Mary Agnes Dalrymple's poems have appeared in many publications including The Baltimore Review, Haight Ashbury Literary Journal, The Comstock Review, Front Range Review, Green Hills Literary Lantern, G.W. Review, The Louisville Review, Roanoke Review, The Texas Observer, Pennsylvania English, and other publications.

From 1995 through 2001 Mary was the editor, illustrator and publisher of the free-verse poetry journal Blue Violin. Her first collection of poetry, "Water Tender: A Memoir in Poems" was published by Fithian Press in 2003. In 2004, Mary created MaryAnka Press to self-publish her second collection, "Rosa Mystica: Poems from the Rosary and Other Poems."

For information and sample poems from Mary's poetry collections, click on the following links --

Her poem, "Woman Waiting for Heat-Relief Assistance Overcome by Record-Breaking Heat," appears in the anthology, "Is This Forever or What? Poems and Paintings from Texas," poems selected by Naomi Shihab Nye (Greenwillow Books, 2004).

Her poem, "I, Salome," received a "Special Merit" designation in the The Comstock Review Muriel Craft Bailey Award competition of 2000 (Fall 2000, Vol. 14, #2). This poem also appears in Mary's collection, "Rosa Mystica: Poems from the Rosary and Other Poems."

Mary is the editor and publisher of the rosary based poetry journal Angel Face, currently on hiatus. And the editor of the new poetry journal Poppyseed Kolaché, now accepting submissions for the inaugural issue. (For submissions guidelines, go to - Poppyseed Kolaché Poetry Journal

Born Mary Agnes Lastovica in 1957 in Baytown, TX, Mary grew up in nearby Crosby. She graduated from Crosby High School in 1975. After many years working in the clerical field, she left her job with Chevron Chemical Company (formerly Gulf Oil Chemicals Company) to attend college.

Mary earned an AA degree from San Jacinto College - North and graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Houston - Clear Lake in 1995 with a BA in the Humanities.

Currently, she lives in Huffman, TX, with her husband Jim. They have two grown children from her husband's first marriage and one grandboy. They also manage an a ever-growing menagerie of pets: 3 cats (Goblin, Jellyroll and Hattie Belle), and 4 very lucky box turtles (Tuttle, Clem, Lacy, and Nutmeg) who live in outdoor enclosures.

In addition to her writing and publishing activities, Mary is also a painter and an artist. She created all the artwork for Blue Violin and Angel Face and makes the handmade rosaries and beaded jewelry offered for sale at Maryanka Beads (see link provided below).

Mary is a member of Our Lady's Rosary Makers and the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary. She is also a novice member of the Houston Rose Society and The Gulf Coast Turtle and Tortoise Society.

If interested in seeing a selection of Handmade Rosaries and Beaded Jewelry by Mary Agnes Dalrymple, please click on the following links -- To see a wider selection of available items, go to - http://www.maryankabeads.com