The week we are honored to have poet Martina Reisz Newberry return to the show. We discuss her poem Glyphs in the Canyon from her new book Glyphs. We discuss how her poem, therefore, relates to life’s questions of reincarnation, thoughts, dreams, and perceptions.

Martina Reisz Newberry is the author of 7 books of poetry. Her most recent book is GLYPHS, due out in May 2022 from Deerbrook Editions. She is also the author of BLUES FOR FRENCH ROAST WITH CHICORY, available from Deerbrook Editions, the author of NEVER COMPLETELY AWAKE ( from Deerbrook Editions), WHERE IT GOES (Deerbrook Editions), LEARNING BY ROTE (Deerbrook Editions), RUNNING LIKE A WOMAN WITH HER HAIR ON FIRE: Collected Poems (Red Hen Press), and TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME (Unsolicited Press).

Newberry has been included in The Cenacle, Cog, Blue Nib, Braided Way, Roanoak Review, THAT Literary Review, Mortar Magazine, and many other literary magazines in the U.S. and abroad. Her work is included in the anthologies Marin Poetry Center Anthology, Moontide Press Horror Anthology,  A Decade of Sundays: L.A.’s Second Sunday Poetry Series-The First Ten Years, and many others in the U.S. and abroad.

She has been awarded residencies at Yaddo Colony for the Arts, Djerassi Colony for the Arts, and Anderson Center for Disciplinary Arts.

Passionate in her love for Los Angeles, Martina currently lives there with her husband, Brian, a Media Creative.

Listen to the podcast on our podcast page or on the Poetic Resurrection Podcast website.

THE GLYPHS IN THE CANYONS

I’ve forgotten those times between
wakefulness and dozing and sleep.
I know something happened,
but I can’t recall what it was.
It’s like trying to recall where
I was just before I was born.

My friend tells me that this is the
reason I should never fear death.
She says, “You don’t know where you
were before you were born, so why
fret about where you’ll be after
you die?” This is wisdom I can

acknowledge, but from which I glean
no comfort and it is comfort
I want more than nearly any
thing. I want the great eyes of God to
turn my tears to opals and the
great tongue of God to tell me that

life and death are the same–that I
will keep loving and making love, and
walking and humming, and wanting
and holding, and will never lose
my appetite for joy or for
potato chips and onion dip and ice cream.

Between wakefulness and dozing
and sleeping, what is there to know?
Who do I serve awake/asleep?
Who do I honor when I doze?
And why is wakefulness the stain
on all this embalmed paradise?

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Glyphs is available on Amazon

Her other books are also available on Amazon, Deerbrook Editions, and other book retailers.

In continuing the celebration of poetry month I am reading three poems from Inspire Me: Perception.  We are welcoming back poet Martina Reisz Newberry. on our episode on April 25th.

In this episode, I discuss the poems from Inspire Me: Perception.

Inspire Me: Perception was recently re-edited and we will release a compilation book of the first two Inspire Me books this month with a preview of five poems from my upcoming book Inspire Me: Awakening Dreams. Enjoy!

The poems in this episode include “Silhouette”—a poem about a traumatic experience “Food”—a poem about my love of food and how a loving family makes fun of you and currently the most popular poem “Tomorrow” about how we view life and rethinking our perceptions. Various lines from “Tomorrow” have been quoted by several websites. Please check out the poetry section on this website.

