Discovering Poet Katharyn Howd Machan

Good evening my friends,

It has been a couple of wild weeks. I have been going through some health upsets. Now I am happy to be able to dive back into blogging, and hopefully, back into writing, also!

Currently I am in a research bit on my young adult historical novel. My main character has gone through a lot in the first chapter of Part 2 of the story, and I am having to research Civil War hospitals, because she is at the hospital right now. I am sad to have researchd more and found out that the lady who began Red Cross, did not start until later in time. So unfortunately, this inspiring real woman cannot feature in my book, to inspire my original character. That made me kindof sad and still does, but I am trying to find inspiration for my main character without her.

Katharyn Howd Machan, Poet

I first discovered poet Katharyn Howd Machan last week, when I was in bed feeling unwell. It made me breath a rare breath of contentedness, to find a new writer that intrigued me. It is always exciting to do so!

Machan has published 39 poetry collections, and won the 2018 Alexandra Quarterly Press chapbook competition. Currently she teaches a VERY interesting-sounding course, focusing on fairytales, at Ithaca College in New York state. Not only that, she has studied belly dance and incorporated it into poetic/dance performances, including one where she is Zajal the Sugar Plum Fairy, at children’s events. You can find out more about her here.

IC writing professor publishes poetry collections

Her poetry

It was not easy for me to decide what work of this poet to share with you. I scoured the internet for some time, and waffled between this or that poem. Ultimately, I chose one called, “Mountain Unicorn”. It stood out to me because it seems to speak of the magical, innocent sweetness of a unicorn, while also touching upon dark and oft-avoided topics such as death. As a writer, its whimsical mood and simultaneous deep delving philosophy, attracted me; because I try to put a lot of my heart into my writing, but neither do I want it to come out too stiff and serious.

Forest Unicorn

by Ann Stokes

Here is her poem, “Mountain Unicorn”:

won’t ever dare Mount Everest:
                        two hundred bodies already lie there
                        and he won’t add his swift sweet hooves.
                        He settles for safer, smoother slopes:
                        Haleakala with its black-necked birds,
                        Mount Washington’s crimson leaves.
                        Once a poet friend was hiking
                        Mount St. Helens when the hot core blew
                        and her ashes became volcano’s ashes
                        same as ancient Pompei. Mountain Unicorn
                        hungers for stretch, for reach, for dazzle
                        of wild sunrise breath. But he has loved
                        ones waiting below, grazing, whickering,
                        letting him know
                        the light will go out of their lives
                        if his climbing ends in death.
by Katharyn Howd Machan