Volume 62, Issue 1(winter2012) - National Federation of State ...

Volume 62 Issue 1
Winter 2012
The Sylvan
N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E
P E N N S Y L V A N I A P O E T R Y S O C I E T Y , I N C .
O n P u b l i s h i n g P o e t r y
POINTS
OF
SPECIAL
INTEREST
Publishing
Gettysburg is
Busy!
President’s
Message
Spring
Conference
Presenter Bios
FEATURES
President’s Message 2
Newsletter Business 3
Chapter News 4
Spring Conference
Info
Spring Conference
Location
5
6
Kooser Column 7
Contact Us 8
Poetry Magic.co.uk
John Holcombe
Publishing your poetry is easier if you
understand the publishing process: who
is looking for what, and where your efforts
fit into the general scheme of
things.
Magazine Publishing
Most literary magazines want poetry, but
they want poetry of a type that fits in
with their preconceptions as to what
contemporary poetry is and should be
doing. What those preconceptions are
can be gauged by reading what is published,
and by such policy statements as
appear in the magazine or in directories
of publishing outlets for poets. Sending
a carefully-crafted sonnet to an avant
garde magazine is nonsense, and editors
continually complain that two thirds
of their time is wasted in reading material
of the wrong style or content, wrong
length, no cover letter addressed to
them by name, no publishing history, no
SASE for response, etc. Guidelines are
given for a reason, and have to be read.
Indeed the whole magazine should
be read before submission. Literary
magazines are usually labors of love,
perilously short of funds and subsisting
on grants, competition receipts and the
personal generosity of friends. It helps
to first send for a trial copy, to read it
carefully, and at least take out a year's
subscription if the submission is accepted.
Editors feel their efforts are
truly rewarded if each issue contains a
few poems that are really good, and
what they ask in publishing your poetry
is the financial means to continue providing
a platform for new work.
Or the best ones do. There are still
many magazines that have less worthy
aims. Some dream of publishing only
nationally famous poets, and assess
each submission by name rather than
by work. Unless well-known on the poetry
circuit — and editors are very
knowledgeable here — your poetry
goes into a slush pile, to be picked
over if space unexpectedly appears
when selections have been made from
submissions by big names and personal
friends. Some magazines accept
practically everything, and follow up
their flattering words of 'exceptional
talent' etc. with offers of overpriced
anthologies or conferences of
'selected poets'. Some magazines are
the in-house journals of university English
departments, and their young editors
do not always have the reading
and experience to tell the good from
the merely fashionable.
Remember also that the book trade
can still be amateurish, especially in
impoverished areas like poetry. Keep
(Continued on page 3)

Page 2
The Sylvan
P r e s i d e n t ’ s M e s s a g e
For being the shortest month of the year, even at
its longest, February has a lot of heart. We get to celebrate
the birthdays of two great presidents, Washington
and Lincoln. On the personal side, I get to celebrate
one of my greatest creations outside of poetry,
the birthday of my daughter, Beth.
February also contains two dates that celebrate
love in all of its wondrous and complicated manifestations:
Valentine’s Day and Sadie Hawkins Day. For
me, and perhaps for some other men, each day is
preceded by days and weeks filled with dread and
fear. For Valentine’s Day our fervent hope to not falter
under the strain of finding the perfect gift that conveys
our love and devotion. For Sadie Hawkins Day
we hope to run just fast enough to stay out of reach
this time around but slow enough to make us appear
catch-able four years hence.
But contrary to popular belief, the most significant
holiday of February is not either of the aforementioned
days. For many reasons, I believe that that
honor belongs to Groundhogs Day. Punxsutawney Phil
is world famous for his unique and accurate winter
weather prognostications. He may not always get it
right but he puts on quite a show.
