‘Briefly I Lived’ Published in Bestselling Brought to Sight & Swept Away Poetry Anthology!
I am delighted and proud to share my poem, Briefly I Lived, is published in Vita Brevis Press’s second bestselling anthology, Brought to Sight and Swept Away, A Poetry Anthology About Time!
Within this book, new and established writers stretch their creative minds beyond freedom to explore the diaphanous faces of time.
Vita Brevis Press is a bestselling small publishing press, dedicated to sharing the explorations of emerging and established poets through its anthologies and publications. Vita Brevis Poetry Magazine publishes the best of emerging poets, complementing their work with evocative and layered artwork.
I spent time with my writing in preparation of submitting to the anthology, exploring what time means to me. Time is present in every story, so it was challenging to write a story not completely focused on time but one where time played a prominent role. I enjoy subtly, where a word or title binds together and helps create the meaning of a piece. This was difficult to achieve and sometimes takes days to pin down. The feeling of satisfaction at having rounded out a poem in one word or more just right expressions I cherish.
Time is a ponderous and dangerous concept to explore. Often the minutes crawl while other times it is the sound we hear after it has passed with a roar. Time is a constant cycle. In time, what I am learning will bloom. In time, also, the color of my flowers will also be contradicted and perhaps even crushed underfoot. This destruction is welcome. It is one way the seeds find soil again. Time is a constant dawn to dusk and back again.
Reach deep. Explore the frightening obscure. In the silence, let not your own spoken truths and flowing words stopper you.
Through the eyes of poetic voices I know and voices I will come to love in reading, time takes on new meanings and guises within this anthology.
The following is an excerpt of my poem, Briefly I Lived.
Perfume from Paris
Rises with the ridges on my heart.
I circle a wishing fountain
Watch the coins
From centuries past wink in the
Water . . .
I hope you will pass some precious time with this book in the coming summer scent and shade and be so brave as to allow the startling moments and perceptions of this anthology to last in memory. If you are so called, you can purchase Brought to Sight and Swept Away through Amazon here.
Join me on Patreon for more life where it intersects with writing!
Susi Bocks
Yay, Jaya! Congratulations!
jonicaggiano
Congratulations on your publication in Vita Brevis Anthology! Nicely done. Hugs, Joni
Jaya Avendel
Much love and gratitude, Joni!
jonicaggiano
My pleasure my friend. That is very exciting. ❤️
barbaraleaver
The coins of centuries past – love this picture! Congratulations
Gabriela Marie Milton
Congratulations, sweetheart.
judeitakali
Love the excerpt, congratulations.
Alejandro Rabelo García
Gracias por tu like, Jaya. Lo valoro mucho viniendo de una poetisa tan talentosa como tú. Aquí, algo de lo mío en tu idioma, espero sea de tu agrado e interés: https://acrofobos.wordpress.com/2020/10/23/2-instantaneas/ Saludos desde Villahermosa, México
Jaya Avendel
Your words are too kind, Alejandro! Thank you. I will be sure to visit your creative space.
Artist/Poet_JayMoraShihadeh
That’s so great, congratulations!
Tom
Congratulations on another fantastic achievement! I love your approach to time, which is an extraordinary concept, especially when we challenge ourselves to view it from a non-linear perspective
Jaya Avendel
Thank you, Tom! I loved the challenge. 🙂
Fritzie
Time playing an important role. That does sound very challenging. But, you nailed it. Congratulations, Jaya!
glowsteady
Huge congratulations on getting another piece published! I enjoyed reading a bit about your thought process and how you got here. I always enjoy reading the final product slightly more when it comes with a bit of a backstory or some context. I hope the anthology does brilliantly! x
Jaya Avendel
Me too, Sophie! I also inevitably feel more rounded out after exploring the ‘why’ of what I wrote. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Ingrid
Congratulations Jaya, I look forward to reading this book: it is on my ever-expanding reading list!
Jaya Avendel
I feel you, Ingrid, but the lovely thing about books is they wait patiently to be read! 🙂
Ingrid
That is true indeed!
Nancy
Congratulations on having another work being published in an anthology! Pretty cool that it is one of the bestsellers too! It is great when you see your hard work paying off. So important that you keep refining your work and be better than your past self. It is so interesting when you look at water fountains and see all sorts of coins. There are stories behind all of them. Keep up the great work!
Nancy ✨ mdrnminimalists.com
Corinne
Well done on getting your work published! It was once a dream, of mine once and I was really active in the writing community in the past. I’ve lost touch with poetry a bit!
Corinne x
Jaya Avendel
Thank you, Corrine! I never expected to be as drawn to poetry as I am now. It happened over practice. <3
Keep Calm & Drink Coffee
I read “Perfume from Paris …” and I am already in love.
I LOVE Paris and I love its Perfume with everything concerned: there I breath a really different air.
So I am even more proud about this further success of yours and I embrace you as strong as I can.
Congratulations DEAR! You deserve that so much!
Jaya Avendel
So glad this found a place with you! Your love of Paris touches me. Thank you!
Keep Calm & Drink Coffee
<3
Kelly Diane
Congratulations Jaya. I love to see that your work is getting recognised and loved by so many others.
Michele Lee
Congrats, publishing poetess. 💖
I enjoyed reading about your thought process on time. 🤔 ✍🏻
Michele Lee
The subject, time, not that I was “on time.” 😂
Jaya Avendel
Your words, as always, Michele, make me chuckle! Thank you.
Michele Lee
😆🙏🏻
Jodie | That Happy Reader
Congratulations Jaya! I wish you much success.
ivor20
Congratulations Jaya, and I’m eagerly waiting for my copy 😀
Jaya Avendel
Delighted to be part of it with you!!
ivor20
My book is on the way maybe here by the 5th
😄🌏
Unwanted Life
Congratulations on getting your work published in ‘Brought to Sight and Swept Away, A Poetry Anthology About Time’, that’s well deserved and flipping awesome!
The extract from your featured piece is really intriguing, I’m curious how the rest of it goes. Is the book available anywhere other than Amazon? I try to avoid Amazon at all costs
Jaya Avendel
Thanks so much! I am over the moon, especially because the anthology is my first ‘bestseller!’
Unfortunately, I believe the press only distributes through Amazon. I can understand why you have misgivings against the platform; I do too at times!
Andrew McDowell
Congratulations!