Winter 2004 issue

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Printable .pdf of current issue Museletter Archives President's Message       Thanks to Jan Chronister, Sylvia Gillberg, Ann Penton, Diana Randolph and Deanna Yost for a fine conference in Ashland this October. We enjoyed a fine hotel, excellent refreshments, good company and—given the time of year—some pretty respectable weather. Ashland was—well, a bit breezy; but the temperature was survivable and the rain stayed mostly away. Franco Pagnucci and Ellie Schoenfeld put on a heck of a show.       The Board acted on several items that I need to announce. We are considering an additional dues rate that allows you to pay $100 for 5 years of membership. This is a 20% savings over the $25 annual dues. This will not replace the current $25-per-year rate: it is an additional option. It was accepted for “first reading” at the Ashland conference. We will vote on this at the general business meeting this spring. If accepted, it will become effective the following dues cycle (January 1, 2005). We believe we will recoup the $25 difference with fewer renewal mailings and better member retention.       In early October, there were several e-mails circulating among the membership suggesting that the Fellowship’s finances were unstable, or otherwise at risk. The Board met in executive session at Ashland to investigate these allegations. I’m pleased to report that the Fellowship’s finances are in excellent shape. Our bank accounts are secure. There have been no intrusions. All funds are accounted for.       The Board also approved my request to do some fact-finding about investment options for the WFOP Literary Fund. As most of you know, the Literary Fund is the roughly $20,000 “nest egg” whose interest-income provides the funding for our Triad and Muse Contests. At present, the Literary Fund is invested in several bank CDs. They are a very secure investment, but the interest rate is low. One of our members suggested that we look into the Community Fund of the Fox Cities, which manages charitable endowments. Their return rate is higher than CDs. However, since these are mutual funds, there is greater risk. Please note that no decision has been made to move the Literary Fund out of the CDs. We are in an information-gathering mode only. I will assemble the information and bring it to Board in the coming months. No decision will be made without Board and general membership approval.       Hope your Holidays bring good friends to your door, good food to your table, good music to your ears and good words to your paper. See you at the Spring conference. Hugs, Peter

What's Happening in Your Region?
Central-Fox Valley Region
      Karla Huston read at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Wisconsin Review Reading, October 26, 2004. She has poems and reviews published or forthcoming in Three Candles, Busenhalter, Eclectica Magazine, Smartish Pace, 5 AM, Pearl, Chiron Review, Nanny Fanny, Cambridge Book Review and Mobius. Look for new chapbook Virgins on the Rocks—coming soon from Parallel Press.
      Laura L. Pierret of Fond du Lac facilitated two workshops, both entitled “Journaling to Self-Enlightenment” on October 26th at the Green Lake Conference Center as part of the yearly “Our Day” event. Laura presented useful tips on how to get started, stay motivated, and derive joy and self-realization from writing consistently in a journal.
      Ia Bolz read at the Howl At The Moon poetry/music open mic at The Unity Church, Appleton on October 28, 2004. She recently returned from a trip to Western Ireland where she had the honor of reading her poetry in between sets of live Celtic music at The Eldon Pub in Roundstone, Ireland. And Ia will be the featured poet at the Feast For The Soul Retreat at the First United Methodist Church, Appleton on November 6, 2004.
      Cathryn Cofell has had poems accepted and/or published by Prose Toad, The Scene, and collaborative poems with Karla Huston accepted by Indiana Review and Margie. She will begin appearing as a regular on Higher Ground with Jonathan Overby and has two poems forthcoming in the Higher Ground poetry anthology. She has also read at the Montello Public Library, and facilitated a panel discussion at the Wisconsin Book Festival called “Crossing the Diversity Divide: Does Wisconsin’s Literary Community Invite or Exclude?”.
      submitted by Karla Huston, Central-Fox Valley Regional VP

