Author Archives: sarajeaninesmith

Review of A Little Feral by Maria Giesbrecht

I first ran across Maria Giesenbrecht’s poetry on Instagram (@theguelphpoet). I found her poems crisp and innovative; I reveled in their imagery and honesty. When Giesbrecht issued a challenge for National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo), I eagerly responded to her prompts, which were also part of a contest in which the winners would be publishedContinue reading “Review of A Little Feral by Maria Giesbrecht”

6th Annual Chipola Poetry Cafe

I was honored to be the guest speaker at the 6th annual Chipola Poetry Cafe back in April at Chipola State College. My first year in college was spent at Chipola (Chipola Junior College then), and I loved coming home to this place where so much of my academic and literary journey began. I amContinue reading “6th Annual Chipola Poetry Cafe”

New Chapbook: Aftermath

I am pleased to announce the publication of my chapbook Aftermath, by USPOCO Books. “These poems deftly depict, from Eve’s point of view, a contemporary vision of the aftermath of the mythic “failure” in obedience which lost the fabled garden of perfection. In twelve wonderfully crafted poems, Smith reveals an empowered and self-determined Eve: anContinue reading “New Chapbook: Aftermath”

A Visit to Andalusia, Home of Flannery O’Connor

“The trees were full of silver-white sunlight, and the meanest of them sparkled.” Flannery O’Connor, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” Last week, I visited Andalusia, the house and former dairy farm where Flannery O’Connor lived with her mother from 1951 until her death in 1964 at age 39. Flannery completed most of her writingsContinue reading “A Visit to Andalusia, Home of Flannery O’Connor”

A Review of Maggie Smith’s Goldenrod

I am writing this on a Sunday morning as Hurricane Ida begins to bear down on Louisiana. I am three hours east of New Orleans, and the tame shreds of Ida’s outer bands are now slapping the windows. My children are still asleep in their beds, having not been woken by the tornado warning announcementContinue reading “A Review of Maggie Smith’s Goldenrod”