I’ve often wondered what Phil does in his den
when he is not working. He and I both spend a lot of
time in small, dark, confined spaces. I fritter away my
time lost in the fog of poetry writing, totally oblivious
to the world around me. With a secluded place to
work, and so much time on his paws, I’ve come to the
conclusion that Phil must also be writing poetry. Realizing
this, I checked our roster of poets and was surprised
to see that he is not a member. Remind me to
send him the membership information later this year.
On a similar thought, I sent a letter to Taylor Swift
last year making her aware of our organization and
inviting her to join. Taylor is a former resident of
Reading and has created several memorable and
popular songs. The lyrics of her songs are based on
her own life experiences and are powerfully poetic. I
was disappointed that she missed our deadline for
joining last year but I’ll try again this year.
Not being members of PPS currently, Taylor and
Phil don’t get to grow as poets through exposure to
the poetic fertilizer of others. Wouldn’t it be nice if
Taylor and Phil, both being celebrities with poetic
souls, could collaborate in their poetry writing. The
next logical step for them would be PPS membership!
Sweet!
I want to leap forward to April 21st. On that date,
Carlisle Poets will host PPS’ 2012 Spring Conference
at the Allenberry Resort Inn and Playhouse. The
highlights of the Spring Conference are the two workshops
and the presentation of awards and reading of
prize poems. Sandwiched in-between the awards
and readings in the morning and the two afternoon
workshops is an excellent and bountiful lunch buffet.
All of this is in addition to the camaraderie of fellow
poets.
Allenberry is a prime location that could only have
been created by someone with a poet’s heart and
soul. Allenberry has long been a favorite location for
PPS to hold their poetry conferences. For anyone
who has attended a past conference there, there are
many fond memories to bring you back. For others,
you’ll never know how much you’ve missed until you
attend a conference at Allenberry.
Y’all come now, ya hear.
“There is no frigate like a book to take us lands
away,
nor any coursers like a page of prancing poetry.”
-- Emily Dickinson
Richard “Dick” Lake, President
Pennsylvania Poetry Society

Volume 62 Issue 1
Page 3
P o s t M o d e r n i s m
C o n t i n u e d
L i m e r i c k
(Continued from page 1)
copies of everything sent. Allow a few months before sending
the polite follow-up. Be systematic in submissions, making
them one of the regular chores of writing. Treasure your
successes, but don't expect all doors to open thereafter.
Publishing your poetry takes time and patience, an immense
quantity of both, but you will eventually see some
pattern and reward.
Don't submit your collection to a prestigious publisher
until you have built up a decent reputation in the betterknown
literary magazines.
And take your time when publishing your poetry, submitting
when you're fully satisfied that you cannot improve on
the work.
E d i t o r ’ s N o t e
Hello All,
Thanks for your diligence in getting the materials to me by
the due dates this past year! I am reprinting these for anyone
who hasn’t made a note.
All submissions may be edited for content or space concerns.
For the Winter Newsletter, the due date will be February 5.
For the Spring Newsletter, the due date will be May 5.
For the Summer Newsletter, the due date will be August 5.
For the Fall Newsletter, the due date will be November 5.
Please send announcements of publications, or chapter
news to me for every edition.
I would also like short reviews (

Volume 62 Issue 1
Page 4
G e t t y s b u r g P o e t r y S o c i e t y S t a y s
B u s y a n d P r o d u c t i v e
Linda Clark
The Gettysburg Poetry Society has remained busy
during the winter months. We finished up 2011 with a
dessert potluck where we also shared some holiday
poetry. Our schedule for the year 2012 has seen
some changes to accommodate one of our favorite
venues. Beginning in January, GPS meetings will be
held on the second and third Tuesdays of the month at
the Adams County Library, and on the last Wednesday
of the month at Battlefields and Beyond Military Bookshoppe.
All meetings begin at 6:30 and all are invited
to attend. Our meeting on the second Tuesday of the
month continues to be a time of sharing poetry, followed
by a brief business meeting. On the third Tuesday
of each month our meetings will include a time for
critique, plus a time for planning. Since GPS will be
hosting the Pennsylvania Poetry Society Autumn Conference
on November 2 and 3. 2012 we will use part
of our critique session to organize this event. So, mark
your calendars for Friday, November 2 and Saturday,
November 3rd.
