Volume IX, Issue 42
October 14,2020
Dear ,
It was a wet, wet weekend in Spruce Pine, where my husband and I brought our two young grandsons for their first camping trip in our travel trailer. I meant to take photos of this memorable event, which was actually a great deal of fun, thanks to umbrellas, rainboots, old Girl Scout camp songs, Uno, Go Fish, hours of reading together, and a surprise glow-in-the-dark space puzzle that actually did glow in the
dark.
What I do have a photo of is our campsite after—after our daughter and her husband took the boys back home, after the rain stopped.
Such great beauty, after. Beauty that holds for me, somehow, the magical weekend that was perfect just as it was, which was not at all how I'd been envisioning it. Wet, as if
with tears.
This is fitting, as I've been teary off and on ever since I got the news that Dr. Anthony S. Abbott, one of my first poetry teachers (Tony to all who knew and loved him), had passed away. An email with the news came Sunday, October 4th. Ah, I thought. Then, thank you, dear teacher.
Photo from https://anthonysabbott.com
You see, on Saturday, October 3rd, for no discernable reason, instead of doing any of the 20-odd things I'd written on my list to do that day, I wandered down to my studio and began going through my three overflowing shelves of poetry, one by one, to see if there were any books I could bear to cull. (Yes, I had thought more than once over these past months that I should try making room for at least some of the books stacked in various tottering stacks about the house, but I'd made no conscious decision to take the project on this particular day.) And what had me choose, from among the many genres, poetry?
I decided to shift all the books down one shelf, so I started with the Z's. (I did manage to find a few I could live without, though it was rather a pitiful few.) Then, midway through, I decided to go back to the A's and let the books meet in the middle, so it would be easier to insert new books in their proper, alphabetical places. I touched every one of those books, if only for a few
seconds. Many I opened, mostly to read the inscriptions. I leafed through a handful of old friends, taking in a poem or two. But I was on a mission, and there was that list. This, this time was a luxury, doled out. What then, had me pause, halfway through the job, to read poem after poem of Tony's? I could hear his voice as I read them, see his hand gracefully keeping the meter.
I do not know the hour of Tony's death. But after learning the date was October 3, a shot of joy ran through my grief. In his own kind, gentle way, he'd come to say goodbye.
One of the poems I read that Saturday afternoon was "The Girl in the Yellow Raincoat." What could be better for this week's featured writing? You can learn more about Tony from News of Davidson here.
Maureen
I created the process shared in these two books in June of 2002, shortly after my mother died, as a way to mindfully mourn this loss—and celebrate her life. I shared it with a beloved friend, the Reverend Rebecca Taylor, when she lost her father, and she encouraged me to make it available to others. Here it is, in two versions, both of which offer quotes, reflections, prompts, and space to write about your loved one, as well as beautiful photographs by Wendy H. Gill that enhance each part of the process. Either
version makes a thoughtful condolence gift for a friend or family member.
How Do I Say Goodbye? is for those of any faith, with quotes from many different sources to accompany the process. It can be purchased on Amazon here.
Praying You Goodbye is specifically for Christians, with accompanying quotes from Scripture chosen by Reverend Rebecca Taylor. It can be purchased on Amazon here.
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POETRY ROCKS!
Would you like your writing—prose and/or poetry—to be more
graceful, powerful, beautiful? Do you sometimes find poetry confusing or intimidating and wish you could “crack the code”? Or do you enjoy writing and reading poems, but want a more thorough understanding of what makes a poem good? Then this poetry extravaganza is for you.
Expect a good time exploring what makes a poem a poem, gaining the knowledge you need to confidently create and revise poetry, and strengthening your writing skills in all genres.
It would be a joy and an honor to share what rocks about poetry with you.
