we wrote, laughed, shared, cried,
listened, commented, questioned,
connected, embraced
the most important
thing we did in our session:
we accepted us
Our NCTE Presentation
The Edge of Childhood
Erica from Arkansas is our host today for the fifth and final day of the November Open Write at www.ethicalela.com. She inspires us to write story-poems that span from childhood to adulthood and hover on the brink.
She urges us to “record imagery that comes to mind when you think of that childhood experience. I encourage you to focus on concrete sensory details, but if you have to pull from memory or make something up that’s fine too.”
Earlier this week, we wrote 4×4 poems, featuring 4 stanzas with 4 syllables on 4 lines with a refrain. Today, I’m trying a 5×5 with those same parameters, but without a refrain.
Chasing the Future at the Kitchen Sink
overnight, he’d grown
a foot, it seemed – so
when I saw him ride
his bicycle by
the kitchen window
as I washed dishes
it brought to mind a
huge bear riding a
motorcycle in
a 3-ring circus
his back slumped over
the seat, head looming
over handlebars
ankles spinning wheels
in a duck-paddle
my mother-heart froze
in that moment, a
vivid photograph
etched in memory,
forever preserved
today, his own 5
grow a foot each day
too fast – much too fast
new generations
chasing the future
NCTE 4 x 4: The November Open Write, Day 2 of 5
Stacey L. Joy of California is our host today for the second day of the November Open Write at www.ethicalela.com.
She inspires us to write 4×4 poems as we think about the world today. Looming in technicolor living on my horizon this week is the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Convention in Boston, which begins Thursday and lasts through the weekend. Ada Limon, our US Poet Laureate, will be speaking on Sunday, and many others will be speaking throughout the convention – Kate McKinnon and Bryan Stephenson to name a couple. As I think about the world today, NCTE is what is foremost on my mind. There’s a different air there – where I breathe best around readers and writers, where something I can’t detect seems to flood my veins and bring joy. And to top it all off, I’ll be joining meet-ups with many of my writing group friends from Slice of Life and Ethicalela in person, even presenting with one of the groups on one of our books that just launched in September. If you’re at NCTE this year, you can find me in Room 210A of the Boston Convention Center on Thursday, November 21 at 11:30.
Hope to see you there!
A 4 x 4 poem structure follows these four rules:
- 4 syllables in each line
- 4 lines in each stanza
- 4 stanzas
- Refrain repeated four times in lines 1, 2, 3, 4 of stanzas 1, 2, 3, 4.
NCTE
where shall we go?
NCTE!
where will it be?
Massachusetts
where can we breathe?
NCTE!
what do we need?
NCTE!
who will we see?
Ada Limon!
where will she speak?
NCTE!
where would we dwell?
NCTE!
who steals our hearts?
NCTE!
November Open Write Day 1: An Invitation
Today, I’m your host at http://www.ethicalela.com to kick off the November Open Write. Please come join me at that site to share your own poem and to read the poems of others!
On the last day of October’s Open Write, I shared this poem:
An Invitation
save the date: November 16
you may choose to arrive by stretch limousine
we’ll be gathering in style for a writer’s retreat
whether castle or cabin or on your own street
we’ll spend the day writing in fantasy places
day one: a packing list poem ~ what’s in our suitcases?
so gather your words ~ select them with flair
I’ll be the door greeter to welcome you there!
you’ll need your location and writing utensil
something to wear, and perhaps a spare pencil
we’ll all need a critter (think Hogwarts style)
and a snack to share to write all the while
and then let’s bring one thing – a gift for the group
something to make us all laugh, cry, or hoot
what’ll it be? oh, I can’t wait to see ~
here’s a basket of tickets – take some – they’re free!
let’s keep Donnetta’s theme words sparking and growing
return in November, keep writing ongoing!
I offered a glimpse of today’s prompt, encouraging writers to think of a fantasy writing retreat and these aspects: location, clothing, writing utensil, critter, snacks, and a gift for others.
Today, I offer this poem to inspire others to write poems about a fantasy writing retreat. Come join us, and share yours on the ethicalela website!
