Zach Agnew's Blog

Sorry for the delay in posting about this poem, as I should have posted about it a month ago. There is a good reason for this, as I am now the proud father of a one-month-old child! Thank you Prolific Press/Three Line Poetry for including my poem in your publication. This is a special issue that has taken a snapshot of our current global crisis, by putting our shared experience into as few meaningful words as possible. Check out poets from around the world reflecting on their Covid-19 experiences in the latest issue of Three Line Poetry.

The Once Familiar Street looks at what it was like for me in the early days of the pandemic. I found myself as one of the few in my city who were still going into work every day. It was a bizarre and uneasy feeling to walk down a street, that I have trekked back and forth on for years, and have it feel like an unwelcoming and unfamiliar place.

Thank you  Three Line Poetry and stay safe everybody.

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It has been a while since I have posted anything and it feels good to be back writing again. Thank you Prolific Press/Three Line Poetry for including my poem in your publication. It was a very welcome boost in these trying times. It feels like it has been years since I wrote this poem, but my saved file claims it was December.

The Glow is a short poem that taps into the feeling of screen addiction, that many of us suffer from. It is especially relevant these days as we are constantly refreshing our device of choice in search of news or just something to make these dark days pass.

I must say that the artwork for this edition is awesome. This may just be due to the fact that I have been playing way too much Animal Crossing, but it still brought a smile to my face. Keep up the good work Three Line Poetry and stay safe everybody.

-Zach

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Thank you Three Line Poetry for including Last Light  in the 50th Issue of your publication. It is always an honour to have one of my poems included in a collection. Three lines seems like a very small amount of space to create a poem, but it is just enough to paint a picture in the minds eye and move the heart.

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I apologize for the delay in posting this news. It is an honour to announce that my poem Fleeting Stillness was selected as one of the judge’s choices in the Drummond Poetry Contest. This contest is held annually by the Spring Pulse Poetry Festival and it collects poems from all across Canada. To find out more information about this organization, please visit their website here: https://www.springpulsepoetryfestival.com/

Dr. William Henry Drummond was a poet who specialized in writing dialect verse poems. His work gained international renown around the start of the 20th century and he is considered to be one of Canada’s first national poets. He was a pillar of his community, running silver mines and serving as doctor. That is why in 1970, the town of Cobalt, founded the Drummond Poetry contest to honour his legacy.

My poem, Fleeting Stillness, explores the everyday moments of beauty that we often miss. It looks at how both the natural world and human world are able to transform each other and the importance of this balancing act. This is one of my favourite poems, partly because it was one of those pieces that took a long time to construct and i spent a long time playing with it until it felt right.

Thank you again to the Spring Pulse Poetry Festival and David Brydges for putting together this anthology. Also a big thank you to the Keith Inman, for taking time to review all of the submissions. It is truly an honour to share ink with such talented Canadian poets.

Cover Design: Carol Cormier

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Thank you again Prolific Press for including my poem in the 2018 Spring issue of Poetry Quarterly. This is the winners issue and features an excellent collection of poets including the Rebecca Lard Award Winner:  Suzanne Cottrell. This issue can be purchased from the Prolific Press bookstore.

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Thank you Tanka Journal for including my poem in your collection. It has been fun to discover a new style of poetry. The tanka style originates in Japan and it was often used as a short form way to send a message that expresses romance, desire or gratitude. If you want to learn more about this style click here. Check out my latest poem for free in Issue 6

If you are looking for a set of poems to add to your library, this volume can be purchased from the Prolific Press bookstore here: Issue 6

I am including a brief exploration of this poem, to provide a little more insight into my creative process. Please read the poem before you continue with this post. I feel that it is important to experience art.

Crows Gather in Mass

Tanka poems usually have two sections to them and this poem is no exception. The first part of the poem has crows gathering before the dawn. They represent the edge of darkness that lingers before the sun rises. The second part of the poem shows the crows becoming guides as the shadowy figures retreat, bowing to the new day. This poem attempts to create powerful and explosive imagery as two forces exchange control of the sky.

Thank you again to Prolific Press for all your continued support and thank you to those who inspire me to keep on writing.

