Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Poetry

I’ve written several poems about life with my cats in the same way I write poems about other things in life. In addition, in early 2011, I decided to take the initiative to try recording myself reading a few poems, and creating slideshows of my art and photos to accompany them. Here are links to the poems you can find on this site, though not all are recorded. Except for “The Gift of a Morning”, which I wrote in 2011, I read each at one of my five annual poetry readings (read more about those, below).

Waiting for Moses (this also includes “Things I Found in the Woods”, both at the end of this tribute to Moses; the link below is to both a text and recorded version of the poem)

Things I Found in the Woods (text and recording)

Overheard in a Thrift Shop (text only)

Pawprints and Raindrops (text and recording)

Green Sparkle Ball (text and recording)

The Gift of a Morning (text and recording)

poetry book cover
"Paths I Have Walked"

I’m proud to offer a folio of my poetry

Paths I Have Walked: the poetry and art of Bernadette E. Kazmarski
From Four Annual Poetry Readings At Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall In Carnegie, PA

People who attended one or more of my first four poetry readings encouraged me to publish some of my poetry in a book from the beginning.

Once I completed my 2010 poetry reading, my fourth featuring the final piece of artwork in the “Art of the Watershed” series, I decided it was time to publish something and it should be those four poetry readings.

Poetry books are not best-sellers; it’s difficult to convince a publisher to risk effort on a beginning poet, and while self-publishing is the best option it’s not inexpensive and once you’ve got the book, someone’s got to market it.

Plus, I’m a graphic designer and I designed books for years, and I want things my way.

All of this is a recipe for a little bit of trouble, but I decided the book was well worth the effort so I designed the book myself and had a set printed, initially with no ISBN or anything formal, but it was a start! I’m really excited to offer it, and I’m currently formatting it as an e-book with a special presentation of the artwork in the “Art of the Watershed Series” as well as other artwork that was exhibited with each of the readings.

Books are 4.25″ x 11″, 40 pages of information and poetry, with glossy covers featuring “Dusk in the Woods” and little thumbnails of all four pieces in “Art of the Watershed”.

$8.00 each plus $2.50 shipping (they are oversized for mailing first class).

About the books and the poetry readings

My biggest inspiration for poetry, prose and artwork is the world right around me, and I enjoy the opportunity to share it from the perspective of one who walks and hikes and bikes and carries a camera, art materials and journal everywhere—even around the house—so the inspirations are fresh.

In December, 2006, two of my poems were chosen to be published on a section of the Prairie Home Companion website entitled “Stories From Home/First Person” for submissions of writing about the place we feel most familiar. I’m a long-time listener to PHC and reader of Garrison Keillor’s books as well as a daily listener to The Writer’s Almanac featuring news about writers and writing and of interest to writers as well as a poem, all compiled and read by Keillor himself. I was astonished to fi nd my poems were among the first chosen from apparently thousands, and so happy to be able to share them with a potential audience of so many similarly inclined writers and readers.

My poetry readings and art exhibits were the vision of Maggie Forbes, executive director of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall, after learning of my publishing of those two poems. I owe her many thanks for encouraging me to present this combination of my visual and literary art, a first for me. Each year I am invited back to read my poetry and exhibit my artwork. I love that building, every inch of it, and the opportunity to bring people in to visit is an honor.

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