Location: I’m arriving by Oz-graced Yellow Brick Road
to this heavy oak castle door with just an armload
Clothes: wearing overalls under my farm-writing cape
this magical cloak of virtual escape
with shimmery amber-hued dragonfly wings
and chicken foot bracelets and beetle leg rings
just a suitcase, you see, for this week here together
with all of my writing pals ~ birds of a feather
Utensil: and speaking of feathers, I’ve brought my quill pen
plucked from the wing of a feisty owl hen
Snacks: I’ve sugar-spun cauldrony crinkles for snacks
shaved off curled spikes from chameleons’ backs
Critter Companion: made easier by Razor, my pink crocodile
I walk on a bling-leash, in true Funny Farm style
Group Gift: and one more thing: I bring a group gift ~
truth glasses for all, to see things others miss
My Retirement List 41-50
I’m taking the week to write list poems of all the things I’ll do when I retire. They say we should never retire from something, always to something. So I’ll retire to some work and some play, but I want to steer the wheel and throw away the clock. This is day 5 of 5 that I’ll list ten things I’ll do when I am officially off contract for life.
First, a review of the previous days:
- I’ll write into the day.
- I’ll visit the library twice a week to check out new books.
- I’ll read into the evening by the fire.
- I’ll shop at the farmer’s market for fresh fruits and vegetables.
- I’ll cook things fresh-grown and scrubbed clean.
- I’ll take morning walks with the dogs, strolling instead of hurrying.
- I’ll make pictures and put them on calendars and notecards.
- I’ll pick wildflowers.
- I’ll put the picked flowers in the flower press.
- I’ll make bookmarks with my pressed flowers.
- I’ll savor my coffee, linger longer before showering.
- I’ll meet friends for lunch.
- I’ll design patterned rag quilts.
- I’ll cut flannel quilt squares and stitch them in rows.
- I’ll go to sleep when it’s dark and awaken when it’s light.
- I’ll wash my dishes by hand in warm water with fragrant dish soap.
- I’ll bake fresh, healthy muffins for breakfast.
- I’ll volunteer to drive someone to a doctor’s visit.
- I’ll make a big pot of soup every few weeks to freeze and give to shut-ins.
- I’ll pick my own apples in North Georgia.
21. I’ll take more impromptu personal field trips to satisfy my curious adventure spells.
22. I’ll coordinate my wardrobe down to the kind where all the tops match all the bottoms and all the outfits have three shoe possibilities – and live more simply.
23. I’ll go on writing crawls, writing in first one place and then the next through the day.
24. I’ll attend more book festivals near me and listen to more regional authors speak.
25. I’ll sit in Starbucks and write just for the crooner music and the perfectly-lit ambience.
26. I’ll carry only a small crossbody bag with my driver’s license, some money, and a tube of Candy Cane chapstick that I buy by the box.
27. I’ll sit on my front porch and pray.
28. I’ll learn more about making salves and tinctures, and take a hobby class on it.
29. I’ll wrap all my wine bottles with twine to create vases and fill them with wildflowers and leave them on random doorsteps where they don’t have Ring cameras to catch me.
30. I’ll take more slow country drives at sunset to see the sun sinking below the fenced cattle meadows.
31. I’ll choose the matinee movies on cold, rainy days and take a blanket to the theater.
32. I’ll read more travel genre books and go to places my feet may never actually walk.
33. I’ll spend more time grooming my dogs with glove brushes because they love it when I place them in my lap and give them the brush glove massage.
34. I’ll spend a few hours each week one morning chopping vegetables and fruits to go in plastic tubs for easier use in omelets and soups and snacks and dinners.
35. I’ll take more writing cabin excursions and map my route on Roadtrippers.
36. I’ll hang my tree hammock in the afternoon shade and read until dusk.
37. I’ll stroll through the aquarium and take the time to really see what I’m looking at, and spend more time watching my favorite critters (the otters) play.