-Zach Agnew

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A big thank you to Three Line Poetry for including my poem in your publication. This journal always has amazing work from poets all around the world.  Keep up the great work! Check out my latest poem for free in Issue 46

If you are looking for a set of poems to add to your library, this volume can be purchased from the Prolific Press bookstore here: Issue 46

I am including a brief exploration of this tiny poem, to provide a little more insight into my creative process. Please read the poem before you continue with this post. I feel that it is important to experience art.

Horizon Lines Shift

The horizon has often been a focal point in both my writing and my photography, which is funny as the horizon is pointless. Yet there is just something awe inspiring about the way it wraps around our world. The first line of this poem represents a change as a shifting horizon usually means a change in perspective. Yet the next line shows that this change is not a good one as the subject of the poem appears to be in distress. The final line is used to demonstrate two things. First, it shows the finality of death, like the horizon which is unending. Secondly, it uses the word embrace to show that the subject has accepted their fate.

Thank you again to Prolific Press for all your continued support and thank you to those who inspire me to keep on writing.

-Zach Agnew

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A big to thank you to Haiku Journal for including my haiku in your publication. The Prolific Press team always puts together amazing collections of poetry.  Check out my latest poem for free in Issue 54

If you are looking for a set of poems to add to your library, this volume can be purchased from the Prolific Press bookstore here: Issue 54

Below is a little summary of the poem to give you a little bit more insight into my thought process.  Please read the poem before you continue with this post. I feel that it’s import to experience art.

The Silence Shatters

Haiku is one of the most beautiful forms of poetry out there. It is like a punch of imagery to the imagination. Its goal is to evoke emotion in a familiar and comfortable rhythm. The first line is used to set the tone and leave a question in the readers mind. The image of silence shattering is uncomfortable, because it offers many possibilities and directions. This is followed by revealing that it was the gulls who broke the silence, but at the same time they are breaking through the darkness of the night as they call forth the dawn. Both the coming light and sudden noise represent change and how it can both be predictable and sudden. Even though it can be jarring, it can also be comforting as we bath in the possibilities of a new day.

Thank you again to Prolific Press for all your continued support and thank you to those who inspire me to keep on writing.

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Thank you Three Line Poetry for including my poem in your publication. The Prolific Press team continue to churn out excellent collections of poetry.  Keep up the amazing work. Check out my latest poem for free in Issue 45

If you are looking for a set of poems to add to your library, this volume can be purchased from the Prolific Press bookstore here: Issue 45

Below is a little summary of the poem and a bit about my intentions when writing it. Please read the poem before you continue with this post. I feel that it’s import to experience art.

Softly the Locust Hum

I have mentioned many times that I enjoy the limitations of creating three line poems. The intent is to create a strong visual image and evoke emotion within the reader with as few words as possible. The first line in the poem is supposed to fill the readers ear with the sound of tiny wings buzzing. It also foreshadows what is coming in the next two lines, while creating a sense of unease. Locust are often used as symbols of decay, hardship and punishment. That is why when these creatures go unheard and unnoticed, the devastation that is coming is even more foreboding. One of the ideas I was trying to express with this poem was the disconnect between humans and nature. The two have become so separate, that it becomes difficult to see the looming threat. Even if it provides ample warning.

Thank you again to Prolific Press for all your continued support and thank you to those who inspire me to keep on writing.

-Zach Agnew

Thank you Three Line Poetry for including my poem in your publication. The Prolific Press team spends many hours looking through poems and always manages to put together great journals. Keep up the amazing work. Check out my latest poem for free in Issue 44

If you are looking for a set of poems to add to your library, this volume can be purchased from the Prolific Press bookstore here: Issue 44

I have also decide to start talking a little bit more about the poems that get published. Just to provide a little more insight into the creative process. So please read the poem first! It is always important to experience any form of art with as little influence as possible.

The Sun Teeters

This may be a short poem, but for me it represents a couple different ideas. At its base, it is simply a poem about changing seasons and how our days shift around the solstices. Our days grow longer or shorter depending on the year. One of the main concepts to take away from this poem is our relationship to change. The sun teeters, as if it is hesitant to change, in my mind this is because it fears the coming of the long night. It has been growing in strength, but now it must give way to the next cycle. It also knows that it must continue, as that is its purpose.

Thank you again to Prolific Press for all your continued support and thank you to those who inspire me to keep on writing.

-Zach Agnew

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