minnesota musher
a full and looming lunar light
it frosted pure the wintry night
as throbbing huskies’ cadenced strides
kept magic pace across the ice
the jack pines sang a gentle breeze
a frozen sweetness we could breathe
shore lights couldn’t break the spell
of magic mission moving well
a nordic february night
a symphony of cold and light
and moon and ice and dogs and air
blonde-scented from her presence there
BIO: Tom Weiss
I grew up on a cattle ranch on the eastern margin of The Everglades in an area that is now suburban Ft. Lauderdale. Having attended boys boarding schools from the second grade through high school likely twisted my psyche; but, I seem to write mostly love poems, so there you go.
I moved to Knoxville in 1974 intending to stay a year, and I’ve been here ever since, so it looks like I’m here to stay.
I spent a lifetime toiling in commercial real estate management and development until the pandemic retired me kicking and screaming, kindly allowing me to come out of the literary closet. My publishing history extends all the way back to December 2021. Nine poems have been published in four journals to date as I’m also working on my short fiction voice. Appearing in this journal with these remarkable photographers is a waking wet dream.
Tom Weiss
2614 Fairmont Blvd.
Knoxville, TN 37917
865.607.5500
BIO: Jo Ann Chaus
Jo Ann Chaus (b. 1954) is an American photographer from and based in the New York metro area She holds two certificates from the International Center of Photography in New York City. In 2016 Jo Ann self-published “Sweetie & Hansom”, a 60-image book with original text exploring family, relationships and loss. Her current body of work, “Conversations with Myself”, is a collection of performative self-portraiture that explores women’s roles and identity, currently under edit for publishing.
Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and she holds special recognitions and awards: Dear Dave feature issue #30, Juror’s choice Soho Photo Gallery National Competition July 2022, Juror’s Choice Center for Photographic Art Member’s Juried Exhibition April 2022, Featured Artist at Cortona on the Move Festival, Cortona Italy, July-October 2021, Critical Mass Top 200 2020, 2019, 16th and 15th Julia Margaret Cameron Award for Women Photographers Winner Self Portrait Series, Winner 13th Pollux Awards non-professional category, Critical Mass 2019 Top 200, Klompching Fresh 2019 Finalist, PDN Emerging Photographer Fall 2019 Winner, , Candela Unbound8! and 9! juried exhibitions, Permanent Collection in the Center for Creative Photography Qualities of Light Exhibition, Juror’s Choice South East Center for Photography Portrait Exhibition 2019.
