Don’t we think about our ancestors a lot? Where they came from, how they struggled and triumphed, what they would say to our world today? Our community knows the power of ancestors: from visits to the historic Pioneer and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery to Day of the Dead celebrations to streetside memorials at places of tragic deaths.
“Writing With Our Ancestors” is a chapbook* focused on poems written to ancestors or from ancestors in their voice. It will be published in the summer, and submissions are now open. Poems should be no longer than 40 lines, and can be written in any style. Poets of any level are encouraged to submit. The only requirement is that they be poems written to ancestors or from ancestors in their voice. Poems about ancestors will not be accepted.
Editors of the chapbook are Patrick Cabello Hansel, the author of three books of poetry including “Breathing in Minneapolis,” and Dralandra Larkins, an award-winning spoken word poet. E-mail submissions topatrickcreate@aol.com by April 30.
There will be on-line workshops about writing with our ancestors in early April. Use the same email to find dates and times. The chapbook will be available for sale at the 4th annual Poetry and Music in the Holy Ground at Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery in late June. Poets accepted in the anthology will receive a free copy.
*A chapbook is a small publication up to about 40 pages (Not the same as a Chapter Book).
