Do You Believe in Magic?

Here's the thing, when I wrote that "I have currently made a request to the universe, I will tell you if it is granted." I was not a finalist in any poetry contest. I was just a poet who felt her manuscript was finished and ready to have it published.

That was Wednesday.

Today when I was at my art class making a collage the editor from White Pine Press called. It was the day I forgot my cellphone. It was the day I was ridiculous hungry and had eaten too many coconut macaroons.

When I got home, I called. Dennis the editor said, "Well, you have to change your webpage." I said, "I do?" "Yes," he said, "as you're the new White Pine Poetry Book Prize winner." Things went hazy. I was quiet. I said, "I'm overwhelmed." I said, "Thank you."

I think there was a part of me that thought it wasn't happening. I was in my first lucid dream and this is what I created.

He told me Carl Dennis (Pulitzer Prize winner, Carl Dennis!) was the judge. He said, "Headshot, bio, manuscript." I took notes.

He said, "Your book will be published in the fall of 2010."

He was kind. I was shaking. He said, "A lot of people are overwhelmed." I said, "I'm not normally this quiet." Or maybe I didn't say that. Maybe I just thought that.

Since then, a daze. A daze of Facebook messages and lovely notes from friends. A daze of support and friendship. And then Carl Dennis wrote me an email. Floating. There is no other way to say it.

My manuscript LETTERS FROM THE EMILY DICKINSON ROOM will be published in Fall 2010 by White Pine Press.

What can I say? I don't get this kind of news every day.

My thoughts to you as poets? Keep trying. I can't tell you how many contests I've entered-- many. I can't tell you how often I've been discouraged. Often. I can't tell you how many times I thought I'd always be a finalist. Always.

But yes, I'm happy. Very poetry-filled and happy.

with thanks,
Kells