poem Archives

Get poetically inspired — go on a meditation-vacation

By Rachel Dacus | September 1, 2016November 9, 2017 by Rachel Dacus

A new scientific study came out following people who had recently been on resort vacations and those who were meditators who had been on meditation retreats. The interesting thing is that the beneficial effects on their bodies, though similar, were different. And meditators seemed to have the longest term benefits. Their immune responses and ability to resist stress were stronger for a longer time than those who had simply greatly relaxing vacations. Here’s an article…

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To obtain a great cover image, try pleading “Poet in Poverty”

By Rachel Dacus | August 11, 2016November 9, 2017 by Rachel Dacus

It was great fun to correspond with Matisse’s great grandson in order to obtain rights to use this image on the cover of my poetry collection Femme au chapeau. Happy to say it will be available as an eBook in September! Pre-order price for you is $2.99, until 9/26/16. You can go here to pre-order: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/657130. Poet Barbara Crooker did a wonderful review of the book on Smartish Pace, mentioning “exquisite figurative language throughout”. She…

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My Poem “Cone of Silence” at Blue Heron Review

By Rachel Dacus | July 23, 2016November 9, 2017 by Rachel Dacus

The writing life is a little like surfing: being tumbled under the tide but also catching some wonderful waves. I’ve just caught one of those good waves! I’m happy to say my poem “Cone of Silence” is up this month at Blue Heron Review. This online journal has a mission with a tagline from Hafiz: “An awake heart is like a sky that pours light.” I’m thrilled to have my work alongside that of many…

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As Yearning Is Red – Visions with Waterbirds

By Rachel Dacus | July 13, 2016November 9, 2017 by Rachel Dacus

This weekend we drove to Sebastopol, over the top of the San Francisco Bay, through marshlands filled with waterbirds. I’m lucky to live near a creek where egrets hunt and nest. I take walks alongside this miniature waterway and appreciating the ducks keep an eye out for that white, upright stillness near the shore, often half hidden by tall dry grasses. When I come upon a lesser or greater egret, I stop at the pure…

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Superheroes and Imaginary Giraffes

By Rachel Dacus | April 30, 2016November 9, 2017 by Rachel Dacus

Starting off with two of my recent fantasy/fairytale/science-fiction poems, I’m starting what will be a great summer run of poem publications. Gingerbread House has just published my poem “Transparency” about a superhero dead-drunk on dilithium crystals and impossible to manage. Sharad Haksar‘s “Superhero,” that accompanies the poem, is fantastic! Mockingheart Review, a new publication under the direction of Clare L. Martin, began the sequence with publishing my poems “Giraffes” about a mythical herd that inhabits…

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My Poem in Anthology MEASURE FOR MEASURE

By Rachel Dacus | August 7, 2015 by Rachel Dacus

I’m absolutely thrilled to have my poem “Sapphics with Little Rags and Cabbage” appear in the new anthology edited by Annie Finch and Alexandra Oliver, Measure for Measure. Published by Alfred A. Knopf in 2015, the collection is a wonderful way to study the fine points of meter through examples. Annie and Alexandra have organized it by metrical type and added notes on the different meter, which should make it a great way to learn…

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My poem about throwing away soap

By Rachel Dacus | June 19, 2015 by Rachel Dacus

I do some of my best writing in the shower. In my mind, of course. Neither pen nor phone can withstand the water. The inspirational quality of the shower may be in part because mine has a skylight. I can wash or just do hyrotherapy in sunlight, watching clouds drift overhead, or listening to rain on the glass. Whatever it is, washing naked in sunlight has to be one of the best pleasures ever invented.…

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On Poetry Jeans & Noticing Something Closely

By Rachel Dacus | April 24, 2015 by Rachel Dacus

Here are some fresh ideas for National Poetry Month at Tweetspeak, the Best in Poetry & Poetic things. Including photographing your poet jeans in a creative way. I think if I do that, I will have to write about it. Also from Tweetspeak, some unusual poem prompts. How has your poetry month been going? Mine is rich with poetry everywhere I turn — for reading, listening, and writing. I didn’t go for the poem-a-day exercise,…

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New poems published, new ideas cooking

By Rachel Dacus | February 6, 2015 by Rachel Dacus

I’m having a happy poet week! That’s the one in which you have two poems floating around out there in front of reading eyes (presumably), and you feel the wind under your wings to carry you to some new ideas. Autumn Sky Poetry Daily has today posted my poem, “Prayers for Everywhere.” This is the last poem in my book Gods of Water and Air. I put it in that position because I feel a…

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My poem newly remixed in the Poetry Storehouse today

By Rachel Dacus | August 28, 2014 by Rachel Dacus

Thank you, The Poetry Storehouse, for including my poem “As Yearning Is Red” in the collection. This marvelous video remix of the poem, a film by En Doubluu of my poem read by Marie Craven, with music by Titee, showed up today on Facebook. What a lift into the air for my writing day! The Poetry Storehouse is a collection of poems and poetry remixes that is the brainchild of the amazing poet and poetry…