Volume XI, Issue 7
February 16, 2022
Dear ,
Once upon a time (as in last Tuesday), Richard and I went on a trip to Naples and St. Petersburg, Florida, to see my sister and brother-in-law and my youngest brother and his wife. Given all four of my siblings are at least a days' drive away, our time together is rare, and filled to the brim with good conversation (and a few
"once upon a time" memories).
This photo, however, captures a singular "once"—a quiet moment on a sunset bird rookery cruise hosted by Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Rookery Bay is one of the last and largest remaining undisturbed mangrove habitats in North America, and we saw birds galore, especially at sunset as
we circled one tiny island, then cast anchor to watch over a thousand herons, egrets, pelicans, cormorants, and more alight for the night, each finding its own spot on a branch. While this is a sight I won't forget, this lone heron is the bird that came to mind when I stumbled upon a poem called "Once" as I was searching files on my computer for something else altogether. This poem—and this
heron—reminds me that we really do only get each exact experience once. Once upon a time. And each moment offers us a "once in a lifetime" experience.
Ah, but writing allows us to store these moments, like fine wine, in a bottle of words, a bottle we can open at any time to savor that particular "once" again. What a great gift.
Love and light,
Maureen
Upcoming WordPlay
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!
You'll receive 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.
Learn more about these tools, and the course, here.
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 via Zelle, Venmo, or a check via mail, email info@wordplaynow.com for instructions.
To register for Poetry Rocks online, click here.
I climbed the roll of hay to watch the heron
in the pond. He waded a few steps out,
then back, thrusting his beak under water,
pulling it up empty, but only once. . . .
Read the rest of "Once" here, on the American Life in Poetry website. (This is a great resource for fine poems, curated by past U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser.)
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 "once."
PROMPT: Starting with "once" or "once upon a time," write about a specific moment, your own or anyone else's, that captured attention and lingered on in the imagination, as did the moment the heron
in Tara Bray's "Once" went from "stone-still" to open-winged, "lifting the steel-/blue rhythm of his body into flight."
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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