Volume III, Issue 16 April 30, 2014 |
Word of the Week: delicious
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Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be
astonished. Tell about it. ~
lines from Mary Oliver's poem "Sometimes"
Dear , I've been a fan of poet Mary Oliver for many years now. These words, written in the imperative, are a recipe for a delicious life, wouldn't you say? There are many delicious moments to pay attention to and to be astonished by in each of our lives. This photo of our grandson Rhys on his first birthday with his Grammy (me) and his Nanny (the lovely Diane Kirkman), along with this photo of Rhys with his Grampy and Paw-paw (Richard Griffin and
Richard Kirkman), commemorates one of mine. Rhys's life is already filled with imperatives: "Clap your hands!" "Wave bye-bye!" Many more instructions, and how-to's, and advice are sure to follow -- I have all manner of "recipes for a good life" to share with him, and his other grandparents and his parents do, too.
Some of these recipes will even involve actual food ingredients, if his mother and father, both excellent cooks, have anything to do with it! Which makes perfect sense, since so many of our best memories do revolve around food.
If you have any food memories (and/or recipes), you'd like to put into words and share, an opportunity is
right around the corner -- I'm offering a two-session course called "Delicious Memories" that starts on May 7. Check out the details below.
And if you have wisdom on how to do anything (you know you do!), then you will love this week's prompt, in which you get to write in the imperative and tell someone -- anyone -- just how to do something.
This week's featured writing showcases three how-to pieces in three different genres, each absolutely delightful and at least a little hilarious. Don't miss them! To carry on last week's word,the first one is a persona. I'm wondering which of the three will be your favorite -- why not drop me an email and let me know? I love hearing from you. Wishing you delicious days filled with astonishment and writing! Love and light,
Maureen Upcoming WordPlay
DELICIOUS MEMORIES: WRITING ABOUT FOOD
IN ANY AND ALL GENRES Food not only nurtures and sustains us, it's a rich source of metaphor and memory. In session one, we'll explore our connections with food as we write of when, where, what, with whom, how -- and even why -- we ate! You can use your food writings to create a family cookbook, creative nonfiction, poetry, a food blog, etc. -- or just for your own pleasure. And in session two, you'll learn more writing tools and tips, as well as have an
opportunity to bring back a sample of your own writing for constructive feedback. All levels welcome. You'll need a notebook and a pen. $89 for 2 sessions.
WHERE: Queens Sports Complex, Tyvola Road, Charlotte.
WHEN: Wednesdays, 6:30 - 9 PM, May 7 & 14.
TO REGISTER: http://www.queens.edu/Academics-and-Schools/Continuing-Education/Program-Categories/Writing-CE/Writing-Delicious-Memories-with-Maureen-Ryan-Griffin.html
Featured Writing
Three Imperative Pieces of Writing
These pieces are so good that reading them is imperative! And they are all examples of how-to's -- one a poem, one an essay/chapter of memoir, and one a short story. You will love them. And they will inspire you to write your own how-to piece. You can write a how-to about anything -- how to watch the
rain, ride a bike, cuss in Pig Latin, say goodbye to your father for the last time, clean Venetian blinds, get along with your daughter when you're planning her wedding, write a how-to piece :), etc., etc....
WordPlay Now! Writing Prompt
This is WordPlay -- so why not revel in the power and potential of one good word after another? This week, it's
"delicious." PROMPT: Write a piece in the imperative. In other words, tell someone how to do something. Anything at all. In any genre, as the examples above prove is possible. (Seriously, if you didn't click the three links above, scroll up and do it now. These are each ridiculously good pieces of writing!) Want a few more examples? Here's a collection of how-to poems from The Poem Farm. In honor of Rhys's first birthday (and because they are cool poems in their own right), they're written by writer/teacher Amy Ludwig VanDerwater for children.
I'd love to see what you come up with! Email it to me at info@wordplaynow.com -- you could be featured in a future Word-zine. |
MAUREEN RYAN GRIFFIN, an award-winning poetry and nonfiction writer, is the author of Spinning Words into Gold, a Hands-On Guide to the Craft of Writing, a grief workbook entitled I Will Never Forget You, and two collections of
poetry, This Scatter of Blossoms and When the Leaves Are in the Water. She believes, as author Julia Cameron says, "We are meant to midwife dreams for one another."
Maureen also believes that serious "word work" requires serious WordPlay, as play is how we humans best learn -- and perform. What she loves best is witnessing all the other dreams that come true for her clients along the way. Language, when used with intentionality and focus, is, after all, serious fuel for joy. Here's to yours! |
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