Fog Totem
Anne Mitchell's newest collection of poetry is now available in a chapbook through publisher Kelsay Books and on Amazon.
In Fog Totem, Anne Mitchell takes us on a journey via poetic snapshots of ocean and fog, the pandemic, a divorce, the loss of a beloved dog, knee surgery, a fledging daughter, and more...all with humor, musical wordplay, and irony. In these poems, we see tourists who “shiver in their shorts,” “pelicans (who) have all the moves,” a “dance to the hiss of rattlesnake grass,” and the “abalone iridescence of a hummingbird’s throat.” Vivid imagery and a narrator’s perspective that stays with you.
—Susan Vespoli, author of Blame It On the Serpent, Cactus as Bad Boy, and One of Them Was Mine.
"As one who often holds her breath for many reasons, reading Anne Mitchell’s poem 'Breathe' not only got me to inhale and exhale slowly and with pleasure, it got me to reclaim a level of ease and awareness that had fled. “Life will not always go your way. The bees will disappear from the hive, and the orange Tomcat will wander off to die without leaving a note…” Can’t we all recognize ourselves in that? Fog Totem will bring you back to what matters most. These poems will slow you down so you too can breathe more easily and be reminded of what matters most.”
—Patrice Vecchione, author of My Shouting, Shattered, Whispering Voice: A Guide to Writing Poetry & Speaking Your Truth.
“With whimsy and wordplay, Anne Mitchell scours the attic of a life filled with heartache and hope, all the while rendering the details of everyday life into a poetry of attention. Far from prose that pretends to verse, Fog Totem is poetry in its truest sense and purpose.”
—Rags Rosenberg is songwriter/poet and artist in residence at The Hofsas House in Carmel, CA.
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Anne Mitchell has called Carmel, California her home for over 30 years. Her career in hospitality has taken her around the world of service including chimney sweep, dive boat cook, cocktail slinger, Hausmädchen, limo driver, cruise director, caterer, and soccer mom. As a lifelong writer, when the year 2020 brought the sudden realm of solitude, poetry presented itself as a willing conversationalist. Anne is a board member for The Carl Cherry Center for the Arts and is proud to be part of the arts legacy that is the bedrock of her community. Anne also enjoys the theater and has been in staged readings at The Cherry, The Listening Place and Eulalia Theater. Her work may be found in the Community Journal for writers.com, The Pacific Grove Press, and The Poet Magazine.
Photo: Martha Casanave.
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