Donna Isaac's poem "Declaration" appears in the February Leap Year edition of Concision Journal, an online journal of experimental poetry: concisionpoetry.com
In the 2023 NFSPS (National Federation of State Poetry Societies) national contest, Donna Isaac won two honorable mentions: The Georgia Poetry Society Award for "The Tiptons" and the Lucille Morgan Wilson Memorial Award for "Gardening."
In the Poetry Society of Va.'s 2023 contest, Donna Isaac won three third place awards: "Harm," Charlotte Wise Memorial Award; "Assassination," Alfred C. Gary Memorial Award; and "Shoeman," Honoring Father Award.
In the 2023 League of Minnesota Poetry Contest, Donna Isaac won the following awards: Second Honorable Mention (Deaf Poetry Award) for "To Fly"; First Place (John & Helen Pappas Memorial) for "Pet"; First Honorable Mention (Great River Award) for "College Freshman/Mountains"; Second Place (Heartland Poets Award) for "Tanawha"; and Third Place (Lost in Translation Award) for "Road Trip."
The Poetry Society of Va. published the anthology Blended Voices: Blending the Voices of Virginia Poets, 2023. Three of Donna's poems are in the anthology: "After Life, Stars," "Under the Amfalula Tree," and "Drifting." (available on Amazon)
The Arizona State Poetry Society awarded Donna Isaac's poem "The Mere Distinction of Color" with a first place and her poem "What Happened Today" with a second place in their 2023 annual national contest.
In the Tilling, a full poetry collection by Donna Isaac, will be published by Finishing Line Press with presales starting Oct. 2023 and with a book release in Feb. 2024.
Donna's poem "Mist" will be published by Earth's Daughters, ILLUSIONS issue, now going to print, August 2023.
Donna Isaac's poem "To Do Better" has been selected as a Mississippi Valley Poetry Society Nature Area Poetry Walk winner for 2023. It will be placed on a sign around the Richfield Lake Park walking path sometime in July or early August and posted on their website with a QR code so visitors can hear it being read in English and Spanish. A celebratory reading will take place in August.
The anthology Broad Wings, Long Legs: A Rookery of Heron Poems (North Star Press) will include one of Donna's poems, due out spring 2023.
Paris Morning Publications' anthology of bird poems will include three of Donna's poems and will be available spring 2023.
Donna's poem "Squinting" has been accepted by American Writers Review.The Poetry Society of Va. Newsletter will publish Donna's poems, "Kids" and "The Tiptons" in the May-June issue.
Donna Isaac's poem "Gaze(lle)" is part of an art exhibition, "The Clouds We Share" at the Outlook Gallery in the Open Book, MCBA window, Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN, on display May 1-July 22.
Donna's poem "The Tiptons," has been selected for publication in the 2023 Cracked Walnut Poetry Anthology. The anthology will be available and will debut at the Fall League of MN Poetry Conference, October 2023.
Three of Donna's poems were featured in the 2022 Agates, a literary journal of the League of MN Poets: "Markings," "Avoidance," and "Distant Lighting," highlighting their previous wins in various national contests.
The poem "Harm" by Donna Isaac will be published by The Healing Muse, volume 23, literary journal and online (SUNY Upstate Medical University's Center for Bioethics & Humanities).
In the Poetry Society of Virginia's 2023 Adult Contests, Donna Isaac won the following awards: 2nd place in the Charlotte Wise Memorial for her poem "Harm"; 3rd place in the Alfred C. Gary. Award for her poem "Assassination"; and 3rd place in the Honoring Fatherhood Award for her poem "Shoeman."Donna Isaac's poem "An Evening Together" appears in the Indiana Poetry Society's new collection Poetry as My Lover.
The Florida State Poetry Association awarded Donna's poem "Out to Eat, 2050" second place in the Sherwood Ross Award for Humorous Poetry and her poem "Grandmothers North and South" an Honorable Mention in the Mae's Kitchen Memorial Award, 2022.
Donna
Isaac's poem "Blurred Lines, Moments" won First Place in
the 44th annual Poetry Society of Indiana's 2022 Contest
in the category Glenna Glee: One and Only, a poem of
joy, happiness. Her poem "Lewis G.M. Durham" won
Honorable Mention in Category 8: Urn Your Prize, a poem
a la' Spoon River Anthology.