East Region
      Janet Leahy read from her chapbook, The Storm, at the International Day of Peace celebration in Racine on September 21st.
      Elaine Cavanaugh had poems published recently in Hummingbird: Magazine of the Small Poem’s 15th anniversary issue, September 2004, Wisconsin Poets Calendar:2005 and an upcoming issue of Free Verse. She recently read her poems at Woodland Pattern Book Center in Milwaukee and Barbara Sanborn Public Library in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Her poems and essays have been accepted or appeared in the following publications: Cayati, Crossing Troublesome, Wisconsin Academy Review, Sequoya Review, Shepherd Express, The Scene, Kudzu, Wisconsin Press Women’s Impressions/ Expressions and New Voices III. Some of Elaine’s poems can be found on the Web at Spondee, TMP Irregular and Poetry Pages.
      Charles P. Ries has had poetry appear in and/or accepted for publication in the following print and electronic magazines: Poetry Patchwork, Rockford Review, Fall WFOP Museletter, Real Eight, First Class, Dufus, TMP Irregular, Wisconsin Poets’ Calendar: 2005, Muses Apprentice Guild, Side Reality, Re)verb, Big Bridge, Remark, FUCK!, Thunder Sandwich, Barbaric Yawp and SNReview. He has had short stories accepted by ESC! Magazine, Thunder Sandwich and Toasted Cheese Literary Journal. He has poetry reviews appearing in and/or accepted for publication in the following magazines: Philadelphia Poets, Poetry Market, PulpLit, ESC! Magazine, Lummox, Apollo’s Lyre, TMPoetry Irregular, Remark, Poetic Voices, Bathtub Gin, Zygote In My Coffee, LauraHird.Com and Open Wide. Thunder Sandwich has electronically published his fourth book of poetry, A Perfect Place, and it can be downloaded by going to Boomsnack Chaps: www.thundersandwich.net/ries/oddries.pdf And he took third place in the 2004 Jade Ring Contest for his article entitled: “Say ‘Yes’ to Divorce and Live With Your X.”
      Janet Leahy and Barbara Bache-Wiig, WFOP members as well as The Poetry People, gave readings from their recent chapbooks on October 2, 2004 at Avalon Square retirement home in Waukesha. They interspersed their readings, doing both serious, “heavy” poems along with lighter fare.
      Bud Johnson has published a poem in Capper’s and on their website.
      Helen Padway won a short story contest sponsored by the St. Francis Public Library. The call was for stories about the fish fry. The fish fry has a strong history in Milwaukee’s heritage. She read the poem to an assembled group at the library on November 7th.
      Marilyn Taylor’s book Subject to Change is now available at selected bookstores in Milwaukee and on Amazon.com. See the Publications page for more information. Marilyn’s poetry has appeared in various publications this year: Smartish Pace, 5th Anniversary issue (#10), Emily Dickinson Awards Anthology, The Cream City Review 28.1, Wisconsin Academy Review 50.2, and The Poem Tree: an Anthology of Formal Verse. Her review of Jesse Lee Kercheval’s book Dog Angel appeared in Cup of Poems fall 2004 issue and her article entitled, “Going Formal: How Rhyme and Meter Can Work For—or Against—You” appeared in The Writer, August 2004 issue. Marilyn participated in readings at the Library of Congress in Washington DC, Schwartz Books, Woodland Pattern Books, Milwaukee Public Library, Marian College in Fond du Lac and Avol’s Books in Madison. She conducted a workshop in October at Bjorklunden in Bailey’s Harbor. Marilyn received the following awards and honors: City of Milwaukee Poet Laureate for 2004-2005, West Chester University Poetry Conference Seminar Co-Chair and Panelist, National Poetry Foundation Conference Panelist, Orono, Maine, Keynote Speaker at the Statewide High School Creative Writing Festival at UW—Whitewater, and 2nd Place in the Emily Dickinson Awards competition sponsored by Universities West Press.