38. I’ll read more blogs.
39. I’ll listen to more podcasts.
40. I’ll sit in silence more, savoring its goldenness.
And now today’s:
41. I’ll take longer showers and make them my prayer time.
42. I’ll do more bird counts.
43. I’ll piddle.
44. I’ll leave the television off – as I have always done.
45. I’ll minimize the social media scroll.
46. I’ll teach my grandchildren to make homemade ice cream.
47. I’ll read more picture books.
48. I’ll eat more charcuterie-style dinners.
49. I’ll write the memories of old photographs.
50. I’ll remember that while I have the opportunity to do more, it’s okay to do less.
My Retirement List 31-40 of 50
I’m taking the week to write list poems of all the things I’ll do when I retire. They say we should never retire from something, always to something. So I’ll retire to some work and some play, but I want to steer the wheel and throw away the clock. This is day 4 of 5 that I’ll list ten things I’ll do when I am officially off contract for life.
First, a review of the previous days:
- I’ll write into the day.
- I’ll visit the library twice a week to check out new books.
- I’ll read into the evening, dogs snuggled in my lap by the fire.
- I’ll shop at the farmer’s market for fresh fruits and vegetables.
- I’ll cook things fresh-grown and scrubbed clean.
- I’ll take morning walks with the dogs, strolling instead of hurrying.
- I’ll make pictures and put them on calendars and notecards.
- I’ll pick wildflowers.
- I’ll put the picked flowers in the flower press.
- I’ll make bookmarks with my pressed flowers.
- I’ll savor my coffee, linger longer before showering.
- I’ll meet friends for lunch.
- I’ll design patterned rag quilts.
- I’ll cut flannel quilt squares and stitch them in rows.
- I’ll go to sleep when it’s dark and awaken when it’s light.
- I’ll wash my dishes by hand in warm water with fragrant dish soap – and blow the bubbles.
- I’ll bake fresh, healthy muffins for breakfast.
- I’ll volunteer to drive someone to a doctor’s visit.
- I’ll make a big pot of soup every few weeks to freeze and give to shut-ins.
- I’ll pick my own apples in North Georgia.
- I’ll take more impromptu personal field trips to satisfy my curious adventure spells.
22. I’ll coordinate my wardrobe down to the kind where all the tops match all the bottoms and all the outfits have three shoe possibilities for my minimal approach – and live more simply.
23. I’ll go on writing crawls, writing in first one place and then the next through the day.
24. I’ll attend more book festivals near me and listen to more regional authors speak.
25. I’ll sit in Starbucks and write just for the crooner music and the perfectly-lit ambience…oh, and the coffee.
26. I’ll carry only a small Travelon crossbody bag with my driver’s license, some money, and a tube of Candy Cane chapstick that I buy by the box.
27. I’ll sit on my front porch and pray.
28. I’ll learn more about making salves and tinctures, and take a hobby class on it.
29. I’ll wrap all my wine bottles with twine to create vases and fill them with wildflowers and leave them on random doorsteps where they don’t have Ring cameras to catch me.
30. I’ll take more slow country drives at sunset to see the sun sinking below the fenced cattle meadows.
And now for today’s list:
31. I’ll choose to see matinee movies on cold days and take a blanket to the theater.
32. I’ll read more travel genre books and go to places my feet may never actually walk.
33. I’ll spend more time grooming my dogs with glove brushes because they love it when I place them in my lap and give them the brush glove massage.
34. I’ll spend a few hours each week one morning chopping vegetables and fruits to go in plastic tubs for easier use in omelets and soups and snacks and dinners.
35. I’ll take more writing cabin excursions and map my route on Roadtrippers.
36. I’ll hang my tree hammock in the afternoon shade and read until dusk.
37. I’ll stroll through the aquarium and take the time to really see what I’m looking at, and spend more time watching my favorite critters (the otters) play.
38. I’ll read more blogs.
39. I’ll listen to more podcasts.
40. I’ll sit in silence more, savoring its goldenness.
My Retirement List 1-10 of 50
I’m taking the week to write list poems of all the things I’ll do when I retire. They say we should never retire from something, but instead always to something. So I’ll retire to some work and some play, but I want to steer my own wheel and throw away the clock once I retire. Starting today, for five days, I’ll list ten things a day that I’ll do when I am officially off contract.
- I’ll write into the day.
- I’ll visit the library twice a week to check out new books.
- I’ll read into the evening by the fire, dogs in my lap.
- I’ll shop at the farmer’s market for fresh fruits and vegetables.
- I’ll cook things fresh-grown and scrubbed clean.
- I’ll take morning walks with the dogs, strolling instead of hurrying.
