Category: Memoir
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Held on Purpose by Cynthia Cady Stanton
I felt so moved by this poem that my youngest sister, Cynthia, wrote for me. When I was nine, Mom gave birth to fraternal twins (under hypnosis, by the way, – courageous!). Cynthia and Christopher. I was nine years old and loved taking care of the twins. My sister Martha…
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“Trapped by Poseidon in a Chevy Impala” up on LatinosUSA – English Edition!
Thank you, Juan Re Crivello, for publishing my poem “Trapped by Poseidon in a Chevy Impala” on LatinosUSA! This poem is based on a true story about my being trapped in a car with a sexual predator when I was a teenager. I used mythology to tell my story. You…
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Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!
It’s Mother’s Day, and the first thing I saw on my computer screen today (courtesy of AI) was a photo of you, Mom, on the slideshow from my photos app. I’ve been missing you. I feel weepy today. These are some of my favorites of your youth (and vulnerabilty). Because…
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“Trapped by Poseidon in a Chevy Impala” up on Spillwords
Thank you, Dagmara K, for publishing my poem, “Trapped by Poseidon in a Chevy Impala” on Spillwords. Before I share the poem, I would like to provide background. I know many women can relate to what I am about to share. When I was in high school, my family moved…
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Lumbar Fusion Surgery
I have been missing from WordPress because on December 16, 2025, I had lumbar fusion surgery to repair my case of severe spinal stenosis, which was causing debilitating peripheral neuropathy. The part of my spine housing the nerves had collapsed onto some nerves. Today, January 25, 2026, was the first…
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“Ode to a White Pelican” up on Chewers by Masticadores
I’m grateful to editor Nolcha Fox for publishing “Ode to a white Pelican”, a memoir poem, in Chewers by Masticadores. My husband and I love driving to the local wetlands to count the deer. For a period of time, we discovered a white pelican left behind possibly due to an…
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Poetry up on Lothlorien Poetry Journal
Three poems were published on Lothlorien Poetry Journal. Thank you, Strider Marcus Jones! https://lothlorienpoetryjournal.blogspot.com/2025/09/three-poems-by-barbara-harris-leonhard.html The first poem is a surreal expression of how I felt hearing of the passing of my first husband. The second one is an epistle poem to my dad, who was a pastor. I wondered how…
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“Grandmother Lilian” is up on MasticadoresCanada
My gratitude to Editor Ray Whitaker for publishing “Grandmother Lilian”, a contribution to his series “Women” on MasticadoresCanada. Ray’s current series on Women and his earlier one on Men are both fantastic. Please explore his blog and read, like, and comment on the posts. “Grandmother Lilian” is a memoir poem…
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Our House of Hungers
This memoir poem is from my book Three-Penny Memories: A Poetic Memoir. The book is primarily about me and Mom. As the eldest daughter, I was Mom’s primary helper. One year, 1962 – 1963, Dad had to leave us for a year to complete his Master’s in Theology at Princeton.…
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A Pet Memoir: Rainbow Bridge Train Stop up on MasticadoreUSA
I hope this memoir inspires you to submit your pet poem or story to MasticadoresUSA. This memoir is about our three cats, all of whom passed away over a period of two years. Here are the opening paragraphs. Please read the rest of the memoir by following the link, which…
Extraordinary Sunshine Weaver 