Announcing the Winner of This Year's 30 for 30

As you know, Grace Cavalieri, Maryland’s Poet Laureate, was this year’s 30 for 30 judge. All of this year’s poems were judged blindly in a document I sent to her in May. After reading all the poems, she has selected “The Resort,’ by Jennifer Keith, as the winning poem. Congratulations Jennifer! Here is are Grace’s comments on the poem: “My choice for the most fulfilling poem THE RESORTThis…

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A Brief Gazelle Now Available for Pre-Order

A Brief Gazelle: Poems of Love and Grief is now available for pre-order. Here’s what’s being said about the book: Because he writes about what we value, Mike Maggio restores consciousness to language. His unswerving commitment to clarity makes poetry relevant as well as harmonic. Lyricism would mean nothing without the fine art of meaning; and, over time, other writers may wind down, but Mike…

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Coming soon from San Francisco Bay Press

Cover artwork and design by Antonella Manganelli

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Los Angeles Times Festival of Books

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Welcome to 30 for 30 2024

Greetings fellow poets and poetry lovers. As you may be aware, tomorrow, April 1, marks the beginning of National Poetry Month which was started back in 1996 by the American Academy of Poets. Ever since then, National Poetry Month has been observed every April throughout the country with readings, poetry challenges and other events, including 30 for 30. Eleven years ago, to help celebrate NPM…

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Announcing the 11th Annual 30 for 30 Poetry Celebration for National Poetry Month

I’m pleased to announce the eleventh annual 30 for 30 Poetry Celebration, sponsored by Potomac Review, which will once again take place this year on my web site, www.mikemaggio.net This year’s theme is as follows: Dreaming of Dreams.  Specifically, I’d like you to take one of your dreams or nightmares and transform it into a poem.  The poem should be dreamlike in its execution and should…

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Contact the US Ambassador to the UN and Demand a Ceasefire

Contact th US embassy to the UN and ask that she vote for a ceasefire in Gaa. To contact the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, you can use the contact form provided on the official website of the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. Here’s how to do it: Visit the U.S. Mission to the United Nations website at usun.usmission.gov. Fill out the required fields,…

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The Qur’an: A Verse Translation

Here is my latest book review of a new English translation of The Qur’an.

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Special Offer: Buy Two Books and Get a Free Critique

For the remainder of February, I am offering a special offer to anyone interested in having their poetry or fiction critiqued. Simply buy two books from those listed below and then follow the instructions at the end of this post to get a free review of your work. The AppointmentIn 2017, my novella, The Appointment, was published by Vine Leaves Press. A story of an aging professor whose life is…

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Some Arabic Translations

Many years ago, I had the unique opportunity to work with Lamia Abbas Amara, one of the most prominent, contemporary  Iraqi poets. Unfortunately, Lamia passed away in 2021. Recently, I discovered Arab World Books which publishes and preserves the work of Arabic poets, past and present. To help preserve Lamia’s legacy, I am working with Arab World Books to publish some of her work in both Arabic…

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When to write poetry, when to write prose? Interview with poet and fictioneer Mike Maggio

Here is an interview Roz Morris did with me recently: When to write poetry, when to write prose? Interview with poet and fictioneer Mike Maggio Thank you Roz!

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Contemporary Italian Poetry in Translation / Poesia italiana contemporanea in traduzione

Introduction Introduzione I have always been interested in language: how it renders itself – or, rather, how we render it –both verbally and on the page. As a child, I was exposed to two languages: my native English and the Italian of my Sicilian grandparents. I remember one time sitting in a room of Italian immigrants, my grandparents among them, all speaking a language I could not…

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Thank You for Your Participation

Dear readers, Thank you for visiting this site over the last month and a half and for reading the poems and essays that were published during that time. And thanks to all the poets and individuals who contributed their work to Conflict, Tragedy and Resolution. It has been a pleasure hosting such diverse talent and reading their responses to the Israeli-Gaza conflict and the impact it has had on…

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Ten Essential Truths About Being a Palestinian

Ten Essential Truths About Being a Palestinian 7. Copyright 2023 by Mike Maggio Mike Maggio is.

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Raw Footage

Raw Footage --after Leonard Cohen by Mike Maggio I was sitting watching the news and there were bombings and killings and all the usual kinds of violence being perpetrated against innocent people in all parts of the world and they were talking about this 16 year old Palestinian boy who had strapped explosives around his waist so that he could blow up some Israeli guards at the border…

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The Robbery

Gaza showed all our wickedness Scorned all our baseness! Stark naked we stood Watching where we should Have rushed to save the embryo Allow it to flourish till it could With fierce revenge blow The flames of rooted fire! Tons of blood damn liar Of murdered dreams and desire! The jury bribed the choir To outcry the black satire Of defending the robbery! Copyright 2923 by Tariq Elhadary Tariq…

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Connection

Connection by Sydell Weiner Is there anything more wondrous than human connection? To be seen, heard and accepted for who we are is precious, but not always easy. Like many of us, I’ve learned to feel safe in my own isolation.On October 8th, shook by the news of Israel under attack, I knew I needed community. It was Simchas Torah, a holiday I rarely celebrated, but I got myself dressed and went…

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