Eternal Haunted Summer- Summer Solstice Issue

My poem, Fae of Forests, can be found in the summer solstice issue of Eternal Haunted Summer!  Happy Litha everyone!

Open Call- Eye to the Telescope- Witches

My editorship officially starts today for the next issue of Eye to the Telescope!  Theme is Witches!

"A witch is defined as someone who is said to possess usually malignant supernatural powers. Since speculative fiction covers fantasy and science fiction as well as horror, we’re going to focus on ‘usually’ in that definition. I want any take on witches with any gender. Horrific witches, saintly witches, pretty witches, ugly witches, witches from different planets, witches from different dimensions, historical witches with a speculative spin. I want witches performing rituals, witches celebrating the sabbats, witches casting spells or curses. I know sorceresses, conjurers, enchantresses are similar but they are not the same. I prefer traditional formal and metrical verse done well. Prose poetry is fine. For free verse, enchant me with imagery and beautiful language. That doesn’t mean archaic language (though a little is fine). Think of Edgar Allan Poe, Clark Ashton Smith, George Sterling, David Park Barnitz, Charles Baudelaire."

Poetry only.
Deadline Sept. 15
Accepted poems will be paid for at the following rate: US 3¢/word rounded to nearest dollar; minimum US $3, maximum $25. Payment is on publication.
http://eyetothetelescope.com/submit.html

Writing Projects Update

The Withering officially has reached its goal (my goal) of 50 poems!  It has 4 sections; Nature, Supernatural, Psychological Horror, and Body/Gore Horror.

Nature-5
Supernatural- 21
Psychological- 17
Body- 7

It is currently halfway edited and the Afterword is finished.  I am still contemplating putting endnotes with random facts about certain poems, but I'm trying to decide if I'm the only one who'll care lol.

Diary of a Vampyress is shaping up nicely.  It currently has 40 poems with 6 of those poems being translations!  It currently has 8 sections with the 8th section having the translations.  5 poems are translated into Hungarian and the 6th is translated into French.  All 6 poems have been published (5 are in DoaS and the 6th is in DoaV), so I'm debating pairing the English versions with them.  I'm leaning with not pairing them.  I really don't want reprints in DoaV.

My goal is to have around 80 poems in DoaV (halfway there!) and filled with as many Gothic tropes as possible. 

Blog Entry on The Dark Poetry Couple.

Manny Arenas has written a very sweet and insightful blog entry about Kyle and me here.  It is very touching and it makes me happy knowing that I could help another poet.  I am also mentioned in an earlier blog entry as well.

The Black Aether Translates Four Poems

The Black Aether: Online H. P. Lovecraft Magazine has posted four poems of mine and had them translated into Hungarian by Fanni Sütő!  They are Horror, Lover's Witch, Daemonolatry, and A Queen in Hell.  This is inspiring me to have a translations section in a future collection.

Rémség

Sötét templomban, köd lepte vidéken
másvilági rém kísért lopózva.
Kedves, jó tündér nincsen, csak mesékben
Legtöbbjük zöld, kegyetlen és ronda.

Egy ajtó elvezet birodalmukba,
a Másvilágra, s ha odatévedsz,
mennyből zuhanhatsz rögtön a pokolba,
és minden árny erre terel téged.



Démonimádat

A démonimádat többet ad, mint látod,
mert sok rém lapul roppant elménk rejtekén.
Ha kerülöd őket; elárasztják álmod,
egy kis tisztelet; s titkokat hoznak eléd.



A szerető boszorkája

Bőre alatt nap sugára,
érintése megmelenget
szeme ékkő,  Hold kék párja,
ragyogó és sokat sejtet.

Mennyei csók ígérete,
kastélyába csábít engem.
Eksztázis a tekintete
így hát eladtam a lelkem.

Szerelmi bűbája szívem
gúzsba köti,  mint sok kósza
virág illat, ami libben,
ha nyílik a belladonna.

Csillag ő és a vad fénye,
a Hold sötétebb oldala
Labirintus hívó mélye,
tüskés vörös rózsafa.

Ha valaki kegyvesztett lett,
bőre pokol tűzzel lángol
sötét holddá válik szeme,
fog villan ki dús ajkából.

Én szerető; ő boszorkám,
vágyam tárgya. Én tudom csak
visszacsalni eltűnt Holdját
s szép aranyát tűz sikolynak.