Silhouette

A dark shadow appears—soul shakes, the body suspends. A story of an altered spirit who’ll manifest soon in the deepest of night. Shadow essence of two-week visit encompasses my thoughts and sleep. If present, she’ll be safe. Who do you speak of, spirit? A man’s silhouette in the early morning as the streetlights gleam upon glistening muscle tone. The sun peeks as my roommate dreams, unconscious of his gaze. In the darkness, a gun rises in his hand, aims at roommate’s head. Silence takes over as the smoke aura scars her fate. Dream propels my slumber, and I go to her room. If I’m present, she’ll be safe repeats. Sunlight dances on my face as the night’s story whispers away. She awakens, “Had that dream again, didn’t you?” “Yes.” Three full moons calendar the sky. Gotham called for her home—She’s safe. Chitown childhood friends summer evening visit—Sunset Strip. Summer heat, sleep half nude as evening completes at midnight. Vocal and joyful friends jest of a man at the window where the drapes bellow. Amusement drains the night as the muscles gleaming silhouette appears. She runs into my bedroom, gun points at third eye—forced out of comfort into the lifeless living room. Essence extends my body as I guard the front door. “Think you’re going somewhere?” He shouts. Gun points for me to sit by piano. The silent melody piano bench where I abide. “On the floor,” he casts me as he bares my skin from sheet. Little sister weeps and window slams, fearing discovery of his carnal acts. Guilt survival mission defuses the present. Escaping—leap two steps—first landing. Leap again, gun at head. Blinding movie screen of my life flashes, steals my sight. Land on corner of step and propelled onto the ground. Not dying, not tonight! Street or parking lot?  A straight shot I will not be as I hide beside cars until I can jump a concrete fence that divides the building. Footsteps dissipate. Blood curdling screams echo in the distance. I climb many staircases and a man stands with two dogs. “Please call the police,” I beg. “I think my friend’s dead.” His girlfriend’s pink robe drapes a childhood fear. We hide. Police state, “Stay inside.”  Helicopter’s beaming lights—Treble sirens and watchful dogs ease chaotic street. An hour-and-a-half, a knock. Police state, “He escaped—assaulted another woman and stole her car.”  Friends approach in a cloud of disbelief, sobbing. They heard my fall, calling—No answer—Saw my death in his hands. Police, “He’ll return.” Neighbor held us safe, and we slept on her floor. My scarred friends left the next day. Never went back. He never paid. Warning from silhouette, but I didn’t understand. Premonition, and it’s real impact. Checking doors and windows for a year, but I know I saved my friends because—I was there.

Food

Reminiscing
Food stories that my family tells
About behavior
Don’t remember, age three or four

Learned to walk, learned to climb
Kitchen chair, telephone books
God forbid family would
Buy a step ladder to make my life easier

An old refrigerator (not old back then)
Lever—jump up and pull down
Sister wonders why fridge is ajar
Opens door—Surprise, it’s me!

Sitting on a shelf eating an apple
She grabs me, fights to get fruit
Tug of war ensues
She wants a chewed apple?

Stomping away (I had such an attitude)
Fruit in hand—I won
Sister retells story as family laughs
I am offended by their laughter

Rope around stove, fridge
Padlock on pantry? Chocks for candy!
Where’s the fruit?
Watch fire in stove—I love fireplaces

Upset, storm off to yellow vinyl 50’s sofa
Jump up and slide back down
Jump up again and again
Oh well, I’ll throw myself on floor

Crying because I’m a miffed child
Check to see if they’re watching
Mom comes over and hugs me
Sit on the big vinyl sofa—Finally!

Tomorrow

If I were to die tomorrow
Would I have organized my home
Would I have left my paperwork in order
Would I have made it easier for my family

If I were to die tomorrow
Would I have followed and completed my dreams
Would I have loved the way I wanted to love
Would I have visited the world like I wanted to

If I were to die tomorrow
Would I have told those that I loved that I love them
Would I have seen the beauty in my own life
Can I say that I lived my life to its fullest

If I were to die tomorrow
Would I have lived today
Would I have loved differently
Would I have felt my life was complete

If I would die tomorrow
A sadness would be there
To know I wasted so much time

If I were to die tomorrow
I would make the unknown
I’d face the unknown I was so afraid of
As I choose my life today with strength and joy

Many Blessings.

In celebration of poetry month. Poetic Resurrection will interview poets and links to previous poet interviews. In this episode, I will be discussing and reading a few poems from Inspire Me: Raw.

Inspire Me: Raw was recently re-edited and a compilation book of the first two Inspire Me books will be released this month with a preview of five poems from my upcoming book Inspire Me: Awakening Dreams. Enjoy!

Please check out the poetry section

Citizen poem was written several months before Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico. When this happened, I was surprised that many didn’t know Puerto Ricans are American Citizens. This poem explains how many Puerto Ricans feel.

