Special Edition: Marjorie Pezzoli

Marjorie Pezzoli

Bio: Her writings deal with grief, hope, cosmic wonders, and stuff that catches her eye. Her poetry has been curated in numerous anthologies since 2019. Many of her works are inspired by her photographic observations taken while walking Beau, the dog with Betty Davis eyes. “The Cosmic Gumball Machine” is her weekly newsletter offering. Marjorie looks for words worth more than a thousand images. www.Pezzoliart.com

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Baseline 

There are many sorrows and joys in life. Music is always there, found within the silence, the pause before the next note. It is a time to breathe in lingering melodies caught in mid-air. The keen eye of Robert Maddox-Harle creates moments by his observations. “The Bass Player” brings juxtaposition to the stage. One can imagine this harlequin performer’s broad range. She can sing a requiem with jazz beats, or angelic odes to joy. Desired emotions are conveyed with string and vocal cord vibrations. Bold command is how she creates music her way. Nature adds to the score, leaves are willing percussionists, wind deliverers the notes. This black and white photograph with stunning gray scales has its own musicality that compliments the subject.

stage presence

the image in emulsion

trees begin to sway

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Matinee

stage presence

baseline

upright progression

quantum string theory

the image in emulsion

gelatin holding

silver crystals

she searches for gold

trees begin to sway

soul music

the pizzicato pluck

a simple symphony

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Setu, January 2025

Special Edition: Jerome Berglund

Jerome Berglund

Jerome Berglund has published book reviews and essays on poetry and poetics in Fireflies’ Light, Frogpond, Haiku Canada, Hooghly Review, the Mamba, North of Oxford, Setu, Valley Voices, also frequently exhibits poetry, short stories, plays, and fine art photography in print magazines, online journals, and anthologies.

(Please click to enlarge)

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Setu, August 2024

Poetry: Marjorie Pezzoli

Haibun

I paint silk how I create a salad. Build up colors, textures, layer various sizes and shapes until I am satisfied. Enjoy hue interactions, the way they play and enhance one another. How complementary colors make each other pop, I love how purple makes yellow sing. Both finished fabric and salad needs to be visually appealing and appetizing. Nothing like gathering garden fresh veggies colors to create edible or wearable art.

Haiku

heirloom seeds

the bounty continues 

she paints a salad

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Setu, June 2024

Haibun/Haiku + Concrete Poem: Marjorie Pezzoli

More than three different ideas flashed through my mind upon viewing Josiah’s line drawing. 

A wheat stock, swimming in mid air, reaching up, tears, and grief becoming love. His ink work has this intriguing ethereal quality to it. Each drawing makes me think. This piece was not part of his “Complete the Haiga” prompt series. He encouraged me to write a haibun, something I have not done before. This process re-opened a door of exploration to the cosmos. My story expressions expanded, brought me back to the beginning of self explanation of why my daughter, Alyssa, left this earthly plain in 2013. I had to become a superhero for myself to deal with this loss. A graphic novel hybrid project started in 2016 in order to have continued adventures with her. Still unfinished. After 10 years of being out in the stars and helping out with three quests, it is time to share our story. There are times it takes a Village to make things happen. The writing, poetry, and art community has helped me greatly. Along with the love of family, friends, especially my husband, son, and Beau, the dog who has Betty Davis eyes. My girl still sends me signs that make the unbearable - bearable. She had a large beautiful wheat bouquet tattoo tied with a ribbon on her side, maybe now you know why Josiah’s line drawing blew me away. 

harvest time

waves of wheat sway

a comet goes by

- Marjorie Pezzoli

Concrete Poem Collaboration 

Josiah @lessEthereal - Line Art

Marjorie Pezzoli - Word Art

 

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Setu, March 2024

ENDINGS (Haibun): Snigdha Agrawal

Snigdha Agrawal

Through the labyrinth of life, climbed, fell, and injured me. Undeterred made many more attempts.  Giving up, was never an option.  Writers are made of sterner stuff they say and with that dogged persistence forged ahead to reach the pinnacle, focusing on the ornate gates.  Life's white moments stand in sharp contrast to episodes of barren stages.  Saffron monoliths like shaved heads of the saints waiting to welcome the lost me, under the blue umbrella of kindness.  An indulgent waning moon, says "Atta girl...never mind if there are no stars on your lapels.  You did what you like best and lived it till the end as one inglorious, albeit with a heart loaded with happiness.  How many can reach that status".

      not all paths end here
      reassurances brighten
      what is an image?

Shakti stands on one leg inside the cave temple, eyes questioning. Who are these self-appointed saints, saffron-clad, dictating the 'Dos' and 'Don'ts' for women?  A cover-up for escapades by men!  Hush! girl...return to base.  You have unfinished tasks, and biases to erase.  Go down the way you came and meet headlong your fate.

    I step to the edge
    look to fight another day
    A hot sun chases
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BIO: Snigdha Agrawal (nee Banerjee) is Bengali born, raised and educated in a cosmopolitan environment, with exposure to the eastern and western cultures, imbibing the best of both worlds.  With more than two decades of experience working in the corporate sector, her outlook on life is balanced, which reflects in her writings. A versatile writer, she writes all genres of poetry, prose, short stories, travelogues, and hotel/restaurant reviews on TripAdvisor, under the pen name ‘puchka’.  A published author of three books, the latest titled MINDS UNPLUGGED Lockdown Stories and Rhymes for The Six to Sixteen, is available worldwide on Amazon. Amazon.com Flipkart, and other global platforms.  An intrepid traveller, her travel diaries can be accessed in word press blog: randomramblings52.  She lives in Bangalore (Karnataka), India.

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Setu, January 2023