Introduction
Here is a unique signature for the poetic landscape. A cloudburst of an anthology which comes from the works of many of the poets who have been part of the CLOUDBURST COUNCIL that has met for the past five years at the Gell Center, a site in the Bristol Hills. Met among the green hills which are part of the Finger Lakes Watersheds. When the last glaciers gave up their grip and melted back North, a grasping hand held on and gorged out the beautiful fingers which became blue lakes. Lakes which reflect sky and clouds and a storm coming by too.
Never real big on “goals” when asked where the purpose lies in gathering together poems and poets, I reply that “I’m interested in gathering together ingredients, sort of throwing them in a pot and seeing what brews.” You could write a book about all the inspiration and friendship among poets that CLOUDBURST has generated. Maybe this anthology is a start.
Stephen Tills suggested to me we stop thinking about it and put together an anthology of poetry of the CLOUDBURST COUNCIL. He pointed out we had the human resources all in place. With David Landrey and Michael Czarnecki willing to help, it did seem possible. We invited every poet who had attended a council to submit a poem for the anthology from those they had presented there. We also accepted poems “in the spirit of CLOUDBURST.” The response was great and FootHills Press moved the ink and paper to publish the results.
Here is your literary cloudburst.
—Alan Casline March 29, 2017
Table of Contents
Introduction - Alan Casline
Because God and Country… - George Wallace
These Sparrow Variations - Joe Napora
The Only Lost Morning - Dwain Wilder
Teaching Moby Dick - Howard Nelson
Hunter - Jane Sadowsky
He came ‘round to - David Landrey
Artificial Intelligence (an Oxymoron) - Maril Nowak
When a Woman Poet Dies - Patricia Schwartz
I would have eloped - Marge Merrill
New Year’s Day - Martin Willitts, Jr.
Standing on the Route 155 Bridge - Michael Czarnecki
A Walking Tour of Central Europe - Claudia Stanek
Surreality - Bernadette Mayer
Honors Student - Bob McDonough
We can’t play Boccaccio because we… - Brian Richards
Deep Understanding - Charlie Rossiter
I'm Glad My Father's Not Here - Edie Abrams
Otherness - Leah Zazulyer
the ghost orchid - ryki zuckerman
On Ice - Karla Linn Merrifield
Poets on Oxygen - John Roche
April has been canceled - Mark O'Brien
On a Certain Street - Linda Griggs
Conversation with Aristotle - Martha Treichler
My Late Mother as a Ruffed Grouse - Will Nixon
Banana Boat Republic - Martha Deed
Tales of Markets I Have Known -Phil Good
Cholent - Judith Kerman
Archimedies - Helen Ruggieri
Death Sentence - William Heyen
At the chopping block bar - Paulette Swartzfager
The Archivist - Leslie Gerber
Recollection - Alifair Skebe
In Several Languages, We Almost Meet - Stephen Ellis
IV - Craig Czury
Maggie: Camden, Maine, 2012 - Colleen Powderly
who. what. when. where. - Stephen Baraban
Polarity on a Deep October Day -Alan Casline
Address Unknowable - Steve Tills
Errand with Stranger - Theresa Broderick
Cloudburst (Breakthrough) Limerick - Andre Spears
Self-Mocking Bird - Stephen Lewandowski
First Foray / First Stab— An... - Michael Peters
Packing My Bag to Attend a Council of Poets - John Berry
The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy - Ken Warren
To order Cloudburst Anthology by mail click here.
Cloudburst is a 76 page, hand-stitched paperbook with spine. $15.
To order with Paypal:
From the U. S.:
From Other Countries:
For Cloudburst Council Members
