Published Works by Donna Isaac

"Encounter Near Aldie, Virginia," "Needle and Thread," and "Berry Is My Madeleine" have been accepted for inclusion in Is(sue) 7 of AvantAppal(achia), online edition.

Donna'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: "The winning poem features striking phrasing and vivid imagery as it evokes a moment towards sunset when the poem's narrator not only has a surprise encounter with two deer who appear and then disappear into the trees, followed by a sighting of buzzards "circling something dying," but those experiences in the growing dusk lead to a moment of vision, when the distant Civil War past and people of that era--or beyond--seem to materialize from the shadows. After the sun finally sets and night comes on, there's a heavy rain whose sound "beats a cadence" that strikes the narrator as a kind of "martial music / rattling the night," evoking the sounds of drumbeats and gunfire, echoing the battles that occurred long ago near Aldie, Virginia. The poem is both subtle and powerful in its interweaving of mysteries that emerge from both the past and present."
In addition, for the other winner "Carmen Aponte," here are the judge's comments: " 'Carmen Aponte' is such a personal poem, streaked with equal parts the pain of discovery, of growth, of the past. And yet it places you entirely in the moment, as though it's happening right now. The language is tender, and so pretty in spots that you almost gasp with pleasure at it: 'the color is Rachel, darkest shade"'...'don't they see my beauty? / so transformed I cannot see.' And the last two lines. 'but a wet tabby, a bleeding clown, / staining the basin with Rachel-colored tears.' This is mastery. Brilliant work."

Donna's poems "Offering," "Picking," and "Family Foods" are, as of May 13, 2019, posted on the Poetry Post at the Phalen Poetry Park in St. Paul.

Two poems: "August Morning" and "Making Do" will be published in the first annual Gabriel's Horn Anthology, Startled by Joy.

The Poetry Society of Virginia awarded First Place to "Carmen Aponte," Donna's poem about a friendship for the Bess Gresham Memorial Prize.

Wordrunner eChapbooks has published three poems: "Roasting Vegetables," "The Golden Ratio," and "Entrepreneur sans Wall" for April 2019.

The poem "Make Love, Not War" will be published by the University of Pennsylvania spring 2019 online issue of The Penn Review

The Poem "Grief" will be published by Goddard College's literary journal Clockhouse, Vol. 7.

"Trust" published in Upon Waking; 58 Voices Speak Out From the Shadows, poems by and for women who are victims of sexual abuse.

"The Good Girl" and "I Hear America" have been chosen for inclusion in a Walt Whitman celebration anthology.

"The Real Deal" is part of the Jim Webb Special Is(sue). Jim Webb aka Wiley Quixote, Kentucky poet and activist, passed away fall 2018,

The Saint Paul Almanac will publish "Church Ladies" in their upcoming issue, Volume 12. saintpaulalmanac.org

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 "For Pete's Sake" has been published by Typishly, an online journal, December 18, 2018.

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).

The League of Minnesota Poets' Awards 2018 were recently announced at the annual conference in Hopkins, MN.
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."

Donna's poem "Transaction" is published in the Bacopa Literary Review 2018 (Writers' Alliance of Gainesville).

My poem "Truth/Time" has been published in issue 3 of Rascal, live for the fall 2018 issue.

The poem "Suggestions" will be published in Adanna's annual issue #8 with the print publication scheduled for late August or early September 2018.

Rascal Journal will publish "Truth/Time," in their upcoming summer 2018 issue.

"Transaction," a prose poem, will be published by Bacopa Literary Review. The print edition will be out in October 2018.

"Elementary School" will be published by Perfume River Poetry Review (Tourane Poetry Press) April 2018, celebrating the theme of childhood.

"September Sky" and "Our Daily Walk" published in In Plein Air--poems and drawings of the natural world by Poetic License Press

The following poems by Donna Isaac received recognition by the League of Minnesota Poets' Annual Awards, 2017: "Remedies" awarded by The Southeastern MN Poets' for first honorable mention; "Shapes and Shadows" awarded by the Lilian Osborne Memorial for third honorable mention; and "The Station off Heisey Avenue" awarded by the Janelle Hawkridge Memorial for second award of merit.

The Martin Lake Journal, 2017 will publish three of my poems: "Dark Death"; "Rise"; and "Constrictions."

"Ten" and "Vignette" are published in The Moccasin, Vol. LXXX, 2017, the poetry journal of the League of Minnesota Poets.

Shark Reef, an online journal, will publish "Constrictions" by Donna Isaac, Winter 2018 edition, posted by January 2018.

Crosswinds Poetry Journal will publish Donna Isaac's poem "Rise" in their Spring 2018 issue.

Crosswinds Poetry Journal, Vol. II, 2017 published two poems, "Tomatoes" and "Taking Heed". Portions of the proceeds go to food shelves and non-profit literacy groups. You can order a copy here.

"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

The University of Missouri at Kansas City, BkMk Press,
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.

"The Candle of Memory" and "West Virginia: 12 Steps"
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.

"About Her Losing a Breast" Appears in the February 2012 online literary magazine, Hospital Drive, published by the University of Virginia Medical School. Go to http://hospitaldrive.med.virginia.edu to view this work dedicated to Donna's aunt, Janice Bageant.

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"

Pisgah Review
"Strength"

Minnesota Arboretum Calendar 2010-2011
Sponsored by Writers Rising Up
My poems: "Ode to the Dragonflies" "Asking" "Turns"

Four of my poems were featured on Cracked Walnut's first audio cd, vol. 1, "Departures," found at www.crackedwalnut.com.

The poems are entitled: "How Precious Did That Grace Appear," "Facts," "Off My Feed," and "I Want to Go Out."
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.