Juggling Poetry
At first
you’re just
playing catch
back and forth
easy, you don’t even
need special gloves
soon, though,
there are so many
spheres in play
so many
kinds and sizes
from every
direction
in multiples
then it
becomes
impossible
cosmic
juggling
accepting
then casting
up all that comes near
receiving
transmitting
tossing
learning how not to mind
when you
inevitably
miss
but catching
and casting
gaining skill
not dropping as much as before
performing
even after
sunset
especially after midnight
keeping
scarves
and orbs
and bowling pins
and knives
and chainsaws
and flaming torches
and railroad cars
and skyscrapers
and oceans
and chrysanthemum petals
leaping
rotating
from your fingertips
flying
and
bouncing
from one stanza to the
next, reflecting
through book
after book
everything in the air
oh yes
plop plop plop plop
down
into your hands
This is good.
About the author:
Sharon E. Svendsen has published fiction, articles, and over 200 poems in literary magazines and many other periodicals and anthologies. Her work has most recently been published in Defenestration, Plainsongs, Rat’s Ass Review, Feathertale #15 and #16, Spank the Carp, Decasp, Poetry Corners, and Ars Poetica. She has a BA in English with a Creative Writing Emphasis from the University of Washington.
As an artist, I have over 15 years of professional experience and knowledge of traditional painting, drawing, photography, and graphic design. I received education from Goucher College, a private liberal arts college, which provided me with a versatile knowledge of techniques, materials, and subjects. In addition, I also participated in studio painting classes at the Maryland Institute College of Art. My experience in the art industry continues to grow through research and self teaching. While in college, I was a fine and performing arts scholar and had the pleasure of exhibiting my work in a solo art show in 2011, followed by various collaborated exhibitions. In 2008 I was also chosen as a White House Christmas Ornament Artist from my district. In the summer of 2012, I also studied abroad in Greece, studying Greek mythology, exploring historical sites, architecture, and museums with the University of Maryland College Park. My studies also included art history, independent studies and critiquing classes. In addition, I’ve also been published in magazines such as Sonder Midwest Issue #4, Mud Season Review, Blue Mesa Review Issue #38, and Abstract Magazine TV, as well as artshows with galleries including Towson Arts Collective, Maryland Art Place and ‘Limitation/Liberation’ with the Art Enables gallery in Washington DC. As part of my bachelor’s degree in studio art, I worked as an intern and gallery assistant for nonprofit art galleries such as the Towson Arts Collective and Maryland Artisan Guild, in addition to the Lenrow Gallery at my college. I now run an online shop, and have launched a Youtube channel, educating viewers on topics from hanging installations to painting tutorials.
In the artist’s words:
Britnie is a Maryland based versatile artist and photographer, capturing energy through light, vibrant color, depth, and texture. The use of exaggerated brushstrokes and abstract color give her paintings life and voice. Her landscapes and abstract work consist of a variety of unconventional techniques to capture the elements portrayed. One of the most used techniques in her abstract paintings, is the method of mixing each individual color using acrylic paint, floetrol, silicone, and water. Together, they create “cell like” forms.
Britnie also achieves different designs and textures using household objects such as strainers, straws, and frosting spatulas. She aims to depict the emotions of liberation (“set free”) and freedom (“being free”). As a child who grew up around the Chesapeake Bay, her work as a whole, is inspired by nature and portrays the absence of human presence, bringing out the personality of nature itself, while providing the viewer the opportunity to escape and appreciate all the beauty that surrounds us. More of her work can be found at www.BNWArt.com.