Mid-Central Region
      Poets from the Mid-Central Region appearing in the Wisconsin Poets’ Calendar: 2005 are: Linda Aschbrenner, Cathy Conger, Barbara Cranford, Laurie Pech Daley, Bruce Dethlefsen, Gloria Federwitz, Lucy Rose Johns, Jeffrey Johannes, Joan Wiese Johannes, Kris Rued-Clark, Susan Twiggs, and LuAnn Zieman.
      Linda Aschbrenner and Barb Cranford had poems published in Cup of Poems.
      Poets published by Marsh RiverEditions are featured on the Poetry Trail at the UW-Marshfield/Wood County Arboretum. Poets with poems along the trail are: Gary C. Busha, Bruce Dethlefsen, June Nirschl, Nancy Rafal, and Judy Roy.
      Joan Wiese Johannes will read at the McMillan Coffeehouse at the McMillan Memorial Library, Wisconsin Rapids, on December 13th at 7 p.m.
      Linda Aschbrenner, Bruce Dethlefsen, June Nirschl, and Judy Roy participated in a Marsh River Editions reading at Michelangelo’s at the Wisconsin Book Festival in Madison. Linda Aschbrenner presented at the “Poetry in the Small City” panel at UW—Stevens Point in October and she also gave a poetry reading in Stevens Point on November 18th. The Marshfield Final Friday open mic will resume in January at a new location. Marshfield area poets met at the China Chef in Marshfield in November for an end-of-year gathering.
      The Mid-State Poetry Towers group read in Waupaca on November 19th. WFOP members in this group are Bruce Dethlefsen, Jeffrey Johannes, and William L. M. H. Clark.
      Marilyn Taylor and Michael Kriesel sponsored recent contests in Free Verse. Barb Cranford held her 13th all-day poem-making workshop in October. Grace Bushman, Lincoln Hartford, Lou Roach, Kris Rued-Clark and Sue Twiggs were among the poets who worked with Barb and Brian Skinner, editor of Manhattan Literary Journal. Barb was recently named poetry editor of that New York magazine.

      Roger Kuhns and David Jones’ poetry and music CD, Seeing the Mirror, is now available. The CD features Jones’ poetry and Kuhns’ guitar and two songs. It was recorded live at St. Joseph’s Retreat in Door County on January 23, 2004. See the Publications page for more information.
      Michael Kriesel has had 2 poems accepted by The Progressive. He also received an Honorable Mention in the Wisconsin Regional Writers Association 2004 Jade Ring Competition, with his poem, “Dry Summer,” a tribute to Lorine Niedecker. “Dry Summer” is scheduled to appear in the Fall 2005 edition of the Wisconsin Academy Review. He has poems forthcoming in Bitter Oleander and Cup of Poems. His work recently has appeared in Free Verse, The Council for Wisconsin Writers Quill Driver, and Wisconsin Poets’ Calendar: 2005.

