Mary Anne Abdo is an author/poet, photographer, and artist. She is the owner of Blue Stained Glass Poetry and Art. She graduated magna cum laude from Luzerne County Community College with a degree in Human Services. With a background in freelance journalism; she uses her poetry as a source of creative expression. Her self-published poetry book is titled, “Fractured Lollipop Poems of Brokenness Healing and Hope. Her children’s book is titled, “Pumpkin: The Cat Who Plays With Words.” Her 3rd book “Droplets of Crystal Poetry for the Soul was released in October of 2025. All of her books are on Amazon.
Mary Anne teaches poetry at several nursing home facilities. Her work has been featured in: The World Covid Collective, The Edge of Humanity Magazine, Mind and Matters Magazine, Poetry Super Highway, The Zest of Lemon Magazine, Moonstone Press, Grit and Grace Magazine, Orenaug Mountain Publishing, Pennsylvania Bards, Local Gems Press, Clare Songbirds 2024 Poetry Anthology, Humana Obscura Quarterly Magazine, The Avocet, Calla Press, Scranton Poets Live, Pennsylvania Poetry Society monthly poetry journal, and Studio B’s annual poetry anthology. Mary Anne placed second for her photography and short story submission in the Museum of Family Prayer’s 2022 Mary Garden contest. She was a 2023 semi-finalist for the Bermuda Triangle Poetry Awards. She has also collaborated on several children’s book, Creative Gems Volumes 2&3, and has been featured internationally in Bindweed Magazine’s seasonal anthology. Her work has been archived through the National Library of Ireland courtesy of Bindweed Magazine. She has appeared on the local talk show PA Live, The B Inspired podcast, Orenaug Mountain’s Featured Poet of the Week, Super Poetry Highway’s Poet of Week, Eat The Storms podcast with Damien Donnelly, JMJ Catholic radio, and several stage appearances. She was The Word Hive’s poet of the month for April 2025. The featured guest poet in November 2025 for the Anthracite Journal. Her artwork and photography have been displayed in several local venues. She serves on the board of directors for the Friends of the Scranton Public Library. She is currently working on her 2nd children’s book due out in July 2026.
You may check out her work on: Facebook: Mary Anne Abdo/Poet/Author
WordPress: https://bluestainedglass.wordpress.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryanne.abdo/
Mary Anne resides in Scranton Pennsylvania.
Virginia LeBaron is a nurse and a poet. Her writing is inspired, in part, by her experiences caring for patients with cancer. She is the author of Cardinal Marks (Finishing Line Press, 2021) and her poems have appeared, or are forthcoming, in Mom Egg Review, The Potomac Review, Bicoastal Review, Winter Anthology, and Pigeon Pages, among others. Her writing has been supported by a Virginia Center for the Creative Arts residency and the Lighthouse Poetry Collective. In 2025, she was a finalist for the Arts & Letters Rumi Prize for Poetry and the winner of the Luminaire Poetry Award. Most recently, she was short-listed for the Black Lawrence Press St. Lawrence Book Award and one of 10 finalist poets selected to participate in the 2026 Masters Workshop through the Tucson Festival of Books Literary Awards. She is faculty at the University of Virginia School of Nursing and lives with her family in Charlottesville, Virginia. Learn more at www.virginialebaron.com
Tess Lockhart is a feminist theologian, Presbyterian pastor, and licensed medical massage therapist with her own business. As she admits, “It’s been a weird journey.” Her published works are mostly academic theological articles. She’s only recently started publishing her poetry in various publications and anthologies. Watching for Spirit lurking in the quotidian muck of it all, she seeks to catch its ephemeral revelation in linguistic play. More of her work can be found at www.tess-lockhart.com.
the poet's billow 