Donna
Isaac's poem "After Bedtime" was published in The
Talking Stick: Escapes, volume 31, (Jackpine Writers'
Bloc), 2022 and is available on Amazon.
Then poem "Too Hot To Handle" by Donna Isaac has taken
second place in the League of MN's Conference medical
poetry contest. It will be posted on the the
Southeastern Minnesota Poets Facebook page as well as
the LOMP website, May 2022.
The poem "The Cheese Stands Alone" by Donna Isaac won
first place in the adult age category of Dakota County
Library’s 2022 Poetry Contest. (to be announced and
published on the library's website May 2022).
Talking Stick (Jack Pine Writers' Bloc, Inc.) has
accepted "After Bedtime" for publication in their
forthcoming journal. This poem was recently recognized
by the PSOV.
The Highlands Voice (The West Virginia Highlands
Conservancy) published Donna Isaac's poem "Homecoming,"
April 2022.
The Poetry Society of Virginia Centennial Anthology
has accepted two of Donna's poems for publication:
"After Bedtime" and "Mississippi Night." In addition,
the PSOV 2022 contests, honored Donna with the following
awards: the Nancy Byrd Turner Memorial Award, third
place for "My Grandfather on the Atlantic" and two
Honorable Mentions: the Laura Day Boggs Bolling Memorial
for "Meditation" and the Emma Gray Trigg Memorial for
"Mississippi Night."
A Common Wealth of Poetry (Poetry Society of
Va.) published "Toward the Horizon Lately by Donna Isaac
in their March 2022 newsletter.
The Freshwater Review (College of St. Scholastica) published "Task at Hand" by Donna Isaac for April 2022.
Gival
Press will publish " "Til Death Do Us Part" and
"Apricots" by Donna Isaac in their :issue 158, March 1,
2022.
Poetry Virginia 2021 (Poetry Society of Va., 2022)
published the following poems by Donna Isaac: "Letting
Go"; "Picking Asparagus"; and "Taco King."
A new anthology, Startled by Love (Gabriel's Horn
Press), has accepted three of Donna's poems for
publication, due out the first of the year, 2022.
"Meadows of Dan, Virginia" and "Shenandoah"have been
accepted for Is(sue) 10, AvantAppalachia,which
went live on Dec. 15th, 2021.
Two poems by Isaac, "Needle and Thread" and "Family Foods," were published in The Moccasin, the League of MN Poets' journal, 2021.
In the "One and Only Glenna Glee Award," Poetry Society of Indiana's Contest 2021, Donna Isaac's poem "Encounter" won first place and a cash award.
"Looking for Affection" by Donna Isaac was published by Talking
Stick, Volume 30, available on Amazon. Lots
of great stories and poems, all by Minnesota writers.
Donna Isaac's poem "Stuff" was featured and published by A Common Wealth of Poetry: Newsletter of the Poetry Society of Virginia, October 2021.
In the National Federation of State Poetry Societies 2021 contests, Donna Isaac won the following awards: First Place in the Margo Award for "Avoidance"; First Place in the William Stafford Memorial Award for "Markings"; Second Place in the Winner's Circle Award for "Distant Lightning"; and Honorable Mentions in both the Jim Barton Memorial Award and the Poets' Work Award. To see all of the awarded work in print, go to Amazon and order the Encore Prize Poems 2021 anthology. It features 160 winning poems selected from more than 6,000 submissions from across the U.S., as well as Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain and India.
Donna's poem "Anticipatory Set" has been accepted for publishing by Shark Reef, Summer 2021 edition.
June 2021: A new selection of "Poems of Hope and Reassurance" are being featured on The Poetry Walk at Green Island in Wadena, Minnesota. The poets featured in June include Donna Isaac. Green Island is located at 850 Scheer Drive, Wadena, Minnesota. It is open to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The Ramsey Country Library published This was 2020 which is now available at the Minnesota Libraries Publishing Project. The ebook/print-on-demand publication will be available late June 2021. Donna's poem "Late October" is part of the publication.
Donna Isaac won the following awards from the Poetry Society of VA (2021 contests): First place in the Edgar Allan Poe contest with her poem "Letting Go"; 2nd place in the Carleton Drewery contest for "Picking Asparagus"; 2nd place in the Celie Moon contest for "Taco King"; and 3rd place in the Laura Day Boggs contest for "Frog Prince."
