After the Project

Of the poems in The 55 Project, several of them appeared here for the very first time. Some of their poets are now including them in their new collections, including:




Reaching Forever
by Philip C. Kolin
2019 - (Poiema Poetry Series) Cascade Books

Full Worm Moon
by Julie L. Moore
2018 - (Poiema Poetry Series) Cascade Books

Getting To Gardisky Lake
by Paul J. Willis
2016 - Stephen F. Austin State University Press

Sea Glass: New & Selected Poems
by Luci Shaw
2016 - WordFarm

Where The Sky Opens
by Laurie Klein
2015 - (Poiema Poetry Series) Cascade Books

Small Rain
by Barbara Crooker
2014 - Purple Flag

Poem 032The Poet Reflects on Isaiah, Chapter 55

A public-service announcement that begins
with the word Ho! I like that.
And free groceries—no food stamps, even.

Also the soundtrack: hills that sing,
myrtle and cypress that applaud
while I down my milk and bread and wine.

But the glorified truth of it all
is I don’t quite trust it—not as national policy.
Soon everyone else will be showing up

and wanting some, and that gets thorny.
(We’ve been over this!) My thought, anyway.
Forgive me if I’ve worded things incorrectly.

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Paul Willis of Santa Barbara, California is the author of three poetry collections, the most recent being Say This Prayer Into The Past (Poiema Poetry Series/Cascade Books). He is the former Poet Laureate of Santa Barbara, and is Professor of English at Westmount College. Visit Kingdom Poets to find out more about him.