Sunday I taught a Writing to Heal workshop at the Will Rogers Activity Center in Oklahoma City, through the Parks and Recreation Department. I enjoyed it a lot, not only the teaching and sharing but also meeting the people who came to learn and write.
A few things I've been thinking about--
1--Remember to protect your writing by being careful about sharing, particularly those who wrote on topics that were troubling to them.
If you came more to find a way into writing (several of you in the workshop), you can share your early efforts or not. If you do, pick people who are supportive. That matters when you begin to write because sometimes people shut you down without realizing it. They think you want a critique when all you really want to do is let them see what you are doing. Over time you develop a thicker skin and you don't take it so seriously when somebody doesn't understand what you were trying to do. (There will always be some who don't "get it" and others who do). You can always say, "I'm not looking for feedback. I'm just sharing something I'm enjoying doing."
If you came with family members or friends (at least three sets of you), don't ask to see their writing.
2--On writing your story for children and grandchildren, of course you will share. Some suggestions on getting ideas--
--Look at old photos. Write who was in the photo and what was happening then.
-- If you have old letters, write down extra details.
-- Tell stories about your childhood. What was life like?
-- Write about major decisions you made. What did you do? Why? What happened then?
--Think--what do you want the children to understand? For them to understand, what do they need to know?
3--A question came up afterwards of where to hide writing if you really need to keep it secret. I suggested to the two writers who asked: 1) you can destroy it (remember, it's writing it that heals, not so much reading it later), 2) you can find a place hidden away (mine was way back behind the water bed, though it was not as great a place as I thought).
I'd like to add to those,
idea 3) Give it to a good friend to keep for you and ask them to find a hidden place for it. You might want it later to make sense of a confusing time.
Any other ideas?
You are welcome to follow this blog. If I see that some of you are, I will write some posts that I think would be helpful to you.
Showing posts with label domestic abuse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label domestic abuse. Show all posts
Calendar
I am creating a Reading Schedule for Red Riding Hood's Sister. Here's the calendar so far.
2018
March 11 4 PM Launch Bookwoman, Austin, TX
April 4 7 PM Reading and Open Mic, Gina Zhidov's Photography Studio, 327 N. 6th St.,
Chickasha, OK
April 6 2 PM Reading, Scissortail Writing Festival East Central University, Ada, OK
Oct 5 7 PM Featured Reader, Dallas Poetry Community, Half-Circle Books by NW
Highway, Dallas, TX
Oct 28 2 PM. IAO Featured Reader, Full Circle Bookstore, Oklahoma City, OK
2019
Dec 9 2 PM Reading, The Depot, Norman, OK
March 1 11AM Women and Gender Panel, People's Poetry Festival, Corpus Christi, TX
April 5 2 PM Reading, Scissortail Festival, Ada, OK
April 7 2-4 PM Writing to Heal Workshop, Will Rogers Activity Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Aug 17 6:30. Featured Reader, Third Saturday Coffee House, Cameron University, Lawton, OK
I am creating a Reading Schedule for Red Riding Hood's Sister. Here's the calendar so far.
2018
March 11 4 PM Launch Bookwoman, Austin, TX
April 4 7 PM Reading and Open Mic, Gina Zhidov's Photography Studio, 327 N. 6th St.,
Chickasha, OK
April 6 2 PM Reading, Scissortail Writing Festival East Central University, Ada, OK
Oct 5 7 PM Featured Reader, Dallas Poetry Community, Half-Circle Books by NW
Highway, Dallas, TX
Oct 28 2 PM. IAO Featured Reader, Full Circle Bookstore, Oklahoma City, OK
2019
Dec 9 2 PM Reading, The Depot, Norman, OK
March 1 11AM Women and Gender Panel, People's Poetry Festival, Corpus Christi, TX
April 5 2 PM Reading, Scissortail Festival, Ada, OK
April 7 2-4 PM Writing to Heal Workshop, Will Rogers Activity Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Aug 17 6:30. Featured Reader, Third Saturday Coffee House, Cameron University, Lawton, OK
https://youtu.be/QQ_
Click to see a video of "Turning to the Ordinary" and "A Basin of Water" from PILGRIMAGE, where they were published before coming out in RED RIDING HOOD'S SISTER.
Click to see a video of "Turning to the Ordinary" and "A Basin of Water" from PILGRIMAGE, where they were published before coming out in RED RIDING HOOD'S SISTER.
I See Her Now
A poem that will be in Red Riding Hood's Sister.
"I See Her Now" was published in Switchgrass Review Vol 2, 2016 (Coastal Bend Wellness Foundation and Texas A&M Corpus Christi).
In February 2018 it will come out in Janet Kuypers' cc&d magazine. It was recently posted online in her Scars TV:
http://scars.tv/cgi-bin/
"I See Her Now" was published in Switchgrass Review Vol 2, 2016 (Coastal Bend Wellness Foundation and Texas A&M Corpus Christi).
In February 2018 it will come out in Janet Kuypers' cc&d magazine. It was recently posted online in her Scars TV:
http://scars.tv/cgi-bin/
I See Her Now
I see her now in a dark house,
dressing without the light so she won't disturb him
so she can feel her hands on the jeans
and the soft cotton of the tee shirt
as if she were blind.
I see her bathing in the tub
where she has painted a mermaid with flowing hair.
Her own hair floats around her in shampoo and froth
but she opens her eyes to the sting of soap
afraid he will enter and push her under.
She will not leave.
Every day she looks at the windows
if I had to I could leap through
I must remember to keep my arms over my face
The basement has no exit but the stairs.
He found her there as she loaded the washer.
He put hands to her throat his fingers were light.
There were no marks when he took them down
She wonders if it happened.
At night they press close. I see them lying at ease
breath as soft as dark through the summer window.
His hate stirs--she feels it flow toward her
green through the night air
She does not move. Better that he not know I know
She dreams she is dancing with a radioactive man
he is dying green shining
and because she holds him close
soft breathing to the music fallout
she too will die
and still she will not leave.
She sits on the side of the bed
her legs start running they chatter like teeth
He says to her in the emergency room
blood on her face and his face white
We cannot go on like this I will give you a divorce
He stands over her in suit and tie
only his cuff is bloody
Her head hurts when she moves it
No she says no
I see her in the garden gathering tomatoes
scarlet in the colander and beans green translucent at the edges.
She looks toward the house. She will have to go in soon.
Her mind is full of fog her thoughts dodge in the mist
He is waiting for his supper I will have to go in soon
Red Riding Hood's Sister accepted for publication
I just heard from Steven Schroeder at Virtual Artists Collective that their press is going to publish my second poetry collection, Red Riding Hood's Sister. So that's exciting!
Now I need to start thinking about places to read it. Festivals, book stores, women's centers. My summer trip next year is going to be more about going places to read than hanging out in the forest!
And workshops, I've got some workshop ideas too. Lots of things to think about.
Here's a poem from it. (It was published this last winter in Rat's Ass Review)
Carny
Why these memories
of punk mermaids
at the all night carnival,
copper nipple rings
turning green from corrosive air?
The barker rasped the night with insults,
the Stones blared eight track
static fizzy on car
radio, shaggy heads
bounced to the music bingo
and she said no and no and no.
But she must have said yes
sometime, some spring
break, some wild
party night
yes to Jack Daniels and crawfish
red on carny sticks, yes
to lying down under bleachers
yes to her torn heart.
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