The timing should work out well. In addition to nearing
the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg,
2012 is also the 40th anniversay of the death of
Marianne Moore, Pulitzer Prize winning poet, who is
buried in Gettysburg. So be there or be square! How
poetic!
Our last session of each month is designated as our
workshop night and seems to be a favorite. Our members
dutifully sign up to lead these sessions and have
covered a wide array of topics. Greg Price recently
shared some of his experiences incorporating poetry
into a psychiatric ward setting. He then led us
through the creation of some spontaneous poetry of
our own. Imogene Hunt has some special poetic activites
up her sleeve that will certainly amuse and
enlighten the members. More about her workshops
and others in the next issue!
Our Traveling Troubadours are hitting the
nursing home circuit again on the last Tuesday
of each month. We have talented singers and
readers and talkers! After we share our musical and
poetic selections, it is nice to just communicate with
the residents. Of course in January we sang our snow
selections in 60 degree weather!
Special GPS events included a January presentation
of Civil War era poetry as part of a Charity Afire
presentation at the Mother Seton Shrine in Emmitsburg,
Maryland. The event commemorated the valiant
and valuable nursing duties carried out by the Sisters
of Charity. We had eleven members in amazing costumes
on stage! Upcoming events include a Remembrance
Poetry Contest, Gettysburg Festival Presentation,
and the Pennsylvania Poetry Society Autumnal
Conference.
Our individual members have been busy as
well. Sandi Polvinale won second place for her watercolor
of the green arcanna egg, and entertained with
ukulele music for a canned goods drive for the local
food bank. Additionally she was the guest speaker at
the Fairfield Area High School honors art induction
where she recited her speech in poetic form. The
speech was very service oriented and well received by
the young artists. Constance Trump has had poems
published on both the Seton Heritage Ministries and
Mt. St. Mary's University websites, and written for the
Gettysburg Experience Magazine. She also earned the
Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) designation
through Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership.
Denise Jackson of Masterpiece Creations Grapics
and Publishing Company created a beautiful cover and
format for Linda Clark’s manuscript Star Light, Star
Bright- A Tale of Old Gettysburg. The book, which features
1863 Gettysburg civilians, an 1847 reader, and
original poetry is available from Bernadette Atkins at
the Battlefield and Beyond Military Bookshoppe.
And Bert Barnett and Myrna Morton have been
asked to do a poetry presentation for an upcoming Historic
Gettysburg Adams County meeting.
So, poetry is alive and well in Gettysburg!

Volume 62 Issue 1
Page 5
P o e t i c M o t i o n : L e a p s ,
T w i s t s , a n d L u n g e s
Zach Savich
Poetic Motion: Twists, Turns, Leaps, and Lunges--
Techniques for adding depth, texture, and velocity to
your writing.
Zach will present some poems that illustrate unique
motions of thought/feeling/connection. A discussion
of those poems and some related ideas will follow with
some time to write, share and discuss the work and
thoughts that come from it.
E k p h r a s t i c P o e t r y I I
DeAnna Spurlock
Ekphrastic Poetry II: Creating, Entering and Reflecting
on a Work of Art
After a brief review of Ekphrastic poems, participants
will create a poem in three sections: 1. As a person
within the art 2. As the artist creating the work 3. As
the poet perceiving the art. Time will be reserved for
analysis of what works in this focused writing exercise.
Inspiring paintings and photographs will be provided
by Carlisle Poets.
