to encourage new poets, young and old. She was a frequent conference participant, often taking copious notes from speakers she thought had something important to offer. Kay was a joyous and soft-spoken woman who gave much to those who knew her. Many Fox Valley poets are grateful for her support.
      A memorial fund has been established in Kay’s name that will benefit the Fellowship with a contest devoted to new and emerging poets. Send donations to: George Saunders, 1700 N. Racine St., Appleton, WI 54911.

Sheila Ross Doering
      The Chippewa Valley Writers of Menomonie is sad to announce the death of our teacher, our mentor, our friend, Sheila Ross Doering. Sheila was the driving force in the start up of the Chippewa Valley Writers which started meeting monthly in 1997 and continues strong today with 10-15 members joining together to read and encourage fellow writers. Sheila completed and published the first part of a two-part series of her biography.
      Titled Sheila’s Story, this first book dealt with her experiences in England as a child. She was writing the second book at the time of her death. This second book tells of her years as a young woman growing up in WWII England, her experiences as a war bride coming to the U.S., and her experiences here in Wisconsin raising a family, fulfilling her life-long dream to be a
teacher, and the friends and family she cherished.
      She is fondly remembered in the community by former students and neighbors—always one to give a word of encouragement and offer a bit of tea—she made all feel welcome in her presence.
“Fearsome Foursome Award” Will Remember Kay Saunders
      Long-time Fellowship member Kay Saunders passed away recently. Her family requested that memorial gifts in her name be used to create “The Fearsome Foursome Award,” a contest designed to recognize and reward new and emerging poets.
      Kay was a charter member of “The Fearsome Foursome,” a Fox Cities writers’ group that met for many years. Most of the others began as new poets. Working together, they became successful.
      Kay mentored many new poets in the course of her life. Her family has decided to continue that tradition. Memorial gifts will be managed by the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, Inc. The WFOP will administer the contest and award portion. Arrangements are incomplete at this time. More details will be available in a few months. The Fellowship gratefully acknowledges the Saunders family’s generosity.		 Trudy Barash Recognized with Honorary Membership
The Fellowship’s Board recognized
Trudy Barash with an honorary membership at its winter meeting. Ms. Barash is the owner of Canterbury Books in Madison, a long-time haven for poets in the area. Canterbury has been the site for numerous readings and literary events over the years. We applaud her devotion to books, letters, and the poets who thrive on them. Congratulations!

Controversies in the Fellowship
       In the last Museletter, I wrote a rather lengthy article on the controversies and questions currently facing the Fellowship. Here’s an update on the issues: The Wisconsin Poets’ Calendar editor will continue to exercise broad discretion in the preparation of the Calendar. I’ve gotten several replies: not surprisingly, former editors were most vocal in supporting the prerogatives of the editor. The rest were more-or-less supportive, but understandably impatient with previous omissions and errors. We’ll do our best to make the Calendar as useful and error-free as we can, on our limited budget and volunteer labor.
      At its winter meeting, the Board voted to discontinue membership in the National Federation of Poetry Societies (NFSPS). This decision was made pending approval by the general membership. This will be an item on the agenda of the General Business Meeting at the Spring Conference in Madison on Saturday, April 25th. If the membership agrees, we will no longer belong to the NFSPS. The Board decided that the benefits of membership were not worth the cost. We intend to use the savings to provide more services within our organization.
       Speaking of which, we are still in a lively discussion over the preferred delivery method of our obviously-beloved Museletter. It must be beloved, because I’ve never seen such a vigorous response to a question. There seems to be interest in three delivery options: (1) hard copy via bulk mail, which is the current method; (2) hard copy via first-class mail, a faster and more expensive option; and (3) downloadable online format.
      I did a straw poll of members via e-mail. Admittedly, the sample is skewed because it automatically selects only those who have internet access. Nonetheless, I got 88 replies (more than any other question I’ve posed to the membership). 43% favored the current bulk-mail delivery; 39% were comfortable with some version of online delivery; 11% had multiple preferences (i.e., “well, bulk mail is just fine, but I’d be okay with a .pdf file via email if that’s what everyone else wants”); and 7% preferred first-class mail. We’ll discuss this further at the Spring Conference.
      Board members will continue to do discussion and consensus-building via e-mail. The Board is clear that we will transact no official business except in face-to-faceBoard meetings. One of our Board members has volunteered to keep our “offline” Board members up-to-date.
See you in Madison in April. If there are other controversies you think I should know about, please send them to me.
      Peter Sherrill, meadowcroft@dcwis.com

