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Hello Poets & Poetry Lovers!
I have to admit, over time my once unshakeable faith in the inherent
good in mankind has diminished. Daily we are bombarded with news that
reeks of political malfeasance, misappropriation, and baldfaced lies.
Recently, I've watched as the funds from the goodhearted generosity of
people contributing after natural disaster are squandered or brazenly
stolen. Even online chat, and the disingenuousness of a few has whittled
away on my faith. So often it appears to be a dog eat dog world, using
whatever means necessary to obtain the "prize" - whatever that may be.
Character and a person's word are lost in the process. It's easy to
forget that the truly good still exist.
My middle daughter graduated from Tulane in May of 2004. Because Katrina
hit New Orleans shortly after, their yearbook was put on hold, and was
not published until recently. She had worked on the yearbook staff as a
photographer for a short while, and looked forward to having a copy.
It finally arrived and I packaged it up along with some curtains and
curtain rods, and a few other things I needed to send to her. My husband
took the package to the post office and although he got a tracking number
for it, he didn't request a signature card or insure it. After a week,
she still hadn't recieved the package, and when we tracked the package, it said it had been delivered 3 days after we mailed it. Our post office
contacted hers, and the postman said he left the package on the porch,
which is standard practice. We had to assume that someone stole the package.
My daughter isn't nearly as jaded as I am. When we realized the package had been taken, she immediately made a banner on her computer. It stretched from one side of the front of her house to the other and said:
If you took the package from my porch, please feel free to keep the contents, but I know my yearbook doesn't mean anything to you, as it does to me. Will you please return it? No questions asked. God bless.
I smiled at her naivete, but was proud of her faith in mankind. She called a few days later.
When she came home from school, the package was on her porch. It
had been opened, but the contents were all there. The next day she put up another banner. It simply said:
Thank you.
How about that?
On another personal note, I'm going to be Nana again!
Life is good indeed...
Bri
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Writing Challenge:
What Are You Reading?
I'd like to start a section of book reviews by you. Send in a short review of books you've recently read along with a scan (if possible). The reviews do not need to be limited to poetry - just whatever you are reading. I'll pick one or two to publish each month. Thanks!
Speakeasy - Past Issues
Speakeasy, August, 2006
Speakeasy, July, 2006
Speakeasy, June, 2006
Speakeasy, May, 2006
Write On Forum:
If you haven't found your way to our poetry boards yet, I hope you will now! We've been in existence for a little over a year and currently have 219 members. Each poet has his/her own folder for poetry, and there are also many other discussion and challenge areas. You can visit and read as a guest or join the boards and also post! You can find us at:
Write On!
See the last 20 posts here.
I'd like to welcome our newest members:
tmcullen
and
serenity2
Welcome to the boards. We look forward to your posts!
Visit us to search for live & virtual poetry cafes, poetry chats, poetry boards, poetry ezines,
poetry journals, poetry resources, individual poetry pages, poetry publishers and more!
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Voodoo News
If you haven't downloaded Voodoochat yet, you can find it at:
Voodoochat.com
After you have downloaded the chat client, you can enter our
Cafe through the software (Voodoo Village server, Poetry Cafe).
Be sure to also register a name, or you can
enter as a guest. If you already have Voodoochat downloaded,
be sure to update to the newest version. It has many cool new
features, including Tabs, which we will be using during the
poetry reads. All poetry is read on the Chat tab, and everything
else (chitchat) will take place on the offtopic tab. If you don't
have voodoo downloaded yet, it will make more sense to you
after you load it, and visit the room. There are scheduled reads on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday evenings.
Bring your poetry, and let's READ!!
Featured Poet
You may remember this month's poet in the spotlight by other names in Excite & Voodoo, but his name is Bill and he is an amazing person and talented poet. On the boards he is known for his thoughtful, thorough and very helpful critiques.It has been my pleasure to call him friend for a long time. I hope you enjoy reading him as much as I do.
