In light of the recent tragedy that occurred in Israel on October 7 and the resultant, ongoing tragedy that is happening in Gaza, I am putting out a call for poems and essays related to Conflict, Tragedy, Resolution: poems of protest, poems of witness, poems of resistance, poems of survival and poems of empathy. Poems that address both humanity and inhumanity as manifested in this and all conflicts, past and present.
I am also looking for short, personal essays that address the themes above, especially essays of personal experience or from those close to you who have had such experiences. Holocaust survivors. Palestinians who have been bulldozed out of their homes. Ukrainians who have fled their towns and villages for safer ground. Whatever the conflict, whatever the era, I want your poems and essays. No matter your race, no matter your tribe, I want to hear your thoughts on the atrocities that only human beings can perpetrate.
Selected poems and essays will be posted on my web site, mikemaggio.net, on a daily basis throughout the month of Noverm. All rights will revert to the author.
Poems and essays should not contain any racist, hateful or misogynistic language and should be between 10 and 20 lines. Essays should be no longer than 2 pages. Please include a short bio.
Send your best and most powerful work. Let’s make an impact on the world.
For further information or to submit, contact me at poem@mikemaggio.net
I am concerned about possibly encouraging any measure of justification for the barbarity committed by Hamas. Our brothers and sisters are being brutalized, and we must end all acts of barbarity. There cannot ever be peace without a declaration that rape and murder and hostage taking are part of the equation for any reason whatsoever.
I will not post anything that justifies hate so don’t worry
I don’t know if you received my message, I am working on poems about the tragedy in Lewiston
I did not but send whe4n you can. The month is starting to fill up.