Donna Isaac's poem "Whither" was published in the journal Conestoga Zen (Order here).
Donna's poems "Palette," "Birds of Ireland," "Suburban Woodlands," and "All Raccoons," will be in Startled by Nature, Gabriel's Horn Press. Startled by NATURE 2020: new poetry in traditional forms - YouTube. The book is now available (Jan. 2021) in print. It will soon be available in ebook.
Donna's poem "Costumes" is scheduled for Midway
Journal's Volume 15, Issue 2, which will go
live on April 15, 2021. Please check Midway
Journal.
Donna Isaac's poem, "Circle Dance, " has been chosen First Place in Category III of the Arizona State Poetry Society’s Annual Contest.
Donna's poems: "Watching On Golden Pond Again," "Flight," and "Easter," have been accepted for publication by Moving Images: Poetry Inspired by Cinema (Before Your Quiet Eyes Publishing) in book form late 2020.
Poetry Society of Indiana Fall Contest 2020 announced the following for poet Donna Isaac: The following poem won Reserve: "Photos on my Phone" in the Grace Potter Hearkins Award; the following poems won Honorable Mentions: "Rocketman" in the Premier Poet's Award, "2020" in the Life Worth Remembering Award; "Gems, Suburban Woodlands" in the Noble Poets' Award; and "Spring, 1964 in the Alda Johannes Memorial; and the following poems won First: "Wagons, Ho!" in the Love of Country Award; and "Rustic" in the PSI Memorial Award.
At the October 2020 League of MN Poets, Donna Isaac won the following awards for several of her poems:
1. Awards of Merit in The Moccasin Award for "Meditation"; in the Stone Gathering Award for "Big Shot"; and in the Florence Hynes Willette Memorial Award for " Out of Service"
2. Honorable Mentions in the Southern Minnesota Poets' Award for "The Waczieleski Girls"; and in the Writing Circles for Healing for "Canyon."
3. Third Place in the Steinography Award for "Visitation."
4. Second Place in the John and Helen Pappas Award for "Wheels."
5. First Place in the Board Games Award for "After Supper."
Donna's poem "Photography" was published by The Poeming Pigeon, the Pop Culture Issue (The Poetry Box, 2020).
Donna's poem,"Markings" will be published by Streetlight
Magazine, May 2020.
Donna's poem "Tripartite Threat" will be published in an
e-book, "Art
in the Time of Covid-19" (San-Fedele Press), late
June 2020 publication date.
Donna Isaac's poem "Is this the zombie apocalypse everyone
talks about?" will be published in Whistling
Shade, Spring/Summer issue due out May 2020.
--1st
place, Carleton Drewry Memorial Award for her poem
"Rustica"
--2nd place, Brodie Herndon Memorial Award for her poem
"Hero"
--Honorable Mention, Nancy Byrd Turner Memorial Award
for her poem"Coitus Interruptus"
--1st place, Judah, Sarah, Grace, Tom Memorial Award for
her poem"Helping Out"
--1st place, Miriam Rachimi Memorial Award for her poem
"After Chores"
--3rd place, Ann Spencer Memorial Award for her poem
"Meditation"
The
2020 contest anthology will come out in the fall, as The
Poetry Virginia Review 2020.
Here are a few of the judges' comments about her work:
1) "Meditation pays homage big time to the
Symbolists, and how can that ever be a terrible thing?
I'm drawn to the quirk and the twist of expectation."
2) "Congratulations on your poem "Hero", which I am
pleased to select as Second Place Winner in the Poetry
Society of Virginia's Brodie Herndon Memorial contest,
for poems on the topic of Heroism. Excellent. The
poem is... powerful,...memorable. I loved it."
3) "After Chores" is moving in its restraint, and for
its vivid thumbnails of a past shared by the speaker and
the one they mourn. The turn from the scene of death to
the surprising and unexpected recollection that finishes
with "the earth moving below" is both potent and
electric."
4.) "With muscular language, the first place poem,
"Rustica," captures generational breadth and
cultural identity with the crafted use of specific,
memorable imagery, as well as thoughtful references that
evoke the ancestors as well as the speaker with their
strength, survival, and joys."
