New April/May Issue of Ryder Out, With 3 Poems

I don’t write very much poetry these days, concentrating the time I have on prose. I don’t get to too many Writers Guild just-poetry programs. But I do get to some.

I don’t publish too much poetry either these days, as would follow. But, again, there’s some. A case in point, Sunday I heard via Facebook that the new April-May THE RYDER — a local arts and commentary magazine — was out. And with it, presumably, some poems by me (cf. February 28, below).

Some may remember: The last time I announced new poetry here was in summer last year, also in THE RYDER (see July 12, June 13 2022). As is my wont, these were on horror/dark fantasy subjects, one concerning zombies, “Don’t Always Believe Everything You Hear,” and a second, “The Vampiress’ Soliloquy,” on — guess what — a vampire. While this year the word was I might have three, albeit with all three a little bit shorter, though (with lots of local poets being showcased, but in limited space) perhaps only two. Though I gave some broad hints, with my acceptance of the acceptance, that I would much prefer it be all three.

So, good news!, it is three, though each standing alone, separated from its mates by two or three pages, but that’s okay with me. I’ve not gotten a print copy of it yet either, but I have seen the electronic edition which you may, too, by pressing here. (Go ahead, give it a try. You may like it.) But be prepared to do LOTS of scrolling; as with last year’s appearance, the poetry feature is way at the back.

So a quick guide here: three poems on three pages. Starting on page 53 with a nostalgic 13-liner, perhaps the weakest but also the most “mainstream” of the entries, “Let’s All Go to The Movies.” This is followed by maybe my personal favorite, the most intellectual — or was that “absurd”? — of the three, “Last, Shoemaker Stick To,” on page 56. Then the most philosophic to bring up the rear on page 59, the last page in the section, “Existential Vamp.”

And one more note. Plans are afoot from editor/contact Tony Brewer to have a mass reading on Wednesday, May 3, at the Bloomington Writers Guild’s First Wednesday Spoken Word, 6 p.m. at the Backspace Gallery downtown.

See you all there?