Books, Poetry, and other Writing
What caused me to make poetry a daily practice was when my mother’s cancer returned in 2007. I simply had to write poems — 72 in all, which I’ve collected under the heading My Mother’s Diary. From then on, reading and writing poetry became an essential part of my writing life, and it can be part of yours too.
My new poetry collection, Love and other Mysteries, is published by Wipf and Stock. The Love 
poems are inspired by the biblical text, Song of Solomon, and the Mysteries follow the twenty Mysteries of the Rosary. These are poems of longing and of seeking from the perspective of a woman in midlife. They are poems of Thank you and I wish. Perhaps there is nothing more theological than eros.
In 2016 TS Poetry Press published The Joy of Poetry, a story of losing my mom and finding poetry. It’s part memoir, part anthology (my own poems and those of others), and part spirited defense of poetry, especially for those who think they don’t get it.
My second book, Rainbow Crow, also from TS Poetry Press, is a children’s book of poetry, both in and out of form, about my favorite critter (crows!), with gorgeous illustrations by Hasani Browne.
My Christmas book, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, takes the classic and adds history, poetry, and writing prompts. Don’t wait for the holidays to have your house haunted pleasantly by this classic story from 1843. (And while you’re at it, cue up The Muppet Christmas Carol movie, for the songs alone!)
I am also a contributing writer for Rock & Vine magazine and WACOAN magazine, as well as the Texas Hill Country Art Guide. I have also written several poetry prompts for Chronic Joy. And at Tweetspeak Poetry, I’ve written book reviews (for grownups and children) and a column about learning poetry By Heart.
To learn how to integrate poetry into your writing life, head over to my Substack, Poetry for Life. It answers the question, Why poetry? Because you might as well ask, Why chocolate?
Happy poeming!
Megan
Read more ~
Poetry
Tiny Wildflowers
a poem-painting collaboration with Nan Henke
First featured at Fredericksburg Art Guild, August 2024, celebrating all the small flowers too often overlooked. All poems are in the voice of explorer and botanist Thomas Drummond.
Kosmeo
Psalm 30: Flagless Memorial Day
The Clayjar Review
The Way Back to Ourselves
Ekstasis
Crossroads
a poem-painting collaboration with Nan Henke
First featured at Fredericksburg Art Guild, April 2023, with poems from The Joy of Poetry, Rainbow Crow, and several brand-new ones created for the show.
Chronic Joy
Calculating, September 11
Make Me Redbud
Michael Shane Walter
Psalm 139
Stars
Wait and Lament
Wallflower at the Dance
Writing in Winter
Every Day Poems
’93 Ford Ranger
Blinded
Butterfly Season
The Chocolate Artist
Cracked
Ode to my Heart Book
(untitled red potato poem)
Who Am I?
Where I’m From
Glory Be
Central Texas Writer’s Society
“Fawn” (not available online)
How to Write a Form Poem, by Tania Runyan
At Mile 37, a rondeau
Highland Park Poetry
“The Crows Desire Great Disaster” (not available online)
Moms on Poetry
Snoopy
The Cure for Writer’s Block
Valentine’s Chai
Blue Moon
Tweetspeak Poetry
At the Post-Funeral Reception
At Mile 37 (included in How to Write a Form Poem)
A Blessing for my Heart
The Hard Brown Beetles (a poem from The Great Gatsby)
Mrs. Blevins prays as John Grady Cole rides away
Tantrum
When springs of existence suddenly give way (a poem from Frankenstein)
The Windhover
Prose
National Association of Pastoral Musicians, Psalm Reflection, Psalm 118, “New Foundations”
Chronic Joy (former poetry prompt co-coordinator for a website supporting those with chronic illness)
Chicken Soup for the Tea Lover’s Soul (“Phil Simms, C.S. Lewis, and Tea”)
Emily D. Tea Traveler (where tea and poetry converge)
Magnolia Journal (articles in Chip & JoJo’s lifestyle magazine)
Project Redux (a writing book club for Sigrid Undset’s Kristin Lavransdatter and L.M. Montgomery’s Emily series)
Rock & Vine Magazine (all things Texas Hill Country)
Tweetspeak Poetry (Children’s Book Club, By Heart poetry memorization, 50 States project, plus book reviews)
WACOAN magazine (Waco fun)