Welcome to our very first calendar! We have many talented contributing photographers and poets, as listed below:

January

Photographer: Carolina Pokidaylo

Blue Sea

Carolina Pokidaylo is 16 years old, and ever since she was a little girl, photography and poetry have fascinated her. She's intrigued by photographs of nature and photographs that have an underlying meaning. It has become her passion and an escape into a whole different world. She takes photographs and writes with a heart-felt approach, in hopes to move and touch others. Some more of her photography and poetry can be found at:
Deviant Art 
Creative Poems

Poet: Alfred  Berggren - A Beautiful Sailing Ship

As a very small lad, he would listen to his father tell him about his days as Third Mate on a Danish sailing ship, towards the last part of the nineteenth century. He would tell him about going around Cape Horn and having to reef top sails. He would be very high in the sails and still looking up at waves. His father told him it was one hand for yourself and one hand for the ship, often holding on by only an eyelash! He called him 'Petsy' and would say: "Petsy, then there were wooden ships and iron men - today we have iron ships and wooden men."

Alfred Berggren is a second generation Danish, who grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. For most of his working years he’s taught public school at the secondary level – he is now retired and keeps busy writing poetry and acting on the stage. He is currently playing the part of the 'Player King' in Hamlet, and is a member of Hemet Valley's Shakespearean Company in California. He has been married for 51 years and has three children, 11 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

Other poems written by Alfred Berggren can be found under his pseudonym, Ramfire, located at Your Poetry They include other sea poems, such as: In The Gallants, Sonnet To A Safe Passage, Mike's Bar, Shanghaied, Bucket of Bolts, Nova Scotia, The Sea, She Waits for Me, Titanic, Seascape, Sails, Hell's Gate, A Fearful Beast. I'm coming Back To You, Sooling, Fulsome Rock and Jack.

February

Photographer: Carolina Pokidaylo

Rose on Guitar

For biography, see January

Poet: Keri Grindstaff - One Dozen Roses

Keri Grindstaff is a College Student, majoring Government Pre-Law. She has been writing for over a decade. Her writing has always been highly personal and she enjoys reaching out to others with her work. A lot inspires her in life: music, emotions, nature and, mainly, love. Her main poetic genre is love.

For more information and more works by Keri Grindstaff: Creative Poems

March

Photographer: Eleanor Bryant

Balloons

On the 11 January 1999, Eleanor opened the door to the world of writing and stepped through. Instead of returning, she has wandered further and delved deeper until at last she forgot where the door was. Photography takes up very little of her time.

View Eleanor Bryant’s website here: WriteTheReality. 

Poet: Corina Stirb - Year Of The Monkey

April

Photographer: Christy Chojnacki

Bridge over Stream

Christy is a single mother of two girls, ages 12 and 14. She has worked as a certified nursing aide for 20 years and is now working as a rehab aide. She is an amateur gardener and photographer. She loves to do both. She loves anything to do with nature. Christy was born and raised in the country in western NY. And she likes to explore new places. She would like to see and photograph the world someday.

View more of Christy Chojnacki photographs here: ChristysPhotos

Poet: Leah Shinkle - Little Step Of Faith

Leah Joelle Shinkle, lives in Topeka, Kansas, USA. She comes from a large family of four sisters and four brothers. At the age of fifteen, this is her first publication. She started writing poetry four years ago.

May

Photographer: Jean Duggleby

Fairy Dancer

Poet: Sue Oldham - May

Sue Oldham is married to a serviceman and they have two sons, aged 11 and 13, and a Golden Retriever who thinks he's one of the kids! She has had around 27 poems and short stories published to date, and one short story broadcast on local radio. She mainly writes as a hobby; her other interests are local history, swimming, and reading.

June

Photographer: Scott Marsh

Sunset 4

Poet: Simon Murphy - PARADISE

Simon Murphy lives in beautiful Yorkshire, UK, with his wife and son. He enjoys reading and writing, playing golf and having a great time with life. He has had poems published in the 2005 UKA anthology and in the Sporting Chance anthology, which helps a Bristol-based charity to raise funds for our next generation of sporting heroes.

July

Photographer: Carolina Pokidaylo

Flower Bee

Poet: Susan Candreva - Nature In Flight

Susan Candreva lives in the beautiful state of Vermont, USA. She is the mother of one son and two wonderful granddaughters who she loves spending time with. She started writing poetry about two years ago as a challenge and has been doing it ever since. She loves curling up with a good book.

August

Photographer: Carolina Pokidaylo

Sand and Sea

For biography, see January

Poet: Kristin Bell - Forever Destined

Kristin Bell has had other poems published, she was honoured that they wanted to show her poems to the world. You can find more of her works at Poetry Poem.

September

Photographer: Christy Chojnacki

Leaves

For biography, see March

Poet: Jerome Wentzel - Rotation

Jerome Wentzel lives in Little Hope Wisconsin, USA. He is married with three children. He is now working for a foundry in Wisconsin, though he used to be in the printing and publishing business. He has been writing for two years. His hobbies are the outdoors, photography and drawing.

October

Photographer: L MacLeod

Five Sisters

L MacLeod was born a very long time ago in Fife. Time at Edinburgh University produced a Bachelor of Music degree, which led to a career in teaching. Poetry writing is a recent, and liberating, hobby. Home is now in the north of Scotland, surrounded by good friends, beautiful scenery, a large, slightly overgrown garden and too many wild rabbits. Her first piece of work to be published is in UKA’s Voices 3. In her spare time, she enjoys taking a few snaps.

Poet: Tom Brock - Silence

Tom Brock is romantic through and through. Melancholic by nature. Deeply religious by choice. He lives in Virginia, in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, where all three facets are well nourished. He tends to look at the deeper realities of life and existence but with a gentle touch because, to quote a favourite movie title, life is beautiful.

Website: All Poetry
Website: Tom Brock

November

Photographer: Keri Grindstaff

Fireworks

Keri Grindstaff is a College Student, majoring Government Pre-Law. She has been writing for over a decade. Her writing has always been highly personal and she enjoys reaching out to others with her work. A lot inspires her in life: music, emotions, nature, and mainly, love. Her main poetic genre is love. When she has a spare moment her other hobby is photography.

For more information and more works by Keri Grindstaff: CreativePoems

Poet: Daniel Scragg - Night Wish

Daniel Scragg lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, with his cousin Colton. He has been writing poetry for a little over two years. He enjoys learning by computers, hanging out with his brother and writing, of course. His writing style constantly changes. Every day he is influenced by music, books and movies.

For more information and more works by Daniel Scragg: Creative Poems

December

Photographer: Christy Chojnacki

Old Watershed

For biography, see March

Poet: Richard Wink - The Woods At Night

Richard Wink was born in 1984 in the 'Fine' City of Norwich. His poetry is rooted in real life experiences and the complications of life, reflecting both the sacred and the mundane. He has been published in Concrete, Underground Window and Aesthetica magazine.