Dear ,

 

Happy National Zipper Day! Thanks to WordPlayer Bridgett Bell Langson, author of Finding Home: My Arf-0-Biography, a book any kid in your life is bound to love, for alerting me to this particular holiday. 

 

I recently shared a poem called "Zipper" by poet Joyce Sutphen, and a few prompts, with Bridgett's Under Construction class. Her email prompted me to share it with you! It's a perfect poem for right now, and I think you will find something of yourself in it.

 

"Zipper" is, at its heart, a mini love story, both a longing to "come together" and a tribute to a special someone who offered comfort in a tough time. It made me think of my husband, Richard, who has helped to keep me from coming unglued these past six and a half weeks that we've been socially distancing together.

This photo of us at one of our favorite places, the Sunset Inn, made me smile when it arrived in the mail, a gift from last November's Coastal Writing Retreat from Savannah Stoner, author of The Life He Remembers Began in Costa Rica, a  lyrical collection of "found poetry" that captures her father's childhood and beyond. 

How grateful I am for all the communication that keeps zipping back and forth through mail and phone and email and Zoom and Facebook as our time of staying apart to stay safe—and keep our healthcare workers and other essential workers safe—continues on.

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay, My, oh, my, what a wonderful day it will be when we can—dare I dream it?—actually "come together" and hug those "distant" ones we love once again.

Meanwhile, may love and light brighten your heart each day,

Maureen 

Opportunities
In Honor of National Poetry Month

 

CHARLOTTE READERS PODCAST
CELEBRATES ITS ONE HUNDRETH EPISODE!

In CPR's 100^th episode, host Landis Wade "visits with one of his favorite authors and writing instructors, Craig Johnson, author of the New York Times bestselling mystery series which became the basis for the hit Netflix original series Longmire.

This episode was recorded in a cross-country remote podcast that gives new meaning to the phrase, 'Social Distancing,' because Craig Johnson participated from his ranch in Ucross, Wyoming, population 25, while Landis was sheltering-in-place in his home in Charlotte.

Craig Johnson is the recipient of the Western Writers of America Spur Award for fiction, the Mountains and Plains Booksellers Award for fiction, the Nouvel Observateur Prix du Roman Noir, and the Prix SNCF du Polar. His novella Spirit of Steamboat was the first One Book Wyoming selection.

Never short of words to put on the page or share in person, Johnson gave liberally of his time, discussing his ranching and writing, his first book, the book series, his last three books, his characters, the Netflix series and the actors, Longmire Days, writing tips and what’s coming next."

You can listen/download this historic episode at: https://charlottereaderspodcast.com/s6-00-100th-episode-craig-johnson-walt-longmire-novel-series/

And you can learn about Charlotte Readers Podcast's journey here:

https://charlottereaderspodcast.com/history-and-gratitude-on-the-occasion-of-our-100th-episode/#more-2089

 

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—especially in this challenging time.

And, hey, National Poetry Month is just around the corner!

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, which is right around the corner. 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 internet.
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 sign-up online for Poetry Rocks, click here.

WHAT PARTICIPANTS SAY ABOUT POETRY ROCKS

" . . . for letting me hear your voice in my head, for the gift of reading poetry every day and asking “how does she/he do this?”, for filling my tool box with a lifetime of just-the-right-tool (my husband says you can do any job if you have the right tool), and for being a writer whose work bubbles over with words that remind me of this great gift of humanness — thank you!

                                                                               ~ Linda Whitesitt

. . . a master class in creativity, writing and understanding poetry. It is exceptionally rewarding, educational, and enjoyable. It is a celebration of life. . . . each lesson includes a “what to do” section that directs the student to create a poem. . . . The Tools can be used again and again, long after the course has been completed, to create new poems. . . . Maureen takes a playful approach to writing and teaching that makes this course particularly enjoyable. 

                                                                                   ~ Bud Thomas