South-Central Region
      Lou Roach has had poems published recently in Rockford Review. She also has won second and third prizes in poetry contests in the Free Verse poetry magazine published by Linda Aschbrenner.
      The third annual Wisconsin Book Festival was held in Madison October 6- 10. Started in 2002 with the goal of establishing an annual public event celebrating reading, writing, and literacy, the Festival has grown to feature more than 100 events, all of which are free and open to the public. This year ten of them were poetry-oriented. Many WFOP members participated as presenters and as audience members.
      Numerous South Central members also were featured in the week’s worth of activities celebrating the opening of the new Overture Center for the Arts in downtown Madison. On the evening of September 22nd, three performances in a row included WFOP poets: first, the “Prairie Fire Poetry Quartet” of Richard Roe, John Lehman, Shoshauna Shy, and Robin Chapman; next up were Robin Chapman, Susan Elbe, Catherine Jagoe, and Judith Strasser, in their group the “Lake Effect Poets”; and finally, the “Mind’s Eye Radio Collective”, featuring (among others) Norma Gay Prewett, Kathy Miner, Fran Rall, Lynn Patrick Smith, and Judith Zukerman. And speaking of Judith, she read from her new book Amsterdam Days at Room of One’s Own bookstore in Madison on November 7th.
      South Central members attending the WFOP Fall Conference in Ashland included Elayne Clipper Hanson, Lincoln Hartford, Susan Kileen, Kathy Miner, Fran Rall, Richard Roe, Paul Sadofsky, David Scheler, and Judith Zukerman.
      CX Dillhunt read at Avol’s Books (the store formerly known as Canterbury Booksellers) on November 18th.
      Special notice to Madison-area South Central members: there is a movement afoot to gather us on a more regular basis for social and learning activities. If you would be interested in events such as a monthly potluck dinner and/or poetry workshops, please notify me. E-mail is best—kdminer@wisc.edu. We haven’t done much by way of activities at a regional level, and perhaps we should start. Our chapter as a whole covers 10 counties (and includes 130-some members), so cohesiveness is difficult.
      Due to conflicts with holidays, the regularly WFOP-sponsored readings at Barnes and Noble (fourth Sunday evenings, 7 PM) have been suspended for November and December. The series will resume on January 23, 2005. Poets featured recently at that venue have included Alice D’Alessio and Timothy Walsh.
      WFOP Calendar readings, coming right up! The traditional Madison one is scheduled for December 14th at Avol’s; another will be held at the Village Booksmith in Baraboo on December 10th. Check your local listings to confirm. All poets whose work will appear in the Wisconsin Poets’ Calendar: 2005 are invited to read.
      Poets are reminded that the Wisconsin Academy Review will be accepting entries for its 2005 short story and poetry contests until December 6th. See http://www.wisconsinacademy.org/review/contestrules.html for details. Three South Central members were runners-up in the 2004 contest: Jackie Langetieg, Shoshauna Shy, and Jeannie Bergmann. And speaking of Jeannie, she’s got a new chapbook out by the name of Steaming A Head. It’s available from her or from Avol’s.
submitted by
Kathy Miner, South-Central Regional VP

      Linda Newman Woito had poems published in Free Verse, Poetalk, Medical Encounter, Spin and The Rockford Review.
      Jackie Langetieg’s poem, “Tai Chi in 4 Movements,” was published in the Fall 2004 issue of Minneapolis’ Taijiquan Journal.
      Patrick T. Randolph, Madison, and his wife, Gamze, are enjoying the colorluscious autumnal behavior of the trees in Dane County. Patrick recently had poems published in Poetry Depth Quarterly, Rearview Quarterly, Offerings Quarterly, New Author’s Journal, and the Rockford Review. He continues to make poetry a part of his grammar and syntax course at UW-Madison. Anyone interested in viewing his mother’s “visual poetry” can log onto http://www.ricelakelibrary.org/QuiltBookExpoPhotos.html to see an amazing selection of handmade quilts.
      Ray Hsu’s poetry has been included in a new anthology entitled Breathing Fire 2: Canada’s New Poets, published in October 2004 by Nightwood Editions. His book of poetry, Anthropy, was published in September 2004, also by Nightwood Editions. See the Publications page for more information. Ray will be reading on WPR’s Higher Ground radio show on Saturday, December 11th at 7 p.m.
      Shoshauna Shy coordinated and managed a dozen poetry events for the Wisconsin Book Festival in Madison which included panel discussions, readings, presentations, performances and workshops. Her poems were published by Wisconsin Trails, Taproot Literary Review, Epicenter, Wisconsin Poets’ Calendar: 2005, and Margie: The American Journal of Poetry. She was also a featured poet in the summer issue of Poets’ Canvas. Shoshauna performed with the Prairie Fire Poetry Quartet at the Overture Center’s Grand Opening and at the Stage Door as part of the Wisconsin Book Festival, both in Madison.
      Judith Strasser is featured in the 2005 edition of Bylines Writer’s Desk Calendar. The daytimer showcases one author each month who shares his/her thoughts on the writing life. Bylines is available at bookstores and through the web at www.bylinescalendar.com.
      On Friday, February 11, 2005, 7:30 p.m. at Village Booksmith in Baraboo, enjoy a short trip to Amsterdam when Judith Zukerman reads from her chapbook, Amsterdam Days. Instrumental and vocal music will accompany Judith. Open mic to follow.

