Call for New Anthology for NH Poets: Poetry in the Time of COVID

Poetry in the Time of COVID: Resilience, Community, and Connection

New Hampshire’s Poet Laureate, Alexandria Peary, is thrilled to partner with Kirsty Walker, President of Hobblebush Books, for a special opportunity for all New Hampshire residents to celebrate April as National Poetry Month during this unprecedented time of COVID-19.

Build Community and Grow Your Writing

Alexandria Peary will facilitate a free, virtual writers’ group during the month of April. This will provide New Hampshire residents a channel for creatively navigating our common experiences. We may be isolated in our homes, but we will come together in this unique way and build an even stronger community.

The group will:

·       build community during a time of isolation,

·       provide writing prompts related to COVID-19 and our “new normal,”

·       offer encouragement and actionable feedback, and

·       prepare participants to submit their work for possible inclusion in an anthology published by Hobblebush Books

We invite all New Hampshire poetry lovers—whether you’re new to writing or a seasoned pro—to join us virtually for as many sessions as you’d like. You’ll meet new people, reconnect with old friends—and in a month of social distancing, help build a community.

Meeting Dates and Topics:

Saturday, April 4:  Prompts for a List Poem

Wednesday, April 8: Prompts for a Metaphor/Simile Poem

Saturday, April 11: Prompts for a  Descriptive Poem  Changed to Narrative Poem

Wednesday, April 15: Borrowing a Line to Start a Poem

Saturday, April 18: Villanelle

Wednesday, April 22: Sestina

Saturday, April 25: Feedback Session

Wednesday, April 29: Feedback Session

How to Join:

Send an email to Balconyofwords@gmail.com by 9 AM on the day of the scheduled meeting. Put RSVP in the subject line of the email. In the body of the email, include your full name, your email address, town of residence. Alex will email you a Zoom link at 11:30 AM on the day of the meeting. Click that link a few minutes before noon and you’ll be ready to go!

Get Published

At the conclusion of National Poetry Month, we invite you to submit your work for consideration in an anthology of poems addressing the COVID-19 pandemic: how Granite Staters are experiencing and responding to isolation, job loss, changes in community, family and relationship, school, technology, personal values, sickness, grief, loss or changes in security, freedom of movement, identity, and health.

The anthology will be edited by New Hampshire Poet Laureate Alexandria Peary and will be published by Hobblebush Books in the summer of 2020. Participation in the virtual writing group is not required for publication, nor is it a guarantee.

How to Submit

New Hampshire residents can submit 1-3 poems. Poems should be submitted at www.hobblebush.com/anthology-submission by noon on Friday, May 1, 2020.  Changed to 11 PM on Friday, May 15, 2020, to give writers time to develop their COVID-19 poems. Writers will be notified of the editor’s decision by May 25. Publication will be contingent upon writers responding in a timely way to editorial suggestions. Around fifty poems will be included in the published book.

Hobblebush Books will donate 10% of the cover price for every book sold to an organization providing relief for the COVID-19 crisis in the state. Authors receive a copy of the anthology. Once it is safe to gather again, authors will be invited to participate in face-to-face readings at various bookstores and libraries throughout the state.

FAQs

Who can participate in the virtual writers’ group?

                  Any resident of New Hampshire of any age and any level of experience with poetry.

Do I need to participate in the writers’ group for my poem(s) to be considered for publication?

No—participation in the virtual writers’ group is not a requirement for publication (or a guarantee). We do hope you’ll join us, though!

How do I join one of the Zoom meetings?

It’s super easy! Just follow these steps:

1.     By 9 AM on the day of the scheduled meeting, send an email with the subject line RSVP to Balconyofwords@gmail.com. Include your full name, your email address, town of residence.

2.     Thirty minutes before the scheduled meeting, Alex will email you the link you will use to join.

3.     A few minutes before noon, click the link you received and get ready to have some fun!

I’d like to join the writers’ group, but I can’t make every session. Is it required that I attend every session?

               You can participate as often or as infrequently as you wish. Just RSVP the morning of.