The Blackwater Literary Journal Issue IV is available

MILTON — Marc Livanos, Poet Laureate for the city has announced The Blackwater Literary Journal Issue IV is available for the public through Amazon, libraries and the Santa Rosa Writers’ Guild.

A dozen Santa Rosa County Writers’ Guild members along with many local teenage poets appear in Issue IV of the Blackwater Literary Journal. Guild members Glenda Frazier and Patricia Packett volunteered to select the works appearing in Issue IV.

Speakers from Pace spoke at the launches. Frank Onyemauwa, Ph.D., Sr. Principal Scientist of Pall Corporation, who empathized the importance of a higher educational goal, Pell grants requirements and ACT scores for UWF and poet Glenda Frazier talked about teens in a funk and their need to climb out of something that they don’t even understand.

“There were actually two launches for issue IV this year,” Livanos said. “One was at Milton High School for their poets and one at the Milton Community Center.” The Milton Community Center Poets group is restricted to teenagers only, from any school in the county, regardless of their school status. The meet every Tuesday from 3:30 to 5 p.m., in room 113, rain or shine or holiday.

These are the kids Livanos loves to work with. And he encourages them to write about their real feelings, fears, desires and problems. Here were Livanos words to the center kids at their launch.

“My advice to poets is to learn to quiet your mind and listen, like a musician does. A lot of song lyrics are in poetry. Train your ears to hear the wind, and eyes to study the earth. Poets know how to honestly express their internal turmoil without divisiveness or hateful words. Honest words have a sticking power that eludes the language of flowery cover-up. Poetry is medicine for the soul. It’s like talking to your soul.” Livanos said. The use of honest words for this issue rings true with themes of teenagers coming of age, anger concerns and bullying.

“It is an opportunity to hear and read the poetry that embodies the values of our county and to examine the thoughts of our teenagers,“ Livanos said.

The writers’ guild produce and publish the books every year. The guild accepts poetry writings from any county resident, Milton High School poetry students and any teenagers involved in the Milton Community Center Poetry classes.

The guild acknowledged Milton High School Teachers Hank Bunnell, Rhonda Waters and Leslie Briggs whose encouragement helped launch this issue.

This issue is dedicated to Lisa Murphey, Milton High School Library Media Specialist.