C o n t e s t
Y e a r o f t h e D r a g o n
Unlike the wicked, fire-breathing dragons of Western
mythology, China’s celestial dragon symbolizes potent
and benevolent power. Dragons are ancient, majestic,
wise, and intelligent, and Dragon years are considered
particularly auspicious for new businesses, marriage
and children. Dragon years also tend to boost individual
fortunes and the world economy. All five of the Chinese
Dragon years — Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water —
tend to magnify both success and failure. According to
the Mayan Calendar and the alleged 2012 Armageddon
prophecy, the world will end or change significantly by
December 21. So while Dragon years can mark huge
achievement, disasters can be equally immense. The
Year of the Water Dragon (1992, 1952 and 2012) is
noted for its calm, visionary intelligence, and balance of
right brain creativity with left brain logic.
Write a poem, any style, any length, from any perspective
you choose using the information above as
inspiration. Turn it in by 10:00 AM on April 21 to Susan
Vernon. You must be in attendance to win. The first
prize winner will receive a handsome journal for future
writing.
A g e n d a a n d W o r k s h o p s
10:00 - 12:00 AM - General Business Meeting
11:00 - 12:00 PM - Presentation of Awards and
Reading of Prize Poems
12:00 - 1:00 PM - Lunch Buffet
1:00 - 2:00 PM - Workshop by Zach Savich -
Poetic Motion:Twists, Leaps, and Lunges
2:00 - 3:00 PM - Worshop by DeAnna Spurlock -
Ekphrastic Poetry II with inspiring artwork
3:00 - 3:30 PM - Completion of Prize poem readings
3:30 PM - Board Meeting

Volume 62 Issue 1
Page 6
S p r i n g C o n f e r e n c e : A p r i l 2 1 , 2 0 1 2
A l l e n b e r y R e s o r t , I n n , a n d P l a y h o u s e
_______I will attend and have lunch (enclose check for $21.00/person).
_______I will attend and not have lunch (no registration fee, conference is free to members)
_______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 April 13,2012.
Send Checks Payable to PPS, Inc to
Nancy Kline (PPS Treasurer)
1040 Dogwood Drive, Box 125
Cornwall, PA 17016
***Important:
No overnight rooms are
available at Allenberry during
this conference!***
D i r e c t i o n s t o A l l e n b e r r y a n d
R e c o m m e n d a t i o n s f o r A c c o m o d a t i o n s
FROM SOUTH I-83
I-83 to EXIT 41A (Rt. 581 W)
Route 581 W to Exit 5B (Rt 15 S)
Proceed with directions for
"ROUTE 15 SOUTH"
FROM SOUTH I-81
I-81 N to Exit 48, bear right off exit onto Rt 74 S
Proceed with directions for "ROUTE 74 SOUTH"
ROUTE 15 SOUTH
Route 15 S to 74 N (Dillsburg)
Approx. 5 miles to light
Turn left onto Route 174 W (Boilings Springs Rd)
Allenberry is approx. 1 mile on left
FROM HUMMELSTOWN / HERSHEY
Route 322 W to I-83 S
Cross South Bridge
Follow Rt 581 W to Exit 5B (Rt 15 S)
ROUTE 74 SOUTH
Route 74 S past I-81 overpass approx. 4 miles
to 4th traffic light
Turn right onto Route 174 W (Boilings Springs Rd)
Allenberry is approx. 1 mile on left
FROM RT 34 (S HANOVER ST, CARLISLE)
Follow Route 34 to Route 174 E (E Old York
Rd). Follow Route 174 E into Boiling Springs
Allenberry is approx. 1/2 mile beyond lake on
right. Proceed to second Allenberry sign for
Entrance
FROM HBG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
(FROM EAST PA TURNPIKE I-76)
Take exit road to I-283 North (Harrisburg)
Follow signs to PA Turnpike (Route 76 West)
Exit PA Turnpike Exit #236 - Gettysburg
Bear right onto Route 15 South
Proceed with directions for "ROUTE 15
SOUTH"
FROM WEST PA TURNPIKE
Route 76 E to Exit #226 (Carlisle)
Turn right onto Route 11 S
Follow to Carlisle Square (Hanover/High Sts.)
