Being a City Girl, I Screamed

Geltner’s poetry has a natural lyricism without ever losing its potency. This is especially true of her haiku: delicious amuse-bouches that linger on the tongue and longer in the mind. Her sense of humor, vulnerability, and wiry wit seem to effortlessly flow in this substantive collection.-David Sisco, composer and author of Mastering College Musical Theatre Auditions

In the fall of 2012, poet Danita S. Geltner issued herself a challenge. She began writing one (or more) haiku a day. By 2017, she had written twenty-two hundred poems and published nine hundred on social media. Six were put to music by the composer David Sisco and sung by Marie Mascari at Carnegie Hall.

During this process, Geltner deepened her understanding of haiku and began experimenting with the simple form. The result is a deep appreciation and celebration of the iconic Japanese format, as her new collection abundantly illustrates.

In addition to her haiku, Geltner also includes longer poems about everything from salt to her own struggles as both an artist and a human being. From short, sharp moments to poignant musings, Geltner’s work will find its mark with her readers and create an undeniable, electric connection.