Lois Joy lives in Hampshire County where she teaches Iyengar Yoga (on Zoom now!), writes, and works for economic justice for the non-profit Jobs for the Future. Her work appears at Parinama: A Journal of Transformation. She loves valley summers for the swimming in lakes and rivers, long forest walks, and birdsong. Solace …how will Read More
Straw Dog Writers Guild
OUTSIDE by Don Fisher
Don Fisher lives and writes in Chicopee and has been writing for over 30 years. His collection of poems On the Edge of Grace is soon to be published by Human Error Press. He is surviving the lockdown by cooking, drinking red wine, reading poetry and listening to punk rock, hip-hop, and old-school country. OUTSIDE Read More
Random Thoughts While Hiking Mt Tom in the Time of the Virus by Dana Salisbury
Dana Salisbury lives in Easthampton, MA, in Hampshire County. She spent 20 years as a visual artist and became a choreographer for the next 20 years. Now she still dances and often writes. Random Thoughts While Hiking Mt Tom in the Time of the Virus 3-27-20 For Janine Tuft of furry scat on the trail, Read More
Sudden Rain by Laura Rodley
Franklin County’s Laura Rodley, Pushcart Prize winner, quintuple Pushcart Prize and Best of Net nominee. Former co-curator Collected Poets Series, Rodley teaches As You Write It class, published As You Write It, A Franklin County Anthologies. Recent books Turn Left at Normal / Big Table Publishing and Prolific Press’s Counter Point. Sudden Rain There is Read More
“Stall” by Meg Fisher
Meg Fisher: I am a retired early-childhood teacher living in Franklin County in the Mount Toby foothills with my younger son. This poem came into being in a weekly writing group, 6-9 of us currently Zooming with our leader, poet and author Christian McEwen. Read More
Changes by Anna Bozena Bowen
Anna Bozena Bowen: As a poet, author of the awards winning novel HATTIE, and a retired nurse, my writing focuses on the multidimensional aspects of our human and spiritual lives. I live in Hampshire County, enjoy cooking, food and wine, and love travelling to Napa and Maui. annabozenabowen.com Changes Some mornings I don’t recognize my Read More
The Dailies by James Cervantes
James Cervantes, poet and editor, is definitely a straw dog when in residence on Hog Mountain. At other times, he is an expat living in San Miguel de Allende (Guanajuato, MX), though the pandemic has temporarily driven him, his wife, two dogs, and a cat to shelter in Arizona. The Dailies White masks, red and Read More
HOW VIRULENT by Jane McPhetres Johnson
Jane McPhetres Johnson commuted from Wyoming to complete Goddard’s MFA, later created Humanities programs, and now is picking up where she left off when motherhood interrupted post-MFA plans. An Amherst resident and Straw Dog member, she has published poems in journals, anthologies, and e-mags, including “What Rough Beast” and “Not My President.” HOW VIRULENT the Read More
COVID-19 Conundrums (5/12/2020) by Herbert T. Abelson
Herbert T. Abelson is a retired academic physician living in Hampshire County, Granby, MA where he serves on the Board of Health, gardens, writes prose and poetry for which he is always looking for the right words to communicate with his wife, kids, and grandkids. COVID-19 Conundrums (5/12/2020) Has Covid-19 down time worked for you? Read More
Woods in the time by Janet MacFadyen
Shutesbury resident and Straw Dog member Janet MacFadyen is author of two poetry collections and three chapbooks. Recent work appears or is forthcoming in Scientific American, CALYX, Q/A Poetry, The Blue Nib, and Sweet. She held a Fine Arts Work Center fellowship, and is managing editor of Slate Roof Press. Woods in the time What Read More