Pokolra szállt királynő
Edgar Allan Poe-nak

Holdvilágos éjjel sétáltunk a tóparton
Elnyelt mindent a tinta-sötétség torka,
a sápadt holdfény szörnyű kapukat rajzolt
A bűzlő pokolba, mely fényed ellopta.

Drága, szerelmem, engem itt hogy hagyhattál?
Milyen csalfa démont követtél a sírba,
amikor mellettem szabadon járhattál?
Miért nem menthettelek meg? kérdem sírva.

Egyedül nézem az elszálló éveket,
sírod mellett állok, de a lelkemben élsz.
Rokonaid ismerték nagy szépségedet,
szívünk szakad pokolra szállt királynőnkért.   

Rest in Peace Michael Fantina

I am devastated to learn of the passing of poet extraordinaire, Michael Fantina.  I never met Michael in person but we often emailed and exchanged many poems over the few years I've known him.  When we first started emailing, we would discuss our favorite subjects to write about and he would send 4 or 5 poems at a time containing a certain theme or subject and I would try to match him with poems to send back but I couldn't keep up.  He just seemed to have a neverending stream of poems to share and I could only send one or two back at a time as I'd write them or as my old ones were edited.  I remember asking him one time if his new collection, Alchemy of Dreams and Other Poems, contained his poetry from his Rainfall Records and Books chapbooks (since I don't own those) and he said hardly any.  I just thought that it was incredible he had so many poems and amazing ones at that.  I remember asking him if he ever got writer's block and he told me when he gets writer's block, he writes sonnets.  Sonnets broke through his block.  He also said that he wrote poetry almost constantly (except when he was in the hospital for 2 months 12 years ago) since 1996.  I wish my writer's block could be broken through by the power of sonnets.

I wrote him to ask if he would honor me with a tribute poem for Diary of a Sorceress and was kind enough to oblige.

Michael's poetry is so rich and beautiful and if you have not read any of it, I urge you to pick up a copy of his collection, Alchemy of Dreams and Other Poems.  It's currently eligible for the Elgin award and it made it to the preliminary round for the Stoker award this year if I recall correctly.

Obituary of Michael Fantina

Michael L. Fantina, born March 1, 1946, in Garrett, Indiana.  Died on June 7, 2018 after a brief illness at Morristown Memorial Hospital.  Mike lived most of his life in Bernardsville where he was a standout athlete at St. Elizabeth’s and Bernard’s High.  He attended Bellarmine College in Kentucky and Rutgers University, where he received his BA.  He was a Vietnam era veteran, serving at Fort Meade, MD.  He worked in academia for most of his career, for a time at Florida International University and Seton Hall University and then at Rutgers, Labor Studies program.  In retirement, he worked as the Lead Security Guard at G4S.  Mike was known for his gentle nature and prolific writing.  Through the years, he has had hundreds of poems and stories published, recently his book Alchemy of Dreams and Other Poems was published and next spring a book of his short stories will be released.   An expert on the Civil War and World War II he was an active member of the American Legion.   He was parishioner of Our Lady of Perpetual, and a strong support of many causes, Priests for Life, The Universal Living Rosary Association and other Catholic institutions.   Mike had many hobbies and interests, anyone that knew him or was even a passing acquaintance probably received a wristwatch from him.  He was an avid collector.   Michael will be missed by his brothers, sisters, nephews.

Upon Reading Diary of a Sorceress

By Michael Fantina

Both in and out of darkling dreams I’ve read
Her splendid poems that most bewitching are.
Supple Siren she, consort to some Czar
Or some great Pharaoh vanished, long since dead.
With magics from her poetry it’s said
She moves through Space and Time, an avatar
Of realms that circle some stupendous star;
Her suitors tethered to a magic thread.

Her words like spells that lullingly enchant,
Seduce the mind and heart to worlds outré,
To Siren-haunted coasts lapped by a sea
Whose tides send up one long eternal chant
About that most beguiling, dream-wrought bay.
Both sorceress and poet, this is she.

Rest in peace, Michael, you will be missed.

Chronological Order of All My Poems

I like organizing things and making lists.  Doing so relaxes me and keeps me occupied.  So on one bad day, I decided to put ALL my poems, that I still have, in chronological order.  46 out of the 282 will most likely never get published.  The rest are either published or I plan to clean up enough to get published (if they're older).

