Beautiful, isn’t it? The Savannah River bridge and a city view. I presented a paper on Unpunished, the only detective novel Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote. Unfortunately, the novel was never published in her lifetime. She wrote it in 1929, but it was not published until 1997.
Many interesting people with wonderful ideas and theories attended the conference. Inspiring.
You can visit the American Literature Association online. (check out the links)
Has anyone read the novel?
The art of Joan Templer
experts say it is better to add rather than subtract
add walking thirty minutes a day
add herb tea (rather than quit beer or wine)
add water (rather than quit the cocktail)
add inspiration (less soul deadening work)
add reading (less TV)
more poetry (not only in April)
more recognition of women (not only in March)
more noting of Black history (not only in February)
more cultural exchange
more learning of languages
more planting of trees (not only on Arbor Day)
more taking care of the earth (not only on Earth Day)
more gardens, more vegetables
more sharing wealth
more slowing down
more time with friends
more talking to each other
more gentle words and compassion for self
more understanding of children, of parents, of neighbors
more peace on earth everyday
good will to all
Jacquelyn Markham
Second thoughts
I remember once my sister jumped from a high dive–
top board of a three story platform of wood,
at an Alabama park with a great cavern of a dance hall
unknown names painted on stars across the walls,
a silver ball suspendend from the ceiling
would have scattered light–had there been any.
My sister’s feet sprung from the highest board
pointed to split the clay stained river below,
then turned, pirouetted in the sky as if with wings
flew to the second story landing with a light thud.
She righted the lithe body, stepped down the ladder,
slid into the murky water. Blonde head bobbing,
she dog paddled to shallows. On the bank our mother
concealed a gasp, stuffed plates, forks, and spoons
into the bottom of the picnic basket,
calling an end to the day.
Jacquelyn Markham
When love-lies-bleeding blooms
and the love affair is over,
puppy love, first love, young love, rekindled love,
and winter love leave one lovesick
and lovelorn with a love child.
When there is no going back to lovers’ lane,
love letters crumble with forgotten love locks
love knots untangle and love birds fly away,
then try love potion, love spells, love shrines to Eros,
Venus, Aphrodite, and Oshun.
Even Feng Shui might invite love arrows.
If not, tatoo Tennyson’s affirmation on your mind:
“’tis better to have loved and lost,
than never to have loved at all.”
Jacquelyn
The prompt suggested by Robert Lee Brewer on Poetic Asides is “Like blank.” (fill in the blank) Here’s what I came up with after my late evening walk:
After School
Like fury
Jose’s small feet propel
the bike pedals.
Like fury
tires turn
skid the dark street.
English spins away.
Like fury
Jose’s Spanish words
fly out to the Spring night.
Jacquelyn Markham
Prompt: Snapshot poem
Birdbath
Crimson, up to neck in shallows
wind gusts and constant visitation
sloshed clear fullness to low leaf water–still
enough to flap in, flick the wings,
a momentary haven
Cooper Hawk forgotten bliss.
Haven’t I known such moments when
predators for a time fly away?
Jacquelyn
Here’s the Poem a Day (PAD) website with prompts:
http://blog.writersdigest.com/poeticasides/
Well, here it is. I had quite an adventure down memory lane as I sorted through piles of slides, negatives, and pictures to find the photographs I wanted for the photo montage to correspond with the poem: “The Torch.”
This is what I finished up with today–simply out of time! The text of the poem is part of the montage/collage.
The Torch
for Susan B. Anthony (b. February 15, 1820)
Last night in a dream I gripped a rail
in the torch of the Statue of Liberty.
Wind blew wildly, and the structure swayed, seesawing survival.
Finally, the torch ripped from its base
hurled me into space. Continue reading