Here are three photos from our trips and a poem I wrote during the pandemic when travel was just a wish.
Water heals and inspires me.
When we walk
not speaking
enjoying the fresh air
I pack my red suitcase
rolled-up undies-shirts-socks-sweaters
tucked inside strategically
latch the suitcase
admire the stitching
see in mind’s eye
trees that are not
our suburban trees
pinecones or shells
instead of browning grass
feel sun’s warmth
shade my eyes from its light
let go of the too-familiar
bask in what comes next.
~Louise Kantro
Monterey Poetry Review, Fall 2022
Pre-Order my new book
“A Wild Ride”
Finishing Line Press
Publication Date
June 12, 2026
Pictured here are my 2010 chapbook Dwellingplaces, published by
Pudding House Press, and some journals that have featured my stories and poems.
Prizes
Phil Heldriech Nonfiction Award, Best of Choeofpleirn, 2023
“The Afghan Throw”
Derick Burleson Prize for “Displacement of Loss” and publication in The Best of Choeofpleirn, 2022 and nominated for
Best American Poetry
Publications Chariton Review South Loop Review Oasis
Anthologies
More than Soil, More than Sky
The Awakening Review
Lifting the Curtain on Education
Tallgrass (Outrider Press) anthologies – several
Links to some of my work:
Louise Kantro: Reclamation & Union (short stories)
PASSING BY LOUISE KANTRO – The RavensPerch (poem)
MY DREAM KNOWS BEFORE I DO BY LOUISE KANTRO – The RavensPerch (poem)
Spring 2025 Poetry – Monterey Poetry Review (poem – Heroes)
vol10no1.pdf – The Deronda Review, pg. 20 (poem – The Vision)
My journey through the literary world has been enriched
by my MFA experience, where my emphasis was short stories.
After I retired from teaching, I focused more on poetry.
The upcoming release of my chapbook,
A Wild Ride,
reflects my commitment to addressing political
and social issues through verse.
I believe that poetry can serve as a powerful medium
for personal narrative and artistic expression.