- I’ll make pictures and put them on calendars and notecards.
- I’ll pick wildflowers.
- I’ll put the picked flowers in the flower press.
- I’ll make bookmarks with my pressed flowers.
Write the Poem: Day 5 of 5 of The October Open Write
Our host today for the last day of our October Open Write is Donnetta Norris of Arlington, TX. She shares her inspiration and process, which you can read below or here.
She encourages writers to write a poem on a theme using word associations. I’ll be hosting the first day of the November Open Write on November 16, so I’m using the day to set the stage for my prompt on that day – an invitation to a fantasy writing retreat in a location of the poet’s choice in a list style format, offering location, a snack, a companion critter, a writing utensil, an outfit, and a gift for everyone. Come join Donnetta today at http://www.ethicalela.com, and then November 16, return and join me as well. We’re having all kinds of fun!
An Invitation
save the date: November 16
you may choose to arrive by stretch limousine
we’ll be gathering in style for a writer’s retreat
whether castle or cabin or on your own street
we’ll spend the day writing in fantasy places
day one: a packing list poem ~ what’s in our suitcases?
so gather your words ~ select them with flair
I’ll be the door greeter to welcome you there!
you’ll need your location and writing utensil
something to wear, and perhaps a spare pencil
we’ll all need a critter (think Hogwarts style)
and a snack to share to write all the while
and then let’s bring one thing – a gift for the group
something to make us all laugh, cry, or hoot
what’ll it be? oh, I can’t wait to see ~
here’s a basket of tickets – take some – they’re free!
let’s keep Donnetta’s theme words sparking and growing
return in November, keep writing ongoing!
Paint Chip Poems: Day 4 of the October Open Write
Seana Hurd Wright of Los Angeles is our host for Day 4 of October’s Open Write at http://www.ethicalela.com.
Seana shares her process, which you can read fully here, or the synopsis here: Choose 4 -8 colors and brainstorm names of the many synonyms and color shades that are similar to the ones you chose. Write a poem or short story, in any form, using colors and as much figurative language as you’d like. I decided to choose two main colors, red and blue. Then I selected various shades and hues that compliment them. Then I selected a topic and enjoyed playing with words.
I took my inspiration from a friend’s Facebook post. He shared photos of a long-held tradition in Bluffton, South Carolina, a town where I used to live. Each October, a gathering of paddlers all dress as witches and take to the waterways at sunset to greet autumn in style. It’s quite a sight to see, full of color and peaceful festivity. This year, a tour boat passed by and someone on the boat blasted the song “Witchy Woman” as they passed, bringing laughter and setting the mood.
Witches’ Paddle
On October Sunset they ride
Onyx-caped waterproof witches
paddle out on Supermoon tide
admiring autumn’s swell riches
Questionable Products – October Open Write Day 1 of 5
Scott McCloskey from Michigan is our host today for the first day of our October Open Write at http://www.ethicalela.com. He inspires us to write Questionable Products Poems – the kind with a slant of an ode to something that raises our eyebrows in wonder, disgust, or utter surprise. You can read his full prompt here. Be sure to check out the links, too, at the bottom – for those strange things we all need.
My Mark on the World
speaking of unboxing gifts
I’m inventing the next big thing
because of all the things that
annoy me like the partially squeezed
twisted toothpaste tubes or
velcroed soap with melded slices sticking
like a bloodletting leech to a larger bar or
handwarmer mugs that brand palms or
already-used weekly sandwich bags or
damp half-paper towels drying to be recycled or
all those other quirks like the holy
t-shirts because they’re good for tractoring
what annoys me the most is the simple
kitchen dishtowel that never
-do you hear me? never –
and I mean never, ever, ever not once
not once –
makes it back to the oven handle
where it is supposed to hang out
unless I put it there myself
it’s not really even a dishtowel, per se,
it playfully pops behinds and serves as a napkin
for powdered donuts and
wipes counter messes and
occasionally dries a dish
but it naps, crumpled in comfort on counters
on the table
on the bar
on the coffee table
and so I’m inventing one
with invisible GPS homing strings
to draw it back
to where it goes
so that I will have left
my mark in this world
right in the hearts of
kitchens all over
the world
in the smiles of wives
worldwide
Common Threads 