HWA Poetry Showcase Volume II

by Peter Adam Salomon, Tausha Johnson (Contributor), Michelle Scalise (Contributor)

HWA's second annual Poetry Showcase volume features dark verse from some of the world's most acclaimed poets, as well as memorable new voices. In addition to startling and original work by featured poets Tausha Johnson, Michelle Scalise, Vincent Miskell, and Mark Fuller Dillon, this volume also includes poems by Bruce Boston, Marge Simon, Stephanie M. Wytovich, and dozens more. As an extra added feature, Volume II includes tributes to Rocky Wood and Tom Piccirilli by some of the biggest names in horror and poetry.

Genres: Poetry

90 pages, Paperback

First published October 12, 2015

About the author

Peter Adam Salomon’s second and third novels, ALL THOSE BROKEN ANGELS and EIGHT MINUTES, THIRTY-TWO SECONDS, were nominated for the Bram Stoker Award® for Superior Achievement in Young Adult fiction. His first two novels were named a ‘Book All Young Georgians Should Read’ by The Georgia Center for The Book.

He founded both National Dark Poetry Day (Oct. 7) and the annual international Horror Poetry Showcase for the Horror Writers Association.

His poem ‘Electricity and Language and Me’ was performed by The Radiophonic Workshop on BBC Radio 6. Two of his poetry collections were nominated for the Elgin Award. In addition, he was the Editor for the first books of poetry released by the Horror Writers Association: Horror Poetry Showcase Volumes I and II.

He is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the Horror Writers Association, the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, the Science Fiction Poetry Association, the International Thriller Writers, and The Authors Guild.

Reviews

[Suz Jay]

“HWA’s late President and my dear friend Rocky Wood was not just one of the most organized, efficient, and hard-working people I’ve ever known, he also lived every moment of his life (even while coping with one of the worst illnesses imaginable) with tremendous grace. That’s why I think it’s fitting that this book of dark lyricism be dedicated to his memory—like the poetry found here, he was elegant, precise, and in full possession of a wickedly beautiful soul.”—Lisa Morton

So many great poems in this installment of the HWA Showcase, which is dedicated to Rocky Wood and includes a tribute to Tom Piccirilli, winner of two Bram Stoker Awards for Superior Achievement in Poetry.

My favorites include:
“The Braid” by Angela Yuriko Smith
“Fiend” by Annie Neugebauer
“Tightrope Between The Trees” by Chad Stroup
“Z is for—“ by Chloe N. Clark
“The Skin Carver” by Christina Sng
“Heavenly Shades of Night” by John F.D. Taff
“The Evening Dress (Magritte 1955)” by Karen Janowsky
“Necromancer” by Mary Soon Lee
“In China, I Saw Ghosts” by Ron Riekki
“Rot Inside You” by Sara J. Tantlinger
“Mirror, Mirror: I Hear and See Them All” by Stephanie M. Wytovich

[Charles]

A wonderful collection of dark poetry. It also contains tributes to two respected members of HWA who have passed away recently. The work begins with a tribute to Rocky Wood, long-term president of HWA. I didn't know him but have heard many great things about him. The work ends with a tribute to Tom Piccirilli, and with one of Tom's fine poems, "Protected," which was the last poem he completed before his death. I knew and respected Tom through his work.

The poems here are meaty and all of high quality, ranging from the creepy, to the gory, to the thoughtful, to the humorous. There are too many really good ones to mention individually. Some really nice efforts from the likes of Bruce Boston, Marge Simon, Kathryn Ptacek, and Corrine De Winter. Some others that particularly moved me were: The Cry of Autumn Stars by Mark Fuller Dillon, Fiend by Annie Neugebauer, Into Old Mill Creek by Ian A. Patton, The Tune by Lance Davis, Midnight at the Hub City Cafe by Lynette Mejia, and The Man Who Disappears by Robert Perez.