The Snowflake Chronicles

April Fantansy Newsletter (Deadline:4/17/17)

1. War on Drugs
2. Mary Meets Little Bill
3. Beware Pleiades
4. The Leanan-Sidhe
5. Drives
6. Metamorphosis
7. Brother Hunters Are we

Title #1

Speculative Poetry

Title #2

What is speculative poetry?

Hook

What if poetry?

About this Newsletter

What if poetry
Science Fiction Fantasy
Exploring new worlds

Letter From the Editor

What is speculative poetry? According to Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speculative_poetry speculative poetry is poetry which focuses themes of mythology, fantasy, and science fiction. While this defines the genre it does not answer the question. Speculative poetry is simply "What If" poetry. That is, this genre of poetry answers the "What if" question in stanza and line.

What poetry forms work best with speculative poetry? There are some poets who suggest that free verse works best. Free verse is a good form for this type of poetry because it does not confine you to a rhyme scheme. However, sometimes a poet might want to use a specific rhyme scheme because of humor or for some other reason. I have found that limericks or clerihews are good forms when humor is needed in a poem.

Prose poetry also works well with What if poems. In prose you can use metaphors and similes along with repetition and internal rhyme. The prose poem can tells a story using the first person voice. The only problem with prose poetry is that it can be difficult to write. Of course, this is a problem you can face with any poetry form.

Sci-faiku is a form specific created for speculative poetry. This form uses the haiku form of 5-7-5 syllables to write a three line science fiction poem. I have written this type of poem and it can be rewarding. It gets the creative juices flowing because it focuses the mind on a specific form. This is also why limericks and clerihew make good speculative poems.

I challenge my readers want to use any of these forms to write a science fiction or fantasy poem. Please feel free to submit them to the newsletter for the May edition. The deadline is Wednesday, May 10, 2017.

Editor's picks

STATIC

Mary Meets Little Bill  (13+) Mary grows dissatisfied with life and seeks greener pastures. Don't we all? #2115535 by Christopher Roy Denton

Excerpt: Sweet Mary Quinn did hate her man, because he was a cad.
         Although their home was spick-and-span, Mick treated Mary bad.
         She washed his clothes a sparkly white, so everybody said,
         but Mick believed such was his right and rarely left his bed.

Invalid Item  This item number is not valid. #2116275 by Not Available.

         Excerpt: I added and subtracted with very little flop,
         For speed was not so needed.
         As time went by, your need grew more,
         Your search would be impeded.

STATIC

The Leanan-Sidhe  (13+) An Irish legend of a beautiful fairy muse who takes lovers to live brief inspired lives. #1982561 by 🌕 HuntersMoon

Excerpt: The evening mist collects and spills,
         in shades of white and grey,
         muting the color of the hills
         that shine throughout the day.

Drives  (E) Star Trek Sci-Faiku #2056461 by Coriandre

Excerpt: Jumping to warp speed

Metamorphosis  (13+) A dark, short tale about goldfish, mermaids, and transformation #2116561 by AnnK47

Excerpt: When I was little, I saw a pretty cartoon one Saturday afternoon on Storybreak. It was about friendship and suffering and love. I am grown up now, but I hold that preciousness within me, I swallowed that fairytale whole—its magic bubbles in my blood, it’s grown with me:

Invalid Item  This item number is not valid. #2101647 by Not Available.

Excerpt: Two brothers, hunters they are
         Traveling here, there, near and far
         Growing up in a hunter's life
         Neither ever taking a wife

Submitted by the Readers

Invalid Item  This item number is not valid. #2115453 by Not Available.

Excerpt: Data from a conscientious objector application streamed across my console. “Stop.” The dataflow froze. “What occupation is family man?” I waited for computer analysis.

Feedback fro "Fantasy Newsletter (March 22, 2017)" 

BIG BAD WOLF is Howling Writes: There's a number of authors I enjoy. At the moment I'm reading the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich - Stephanie works as a modern-day bounty hunter, who always ends up in some sort of crazy predicament as she chases after those who "forget" their court dates, and has a hard time choosing between the men in her life - should she go with the cop Morelli, or should she go with Super bounty hunter Ranger?

jiuhl Writes: In reply to the editor's question;

Some of the women writers in sci-fi I like are Lois M Bujold, CJ Cherryh, Susan K Quinn, Annie Bellet, Blair C Babylon and so many others. The list expands if I include women writing with an element of fantasy. Robin Hobb's books are at the top of my list in any genre. Male authors are Card, Heinlein, Gibson, etc. It's torture to pick a favorite.

Thank you for featuring my flash, Earthbound, in the last edition. It was fun to see my item on the list.

You're welcome.
Prosperous Snow celebrating

brom21 Writes: Although there are really no single author that I hold to, Jon white is a exceptional writer. He takes the subtle Christian undertone of C.S. Lewis and totally amplifies it so that that spiritual aspect is very obvious. His use of magic, enchanted talismans and dark sorcerers and the powers of light make his stories very interesting. He also makes up fantasy creatures like many stories of that genre. I have never read a book by a female author so I cannot answer that question. Maybe some day I will encounter a good fantasy book by a female writer. Thanks for the newsletter!

Feedback from "Fantasy Newsletter (February 22, 2017)" 

Elfin Dragon-finally published Writes: Can you use mythological creatures, such as Centaurs, in a science fiction story? - the answer to this question is yes. Just look at Poul Anderson's book "Fire Time". In this book there are Centaur-like beings in a Science Fiction setting.