Turn left onto Route 74 S
(1/2 mile Route 74 S bears to right)
Proceed with directions for "ROUTE 74
SOUTH"
FROM NORTH I-81
I-81 to Exit 49, bear right off exit 1/2 block
Turn left at Trindle Bar & Grill (Fairfield
Street)
Follow to Stop sign. Turn left onto Route 74-S
Proceed with directions for "ROUTE 74
SOUTH"
VILLAGE FARM BED & BREAKFAST
980 Waggoner's Gap Road,
Carlisle, PA 17013
717-249-7827
PHEASANT FIELD
BED & BREAKFAST
150 Hickorytown Rd.
Carlisle, PA 17013
717-258-0717
stay@pheasantfield.com
GELINAS FAMILY VICTORIAN
BED AND BREAKFAST
219 Front Street
P.O. Box 100
Boiling Springs, PA 17007
(717) 258-6584
Fax: (717) 245-9328
email: Lee@gelinasinn.com
CARLISLE HOUSE
BED & BREAKFAST
148 S. Hanover St.
Carlisle, PA 17013
717-249-0350
mary@thecarlislehouse.com
For a more comprehensive list,
visit www.bbonline.com/pa/
harrisburg.html

Volume 62 Issue 1
Page 7
A m e r i c a n L i f e
I N P o e t r y
C o n f e r e n c e p r e s e n t e r
B i o s
BY TED KOOSER, U.S. POET LAUREATE
I love poems that celebrate families, and here’s a fine
one by Joyce Sutphen of Minnesota, a poet who has
written dozens of poems I’d like to publish in this column
if there only were weeks enough for all of them.
The Aunts
I like it when they get together
and talk in voices that sound
like apple trees and grape vines,
and some of them wear hats
and go to Arizona in the winter,
and they all like to play cards.
They will always be the ones
who say “It is time to go now,”
even as we linger at the door,
or stand by the waiting cars, they
remember someone—an uncle we
never knew—and sigh, all
of them together, like wind
in the oak trees behind the farm
where they grew up—a place
I remember—especially
the hen house and the soft
clucking that filled the sunlit yard.
DeAnna Spurlock has taught early British and American
literature as well as writing courses at Lebanon
Valley College in Annville, PA, for the last fourteen
years. Her work has been published in such regional
magazines and journals as The Harrisburg Review,
Beauty for Ashes Poetry Review, Countryfolk Magazine,
The Wildwood Journal, and Logodaedalous.
DeAnna spearheaded efforts to have a state historical
marker placed in at the Carlisle, Pennsylvania home of
poet Marianne Moore. A past president of the Pennsylvania
Poetry Society, DeAnna currently serves on the
Board of the National Federation of State Poetry Societies.
Zach Savich is the author of three books of poetry and
a book of creative nonfiction. He has an MFA from the
Iowa Writers' Workshop and another MFA from the University
of Massachusetts Amherst. Zach has taught
poetry classes at all levels, with many different groups,
in community settings and at university programs in
Ohio, Iowa, Italy, New Zealand, Washington state, and
Massachusetts. He is currently teaching poetry writing
and literature classes at Shippensburg University and
serving as an editor with The Kenyon Review. His
books have received the Iowa Poetry Prize, the Colorado
Prize for Poetry, the Cleveland State University
Poetry Center's Open Competition Award, and recognition
from the Poetry Society of America, Academy of
American Poets, and other magazines/organizations.
American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry
Foundation (www.poetryfoundation.org), publisher
of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the
Department of English at the University of Nebraska-
Lincoln. Poem copyright ©2010 by Joyce Sutphen
from her most recent book of poetry, First Words, Red
Dragonfly Press, 2010. Poem reprinted by permission
of Joyce Sutphen and the publisher. Introduction
copyright © 2012 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction's
author, Ted Kooser, served as United
States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library
of Congress from 2004-2006. We do not accept
unsolicited manuscripts.