POEMFACTOTUM
Too busy to submit your poetry to magazines or journals? Don’t know where they would fit in?
 POEMFACTOTUM is an affordable submission
service!
            No hourly fees; just flat rates:
$1 per poem
(to add to database)
$6 per submission
Editing, manuscript selection, book or chapbook layout, design, and publishing also available.
POEMFACTOTUM
F.J. Bergmann
W5679 State Rd. 60
Poynette, WI 53955

(608) 635-3966
demiurge@fibitz.com

fibitz.com/poemfactotum

Year Round Door County Retreat
South Nest in the Boreal Forest

Nice three-bedroom home just north of Baileys Harbor. Fully furnished, fireplace, south-facing deck. Close to The Ridges Sanctuary, Cana Island, and
Bjorklunden. Weekend and weeklong rental. Renew your energies in nature’s quiet. For information contact Nancy at mrsticket@dcwis.com or (920) 839-2191.

WFOP General Meeting Minutes, October 27, 2003, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
 
Robert Schuler
in search of “Green Dolphin Street”
"Robert Schuler’s new collection shows us how the
present moment is shot through with past and future
moments, how a great musician like Bill Evans breaks transience open and invites us in. We have here a true inheritor of William Carlos Williams and Gary Snyder. Read Robert Schuler and weep and laugh and sing with him."
—Robert W. Greenet
Robert Schuler is a poet passionately searching to
connect his senses with his sentences, to find words
for the enchanted moments of jazz and blues, landscape and painting, love and ordinary experience, even the “cant and wobble of cobblestones.” These are strong poems, hungry for words, phrases, lines, rhythms, and figures that will “paint the instant / give them weight.”
—George T. Wright
in search of “Green Dolphin Street”—$8.00
Marsh River Editions
M233 Marsh Road, Marshfield, WI 54449
www.geocities.com/wordzoo
More Publications
Workshop Opportunities
Chapbook Workshop
Next fall, Robin Chapman and Judith Strasser will be leading a workshop at The Clearing in Door County for poets who have a body of work they’d like to shape into a chapbook. The workshop is called Getting It Together: From Poems to Chapbook. The dates are October 17-22, but space is limited and The Clearing will start accepting registrations on Tuesday, February 19th at 8 AM. To register, visit The Clearing web site at www.theclearing.org or phone toll free 1-877-854-3225.		 Amateur Writers Workshop
Wednesday evenings, ongoing, starting February 4, 2004, 6–7 PM, FREE at Woodland Pattern Book Center, 720 E. Locust Avenue, Milwaukee. Come every Wednesday to foster writing, practices of language, individual expressions and cultural creativity. Come organize, share, create and enjoy with other non-professional writers. Everyone is welcome; bring your native language with you and
let’s get the sharing going. For more information call Cristina at 414-963-8957 or Woodland Pattern Book Center at 414-263-5001.
Museletter Poetry Page
Poems Inspired by Other Poems

ENGAGEMENT
             (for Herman and Emily)

Rhyming while I
sweep the dust away—
poetry writes itself that way.

My children scream,
another couplet forms—
Art’s easier since they were born.

If Transcendentalists had wrestled children for an hour,
left Angels to their hectic sphere,
then Art might also be clean-married to housework here.

             —Wendy Vardaman, Madison
             Previously published by
             The New Orphic Review


A BETTER IDEA

       “Spotlessness is the niece of inspiration”
             —Billy Collins

That won’t work for me.
I haven’t the time for all this cleaning.
I need to know who the mother was.
Couldn’t she have been Aromatherapy?
I’d light a few candles—peppermint,
cinnamon, lilac, and within the hour
I’d have a poem, I imagine,
sensuous in the extreme. That night
I’d lay my head on the pillow
and see angels ascending
and descending their ladder
to speak through me.
In the morning, the entire plan
for my current chapbook
would be written on my bedside pad.

             —Josephine M. Zell, Madison


READING OCTAVIO PAZ
(Early Poems 1935-1955)

Mexican poets often leap from sidewalk
to roof top. One foot on the earth
and the other on a cloud of cotton candy.

They gaze at death and see dancing skulls
with smiles stretching as far and wide
as the Milky Way.

I close my eyes and see within myself a naked boy
sitting beneath a vast pecan tree. From its branches
hang stars. This canopy of shade becomes my universe.

Carlos blows into Olivia’s ear a love whisper,
sending a waterfall of kisses cascading out her
mouth onto brown soil where white flowers erupt.

A prisoner of my imagination, I turn to face myself
and shout “Who’s there?” The Mexican poets have
impregnated my fiction with new possibilities.

