A poetry organization is taking submissions for a new volume of an anthology. The book proceeds will be used to support Ukrainian orphans.
The first volume of the Poets for Peace “Sunflowers Rising: Peace Poems Anthology" was published last May by Buster Bodhi Press.
The Poets for Peace movement was created by Joseph Cavanaugh, the president of the National Federation of State Poetry Societies. The Illinois State Poetry Society supports the movement.
Mary Beth Bretzlauf, the Society's president, said Cavanaugh came up with Poets for Peace to help support a goal of Ukrainian poet Ihor Pavlyuk, the People’s Poet of Ukraine.
“Whose passion," she said, "was helping orphans in Ukraine during this time. He himself was an orphan, and so it is very close to his heart.”
She said Pavlyuk had seen young orphans 5 and under who needed help in the post-traumatic environment.
Poems written should be centered around peace, including the impact of war.
“The theme this year for the National Federation of State Poetry Societies’ annual convention is activism,” Bretzlauf said. “And so, I think that we can all be activists through the words that we poets feel and share.”
Bretzlauf says the goal is to have 200 contributors and to have the book ready by September.
The deadline to submit poems is May 31. Submission details can be found here.
