As You Leave
I watch as you leave,
wishing you could stay.
I thought we'd have more time,
but the choice isn't mine.
You fade from view as the
distance between us grows.
I cling to my perch,
not ready to let go.
Links
Showing posts with label #wschat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #wschat. Show all posts
Thursday, January 25, 2018
As You Leave
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
Monday, February 15, 2016
En Plein Air
En Plein Air
The easel is set up on the grass,
near a clearing in the woods.
Here, the trees the artist paints
are called birches. They are lithe,
like runners, not bulky weight
lifters who have spent too much
time at the gym. Their bark is
gleaming white, bright, as though
the forest fairies have just given
it a cleaning. The crazy quilt of
black spots on the trunks create
a stark contrast. Suddenly, the
painter is overcome by nausea
due to a strong but familiar
stench--skunk. The artist sighs
and shakes her head. Even
in
the forest, there are
critics.
This piece was written as part of the Wordsmith Studio Flash Fiction Writing Month Challenge. The prompt was to use each of the words that I have underlined in the piece, which I'm calling a flash fiction prose poem. There are plenty pf days left in the challenge if you want to join in. You will find the prompts on Twitter by using #FlaFiWriMo or #wschat and on the Wordsmith Studio Facebook Page.
Every Tuesday night, we chat about writing on Twitter at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Eastern time using #wschat. Bring questions, answers, news or give or ask for support.
Links
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Catching Up for Wordsmith Studio's 3rd Anniversary
As part of Wordsmith Studio's 3rd Anniversary, the group is hosting a blog hop. The blog hop is in the capable hands of Wordsmith Studio Advisory Group member Elissa Field and re-starts every Wednesday this month. She is sharing prompts for blog posts or you can use a favorite post from within the last month.
The first prompt is a Q&A to let people know about your writing. Here goes!
Are you a WSSer (a member of Wordsmith)?
Yes, I have been a member from the beginning. After participating regularly in the Tuesday #wschats on Twitter for about two years, I started helping with the hosting about this time last year. I am primarily a host for the Night Owl chat, which begins at 9 p.m. Eastern time, but I fill in on the Early Bird chat when needed. I also write or take a picture based on the creative prompts posted on the Wordsmith Studio website.
What medium do you work in?
I write poetry. I began writing poetry out of a grief experience and have published a chapbook called I Keep You with Me. I also write jazz poetry and Ekphrastic poetry, which is poetry inspired by visual art.
What’s the name of your current project?
My current project is participating in Robert Lee Brewer's Poem-A-Day Challenge as part of National Poetry Month. As of this writing, I am 13-for-13. This is definitely the best start I have had in the challenge.
What is your favorite detail, sentence or other bit you’ve written lately?
In response to the Wordsmith Studio Creative Prompt-Trapped, I wrote a poem entitled Books. I have always love to read. Since I like to read mysteries, I have a hard time putting a book down until I know the outcome.
Any obstacles or I-hate-this-chapter moments?
Procrastination and my head. In other words, not sitting down and writing, and letting my inner editor get in the way.
What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned lately from your writing?
WSS did some word sprints as part of it's New Year's celebration. After participating in those, I set a goal of writing for a minimum of 15 minutes each day. I learned I could accomplish quite a bit in that amount of time. I also was more focused than if I just "sat down to write". I realized it was OK to write gobbledygook to get started.
In what ways do you hope to grow in the next 6 months/year?
Create better images and use stronger words in my poetry.
In what ways do writing friends and communities help you do that?
They help by offering feedback and support. The #wschat is a great place to get encouragement if you're discouraged or congratulations if something good has happened. People also leave comments on blogs or Facebook posts. I also go to an in-person critique group that is very helpful with feedback.
What else should we have asked you, or what would you ask other writers?
Some of my Ekphrastic poems are inspired by my own photographs. I combine the two into visual art pieces and have had a few shows in the past couple of years.
Links
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
Monday, April 6, 2015
A Salute to #wschat
A Salute to #wschat
It's been three years
since Not Bob
introduced us to
the Twitter chat.
Many of us thought,
"What's that?"
Now, I can tell you
what it has become.
A "woohoo" when you
share good news.
Commiseration for
the rejection blues.
Laughter, especially
from the back of the class.
The option to wear or
not wear pants.
A chance to sit in
on author interviews.
Watching the same movie
and tweeting your review.
Time for us
to get together,
talk about writing,
learn to get better.
Happy Anniversary, #wschat!
Remember, we have
the list if you need
a name
for your cat (or band).
Thanks to Janice Sheridan for this week's Wordsmith Studio Creative Prompt: Homecoming--Our 3rd Anniversary. Click on the prompt link to learn more about Wordsmith Studio. Thanks to Khara House for the anniversary badges!
Weekly #wschat Twitter chats are held Tuesdays at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m Eastern time. You don't have to be a member to join in the chat. Just search #wschat to find the chat feed and include the same hashtag in your tweets.
Links
Follow me on Twitter or click the Join this Site link to follow this blog. Follow Wordsmith Studio on Twitter @WordsmithStudio.
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Loose Leaves
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Loose Leaves
Leaves on the ground
turn brown,
crackle underfoot,
scrunch into dust.
They blow
all over town,
unable to
settle down
after the fall.
This poem came out of the word sprints that Wordsmith Studio did during its all-day New Year's Day Twitter Chat. The group chats every Tuesday at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. using #wschat. We discuss various aspects of writing and support each others individual endeavors. Feel free to join in whether you are an Early Bird or a Night Owl.