HERE’S WHAT YOU GET:
- 23 poetry creation tools, delivered one per day (Monday through Friday) to your inbox—in honor of National Poetry month. Use them as you get them, use them when you can, use them over and over to create poems. Each tool zeroes in on one aspect of poetry and provides an innovative method to approach writing a poem. Many
of them are great for creating prose, too. The tools include:
* a purpose, so you’re clear what you will learn
* background information when helpful
* “how-to” directions to create a poem
* an example that illustrates the poetry tool in action
* a short reflection to solidify the concepts covered
* “Hone Your Craft” suggestions for further exploration
* a short reflection to solidify the concepts covered
- A PDF document of each tool that you can print or save on your computer
- An audio recording of each tool, so you can learn by listening and/or reading
- Instruction on the role of audience, reading like a writer, and the process of revision, including a handy Revision Checkpoint Chart—this information can be applied to strengthen your prose as well as poetry
- Additional poetry resources
- An e-book that contains the information and resources covered, as well as your 23 poetry creation tools for ongoing use
WHERE: From the comfort of your own home, via the web.
WHEN: Any time you want! And once you receive all 23 tools, they’re yours to keep, which means that you can keep using them for years to come.
COST: $45
TO REGISTER: To pay with a check via mail, email info@wordplaynow.com for instructions. To register for Poetry Rocks online, click here.
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TAG, I'M IT!
Both the year-long TAG, I'M IT! AND three-month TAG, I'M IT! journals offer—in no more than five to fifteen minutes—a simple way to recap and celebrate
the very best of each day of your life. The practice of writing out your “T’s” (things you’re thankful for), “A’s” (actions you can acknowledge yourself for), and “G’s” (gifts you’re grateful for) is a transformative one, especially combined with the final step, I’M IT!, in which you intentionally choose three do-able, most-important-to-you actions you’ll take the next day.
The TAG, I'M IT! journal grounds you in two important habits: keeping your focus on appreciating and celebrating the good in your life and intentionally accomplishing what matters most to you. You’ll also create a record of
your most meaningful, happiest events and experiences.
Start your journal—or restart, if needed—whenever you like. (Though a new year is a perfect time!)
An introduction with tips and ideas will help you make this practice your own. Soon, you’ll notice that you’re living your days with more joy, presence, purpose, and intention.
Thank you to Maureen Ryan Griffin for creating TAG I’M IT.
TAG, I’M IT is my new best friend. It’s a guided writing journal that helps me sort through the mental travels of my day. And it helps me zero in on the special moments by reflecting, acknowledging, and saying thank you for the invisible gifts collected in my daily journey.
“TAG” gives me joy. And it gives me a sense of peace. It helps me discover the small and large wonders around me.
“TAG” sits on my nightstand – it’s my last conversation of the day. And I feel satisfied when I turn off the light. When I write in my TAG, I’M IT journal, I’m giving myself a gift.
What a treasure!
~ T. D. Taegel
More WordPlay opportunities coming soon.
Stay posted.
Featured Writing
Anthony S. Abbott's
The Girl in the Yellow Raincoat
waits on the sidewalk outside
my window. The flower in her hair
is wet. She stands very still
her eyes focused upward on some
object I cannot see. . . .
You can read the rest of "The Girl in the
Yellow Raincoat" on Dr. Anthony S. Abbott's website here, along with several other poems. You can read his about life and legacy here.
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 “wet.”
PROMPT:
It's time for another "Sprawl" to see where the word "wet" will lead you in your writing.
How to Sprawl
• Put the word "wet" in the center of a blank sheet of paper.
• Moving out from that center, free associate words and phrases for ten
minutes, letting one lead to another. When one strand of your Sprawl runs out, come on back to the center and go out in a different direction. You may want to circle your center word, or all your words. You may want to connect your words and phrases with lines. Experiment.
• Look over your Sprawl. Pick the most evocative idea, and Sprint until you have explored it as fully as you can.
• Craft your Sprint into a piece of writing.
Vary this process to suit yourself and your words. I tend to Sprawl when I know what I want to write about. I often start to see the finished piece taking shape in my mind as I jot down words and phrases, so I’m prone to move right into a draft, with my Sprawl propped alongside to refer to every few paragraphs. If ideas for what will go into an essay, poem, or story, are coming fast and furious, a Sprawl is just the ticket. It's also a great way to find a subject, as in this exercise of
beginning with a single word.
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 three collections of poetry, Ten Thousand Cicadas Can't Be Wrong, 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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