             —Charles Ries, Milwaukee


VARIATION ON A THEME BY EMILY DICKINSON

A thought went up my mind to-day
And down it went b’fore long—
It now occurs to me to say
To whom does thought belong?
Nor where it went nor why it came
Its trace of past, forlorn—
It could have been, for all the same
My weedy rose’s thorn.
But somewhere in my Soul, I know
That thought is all I own—
Now lead off with another’s glow
Alone the web is sown.

             —John Feith, Madison

FOR THE AUTHOR OF HANDWRITING
inspired by the works of Michael Ondaatje

Autumn apples bleed.
Yellow skins remembered
by hornets
hungry
in the hour
of their deaths.

             In a theatre of small things
             In the arc of our breathing

What would we speak of anyway?

Tires grate against cement. Rain-washed
bottle glass reflects.

In dusk light
love arrives and dies in all disguises

Who can say?

             Beside a white ornament, the hush
             of our breaths. Blue granite-ware
             overflows. Poet steps in, washes
             her clay-caked feet.

What would we speak of anyway?

             —Elaine Cavanaugh, Hartland

CATBIRD ECLIPSE

Sitting in the gray catbird seat,
I meow at cloud-whiskered,
ruddy copper scritch of a moon,
not believing, like Don Quixote, that
“In the night, all cats are gray.”
Mind pupils dilate; see beyond late.
Night whines poke wing-tangled sky
searching until, at the speed of dark,
bowl-of-breadcrusts-soaked-in-milk moon
reassembles from its total eclipse.

             —Ruth Markworth Harker, Sheboygan


FISHING FOR POEMS

When I fish for sonnets
I troll for an hour or so
watch verses bobbing along
behind my pen   forming
a pattern in rhythm
and rhyme   try to net
fourteen lines to tell a tale

Pantoums are different
I pull on hip boots
wade into deep thought
cast for entire sentences
reel them in   repeat
reinforce in any number
of four line stanzas

A sestina requires heavy gear
six manipulative words
for bait   supple lines
strung in sixes   anchored
with a chosen word   all
spinning a spiral story   like
an endless whirlpool

I like to try for free verse
waiting in the weeds
near shore   like the big one
Elizabeth Bishop caught
and released   making a big
splash   but it’s easy
to get tangled in prose so

I take my old pole to the end
of the dock   drop a line
relax   hope for haiku

             —Mary L. Downs, Appleton
             Previously published by
             The Discerning Poet

Theme for Summer issue:
This Just In—News at Six
Poems by Our Membership
Please indicate when submitting to Shoshauna if you wish your work to appear here as well as in the print version of the Museletter – separate permission is needed to publish online. Past contributors are welcome to notify the webmaster at demiurge@fibitz.com in order to have their poems posted on this site.

Shoshauna Shy, Editor
222 S. Bedford Street, Suite F
Madison, WI 53703
(please include SASE)

or e-mail: shaunshy@netscape.net
(NO attachments, please!)
Please note new email address!

White House Responds to Letter
Last fall, First Lady Laura Bush canceled a poetry event in the nation’s capital, fearing it would be “politicized” in light of the upcoming Iraq invasion. As the Fellowship’s president, I wrote a note to Mrs. Bush expressing my concern (see Spring 2003 issue). Quite some time later, I received a reply. I shared the original letter and the reply with the Board, and invited poetic responses. See Peter Sherrrill's and Jeannie Bergmann's responses .
Calendar Notes

2005
Poems for the 2005 Wisconsin Poets’ Calendar are due February 28, 2004. All Wisconsin adult residents are eligible to submit. To ensure consideration, please follow these procedures:

  • Submit up to three original, unpublished poems.
  • Maximum of 20-25 lines. Seasonal or about Wisconsin.
  • Poems should be sent without name or address; include cover sheet with title of poems.
  • Include a three-sentence biography on a separate page.
  • Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you would like to be notified.
  • Poems will not be returned.

Co-editors are Mike Koehler and Gary Busha. Mail submissions to:

