Rough-Cut Elegies

Thomas Gray said, "Poetry is thoughts that breathe and 

words that burn." Others may say that poets are Dreamers 

and Drifters living among their imaginings that Jitter 

and Shimmer. Some consider poetry to be the Helium 

of human Creation, allowing us to rise like the voices 

singing Old Time Music and Sacred Songs in unison.  

Whatever brought you to this anthology, we welcome you 

to experience the thoughts expressed in the words of these 

ten Missouri poets.  

It has been a joy to sample the variety and breadth of talent 

represented here. Poetry allows each writer a vehicle of 

self-expression, allows the reader a window into the poet's 

sensibilities. Whether an expression of joy as in Barbara 

Leonhard's poem, Early Spring Snow, "still, the birds will 

sing.....as though they are free". Or Anand Prahlad's self-

reflection in Mana, "I am myself the dance of no movement/

sunrise on the desert", poetry has a way of calling us to 

ourselves.

Poets ask uncomfortable questions, make statements of 

truth we may wish to ignore as Aurora Athelyn does in 

her poem The Four Seasons on Lana'i - "CATTLE XING 

sign hangs obsolete, reminding the island what happens 

to invasive species". Terry Allen reflects on his brother's 

transition to assisted living in Flying Squirrels Can't Really 

Fly, "His memories thin fragments of torn fabric".

Then there are the reminiscent ramblings of Ben Kuzemka, 

as he lays his thoughts of Madelyn "who would have killed 

Kobe to be Kobe" on the page. And Nancy Jo Allen's 

expression of loss in her poem, The Day She Was Born, "...

she survived, but is now separated from me without a life 

line". Walter Bargen, Missouri's first poet laureate proclaims, 

"in the house of words, your tongue is a hammer" in his 

poem, Home Crucifixion #1.

In Rough-Cut Elegies, my fellow Missouri poets have 

shared their hearts, their souls and this anthology invites 

you into their worlds. I guarantee you will find a poem 

you love, a poet you want to hear more from and a deep 

appreciation of the poets of Missouri. Thank you, Jason 

Ryberg and Spartan Press. It has been an honor.  

-Sharon SingingMoon