Introducing Moonday Writers

According to Dale, (when asked about Moonday Writers (truth be told, more minimalist than hoped for/ expected), it's a PWP tradition to invite a writing group, at least for the past few years anyway. Whether or not done intentionally to highlight writing groups per se, Dale did not say, but if so, an excellent policy. If not, then serendipity. Either way a piece on writing groups seems in order.

Bio for the Moonday Writers group from Rachelle Woods, individual bios and poems from Rachelle, Elizabeth and Debby (thank you all kindly). Others collected from web. Poems posted separately - I am trying (not always successfully) for less lengthy posts.

---

Moonday Writers began meeting 6 years ago. We are an evolving group of improvisers getting together for tea, chocolate, cheese, wine, celebration, inspiration and writing. Our poems can be found in journals and anthologies published in NM and beyond. We perform, teach, host events, win awards, pass the news. You can hear Mary McGinnis, Elizabeth Raby, Debbi Brody, Rachelle Woods, Zoe Dwyer, and Ann Hunkins and her didjeridu at the Poets and Writers Picnic.

[Ed note: formerly Wild Women of Santa Fe, appearing at PWP 2006, "a group of poets who meet every other week to share poems, exchange new and strange words, and write, write, write! In their various styles, the seven poets support and complement one another as their works weave and mingle into verbal tapestries!"]

Elizabeth Raby has lived in Santa Fe since 2001. She was a Poet in the Schools for the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts, the New Jersey Council of the Arts, and the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation. She taught poetry writing at Muhlenberg College. Ms. Raby is a fellow of the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. In 2006 and 2007 she represented the Teachers for Tomorrow program as an English teacher in Deva, Romania. She has written articles on teaching poetry for Teachers and Writers Collaborative. Her poems have appeared in numerous journals including Sin Fronteras, Santa Fe Literary Review, Manzanita Quarterly, Mad Poets Review, U.S. 1, Journal of New Jersey Poets, and Yarrow. She is the author of three chapbooks, "The Hard Scent of Peonies," "Camphorwood," and "Ten Degrees Above Zero." She is a co-author along with Patricia Goodrich and Casandra Ioan of "Bone, Flesh & Fur" - "Oase, Carne & Blana," a chapbook in both English and Romanian.

From Virtual Artists Collective: In 2006 and 2007 Ms. Raby represented the Teachers for Tomorrow program as an English teacher in Deva, Romania.

Debbi Brody conducts poetry workshops and readings at festivals and other venues through out the Southwest to writers aged twelve through eighty-five. She publishes frequently in regional and national literary journals. Her work has appeared in the Santa Fe Literary Review, Broomweed Journal, Poetica, Sin Fronteras and many others magazines and books of note including numerous anthologies. Her latest book, Portraits in Poetry, (Village Books Press, Oklahoma, 2006), as well as her chapbook, FreeForm are available through artqueen58@aol.com. Debbi lives in Santa Fe where she has co-owned Canyon Road Contemporary Art, Inc. with her husband Bob since 1994.

Mary McGinnis

Mary McGinnis has made her home in New Mexico since 1972. The beauty and fragility of the desert have obviously influenced her writing and her world view. Her most recent book of poetry, Listening for Cactus (Sherman-Asher Press), is available in book and audio cassette forms from the publisher (1-800-474-1543), and in Braille from the author (151 H1 Calle Ojo Feliz, Santa Fe, NM 87505). readings. Her poems are also available on line at Santa Fe Poetry Broadside. Mary is currently a student in the Documentary Studies program at the College of Santa Fe and will travel to Brazil later this year as part of her studies

Zoe Dwyer is an award-winning poet and the co-host of two monthly poetry events in Santa Fe: CCA's Open Poetry series and Poets for Peace
.

Ann Hunkins

Ann Hunkins is a poet, translator and a photographer. Nepali into English translations include a novel, Dr. Banira Giri's The Prison and a book of poetry. For her poetry, she has been awarded the James Hearst Poetry Prize (North American Review), Celeste Turner Wright poetry Prize, and the Sacramento Poetry Center Award and was honored for her photography with the Willard Van Dyke Memorial Grant. FYI: Wicked Sticks: Comprehensive Web Site about the Aboriginal Didjeridu (wind instrument)