Eden Waters Press Blog

Saturday, January 3, 2009

"Sacred Fools" is a press created by Melissa Guillet and Ryk McIntyre. Theyhave published two previous anthologies and seven chapbooks. Melissa recently published an anthology of poems about the 60's called "Appleseeds, or how we got here..." It's well put together, starting and ending with poems about Johny Appleseed by respectively Sharon Lynn Griffiths and Kit Wallach. There are sixty poems in all. I've got two poems in it, "Seascape" and "The Ride." I'm honored that Melissa nominated me for a Pushcart prize, and proud to be in this great collection of poems that reflect on Americana, the American Dream. Lyn Lifshin writes about Barbie's emptiness, Jade Sylvan's "Back Home" is a gorgeous rumination on home and roots, Valerie Lawson shocks the reader with her description of the war in Vietnam. Ryk's poem, "Penny Candy Store" describes the magic of childhood eagerness in a candy store where sugar will take him "far away from here." Melissa's poem, "Memory Garden" haunts the reader with images of abandonned drive-in movies and playgrounds. The journal has a terrific appleseed cover. All the poems come straight from the heart. Melissa is an editor with vision. This collection is eclectic, comprehensive and a rare, real vision of the sixties--some things I remembered vividly and many other poets' perspectives I discovered in reading the journal. I heard Ryk McIntyre read at Out of the Blue Gallery in Boston last Fall, but missed Melissa's reading there because of the damn flu. Oh well.Hope she comes back this way. This journal has a tasteful appleseed cover encompassing a wide variety of wonderful poems. Please read. It will take you back.