West Central Region
      October flew by on eagle wings. The Epidemic Peace Project Show at the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center State Theater Gallery was a great success. Yvette Flaten, Peg Lauber, Sandra Lindow, Nadine St. Louis, and Sue Thibado were among the local poets who collaborated with local artists in creating over 50 pieces or art and poetry. Multi-talented Candace Hennekens collaborated with herself as both watercolor artist and poet. Poets read their poems and discussed their collaborations October 10th, 17th and 24th in three Sunday afternoon presentations that were open to the public. The final reading marked the end of the very inspirational Chippewa Valley Book Festival.
      In September, Sandra Lindow received Wisconsin Regional Writers’ Jade Ring, first prize in poetry for her poem “Timeline Tapestry.” She also can carve her name in the Bard’s Chair and keep it for a year. In October, Lindow’s latest chapbook, Walking the Labyrinth, was published by Foothills Publishing of Kanona, New York. Lindow’s poem “Briar Rose: A Case Study” has been accepted by Kaleidoscope. Her poem “The Sipper’s Wife” can be seen on-line at http://literary.erictmarin.com/sipper.htm. Her poem, “Mary Sweeny: The Wisconsin Window Smasher” has been published in Margie. “Cosmic Requiem” has been accepted by the Magazine of Speculative Poetry and “Eve” will be reprinted in the Wisconsin Academy Review.
      Peg Lauber won honorable mention in the Triad sonnet contest for her poem,
Sonnet to Stress.”
      Nadine St. Louis has won two honorable mentions in recent Free Verse contests, with subsequent publication in the zine: “Genesis” (the sestina) in the “I AM” contest and “WWII Memorial: The Dedication” in the “Polemic” contest. Kalliope has accepted her “Pretending, to Be Sinead O’Connor.” Her poem, “Epiphany” has been published in Poetica Grandma-tica.
      New member Linda Frank has had her poem “Working Grandmother” published in the anthology Poetica Grandma-tica. Frank also has a poem in the Wisconsin Poets’ Calendar: 2005.
       Plans are being made for a Chippewa Valley Peace Anthology to be published in March 2005. It tentatively will be called A Peace of the Valley.
      submitted by Sandra Lindow, West-Central Regional VP

Jane-Marie Bahr, Menomonie, has two forthcoming poems in Free Verse.

Keep Your Dues Current
      Please remember that membership dues are payable January first of every year. We no longer offer a “grace period” after nonpayment of dues. Members must be current with their dues
to enjoy membership benefits such as:

• the opportunity to be published in the Museletter’s “Poetry Page”
• listing of recent publications in the Museletter
• free “chapbook” ad, and reduced advertising rates for other ads in the Museletter
• eligibility to enter the “Triad” poetry contest
• reduced entry fee for the “Muse” contest
• free “member” web page on the Fellowship’s web site
• and, of course, the Museletter itself.

Denise Sweet Named as Second Wisconsin Poet Laureate      On October 13, 2004 Governor Jim Doyle named Denise Sweet as Poet Laureate of Wisconsin. She began her four-year term at a gala reception at the Governor’s Executive Residence in Madison.      Ms. Sweet is Associate Professor of Humanistic Studies, and an advisor for the American Indian Studies minor, at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. She has published five books of poetry and numerous individual poems, essays, and fictional pieces in a wide variety of periodicals. She was one of five U.S. writers sponsored by the U.S. Embassy to attend the First World Congress of Indigenous Literatures of the Americas, held in Guatemala City.      As Poet Laureate, she will lead one statewide project that will promote poetry in Wisconsin. Her proposed project is titled “Here @ Home: A Community Calendar Series.” This traveling workshop of poetry and writing will move from urban to rural settings, will encourage people to write, and then display their works in the community.      Ms. Sweet succeeds Ellen Kort, Wisconsin’s first Poet Laureate. Kort is a long-time member of the Fellowship. Also honored at the Governor’s reception were Tom Montag and John Lehman, who were finalists in the Laureate selection process. They were recognized as Commended Poets. Sweet, Montag and Lehman all received honorary memberships in the WFOP.      Representing the Fellowship at the reception were Cathryn Cofell, chair of the Poet Laureate Commission; Peter Sherrill, Fellowship president; Bruce Dethlefsen, secretary; and Jeannie Bergmann, webmistress. Spring Conference: Art-Inspired Poetry/Poetry as Art       Poets have been inspired by works of art for centuries. In this presentation and workshop we will look at some artwork and the poems written about them. Together we will explore writing the poem inspired by a work of art. And then...off to the downtown Racine Art Museum for the WFOP Guest Tour featuring the innovative contemporary creative works of Judith Leibers as well as many others. The unique art library will also be opened and staffed for this special event. Best Always, Roberta Fabiani www.ramart.org www.Judith-Leiber.com Triad Results Member Publications New MARKETS columnist is Judith Zukerman • PO Box 5442 • Madison, WI 53705-0442 • jzukerman7@earthlink.net