Post Office Box 1626
Georgetown, KY 40324
Donna
Isaac's first full-length collection of poetry, Footfalls
is now available through Pocahontas
Press or through contacting Donna at donnaDonna's
poem "Encounter Near Aldie, Virginia" won first place in the
New Voices category sponsored by the Poetry Society of
Virginia.
Here are the judge's comments:
In addition, for the other winner "Carmen Aponte," here are
the judge's comments:
Genre:
Urban Arts
will publish Donna' s poems ""Carrots" & "Teeth" in the
next issue, #8.
genreurbanarts.com (announced February 2019)
"Story"
has been accepted as a semi-finalist in The DavenTree
writing challenge. Winners and finalists will be selected in
a few weeks. (announced February 2019) KYSO Flash
Literary Journal
Donna's poem "Brokenness" will be
published by Earth's
Daughters, issue #92 with the theme "She
Persisted."
Two poems, "Encounter Near Aldie, Virginia" and "Mist" by
Donna Isaac were published in The
Moccasin, The League of Minnesota Poets
(2018).
Donna earned the following recognition:
•First Honorable Mention in the Lost in Translation category for her poem "Learning Arabic."
•First Award of Merit in the South Minnesota Poets' Society category for her poem "After."
•First Honorable Mention in the Musica Award for her poem "The Day Rita Dove Danced for Me."
•Second Award of Merit in the Mississippi Valley Poets & Writers' category for her haiku "Over the Mountain."
"Dark Sky Spot" was published in the Martin Lake Poetry Anthology.
Purchasing the book benefits local food shelves.
The anthology can be found at various independent bookstores, e.g., Micawber's at 2338 Carter Ave., St. Paul. A plethora of fine Minnesota poets!
St. Paul Almanac published my poem "To Grandma Delores Suffering from Lewy Body Dementia" in their spring 2017 publication.
The book release party was April 6, 2017
Black Dog Cafe, 308 E. Prince St., St. Paul.
Shark Reef literary journal published my poem "The Great Escape" in their winter 2017 issue
If you go to this link you will read a poem I wrote. Hope you enjoy!
My poem "Summer Job" was published by Pine Mountain Sand & Gravel: Appalachia Under Thirty, vol. 19, 2016.
To purchase copies of the annually themed journal, go to sawconline.net or contact Donna via donna@donnaisaacpoet.com
recently announced the John Ciardi Prize for Poetry. My poetry manuscript was honored as a finalist for this award.
My poem "Venus, Later" won first place in the Dakota County Library's Adult Poetry Contest.
The winning works were published on this website: www.co.dakota.mn.us/libraries by June 18th, 2015.
Click on Poetry to read my poem and the other winning poems.
My poem "Visitors" was published in Pine Mountain Sand & Gravel, Volume 18
the literary journal of the Southern Appalachian Writers Cooperative at the beginning of June 2015.
Copies of the journal are $12.00 and can be purchased through pmsg.journal@gmail.com
"I Want to Go Out" won honorable mention in the Bloomington City Poetry Contest.
"Wedding" was an acknowledged achievement.
Winners of the contest were honored at the Creekside Community Center in Bloomington
Aug. 16th, 2014 from 4:00-6:00 P.M.
Reception and readings
The poems was featured on bloomingtonmn.gov beginning in Sept. 2014.
These poems were in the October edition of White Stag, a literary/arts magazine.
To purchase the book, go to whitestagpublishing.com.
"Off" Published on Sleet an on-line literary magazine in the spring 2012 issue
Go to www.sleetmagazine.com to read it.
"Springs" was published in The Highlands Voice distributed by West Virginia Highlands Conservancy.
Dakota County Poetry Anthology
"Shoveling" www.co.dakota.mn.us
 Perfect
Dragonfly"Sestina" DragonFly Press www.reddragonflypress.org |
 St.
Paul Almanac 2011"New Year" |
 Hunger
and Thirst"Thursday Dinner" |
 Juked
#7"West Virginia: Steps" |
"Strength"
Minnesota Arboretum Calendar 2010-2011
Sponsored by Writers Rising Up
My poems: "Ode to the Dragonflies" "Asking" "Turns"
All of the poetry revolves around the theme of loss, leaving, and death.
My poem "Nativity: Four Years Later" was published in the Cancer Poetry Project book.
Go to www.cancerpoetryproject.com for full information and to purchase the book.
My poetry capstone "Sustenance" received Outstanding Poetry Thesis 2007 from Hamline University.