I wrote my first speculative poems in the sixth grade at P.S. 156 in Laurelton, NY while studying with the wonderful Mrs. Sylvia Parver. I had read Animal Farm in the 4th grade, 1984 in the 5th grade an was granted permission by my evolved parents to read Brave New World in the 6th grade. Alice in Wonderland was also an influence on the second of my poems as it incorporated the language of Jabberwocky. But the very first verse I remember writing was about post apocalyptic love:
We'll run, and find a sacred place
where I will kiss your burnt-off face
and you will touch my non existent lips
as the bomb continues to rip
this doomed world
I've written speculative verse ever since, though my speculative verse didn't find a home for itself until the 80s and then not again for 20 years.
the primoridal verse, the first verse, the poetry of possibilities. Our earliest recorded literature is speculative poetry:Gilgamesh, Ramayana, The Iliad and Odyssey, and Beowulf for example.
Speculative poetry’s engagements include: aliens, alternate history, cryptids, cyberfunk, cyberpunk, dystopia, fairytales, fabulism, fantasy, folklore, futurism, horror, magic, monsters, mythology, occult, paranormal, post-apocalyptic, robots, science fiction, shifters, slipstream, solar punk, space opera, steamfunk, steampunk, superheroes, supernatural, sword and sorcery, sword and soul, time-travel, and weird. All poetic forms and scifaiku are welcome.
To fulfill my commitment to SERVE VERSE, I created a speculative poetry reading series.
Speculative Sundays Reading Series
on Facebook live and Via Zoom
7 to 8 p.m. ET
More information at www.speculativepoetry.com
Now I get to edit an anthology of speculative poetry!
NOMBONO (Zulu for visionary) was my first and the first of two for 2021! https://sundressblog.com/2021/01/04/2020-anthology-pitch-contest-selection-announced
My second was the historic Eye to the Telescope Issue #42 on the sea.
https://eyetothetelescope.com/about.html
Akua Lezli Hope
Rhysling Nominated Poems first Published in 2024
Long Poems
Giant Robot and His Person
( won the 27th Annual Critter Award, published in FIYAH Disability Issue)
Melissa
published in Bestiary of Blood: Modern Fables and Dark Tales Kindle Edition by Jamal Hodge
Short Poems
Generation Ship
published in Star*Line 47.3, Summer 2024
New Homestead
published in Sublimation: Volume 1, Issue 5, November/December 2024 — Living in Another World
Files coming soon.