I.  2002
1. Angel’s Grace- 2002
2. Night Play- 2002*
3. The Sight- 2002
4. Midnight Strides- 9/02*
5. Ashley- 12/02
II.  2004
6. Death Upon Me- 9/2/04
III. 2005
7. A Lust for Blood- 2005
8. A Soul of Filth- 2005
9. Misery vs. Happiness- 2005
10. Behind Dead Eyes Part 1- 6/05
11. Behind Dead Eyes Part 2- 6/05
12. Feeling So Hollow- 11/5/05
13. Forever Lost- 12/2/05
IV. 2006
14. Dreams Forever Will Remain- 2006*
15. Night Cries- 2006
16. The Picture- 2006*
17. Tears of Eternity- 2006
18. All Hallows’ Awakening- 2006
19. Songbird- 8/22/06
20. Silver Scythe- 9/06
21. Whispers- 9/19/06
22. Locked Within- 9/26/06
23. Shards- 9/26/06
24. Divine Strength- 9/30/06
25. Life Decayed- 10/3/06
26. Declare- 10/3/06
27. Confined Within- 10/5/06
28. Just a Glimpse- 10/9/06
29. Hurry Up!- 10/10/06
30. Incinerate- 10/12/06
31. Drained- 10/13/06
32. Created- 10/17/06*
33. Pulse- 10/20/06
34. Torn from the Inside- 10/23/06
35. Plague’s Wake- 10/24/06
36. Silent Lies- 10/24/06
37. Just a Pin Prick- 10/25/06
38. What You Don’t See- 10/26/06
39. All Hallows’ Feast- 10/30/06
40. The Creator- 10/30/06
41. The Monster- 10/30/06
42. Believe Me- 11/6/06
43. The Power of the Moon- 11/1/06*
44. The Alternate Choice- 11/14/06
45. Crossfire- 11/16/06*
46. Cobwebs- 11/30/06*
47. Wither- 12/4/06
48. I Am Beautiful- 12/6/06
49. I Am the Most Beautiful Angel- 12/6/06
50. Embers- 12/8/06
51. Siren’s Song- 12/8/06*
52. Cold- 12/12/06
53. Distort- 12/13/06
54. Twitch- 12/15/06
55. So Sick- 12/18/06
56. Strung By a Noose- 12/19/06
57. Sweet Sixteen- 12/20/06
V.  2007
58. Light Fades in Her Dark Embrace- 1/8/07*
59. Twisted Grin- 1/12/07
60. Obliterate- 1/17/07
61. When Everything Stops- 1/17/07
62. The Darker Me- 1/19/07
63. A Luminous Darkness- 1/23/07*
64. The Wrath Inside- 1/30/07
65. The Resolution- 2/26/07
66. Embrace the Darkness- 3/5/07
67. The Disdain- 3/8/07
68. A Haunting Sensation Part 1- 3/16/07
69. A Haunting Sensation Part 2- 3/16/07
70. Dead Kings Rise- 3/23/07*
71. Quest for the Flesh- 4/5/07*
72. Moonlit Waters- 4/25/07
73. Pale Radiance- 5/21/07*
74. Glistening Haze- 5/29/07
75. That Builds from Fear- 6/20/07
76. Twisted Saying- 6/21/07
77. The Viking Masquerade- 7/19/07
78. The Entrance- 9/3/07
79. The Fork in the Road- 9/9/07
80. Forged in Ruins- 10/18/07
81. Blackout- 10/26/07
82. Frozen Tides- 11/29/07*
83. Fire and Ice- 12/4/07
VI.  2008
84. Level Unreached- 3/10/08
VII.  2009
85. Can I Stop Your Heart?- 2009*
86. A Glamorous Touch- 2009*
87. Temptation’s Rush- 2009
VII.  2010
88. Arawn- 12/7/10
89. Borvo- 12/7/10
90. Cernunnos- 12/7/10*
91. Lugh- 12/7/10
92. Myrddin Wyllt- 12/7/10
93. Oghma- 12/10/10
94. The Horned God- 12/11/10
95. Odin- 12/12/10
96. Thor- 12/13/10
97. Freyr- 12/14/10
98. Tyr- 12/16/10
99. Loki- 12/17/10
100. Angus Od- 12/18/10
101. Heimdall- 12/18/10
102. Baldur- 12/18/10
103. Hermod- 12//18/10
