News & Announcements

The Final End to Poetry Breakfast

I know it comes as a shock. But Poetry Breakfast has come to its final end.

There comes a time for all things to pass. I’ve taken breaks and put the journal on hiatus before. But I know now, it is time for me to permanently move on.

I’ve been honored to receive your poetry submissions and I am humbled to know that you let Poetry Breakfast be the journal through which you shared your work with the world.

Poetry Breakfast will remain online with the poems archived for as long as I can afford to keep the site up.

I want to thank Sarah Russell for ending our journey on the perfect note. The last post was a review of her book I lost summer somewhere. In that review the final poem to grace Poetry Breakfast appeared. That poem, by Sarah Russell, is called “The Cottage” and its last lines are:

“Afterwards, I tidy up, wipe away
drops spilled in the pouring. I save
the leftovers though they’re getting stale.
I may crumble them on the porch rail
tomorrow for sparrows
before I garden.”

The words bring tears to my eyes, thinking of cleaning up our morning coffee cups and crumbs. And knowing it is time now for me to find a new garden to grow.

Thank you to everyone. We had a good long run. The kitchen is permanently closed. Go tend to your gardens now. Grow.

Love Always,

Ann

August 6, 2019

Best of the Net Poetry Nominations

Poetry Breakfast is thrilled to announce our nominees for this years Best of the Net.

Congratulations to:

Gabriel Muoio for “Mother’s Glasses”

Mark J. Mitchell for “An Aging Goddess Starts Her Day”

Laurie Kuntz for “Self Portrait”

Tricia McCallum for “Just for Today.”

Ekta Somera for “yellow paint”

Max Reif for “College”

July 14, 2019

After taking a year long hiatus, it feels great to be back. There’s a joy in knowing new people are discovering and loving the poems featured in Poetry Breakfast. Giving poets a wider audience for their work is, of course, a major part of my mission as editor.

But, it’s also heartwarming seeing submissions from poets who have been sharing their work with Poetry Breakfast since it first began in 2012. The familiar names are like friends arriving in my inbox. And oh, how painful it is when I have to send a rejection to one of them. Not for the quality of work. Our regulars here are good. Subject matter is usually the reason. Sometimes I just get too many submissions on one topic or the other and can only accept a few. But I think maybe I’m starting to ramble. Let’s just leave it at, I do feel like a friend just sent me a letter when I get a submission from a poet previously published here at Poetry Breakfast.

Don’t worry. I’m good at separating my joy and judgement. Recognizing a name doesn’t influence my decision to accept a poem or not. It just makes me happy to get the submission. And makes me feel even worse if I have to send a rejection. It really does make my stomach turn when I have to send out those rejections.

Steering away from the depressing though of rejections, there’s another thing that’s been a delight to see now that Poetry Breakfast is serving up poetry again. I’ve received a lot of comments and messages from readers about how happy they are to be getting new poems. Some readers started receiving our morning poems via email in 2012 and they’re excited to have the poetry flow into their inboxes in 2019!

I can’t take credit for the folks who have loved the poems all these years nor for the new followers we’ve gained in these first few days of Poetry Breakfast reopening. It really is the poems that keep people reading. The poets deserve the credit for that. All I can say is that I’m thankful to all the poets who submit their work and to all the readers who trust me to find the best jewels of language I can for them.

It’s great to have Poetry Breakfast back, great to have so many poets and readers back, and wonderful to see our Poetry Breakfast community growing.

Wishing the best to all of you,

Kay Kestner, Editor

Poetry Breakfast Reopens

Yes! The kitchen is open again. We are now accepting poetry submissions.

See our Submission Guidelines for all the details.

Soon, we will be dishing out your morning poems Monday thru Friday.

We have a new item on our weekend menu: Poetry Book Reviews.

Beginning May 1st, 2019, we’ll still be serving up a fresh new poem Monday thru Friday. But on the weekends we’ll be dishing out reviews and recommendations for poetry books.

Submission are currently being accepted.

We will start serving up poems and book reviews May 1st, 2019.

April 2, 2019

Poetry Breakfast’s Nominations for the 2017 Best of the Net

After carefully reviewing all the delicious poems we’ve served up this past year, our decisions are in.

We’re happy to present Poetry Breakfast’s nominations for the 2017 Best of the Net.

this is how you remember high school By Archita Mittra

“Yume Wo Katare” (Tell your dream) By Marjorie Thomsen

Clean Your Room (a conversation with Mental Illness) By Lisa Zaran

Fractured Peonies By Belinda Subraman

I Fumbled in the Darkness for My Wings By Carolyn Adams

Seashell By Kristen Zory King

Congratulations and the best of luck with your nominations!

September 9, 2017

Asbury Underground Event – Poetry, Music, and Art

At Poetry Breakfast, things have gotten pretty exciting in our neck of the woods. In addition to the dozens of poetry readings and open mics held each month here in the Asbury/Ocean/Monmouth County area – we also have one huge celebration of poetry, music and art happening on October 15th and 16, 2016.

In a joint effort between Asbury Underground and The Ministry of Artistic Intent (and a little office support from Poetry Breakfast), there will be one very exciting night of poetry in Asbury Park, NJ. Thirteen featured poets will be reading followed by an open mic.

This is part of the Asbury Underground which also features performances from over 100 musicians and 50 visual artists. All events are FREE and open to the public.

For details about the Underground Poetry visit their Facebook Event Page.

For details about the Underground Music and Art visit www.asburyunderground.com

October 9, 2016

Poetry Breakfast

Serving a little poetic nourishment every morning. Start your day with our new expanded menu. Poems, of course, are our specialty. But we will also be serving a fuller menu that includes poetry book reviews to feed poets' and poetry lovers' souls.

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