BIRDLAND JOURNAL

Celebrating Northern California Voices

Spring 2020 Issue

Spring arrives early in Northern California. After the dark winter of spindly trees and cold nights, it’s only February and we are graced with greener hills, sunshine, sprouting crocuses, daffodils, deep blue grape hyacinth. You can’t miss the yellow mustard lining the vineyards and seeing wild plum blossoms exploding everywhere. Nature has its pulse on hope. It reminds us that things do change for the better. Welcome to our first 2020 Birdland Journal issue. Enjoy an array of wonderful prose and poems as varied as our early spring offerings, like the unexpected timeliness of Art Carey’s “And Forgive Us Our Trespasses,” and Stephanie Noble’s still timely “Oh November, 2016.” Savor the lovely language in Sharon Pretti’s poem “Waking,” and Jan Haag’s “This Longest Night.” Find hope in nature’s resilience in Nancy Huxtable Mohr’s poem “Flight.” We are excited to share these and many more with you.

Also a big thank you to David Wakely for the beautiful photographs of Birdland that introduce this journal.

Caroline Smadja | One of My Favorite Places on Earth

Laura Atkinson | Who Is This Love?

Mark Dowie | The Moment

G. M. Monks | Not a Pretty Man

Angie Minkin | Joe’s Party | Only Then Do I See the Entrance

Joe Cottonwood | Airplanes

Carol Harada | Brain Lab Beam On

Susan Dambroff | Lost Coast Writer’s Retreat | A Hope or a Prayer

Stephanie Noble | Oh November, 2016

Arthur Carey | “And Forgive Us Our Trespasses…”

John Laue | The Sweet Ship Hope

Kathryn Jordan | Grover Hot Springs, #33

Christie Cochrell | The Hope Chest

Abby Caplin | Let It Never End

Daniel Raskin | Childhood Paradise

Sharon Pretti | Waking

Nancy Huxtable Mohr | Full Moon in Santa Cruz | Flight | Home

Christine Welter | Chess Lessons in Silicon Valley

Jan Haag | This Longest Night | Bonus