VIII.  2011
104. Chartreuse- 12/12/11*
IV. 2012 
105. Like a Fixed Star- 1/5/12
106. Celestial Beauties- 1/20/12
107. The Sun- 1/20/12
108. Mercury- 1/20/12
109. Mars- 1/20/12
110. Venus- 1/20/12*
111. Earth- 1/20/12
112. Jupiter- 1/20/12
113. Uranus- 1/20/12
114. Neptune- 1/20/12
115. Pluto- 1/20/12
116. The Moon- 1/20/12*
117. Celestial Mysteries- 1/20/12*
118. Sweet Renegade- 1/21/12*
119. Karmic Repercussions- 2/13/12
120. Dark Valentine- 2/14/12*
121. A is for Axe Murderer- 2/17/12
122. Sorcerously Twined Part 1 (collab. with Kyle)- 3/8/12
123. The Dwelling Place- 3/15/12*
124. The Surgical Suite- 3/19/12
125. The Guillotine- 3/23/12
126. Sorcerously Twined Part 2 (collab. with Kyle)- 3/26/12
127. Twisted Trails of Thought- 4/18/12*
128. A Valkyrie’s Vendetta- 4/21/12*
129. Skinless- 4/28/12
130. Cannibal- 4/30/12
131. Paper Doll Displays- 5/9/12*
132. Scarlet Autumn Aurora- 5/16/12*
133. Body Parts- 5/27/12
134. With a Love So Vile- 6/9/12*
135. Dark Poet of My Heart- 6/25/12*
136. Bright Love Eyes- 7/16/12
137. Crimson Swirls- 7/18/12
138. Black Cat Chant- 9/15/12
139. Under the Chrysanthemums- 9/18/12*
140. One Winter Eve- 9/19/12*
141. The Necro-Conjuring Sorceress- 10/11/12*
142. Medusa- 10/13/12*
143. Prisoner of Love- 10/26/12*
144. The Body Shop- 10/26/12
145. Graveyard Blossom- 10/29/12*
146. Roxy- 10/30/12
147. Xyre- 11/10/12*
148. Diary of a Sorceress- 11/12/12*
149. Diary of an Enchantress- 11/12/12
150. Black-Veined Whites- 11/19/12*
151. Splinters in My Skin- 11/23/12
152. The Pixie- 11/24/12
153. Equally Thankful- 11/29/12
154. Lady Death- 12/3/12*
155. Time- 12/8/12
156. The Sorceress’s Lament- 12/24/12*
157. New Years- 12/31/12
X. 2013
158. A Sea of Snow and Frost- 1/4/13*
159. Sky Fallen Maiden- 2/4/13*
160. Dark Valentine II.- 2/13/13*
161. Prelude- My Dark Diary- 2/19/13*
162. My Languid Heart- 2/21/13
163. The Prideful Scribe- 2/28/13*
164. Calla Lilies- 3/2/13*
165. Envy- 3/4/13
166. Void Nocturnal- 3/7/13
167. A Queen Upon the Sea- 3/8/13
168. The Porcelain Garden- 3/30/13*
169. Sea Witch’s Grotto- 5/31/13*
170. Daemonolatry- 6/16/13*
171. A Queen in Hell- 6/23/13*
172. The Celebration of Dreams- 7/18/13*
173. A Witch’s Memoir- 8/17/13*
174. Handsome- 8/23/13
175. Enchantress- 9/7/13*
176. Lord of the Deep- 9/15/13*
177. Kiss the Stars- 10/6/13*
178. I. Nadia- 10/22/13*
179. Echoes of Love- 10/22/13
180. Medusa’s Mirror- 10/24/13*
181. The Abandoned Garden- 10/27/13*
182.Carathis- 11/20/13*
183. Morning’s Moon- 12/8/13*
XI.  2014
184. Lover’s Witch- 1/19/14*
185. Fire Sprite- 1/22/14*
186. III. Black Orchid- 1/28/14*
187. Star Lighting- 2/8/14*
188. My Dark Valentine- 2/12/14*
189. Into the Dark I Came- 2/20/14
190. Horror- 3/4/14*
191. Selkie- 3/6/14*
192. II. Bat in the Boiler Room- 3/13/14*
193. Conquest- 3/18/14*
194. Rabbit Led- 3/23/14