Michael Koehler
2011⁄2 N. Appleton St. #2
Appleton, WI 54911
(920) 378-1061
2004
The Calendar is available for purchase. Please use the order form to place your 2004 Calendar order. A correction needs to be made for the poem written by Josephine Zell. Please note that line 6 of her poem should read “and leaves like Passion palms”, not “Passion psalm” as was written in the Calendar. Also, Calendar co-editor, Alice D’Alessio, has been alerted by one member, claiming that page 100 in her Calendar was blank. If you should run across this situation, please contact Alice D’Alessio at adalessio@aol.com/(608) 231-1939 or Jackie Langetieg at jackielang@charter.net/(608) 271-9072. The printer should be notified if blank pages exist in multiple issues.
A Thank You from Lou Roach, 2004 Calendar Business Manager
      As I approach the end of my five-year venture as Business Manager for the Poets’ Calendar, I realize that the successes over those years were the result of the ever-supportive members of WFOP, the creativity, cooperation of every editor with whom I’ve worked (and the sense of humor each brought to the job), and the growing interest in poetry that has been cultivated throughout the state by Wisconsin’s own gifted poets.
      Marketing a superior product has not been a difficult task. Many members of the Fellowship have worked persistently, even eagerly to bring poetry to villages, towns, and cities—via readings and their own marketing to bookstores, museums, libraries, cafes and gift shops. They organized and participated in readings from one end of Wisconsin to the other, often building the events around the Calendar. Because of their work and their talents, the Calendar has attracted fans across the United States, and on a few occasions, Europe, and this year from soldiers in Iraq and Thailand.
      I want to thank the membership in general for their efforts, their “word of mouth” publicity, their scouting of new retail possibilities and their expressions of appreciation to me. Their kind words often brightened hectic times.
      Without the energy of the regional vice-presidents—a number of whom searched for retailers and sold calendars at a variety of venues in their areas—the annual sales would not have flourished as they have. Those dedicated people include: Joan Johannes, Sandra Lindow, Jan Chronister, Kathy Miner, Nancy Rafal, and Suzi Godwin. Others who helped were Dorothy Schwenkner, Michael Belongie, Laurel Yourke, Mary Ellen Schmidt, Barb Cranford and Mary Lou Judy.
      Richard Roe has earned my permanent admiration and gratitude for his tireless investment in promoting the calendars in and out of Madison. Richard holds the all-time record for the number of copies sold/placed by an individual.
      D.B.Appleton rescued the entire WFOP by agreeing to accept any left-over calendars, as did Sue DeKelver for a number of years before him. My thanks to both of them for offering free storage space.
      I appreciate the on-going advice, encouragement, patience and free therapy provided by Sue DeKelver during these years, as she calmly taught me all the steps of the Business Manager’s dance. D. B. has also demonstrated patience with a woman who will always be a novice bookkeeper. Elaine Cavanaugh, the first editor to survive my apprenticeship, has been a source of information and just plain common sense. Lenore Coberly and Barbara Larsen offered gentle and helpful words more than once.
      My thanks to Peter Sherrill for his unflinching role as my “sounding board” on several occasions, and for his calm explanations about things I just didn’t get. Thanks to Chris Falk for all the times she allowed me to wedge information into the Museletter, accepted late announcements and provided assistance without question.
      Marketing the past five calendars has taught me much. I have been in contact with many good business people and continue to be amazed at their willingness to accept calendars to sell, and their savvy at publicizing the availability of the book.
      I consider myself fortunate to have been given the opportunity to participate actively in increasing public recognition and appreciation of Wisconsin poets and their work. I hope I have not overlooked any
of the members who gave so generously of their time when I needed assistance. They made my work so much easier.
      In April Michael Farmer will begin his duties as Business Manager. I have assured him that he will never be bored, will often be surprised and will experience frequent bouts of satisfaction. I have also promised him that all of you will provide as much cooperation with him as you did for me.
                  With gratitude and fond memories,
                  Lou Roach

FINANCES
Third Quarter Financial Report

October 1, 2003 through December 31, 2003

Literary Fund Account:
Balance October 1, 2003 $811.62

Income: None
 Expenses: Postage
$122.73
  Supplies
$38.77
  Photocopies
$31.70
  Bank Charges
$5.20
  Total Expenses
$198.40

Balance December 31, 2003 $613.22

General Account:
Balance October 1, 2003 $34,659.50

Income: Dues
$525.00
  Conference Profit
$2,815.31
  Advertising
$200.00
  Memorials
$155.00
  Total
$3,695.31
Expenses: Museletter
$1,096.82
  WI Tax Filing Fee
$10.00
  Speakers' Fees
$200.00
  Bank Charges
$22.25
  Postage
$56.22
  Total
$1,385.29

Balance December 31, 2003 $36,969.52

Calendar Account:
Balance October 1, 2003 $6,786.56

Income:
Calendar Sales
$2,295.59
Expenses:
Postage
$87.46
  Refunds & Miscellaneous
$98.75
  Total
$186.21

Balance December 31, 2003 $8,895.94

submitted by D.B. Appleton, treasurer

Remember!
The next Museletter DEADLINE
is May 7th, 2004
How to reach the Museletter Editor:
Christine Falk
9556 Upper 205th Street
West Lakeville, MN 55044

(952) 985-5375
email: thefalks@frontiernet.net