[Tim Murphy]

Our young friend, Daniel Haar, has just had his fine poem Disoriented accepted by Paul Lake at First Things. Daniel had asked me to look at a sheaf, and I said "Just send that one." I suspect this will be Daniel's first paid publication, and it gives me greater pleasure than anything since I got Jody Reyes to send to the Hudson's Beginning Writers issue. For such a bunch of heathen, we're sure getting a lot of stuff into America's most important Catholic publication.

[Roger Slater]

Congratulations, Daniel.

FT has a circulation of 35,000 issues, I believe, which gives you a bigger audience than you could expect at any other top literary magazine, and gives you a host of intelligent readers who don't usually read poetry. And they even pay you fifty dollars! Well done, and kudos to Tim for picking the right poem.

[Lo]

Originally posted by Tim Murphy:
For such a bunch of heathen, we're sure getting a lot of stuff into America's most important Catholic publication.

Congratulations to Daniel, but now I'm confused. I had been considering sending a few poems to First Things, based on Paul Lake's post, http://www.ablemuse.com/erato/ubbhtm...ML/001697.html , as well. Mostly based on his assurance that it was a nondenominational and interreligious publication.

Arghhh...which is it?

Enquiring non-catholic-writing heathens need to know.

Lo



[This message has been edited by Lo (edited April 20, 2006).]

[Janet Kenny]

I'm very happy for Daniel.

I have always felt that I had no chance in that publication so have never submitted anything.

It's all a matter of definition. Who is to measure the unmeasurable?
Janet

[This message has been edited by Janet Kenny (edited April 20, 2006).]

[David Anthony]

It's definitely inter-denominational rather than RC.
In my experience they go for poems with a spiritual content, rather than anything specifically religious. I'm a lapsed thingy of many years' standing, but they've published a couple of my poems.
Best regards,
David

[Paul Lake]

David's "spiritual content" is a pretty good definition of what First Things prints. Though some poems are informed by specifically Christian imagery and themes, others, like Daniel Haar's poem, are more generally spiritual. Daniel's poem is a kind of brief episode in a spiritual journey, a kind of station along the way of a miniature Pilgrim's Progress.

[wendy v]

Love the title of the poem. Good to hear this, Daniel, and may there be many more.

wendy

[Catherine Chandler]

Congratulations, Daniel. I look forward to reading your poem.

Catherine Chandler

[Tim Murphy]

There is a serenity and a spiritual longing to Daniel's work which is unusual in the young. I am certain it is related to his Sufism, the branch of Islam I admire.

[Daniel Haar]

Thanks Tim, for the announcement, and, of course, for the advice! And thank you, everyone, very much for your kind comments. Spending too much of my days working on economics, it is quite pleasing (and motivating) to reach some measure of success in the rather different world of poetry.