JoAnn Early Macken

 

 

I'm tickled to announce the publication of two new poems!

 

As a formerly obsessive doomscroller, I'm thrilled that I no longer feel compelled to check the news every few hours. "What Shall We Do After Doomscrolling?" appeared in the Poems of the Week of Light: A Journal of Light Verse since 1992. 

 

"Paper-Free Plea" is on page 43 of the Winter 2021 issue of the SCBWI Bulletin. Only SCBWI members can view it, so I'm posting it here, too.

 

Paper-Free Plea

 

For umpty-some years as a writer,
I scribbled my stanzas in pen,
filled notebooks I bought by the dozen,
then printed again and again.

 

I wrote on both sides of the paper,
recycled so diligently.
In spite of my Earth-friendly efforts,
somebody chopped down a tree.

 

My memory's not what it once was,
but lately, I've learned a new trick:
I dictate my drafts and revisions.
The software's convenient and quick!

 

Technology's always improving.
So sad the environment's worse.
Let's help make the world a bit greener
while drafting our stories and verse.

 

JoAnn Early Macken

          Technology ought to work for us,
          but today, I’ve reached a dead end.
          Reluctantly, I’m forced to admit
          that technology isn’t my friend.

          I’ve reached out to ask the experts.
          I’ve Googled the night away.
          Technology ought to improve our lives,
          but not, alas, today.

          Oh, somewhere, machinery’s whirring,
          performing just as it should,
          but here, today, in my little world,
          technology’s not so good.

In the middle of my National Poetry Month Book Giveaway, it temporarily became impossible to post a comment on my blog. It seems to be working now! So if you’d like to win a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step, you can leave a comment here. Good luck!

I'm giving away a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step every day in April. The book is based on my school visit presentations and includes a simple plan you can follow to create your own poems. I wrote it for students, teachers, and writers of all ages.

I'll choose one entry at random tomorrow and drop a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step in the mail—U.S. addresses only, please. I’ll email you for your mailing address if you win. And if you don't win right away, please check back again. I'll have 31 copies to share!

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