Volume VIII, Issue 43
October 30, 2019
Dear ,
A big highlight of my October was the opportunity to work with poet Dot Killian to fulfill a longtime dream of publishing a poetry collection entitled October's Child. Today's subject line, and today's featured writing, is a poem from Dot's book that expresses so beautifully my feelings about the joys
and sorrows of our human condition.
Here's a photo of the two of us at the beautiful book party at the Center for the Arts in Rock Hill celebrating Dot's book release.
It was an honor to read aloud to the crowd the words North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green wrote about this collection of poems:
October’s Child reminds us to listen with our hearts and to dare the strings of memory to unravel. This book is necessary heart work
for a poet who manages to tap into the complexities of life with skill and tenderness.
Dorothy J. Killian’s poetic narratives usher readers through a poignant landscape of soft-spoken but resolute people. These poems are an offering of magical invocations
emerging from beneath mud-caked roads, whispering from front porches, ancestral floor boards, and speaking through the language of hoop cheese and two-for-a-penny Jack’s cookies.
October’s Child is accessible but not necessarily simple. It is a majestic celebration of un-hushed stories and voices that are largely colloquial. Dorothy J. Killian’s verses bring us to the communion table for soulful visitations of truth and grace.
Enjoy meeting Dot below. I hope her poem about brokenness and wholeness touches your heart as it did mine.
Love and light,
Upcoming WordPlay
As host Landis Wade says, in this conversation "we meet author and writing coach, Maureen Ryan Griffin, who reads poetry from her collection Ten Thousand Cicadas Can’t Be Wrong and guides us through her writing book, Spinning Words into Gold: A Hands-On Guide to the
Craft of Writing.
This is a great episode to get your writing juices flowing, whether you are seasoned writer or one that wants to start dabbling, because writing can be for everyone.
Among other topics, Maureen explores the why, when and where of writing, and discusses some of the secrets to good writing.
We start the show with Maureen reading her poem: 'Why You Can Go Back to a Story You Abandoned Years Ago and Finally Finish It.' "
Find it via your favorite podcast app, or here on the Charlotte Readers Podcast website.
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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.
More WordPlay opportunities coming soon. Stay posted!
Dorothy J. “Dot” Killian is a teacher, a lawyer, a
pastor, who loves God, people, music, and words. Her poetry chronicles a life of hopscotch, marbles, trips to the corner store with her great uncle, boundless love, as well as seasons of unspeakable sadness. Dot’s poetry has appeared in Colonnades, the literary magazine of Elon College; Black Poetry of the 80’s from the Deep South; The Ivy Leaf, the magazine of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and A Living Culture in Durham, a collection of writings by Durham
area authors.
Featured Writing
a poem from
October's Child
by
WE ARE BROKEN; YET, WE ARE WHOLE
(in loving memory of Aunt Mag)
Our hearts are broken, our tears flow like rivers
through years of love and joy and laughter.
Our grief covers our smiles and our fears.
Our dreams are broken, shattered like crystal
thrown against concrete walls, pieces
tossed about onto seas of loneliness.
Our homes are broken. The void can never
be filled. We struggle for composure looking
to heaven for answers.
Finding strength in God’s promise
and in each other.
Our hears are broken; our dreams are broken;
our homes are broken; yet, we are whole.
We are whole because of who she was
and what she gave to us. We are whole
because of her courage and her strength.
We are whole because of her selfless devotion
to our family.
We are whole because she is now secure
and at peace.
We are broken; yet, we are whole.
Purchase a paperback copy of October's Child 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 "broken."
PROMPT: How have brokenness and wholeness show up in your life, and/or the lives of those you know and love? This week,
write about something broken, in any genre you like. If it resonates with you, include wholeness in some way as well.
It's fun to play with prompts in community with fellow writers, and to be able to share the results when you're done. You can find out about WordPlay classes, workshops, and retreats here.
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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