Dear ,

I am thinking about "for better or for worse" today, and also giving a shout-out of gratitude to my sweet husband, Richard, on our 37th anniversary. We have seen plenty of better and worse together over the years, and plenty of in between's. 
 

And I'm thinking of all we've shared, thanks to today's featured writing, a poem inspired by Monet's 1859 painting "Still Life with Bottles" that poet extraordinaire Gail Peck dedicates to her husband, Jimmy. It's a beautiful poem about the depth of sharing that's possible in a relationship that has endured for decades.
 

I had planned to feature Gail Peck this week, because she's receiving THE IRENE BLAIR HONEYCUTT  LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD THIS MONDAY, APRIL 12th AT 6 P.M.  Actually, Gail was supposed to receive this award last April, but . . . you know what happened. Finally, a year later, Gail will be honored at a virtual event. This award is named for, of course, Irene Blair Honeycutt, whose long career at CPCC involved much service to the Charlotte literary community, through both her inspiring teaching and her sharing so many renowned and gifted writers with us.
 

I'm so excited, not just to see Gail receive such a well-deserved honor, but also because the evening will feature an interview of Gail by poet Diana Pinckney, herself a recipient of the Irene Blair Honeycutt Lifetime Achievement Award some years back. It will be a rich event, with a wonderful discussion about the art and craft of writing poetry, as well as an opportunity to hear Gail read her own work. I so hope you're free to attend this virtual event this coming Monday, April 12th at 6 P.M. (Click the link for the details.) I count myself lucky to have known both Diana and Gail for almost as long as I've been married to Richard!
 

Now, back to the featured writing of the week, which involves the lovely timing of being a love poem based on a Monet painting, right in sync with the day of our anniversary. Richard and I are both fans of Monet, and one of our better times was the celebration of our 25th wedding anniversary by visiting, among other places, Monet's garden at Giverny.

I love honoring Gail and Jimmy's long marriage as I honor ours! They are one of those couples whose presence always makes me smile.

As always, scroll on down to learn more about our featured writer, read her work, and take advantage of this week's prompt about the sharing of one's bests and/or worsts with another. I've written about longtime marriages, but friendships can hold deep intimacy as well, as can any number of other relationships.

Love and light,

Maureen

Some Noteworthy Sensoria Events

WordPlay Opportunities

Featured Writing

Still Life with Bottles

by

Gail Peck

from

The Braided Light

                                           for my husband

                                              after Monet, 1859

Come sit, share the bread with me, spread it with butter, there on the pewter dish. Pour the wine—we won’t need the carafe of water, but maybe later the apricot brandy the sun is hitting now, spreading its shadow across the table.  Bring cheese, and there are apples in the kitchen in a basket. Red wine is your favorite, earthy tannins that preserve.  I want to tell you of the new sadness, how the heart can fold like a flower at sunset.  You, who’ve lived with me so long, having studied my face, desired good things for me—lift the bottle and pour, then my lips will taste like yours. Don’t worry about the white cloth if anything spills, it will wash. This knife isn’t sharp, just tear the baguette—bread made to last only a day. Now I can tell you, while all is quiet, the walls surrounding us, making us close in this small space.

Purchase/learn more about The Braided Light here.