Citizen

Curly red hair
Freckled skin
Speaking Spanish
Not fitting in

People’s bias
Perceptions
Ignorance
—Citizen

Where are you from?
How did you get here?
Was it a struggle?
No—Citizen

No boats
No tunnels
No hiding
Airplanes

I belong here
Born here
Educated
—Citizen

Forget was written about a woman who lived in the tenement where I grew up in Chicago. As a child, I would catch her crying in the hallway after her husband physically abused her.

Forget

Sometimes I can’t remember: often, actually
The times I run out and say nothing to you
The times I am angry and pretending to be  okay
The times I don’t come home at night

Sometimes I can’t remember: often, actually
When your anger lashes out at me
When you drink too often and hurt me
When you disappear into an aberrant abyss of time

Sometimes I do remember: often, actually
Your cruel words that hurt
Your desire to touch that repulses
Your anger at who you’ve become

I remember and choose to forget
Do you love? As those you love are hurt
Do you know the emergency room—a second home?
Do you understand—Inner scars show more than the ones I wear?

Sometimes I can’t remember: often, actually
The raising of happy children h
The life we thought was possible
The comfort of a safe, loving home

Sometimes I can’t remember: often, actually
How reality needs exposure
How I’ve always remembered
How lights slowly dim on you

Go-Go Boots is about being a ten-year-old child and wanting to be thin so she could wear the sixties fashions. They didn’t fit.

Go-Go Boots

At 10
Made a mistake
Told my teacher that I
Want to lose weight

First diet included
Liver, once a week—Yuk!
Different recipes, so nasty
That’s not what I was seeking

Stood in line for free lunch
Menu: peanut butter cookies
My favorite munchies
I wanted one—Damn!

“Hide one for me, please”
When teacher’s not looking
Don’t want to get teased fo
Failing program on first day

My mom states, “You’re only ten!
No reason for a diet
Wanting to be model thin
Groovy clothes—Buy them
Go-Go boots the stylish trend

Chubby clothes too short
Regular pants too long
Big kid bell-bottoms reach calves
Average size bells at ankles

Others smoke bongs
Skunk weed smell
Permeates halls
Hide don’t tell—jail fate in ‘68

What to do with weight
Insecurities begin
Entire life, same shit—wasted time
And now I’m fine

In this week’s episode and intro to season four, we’re going to discuss Awakening Dreams. The next book entitled, Inspire Me: In Time of Need, we changed the subtitled to Awakening Dreams. In Time of Need was a working title and since the pandemic has lessened, Awakening Dreams is a much better description of what many have experience.

There is a newly re-edited compilation book coming out this month. Includes the first two books in the Inspire Me series and then five poems from my upcoming book—Inspire Me: Awakening Dreams. The topic for this season is awakening dreams. What dreams and aspirations have you had which led you to a new way of thinking and living? Mine started with reading the book “Jonathan Livingston Seagull”. After that, I became a self-help junkie and couldn’t read enough books on the subject. I also learned that reading them, even though they make you think about your beliefs and actions, the concepts need to be applied. Since then, I only read the books that pertaining to my development at this time. What I have learned and this is so cliché is that you need to live in the present. While worrying about the future and the past, we miss the present. Lao Tzu stated: “If you live in the past, you’re depressed. If you live in the future, you have anxiety. If you live in the present, you have peace.”

In all my soul searching, and that is what it is unless you apply the knowledge you’ve acquired. We need to reflect and allow ourselves to be vulnerable. When I stopped being defensive, which came from insecurity, I became accepting of what my beliefs and behaviors were and how many weren’t even mine. Allow yourself to feel, being grateful even when situations are challenging. And knowing you have value.

The poem for this week is Vulnerable from Inspire Me: Raw.

Call upon angels for clarity
Are they listening?
Meditate, feeling the joy
That enchants the heart

Meditate, letting go
Bliss surrounds me
Chill flows through my spine
Inspiration finds me

Energy flows through my fingers
Onto a notebook page
Close eyes and let life be
Unafraid to be exposed

Allowing myself to be
Love and consideration
How can this be hostile?
Vulnerable exposition

Cold sharpness, head to toe
Release, remove my mask
Golden light surrounds
Fulfills my existence

Many blessings

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