Kay Saunders Fund Benefits WFOP      Long-time Fellowship member Kay Saunders passed away earlier this year. Her family has established the Kay Saunders Memorial Fund to honor her lifelong work with new poets. This fund will benefit the Fellowship’s work with new and emerging poets. More specifically, the fund will sponsor the Triad Contest’s “new poets” category, which has been renamed the Kay Saunders New Poet’s Award.      The Kay Saunders Memorial Fund is administered by the Saunders family, and is not associated with the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets. However, the Fellowship gratefully acknowledges the Saunders family’s generosity and encourages our members to donate to this fund. Donations to the Saunders memorial are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.      Donations may be sent to George Saunders, 1700 N. Racine, Appleton, WI 54911. Wisconsin-Hessen Writers’ Alliance Growing      The Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters is sponsoring a cultural-exchange program between Wisconsin and the German state of Hesse. One part of this program is an alliance between writers in the two countries. The Fellowship is pleased to be part of this project.      First on the scene was the joint website, www.hesswiscwriter.org. It’s the forum for joint projects, exchanges of poetry, and other cultural mingling. Check out the “members” listing and you’ll find the Fellowship very well represented.      Soon to come, we’ll hear about a real-life cultural exchange. Hessen has offered three months’ housing and a stipend to a visiting Wisconsin writer or writers. The Academy is assembling a committee to choose our cultural ambassador(s), and offer a similar package to Hessen writer(s). Fellowship president Peter Sherrill is serving on that committee.      This cultural-exchange program is a work-in-progress. Ideas and initiatives are welcome. If you have suggestions, thoughts or questions, contact Joan Fischer at the Wisconsin Academy.      She can be reached at jfischer@wisconsinacademy.org, or call (608) 263-1692. Mailing address is:      1922 Old University Avenue      Madison, WI 53726 Book Design & Professional Editing Services Christine Falk 952.985.5375 datadesign@frontiernet.net Current WFOP Officer Openings Regional VP—Central Fox Valley Regional VP—Northeast Contact Peter Sherrill if interested.

