About Seized by the Poem
Seized by the Poem is a place to discover the wonder of verse. This weekly journal about verse will open the door to poetry so you can joyfully skip through. You will meet surprising and easily accessible poems, from haikus to narrative verse. Along the way, I will recommend books of poetry that I love. I will share my poems and writing process and provide tips to help you write your best verse.
Who is Diana?
I am a poet who has been honing my craft for two decades. Poetry ignites my joy. In 2019, Finishing Line Press published my chapbook of verse, Excavating Light. My poems have appeared in a variety of literary journals and anthologies including Asheville Poetry Review, Flying South, and Open to Interpretation. Currently, I am crafting a second collection of poetry and prose, Intercessors. I count among my mentors accomplished poets Marilyn Kallet and Mark Smith-Soto, and I have sharpened my writing skills through the study of verse by Richard Wilbur, Amy Clampitt, Carolyn Forche, and Heidi Andrea Restrepo Rhodes, among others.
I have been leading creative writing workshops since 2010. I created and taught a twelve-week Verve of Verse workshop at Penn-Griffin Middle School as well as writing workshops for adults, notably Ice Melting on a Hot Stove, a six-week poetry adventure, at Greensboro Creative Center. During the summer of 2023, I led two adult fiction, memoir and poetry workshops as part of the Forsyth County Library summer reading program.
Lastly, I am a collector of exquisite verse. I read a diversity of contemporary verse—the verse of poets such as Naomi Shihab Nye, Ocean Vuong, Mark Doty, and Carol Ann Duffy—and I enjoy sharing this verse with others.
Why Subscribe?
If you enjoy reading and/or writing verse, I hope that Seized by the Poem will make you smile and say, “Oh, what a poem!” as I showcase evocative and imaginative verse by masterful poets. I will share my poems and writing process as well as tips to help you write from a place of imagination and depth, and recommend books for your enjoyment and growth. Seized by the Poem is also for those who feel timid but curious about poetry. Verse shared in this journal will be accessible to all readers. I hope to make you fall in love with poetry!
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