Happy Vernal Equinox! & Looking Forward to April Poems — My Nineth Experiment!–in 2025

Welcome to Spring!

Here in Minnesota, the earth is just waking up. This week, we have seen the first robins returning, the first cardinals, and the first brilliant blue scilla buds. It might be windy and chilly, but the days are longer and warmer, and the land knows spring is unstoppable.

This year, I am returning for the ninth time to the practice of writing and sharing a poem each day in April. This challenge, which I first attempted ten years ago, in 2016, has proven to be fun, fruitful, and sometimes frustrating for me. (Last year, I gave myself a fallow April, so this will be my ninth attempt.) Again this year, I will be sharing each morning’s poem via email, with an additional April something here on Winona Media. If you previously received emailed poems in 2023, you are already on the list. (Let me know if you wish to be removed from the list this year.) If you would like to be added to the list, let me know.

And if you are someone who is also participating in the April poems this year and would like me to share that information here, let me know! The more, the merrier!

My plan for this year’s poems comes from talking with botanist friend Bob Benson. I shall say more about that on April 1st. Meanwhile, may these crazy March winds blow all our winter cobwebs away–

Winter’s Last Sunset (March 19, 2025)

Trolls! Photos and Poems by Lea Goode-Harris and Leslie Schultz

Alexa’s Elixir, Detroit Lakes City Park, October 2024

Last fall, Tim and I were guided to some intriguing troll sculptures in the Detroit Lakes area of Northern Minnesota. (Thanks, Tricia and Bob!) These sculptures are the brain children of Danish sculptor and environmental activist, Thomas Dambo. Currently, his troll sculptures–made of reclaimed materials and realized through partnerships with local communities–are standing tall in 17 countries. On Dambo’s website, there is a description of his philosophy and a map of all the current sculptures.

Recently, friend Lea Goode-Harris, an artist, photographer, poet, and labyrinth designer who is based in California, sent me images of the trolls she had traveled to encounter. Suffice to say, our glee knew no bounds. When Lea suggested we each write short poems about these whimsical works and combine our photographs for a shared post on her website, I was pleased to participate. The post went up yesterday.

For more photos and our poems, please visit the Manzanita Sisters website. Hope you will enjoy them!

Leslie

THE ORCHARDS POETRY JOURNAL (Winter 2024) is Published!

The Orchards Poetry Journal has just published its Winter 2024 issue. Paper copies can be purchased from the Kelsay Books website or Amazon, and the issue can be read and downloaded in digital form for free.

This issue is especially welcome because it includes not only my own poem, “Celestial Navigation”, written during National Poetry Month in 2022, but a beautiful and thoughtful poem by my friend and neighbor, Susan Jaret McKinstry, entitled “Seasoning.” There are dozens of other interesting poems in this issue, too. I know that I shall enjoy reading a few each morning once my paper copy arrives. If anything can chase away these December grey clouds, The Orchards will do it.

Wishing you much light and joy this reading season!

LESLIE

Content Bookstore Reading Tomorrow Will Be Livestreamed on Facebook!

I have just learned that tomorrow evening’s reading at Content Bookstore in Northfield, Minnesota will be livestreamed, and anyone can be in the audience long-distance, as it were. To join me, simply click on this link: https://www.facebook.com/ContentBookstore tomorrow evening (Thursday, October 24, 2024) at 7:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time. The event will last about an hour.

Wishing you a splendid week,

LESLIE

News Flash! My New Book, GERANIUM LAKE: POEMS ON ART AND ART-MAKING is Published

I am very happy to share the news that this book, which has been a long time in the making, is now out in the world. I am just back from the Post Office after mailing some inscribed copies.

Stay tuned for more information on readings and a few other things in the days to come.

For now, just wanted share the good news with all of you!

LESLIE

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