HEART LIKE A STONE
Medusa's victim
-Monster's eyes still holding
My rapt gaze-
I know I can't break free;
My veins no longer flow
With warm fluid,
My heart lies hard,
Emotionless within me,
Can not feel,
Does not respond,
For mesmerizing,
Terrible beauty
Holds me in thrall.
Unable to look away now,
Even if true love came calling my name;
Her spell has worked its magic:
A golden setting
Holds my former heart of flesh,
Now a diamond,
Sparkling crystal stone
Reflecting light,
But never
To feel life again.
(c) Bill, September 18, 2006
THE KEEPER OF IMPRACTICAL THINGS
I usd to collect
Pop top can tab rings,
One of those things they use
To raise funds to research the cure
For some incurable disease.
Then I collected
Empty computer ink cartridges
To fund
Non-budgetary stuff for schools,
Or were the pop tops for the blind?
I don't remember.
Certainly, you don't mind
That I can't.
But now there is a set piece
In the side yard;
Wood boards fused to iron frames,
A Christmas cantata's stage prop,
Waiting for a reprise.
The same side yard 's
A storage place for windows,
Aluminum framed glass,
Waiting four years for a friend
To come and claim them
For his dream,
A mountain cabin.
There, too,
In the side yard,
A bike carrier and old bikes,
My bike, her bike, their bikes,
Waiting for the next adventure
Rest beneath the lean-to.
All these things are waiting for
Someone to walk up
And make them useful
Once again.
So I store them in the side yard.
And every so often
I pull up a chair,
Sigh,
And keep them company there.
(c) Bill, September 18, 2006
I FOUND CHANGE
The other day I found I had some change;
A quarter, five new pennies, one thin dime.
There is not much within their purchase range,
Except iambic meter and some rhyme.
Surprise! Surprise! It did not take too long
Before they changed the way I felt that day.
A poor man, maybe, but I found a song
By contemplating those few coins. Delay
The onset of a million dollars more!
I do not wish to win the lottery!
If I had all that money... What a bore!
I'd waste away in petty luxury.
(Of course, poor poets are required to lie
The truth? God, make me rich before I die!)
DESIRE
a haiku
A thought incomplete
Or a feeling left alone,
Waiting and hopeful
(c) Bill, September 18, 2006
FORSAKEN
a haiku
Shredded cloud torn by
Sharp winds drifts along alone,
Closed in by blue sky.
(c) Bill, September 18, 2006
Thank you for sharing with us, Bill!
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Bulletin Board
We are trying to find the poets who have been a part of Ninian's Poetry Cafe & Boards, Voodoo Cafe & Excite. Help us find our old friends and new friends by forwarding this newsletter to anyone you think would enjoy it! Thanks!
Audio Poetry
The latest Poets.org Poetcast features Edward Hirsch and Charles Bernstein reading poems, and Madge McKeithen sharing lines from Kenneth Koch.
Visit the Poetcast page to subscribe for free:
www.poets.org/poetcast
Poetry 180:
a poem a day for American high schools
I've recently come across this site, and it is excellent! Billy Collins, former Poet Laureate of the United States says this of Poetry 180:
"Welcome to Poetry 180. Poetry can and should be an important part of our daily lives. Poems can inspire and make us think about what it means to be a member of the human race. By just spending a few minutes reading a poem each day, new worlds can be revealed.
Poetry 180 is designed to make it easy for students to hear or read a poem on each of the 180 days of the school year. I have selected the poems you will find here with high school students in mind. They are intended to be listened to, and I suggest that all members of the school community be included as readers. A great time for the readings would be following the end of daily announcements over the public address system.
Listening to poetry can encourage students and other learners to become members of the circle of readers for whom poetry is a vital source of pleasure. I hope Poetry 180 becomes an important and enriching part of the school day."
Be sure to stop by and check out this outstanding site.
Tomorrow's poets will surely benefit from it!
http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/
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