Keeping Good Records of Your Works by Diana Randolph At the WFOP Fall Conference in Ashland, Sue De Kelver reflected briefly about possible topics for the 2005 Spring Conference. She mentioned “perhaps the nuts and bolts of poetry, keeping track of your poems.” Upon returning home from the Fall conference, overflowing with inspiration, I had the idea for sharing some of my personal experiences in a series of “nuts and bolts” topics. Thanks for the idea, Sue! In this first column let’s explore how to keep your writing organized and how to keep track of where you submit your works. The supplies I use for these tasks include: a small notebook, loose-leaf paper, two 3-ring binders, insertable tab dividers, 2 folders with pockets, paper clips, colorful index cards and rubber bands. Organize Your Writing When I first started writing poetry in college I’d have several notebooks with various poems started. I also hid scraps of poems-in-progress under stacks of books and papers as a squirrel stashes nuts and seeds in a secret spot for another day. When I had time to write, I wasted a lot of time looking for those poems. Now I keep a small notebook in my purse for writing on the road, when an opportunity may arise. For example, all those minutes in a waiting room can result in a first draft of poem, that is, if you can resist the temptation of flipping through People or Better Homes and Gardens magazines. When I return home, I tear the poem from the notebook and staple it to a sheet of loose-leaf, college-ruled paper. I’ll write my second draft on this page and will number and date each draft. Over the course of a week or longer, I enjoy sinking into the poem for further reflection with each draft. Only when my mind makes a leap, discovering something new during the writing process do I feel a sense of completion. After typing the poem, I save it in a poetry file on my computer. I print three copies—one for myself, the others for my writer friends, Sylvia and Jeanne, who critique/edit my work when we meet twice a month. We’ve helped polish each others’ writing for eight years now and I trust their suggestions for making a piece communicate more clearly. I print 3 copies of the edited, finished poem that include my name, address, phone number and email address. In a 3- ring binder labeled “Poems” I keep all the drafts of the poem along with a copy of the finished one. Insertable tab dividers work well for labeling and sectioning poems written in different years. On one sheet of paper at the beginning of each year’s section, I list each poem and the date of completion. Some publications or grant applications require completion dates so it’s handy to record this information. In two pocket folders I keep two copies of each finished poem held together with paper clips in alphabetical order. In the first folder I keep poems titled from “A to L” and the second, “M to Z.” These are ready to send out. Keeping Track of Submissions Once after reading a friend’s poem in a publication that is distributed free in our community I congratulated her for this publishing achievement. “How did they get my poem? I don’t remember submitting it to them,” she said. Index cards are helpful for keeping records of poems. I fill out an index card for each completed poem with the title and date of completion. Held together by rubber bands, I keep four piles of index cards. The first pile is labeled, “Available for Submission.” These are poems ready to send out. On the index card I’ll record the date I send out a poem and the publication’s name. The second pile consists of “Pending Poems,” which are works I’ve submitted, awaiting a response. Every once in a while check the dates in which you’ve sent something out. If it’s been more than six months and you’d like to submit those poems somewhere else write or email the publication to withdraw them from consideration (unless of course the editor says he/she has decided to publish one of them after all). When I receive a rejection I write “not-accepted” and the date on the card and place it back in the “Available for Submission” pile. The third stack is “Published Poems.” These are poems that have been accepted for publication. Give yourself a star sticker on the index card and write the date of acceptance. If you know the publication date you may record that, also. For example, “Spring 2005 Issue of Hearts Alive.” Sometime you may want to resubmit some of these poems to publications which accept previously published poems. Be sure to give credit to where they first appeared. My fourth pile of index cards are the poems that are included in my chapbook. I only submit these to publications which accept previously published works and I always give credit to my chapbook/publisher. This is a way of promoting your book. Don’t forget to record on the index card when you receive an award for a poem. These cards are individual resumes for each of your works. When you select a collection of poems for a book, you may refer to each card and give credit to the publications in which they’ve appeared. I prefer to use the index card method because it’s enjoyable to spread the cards on a table when deciding what to submit to a publication. You may prefer to keep all these records on your computer but this method works well for me. I keep the four piles of index cards in the pockets of a second 3-ring binder labeled “Submissions.” In this binder I also keep lists of submissions by recording the date they’re sent out, the titles of poems and complete addresses of the publications, circling each poem that is accepted. I tally up my submissions and acceptances each month and just for fun compare the numbers from year to year. In another tab divider section, I keep copies of cover letters that accompany my submissions. In other sections you may want to keep information on markets for submission. I often cut and paste listings from newsletters or writing magazines onto pages in my “Submissions” binder. The time you spend organizing your work is an investment in your publishing career. You may already have a wonderful method for keeping records of your works. If so, perhaps you’ll share some of your methods in a future newsletter. Diana Randolph lives in rural Drummond and is author of In the Heart of the Forest (Savage Press), a chapbook of her poetry and landscape paintings. Her paintings are included on the on-line gallery www.portalwisconsin.org. Her next column will explore the topic “Creating Time/Setting Goals to Write.” You may contact Diana at oiabms@cheqnet.net.