Follow me on Twitter or click the Join this Site link to follow this blog.
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Reflections, snoitcelfeR
I love to take pictures of reflections. They are the two-fers of photography. For example, you can take one picture and capture buildings on opposite sides of the street. You also can get two pictures of the same objects in one frame, such as a tree and a tree standing on its head.
Thanks to Rebecca Barray for this week's Wordsmith Studio Creative Prompt-Bonus. Wordsmith Studio has Twitter chats every Tuesday. Join us at #wschat at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Eastern time.
Follow me on Twitter or click the Join this Site link to follow this blog.
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Ten Things I've Learned from Wordsmith Studio
As part of its April birthday celebration, Wordsmith Studio is posting weekly prompts that inspire us to share our experiences with the community. This week's prompt asks us to share how our writing life has been affected by WSS. Thanks to Rebecca Barray for this prompt.
Following is a list of 10 things, in no particular order, that I have learned since joining Wordsmith Studio. I included some general lessons that I think are important.
- The back of the class is the place to be.
- How to grow a Word Garden.
- There is another university besides Syracuse whose sports teams wear Orange.
- How to better handle (sob) rejection.
- Calvies are pretty darn cute.
- If I take on a challenge, I'll have support.
- I'm a pantser.
- Word sprints rock.
- Time zones can be a challenge.
- Chatting on Twitter is a blast [Note: We chat every Tuesday at #wschat at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. You're welcome to join in.
Follow me on Twitter or click the Join this Site link to follow this blog.
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Poetry and Emotion
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I mentioned in my last post that Wordsmith Studio holds weekly Twitter chats on Tuesday night (#wschat). This past Tuesday, we chatted about poetry. During one of the chats, the thought was expressed that some people may shy away from or even fear reading poetry because it may elicit an emotional reaction.
A few years ago, I wrote a poem called, Lifetime Guarantee. It talks about the staying power of emotions. As the link notes, I had gone to see an exhibit about the year 1968. As I was going through it, I started to feel uncomfortable, sad and pretty drained. I finally realized that I was feeling some of the emotions that I had felt when the various events that occurred that year had taken place.
Last November, I read "JFK Assassination a Collective Memory for American Children" on the CNN blog. Here is a quote from the piece:
Flashbulb memories, as they're called by memory experts, are vivid remembrances of significant events; a mental snapshot of the who, what, when and where -- and the emotional fallout.
These memories, according to neuroscience writer and professor W.R. Klemm, can be particularly reinforced by the images associated with them.
Although 50 years had passed, I was able to put together a pretty detailed description of hearing the news of President Kennedy's assassination in the poem, Where I Was. And yes, I did cry when I was writing it. I also had a strong emotional reaction to other poet's work on the same topic.
Because of my involvement with a bereavement support group, I have become more comfortable with expressing my emotions. In fact, I have told the group that I probably never would have started writing poetry if I hadn't attended the group.
What are your thoughts about the emotional reactions triggered by poetry? Have you dealt with this in your writing or reading? Does it make you uncomfortable or have you come to terms with it?
Follow me on Twitter or click the Join this Site link to follow this blog.
Because of my involvement with a bereavement support group, I have become more comfortable with expressing my emotions. In fact, I have told the group that I probably never would have started writing poetry if I hadn't attended the group.
What are your thoughts about the emotional reactions triggered by poetry? Have you dealt with this in your writing or reading? Does it make you uncomfortable or have you come to terms with it?
Follow me on Twitter or click the Join this Site link to follow this blog.
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Celebrating Wordsmith Studio
Virtual Support
Social media was perplexing.
I had barely started texting.
Then, I came across a challenge
to increase my social media knowledge.
Others wanted to do the same.
All of a sudden, it was like a game.
We shared our successes and concerns.
We supported each other as we learned.
When it was time to say goodbye,
the call came out “Why don’t we try
to keep up this online community?”
Many took advantage of the opportunity.
Now, Wordsmith Studio is two years old.
The potential of this group is still untold.
Wordsmith Studio is a web community for writers that grew out of a challenge, "Build your Writer Platform in 30 Days". Take a look at the website to learn more about the community and its members. We hold weekly chats on Twitter each Tuesday at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Central time. Use the hashtag, #wschat, to get into the discussion.
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Milestones
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Seasons
Spring arrives
Gardens grow
Summer colors
Blooms abound
Fall descends
Rich harvest
Winter snows
Dormancy
Spring arrives
Gardens grow
Gardens grow
Summer colors
Blooms abound
Fall descends
Rich harvest
Winter snows
Dormancy
Spring arrives
Gardens grow
This week's Wordsmith Studio Creative Prompt is Milestones. Create your interpretation in your favorite genre and post a link to it in the comments on the prompt page. Thanks to Kasie Whitener for this prompt.
I am a poet and photographer who likes sports, jazz and art inspired by other art. I served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the early 1970's and was assigned to the Computer Sciences School in Quantico, VA. I have published a chapbook of grief poems, I Keep You with Me. My work also has appeared in publications such as Thorny Locust Magazine, core. zine,The Enigmatist, Veterans' Voices and Kansas Time + Place An Anthology of Heartland Poetry. My visual art pieces combine poetry and photographs, and have been most recently displayed at InterUrban ArtHouse, Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center, Buttonwood Art Space, and The Smalter Gallery.
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