U p d a t e Y o u r I n f o
As we do the annual work of updating membership
records, we note how many incorrect mailing
and e-mail addresses and phone numbers we have
on file!
If you have moved or changed e-mail providers
since you last paid your PPS dues, please take a moment
send updates to Richard Lake, Ann Gasser or
Nancy Kline (contact info on page 8) so that you can
continue to take full advantage of your PPS Membership.

P P S C O N T A C T S
President: Richard Lake
Immediate-past President: DeAnna Spurlock
Vice President: Lynn Fetterolf
Immediate-past Vice President: Janice Freytag
Recording Secretary: Ann Gasser
Corresponding Secretary: Janet Manwaring
Treasurer: Nancy Kline
Historian: Toni Carey
Trustees:
(2014)Catherine Hoffman, Susan Vernon
(2016)Walter Brandenburg,
Mark Starkweather
(2017)Membership Committee:
Nancy Kline, Chair; Kara Valore,
Marilyn Downing,
PPS Publicity Chair: Linda Clark
Pegasus Contest Chair: Marilyn Downing
Prize Poems: Ann Gasser
Endowments & Audit: The Trustees
The Sylvan Editor: April Line
Bulk Mail: PPS Volunteers
PPS Webmaster: Billy Pennington
Mailing Addresses
Richard Lake (PPS President)
501 Second St.
New Cumberland, PA 17070
lakeeerie@yahoo.com
Lynn Fetterolf (PPS Vice-President,
PPS Contest Entry Receiver)
492 Kreutz Creek Road
York, PA 17406-8060
717-757-3154 - poetrylynn@comcast.net
Ann Gasser (Recording Secretary)
801 Spruce St
West Reading, PA 19611
aubadeg@verizon.net
Nancy Kline (PPS Treasurer)
1040 Dogwood Drive, Box 125
Cornwall, PA 17016
Linda Clark (PPS Publicity Chair)
255 Herr's Ridge Road
Gettysburg, PA 17325-8084
Chapter Contact Info
Cadence Crafters: Isobel Beaston 610-361-8314
Carlisle Poets: Harry Phillips, hvannphillips@gmail.com,
carlislepoets@gmail.com
Keysner Poets: Marilyn Downing, 717-533-7097
Gettysburg Poetry Society (GPS): Linda Clark, 717-337-9093
About Us
Founded in 1949, PPS, Inc. is a non-profit group of poets
and aspiring poets, most of whom reside in PA, who are involved
in poetry at local, state, and national levels.
At the local level, active chapters hold monthly meetings
and workshops, sponsor poetry readings and contests as well
as print anthologies of members’ poems. Some members
serve as contest judges and teach poetry writing in schools,
colleges, retirement communities, etc.
At the state level, one can join PPS, Inc., either as a member
at large or as a member of a local chapter. All chapter
members must be members of PPS, Inc.
A new chapter can be formed by five or more PPS members
who have a slate of officers and by-laws compatible with those
of PPS, Inc.
At the national level, the National Federation of State Poetry
Societies (NFSPS) describes itself as "An educational and literary
organization dedicated to the writing and appreciation of
poetry in America." Its four-day annual conventions are held in
a different state each year and offer workshops as well as intellectual
and creative intercourse among members of state
poetry societies.
Contact Nancy Kline to become a member or join online by visiting
www.nfsps.com. Click “State Links” and then “Pennsylvania” to
access our site.
April Line (PPS Newsletter Editor,
Criqtique Committee Chair)
217 Lincoln Ave.
Williamsport, PA 17701
april.line@gmail.com
The Sylvan Page Editors
Ann Gasser, Challenge Page Editor, 801 Spruce St. West
Reading, PA 19611 or aubadeg@verizon.net
Nancy Kline, Awards Editor, 1040 Dogwood Dr. PO box 125
Cornwall, PA 17016