Carol Anderheggen

Carol Anderheggen published regionally for years, and, has now published in national literary journals. Finishing Line Press published her two chapbooks, Writing Down Cancer, and Born-Child, both available from Finishing Line Press. She is currently working on a manuscript, Safety of Dreams, for publication.

She worked at the Frost Festival of Poetry in Franconia, NH and taught a poetry workshop at Salve Regina University, in Newport, RI for ten years. She is a member of and webmaster for Ocean State Poets, a collective of Rhode Island poets.

Carol recently completed a two-month tour of many talk show interviews and videos on the internet. Her website, carolmaeray.com, contains a full biography, poems, slideshows and a link to a video interview.

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► Carol Anderheggen's microchaps & selected poems are available below.

Origami Microchap	Selected Poem(s)
Considerations
Click title to download PDF microchap Cover image from web •	I cannot surrender poetry it would seem that some poets are silent singers— I cannot move from the seat of my opposition I cannot weave such images as mean nothing I cannot surrender poetry to mere sensation to a mere exercise of words poetry must mean it must sing of such desperation and joy as there is it must sing of the roughness of rocks and the smoothness of sand poetry is more than is Emily D. She lived, among believers Though an unbeliever herself— The solid ground on which she stood— King James Bible, Shakespeare. Books, a few friends and family Were her heart’s true needs— Birthing her many poems— It’s on those poems we feed.	The lowly adverb Breathe slow the digital guru tells me— I can breathe air, foul or fair I can breathe gas fumes in the air I can breathe perfume from one so fair but I cannot breathe slow, nor deep but I can breathe air… A Second of Infinity Experienced peace is hearing the distant, insistent bird, the whir of your untroubled breath and the static of fur petted. it is early morning when even Care and Woes lie still asleep and we weep only in our dreams when traffic, dirty dishes and things to be mailed are only common memory. Yes, peace is green, crystalline and clean at 6:04 am. • Carol Anderheggen © 2023
Vignettes of Childhood
Click title to download PDF microchap Cover collage by Jan Keough •	on those hot summer days she was glad her two toddlers did not drool or want to sit on her lap daughter two always missing when chores beckoned, her discipline as a mother now-- is surprising arriving home late at night she discovered the new babysitter had used her jewelry as toys for her daughters after 18 years of cooking she hit the wall told them to bring restaurant receipts for reimbursement	in the days before car seats her infant fell onto the floor with a thud - the rusted metal did not give way as I slid behind the wheel my daughters (who had never seen me drive) began to wail the mornings were always so: “Pebbles get off my face “ shouts my daughter to her cat better than an alarm clock it was $5.20 is missing s piggy bank ’ from daughter one daughter two swears the $5.20 found in her bedroom is hers not her sister's • Carol Anderheggen © 2018
Mutability
Click title to download PDF microchap Cover photo by Pip Hartnett •	A Little Love Poem elbow to elbow, hand to hand we accept our bodies' electric flow illuminating our universe for the moment-- now past consummation we doze quietly points touching elbow to elbow, hand to hand Mutability This dull repose wearies me—so restless the sea, dark within, grating at the light of half-made thoughts, like many stones rumbling under fast moving waters. We are water, stone--air even—mixed together or falling apart. Fire too. This brings me here to the matter at hand: The boundaries of life are so porous that sometimes the water I am deftly smothers the fire once emblazoned by wind and I fall apart.	each to his/her own typewriters type poets compose teachers teach each to his/ her own even the sun knows its function to blaze heat the day then fade away for the moon which knows to glow bright white hanging there in the sky like a hot quarter in a kid’s pocket Mayhem at the bird feeder, or, does might make right? Four sparrows twitching seeds -- down their gullets number five alights atop the feeder takes a breather then dives down creating a flurry of feathers soon the chirps dissolve into an argument of loud and angry accusations. Tired of waiting the big bright blue jay watching from aside -- swoops in ending the discussion. · Carol Anderheggen © 2013