Literary Structures (A Poem)

By Joyce Jacobo [Author’s Note: I just love the thought of books being like structures we, as readers, get invited to explore.] A simple pen touched to a blank canvas page      can lay the foundation for a new chapter             in many textual lives—                        born from words to breathe                              upon each reading

“Natural Magic” and “Mindfulness” by PrecariouslyPeculiar

[Note: The two poems that follow are both by PrecariouslyPeculiar (but you can also call her Ku ^_^), a masterful and compassionate writer whose works are awesome on many levels. I would encourage you to check out her whole gallery on DeviantArt. Enjoy!] Natural Magic A winterstruck carnival Sits on a winding hill, Draped all

The Stories We Weave (A Poem)

By Joyce Jacobo [Author’s Note: I love the way that we can take most situations that we face and use them as inspiration for all kinds of stories.] If you are unwell on a day when murky skies loom overhead  allow me to transport you   with a little tale of gnomes   who ride

Fairy Tale Road (A Poem)

By Joyce Jacobo [Author’s Note: I remember hearing about this road of mystic proportions somewhere in Germany a while back, along which the Brothers Grimm drew inspiration for the collection of fairy tales they gathered. Famous fairy tale locations exist along the route, including the town of Hamlin and Bremen. Enjoy!] Someday I would love

A Reading Experience (A Poem)

By Joyce Jacobo [Author’s Note: I’ve read that we are never read the same work twice, meaning that each time we approach a text, we approach it from a new perspective. We might think of different things, for instance, as an adult reading a tale we enjoyed as a child–and notice new aspects of the

The Ancient Lives of Storytellers (A Poem)

By Joyce Jacobo [Author’s Note: I remember reading how itinerant storytellers, such as bards, used to wander landscapes and actually helped to keep the histories of certain places alive by their recitation of various tales–especially during The Middle Ages. This poem is dedicated to them.] I have read that once upon a time    storytellers

Neverland Origins (A Poem)

By Joyce Jacobo [Author’s Note: I’ve always found the history behind how J.M. Barrie came to create Peter Pan incredible.] James M. Barrie had novelistic aspirations   when he penned “Little White Bird”   a serious novel meant for adults But included among the solemnness    were miniature chapters    told as bedtime stories   

Self-Made Visions (A Poem)

By Joyce Jacobo Do you ever tell yourself stories at night? There            curled within the bedcovers        safe behind the darkness of closed eyes                     …do you imagine scenes to build a bridge                             between the waking world                                                       and dreamland? Simple tales            perhaps       of remembered places from childhood                   that you might visualize

Lost Media (A Poem)

By Joyce Jacobo [Author’s Note: Based on some musings I’ve had on the titular subject, especially old shows from childhood that are now difficult to find–mostly because they never made the move from one type of media to another. Are there any examples of lost media that you would love to find again someday?] Like

Journal Entry #25–Line Editing Position and Learning Process

The last few days have been exciting in terms of my personal writing journey. Hopewell Publications, which runs The US Review of Books where I work as a book reviewer, offered an opportunity to join them in their latest venture of offering manuscript editing services. I submitted an application and got accepted as a line