195. Goetia- 3/23/14*
196. Vexteria- 3/28/14*
197. Witch Lord of the Hunt- 4/17/14*
198. The Glass Vial- 4/28/14*
199. Mircalla- 5/1/14*
200. Sephora- 5/2/14*
201. Dragonspeak- 5/8/14*
202. The Medallion- 5/9/14*
203. Anthropomancy- 5/14/14*
204. To an Unknown Mistress- 5/27/14*
205. Lady in Black Velvet- 6/5/14*
206. Fae of Forests- 6/19/14*
207. Ghoul Mistress- 6/19/14*
208. Hollow King- 6/19/14*
209. Atop the Crystal Moon- 7/12/14*
210. Witch’s Love- 7/16/14*
211. Famine- 7/16/14*
212. War- 7/16/14
213. Death- 7/17/14
214. The Fires of Summer- 7/27/14*
215. Ligeia- 8/3/14*
216. Ilvaa- 8/10/14*
217. IV. The Power of the Sun- 8/21/14*
218. Blood Siren’s Alcove- 9/6/14*
219. Castle Csejthe- 9/21/14*
220. Vapors- 9/30/14*
221. Nitokris- 10/15/14*
222. A Sorceress’s Final Vision- 10/16/14*
223. The Perfect Rose- 10/26/14*
224. Painted in Blood- 11/11/14*
225. Atalanta the Huntress- 11/23/14*
226. Narda the Czarina- 11/26/14*
227. The Czarina’s Rise- 11/30/14*
228. The Might Gram- 12/11/14*
229. Even Madness Cannot Hide- 12/30/14*
XII.  2015
230. Maenads- 2/6/15*
231. Fallen Atlantis- 2/18/15*
232. The Easter Lily- 2/18/15*
233. Rondel to My Love- 2/22/15*
234. Panic- 4/1/15*
235. They Sing in Whispers- 4/14/15*
236. A Sorceress’s Love- 4/14/15*
237. A Lover’s Sorceress- 4/23/15*
238. The Hands of Chaos- 7/8/15*
239. Ever Fair- 7/25/15*
240. My Corpse, My Groom- 8/5/15*
241. Winter Witch- 9/22/15*
242. Moon Enchantress- 9/30/15*
243. In the Name of Hell- 11/19/15
244. Without Coin- 11/21/15
XIII. 2016
245. Labyrinthine King- 1/31/16*
246. Bathory in Red- 2/8/16*
247. Nyarlathotep- 2/20/16*
248. On Amaranthine Lips- 5/10/16*
249. On a Dreamland’s Moon- 6/14/16*
250. The Black Goddess- 7/26/16*
251. The Rotting Goddess7/27/16*
252. Saturn- 8/26/16*
253. Reddened Ravens- 10/19/16
254. To Court the Dragon and the Snake- 10/19/16*
255. The Reaper’s Garden- 10/19/16*
256. The Skull Beneath the Skin- 10/19/16*
257. V. Haematophagy- 10/20/16*
XIII.  2017
258. Master of Potions- 1/12/17*
259. Lovely Lucifer- 2/21/17*
260. O Siren- 3/12/17
261. Siren, O Siren- 3/12/17*
262. Bedeviled Kiss- 5/3/17
263. The Jackal- 5/5/17*
264. The Stag- 6/3/17
265. A Witch’s Necromancy- 6/12/17*
266. Candy Corn Caresses- 7/18/17
267. O Won’t You?- 7/22/17*
268. The Goat- 8/10/17*
269. Djinn Deceiver- 9/10/17*
270. Vampire’s Kiss- 10/25/17*
271. The Ocean Queen (collab. with Kyle)- 11/25/17*
272. Mirror of Medusa- 12/16/17
273. God of Lies- 12/23/17
274. Shadow Bay- 12/23/17
275. A Daemon Beckons- 12/24/17
XIV.  2018
276. Belladonna’s Kiss- 1/7/18
277. What is the Season?- 1/20/18
278. My Darkest Valentine- 2/13/18*
279. The Crafter of the World- 2/23/18*
280. Altar of Souls- 3/3/18
281. Escaping Twilight- 4/23/18
282. Asenath- 4/23/18
283. Heavens Departed- 6/16/18
284. Vials of Wrath- 6/16/18

*Published or will be published