It’s been several months since I determined to write poems about the 1918 sinking of the U.S.S. President Lincoln using eyewitness accounts as source material. I was inspired by Diane Gilliam Fisher’s Kettle Bottom, a powerful account of the West Virginia Mine Wars told in several distinctive voices. It’s one of my favorite books of…
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"The Hill Tribe of Women" in MOON Magazine
It is my pleasure to have a poem in the issue of the MOON magazine devoted to healing the world. When I saw the theme I immediately thought of some dear friends who have devoted their lives to turning the gears of the universe towards justice. This is my love letter to them. Many thanks…
Praying for Rescue, I Think of You
“Praying for Rescue, I Think of You,” is a narrative poem about the sinking of the U.S.S. President Lincoln on May 31, 2018. My grandfather was one of the surviving crew members. I read as many eyewitness accounts as I could find about it, including the interview that my brother, Len Coombs, conducted with him in…
Amethyst Review
While surfing and looking for online poetry magazines, I discovered Amethyst Review, a fairly new journal (it’s less than a year old) that is interested in the “creative exploration of spirituality and the sacred.” I am pleased that the editor, Sarah Law, selected three of my poems for publication in this intriguing journal. Post-Procedure Prayer (6-10-2018)…
The Best of Mad Swirl
I was surprised and very happy to learn that my poem, “Party Sex,” will be included in The Best of Mad Swirl: 2017, a print anthology. This will be the first print copy of Mad Swirl to be published since 2009. My thanks to the editor, mh.