Tag: books

Taking Time to Be Thankful

November is a special month for me because it is my birthday month, thus a time of celebration. This year, friends and I feted the occasion with champagne and hazelnut cake. And, of course, Thanksgiving Day is one of my favorite days of the year. To consciously honor those we love, and our country in general, is a wholesome act. It warms our own hearts and the hearts of those around us. Gathering with family and friends over a sumptuous turkey dinner with dressing, mashed potatoes, and gravy, delicious side dishes, and pecan or pumpkin pie is a comfort and a pleasure. While the temperature outdoors descends, the warmth rising around us is palpable.

During November this year, I was busy writing a paper. I belong to a group in which members present a bi-annual 35-minute talk. Since I am becoming more involved in the local poetry community, I chose to write about five women poets: Ann Bradstreet (1612–1672), Phillis Wheatley 1753–1784, Edna St Vincent Millay (1892–1950), Louise Glück (1943–2023), and A. E. Stallings (1968–present). The only one I had previously studied was Edna St. Vincent Millay. Researching their lives and work was very satisfying. Understanding their personal reactions to the periods in which they lived made me think deeply about my own education (which certainly could have contained more information about talented women) and my own path through life. I gave my talk, “Spotlight on Five American Women Poets,” on Zoom for the group on December 4, 2025.

Now that it is December, I am enjoying a gorgeous white poinsettia that a friend sent me, the blossoming of holiday lights around town, the bustle of people shopping on the mall, and joining friends for holiday brunches. A highlight of this past week was local poet Valerie Szarek’s CD release party and sobriety celebration on December 4th at the Junkyard Social. It was a truly heartwarming event resplendent with poetry, flutes, drums, and singing. If you are interested, you can check out Valerie’s website: https://poetval.com/poems/

I wish all my readers a Happy Holiday Season and a Wonderful New Year!

My Writing Goals for 2025

  1.  Continue to develop my poetry and connections with other poets:

BWA Poetry Circle: I hosted the BWA Poetry Circle in November. Veronica Patterson presented on: Where in the World? Veronica Patterson received Individual Artist Fellowships from the Colorado Council of the Arts in 1984 and 1997 and has had residencies at the Ucross Foundation, Hedgebrook, and Rocky Mountain National Park. Veronica is a graduate of Cornell University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Northern Colorado. She also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Warren Wilson College. Veronica was named as the first Poet Laureate of Loveland, Colorado, in 2019 for a two-year term. Her books include: Sudden White Fan, & it had rained, Thresh & Hold, Swan, What Shores?, How to Make a Terrarium, and others. Her reading was engaging, and a good discussion followed. Then, she suggested that we write a poem about how to do, fix, or cook something. Here is the poem I wrote during the session:

How to Tame a Squirrel

First, put a drink on the deck table.

Next, add a plate of crackers.

Don’t forget a napkin.

Select a chair facing the lawn and trees.

Sit quietly at the table.

Watch patiently.

When you see a squirrel, take a cracker and munch it.

Drop a square of cracker on the deck.

Don’t move.

Don’t blink.

Oh no, you blinked, the cracker is gone.

Columbine Poets: I attended four Saturday meetings of the Columbine Poets. I enjoyed Anita Jepsen’s presentation on “Spanish Language Poets”. The online Zoom presentation on the rondeau form led by Lynne McNamara was exceptionally well done. I wrote my second rondeau. Ricardo J. Bogaert-Alvarez presented a workshop on the Romantic Tanka, which was fun and informative. I also attended an online Zoom Critique Group and received helpful feedback on my work.

Cannon Mine Poets Group: I did not attend the Cannon Mine Poets group this month.

  • Continue to make progress on my draft novels: 

Finish my first novel and query agents (IW): I identified the “mirror moment” and developed a new idea.

Finish my second novel (G):  I identified the “mirror moment.”

Continue to work on my third novel (PW): I thought about where I could place a “mirror moment.”

  • Continue to develop a network of kindred spirits in the world of writing and publishing: 

Boulder Writers Alliance: I attended the BWA Happy Hour and enjoyed the conversation. I also hosted a luncheon for the changing of the guard as the Steering Committee will have new members. This is my last month as president of BWA, and the vice president’s last year as VP. Our replacements are perfect for the organization, and I wish them success in their endeavors. I will continue to host the BWA Poetry Circle monthly on Zoom.

Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers:  I read the newsletter.

Women Writing the West:  I watched some conference sessions online. I particularly enjoyed the presentation by James Scott Bell on the “mirror moment.”

  • Document my writing progress through my blog and post it on the seventh day of each month, one blog per month in 2025:

Today is December 7, 2025. I am posting my twelfth blog for this year. It is hard to believe that another year has passed. My personal 2025 has been filled with friends and surprises. Having set myself the goal of being engaged in local literary circles, I can happily state that I attended many writing and poetry events, met new writers and poets, and produced new work. I look forward to the New Year and plan to write new goals for 2026.

For this December blog, I discovered the following Thomas Hardy poem. It uses exquisite words and images and alternating eight and six-syllable lines. My favorite line of the poem is “In blast-beruffled plume”.

A Poem for December

The Darkling Thrush

By Thomas Hardy

I leant upon a coppice gate

When Frost was spectre-grey,

And Winter’s dregs made desolate

The weakening eye of day.

The tangled bine-stems scored the sky

Like strings of broken lyres,

And all mankind that haunted nigh

Had sought their household fires.

The land’s sharp features seemed to be

The Century’s corpse outleant,

His crypt the cloudy canopy,

The wind his death-lament.

The ancient pulse of germ and birth

Was shrunken hard and dry,

And every spirit upon earth

Seemed fervourless as I.

At once a voice arose among

The bleak twigs overhead

In a full-hearted evensong

Of joy illimited;

An aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small,

In blast-beruffled plume,

Had chosen thus to fling his soul

Upon the growing gloom.

So little cause for carolings

Of such ecstatic sound

Was written on terrestrial things

Afar or nigh around,

That I could think there trembled through

His happy good-night air

Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew

And I was unaware.

Expanding One’s Understanding of Poetry

This month, I read a wonderful book by Helen Vendler (1933-2024), Inhabit the Form, which I recommend to anyone who is drawn to writing poetry. Dr. Vendler held the title A. Kingsley Porter University Professor at Harvard University. She was interested in the two indispensable constituents of lyric poems: originality and the embodiment of feelings. In the book, she discusses poets from Yeats to Ocean Vuong.

At my local level, I continue to be involved in multiple poetry groups. I continue to explore books on writing poetry. I am currently exploring how to write different forms of poems. And I continue to read at open mics when I have the opportunity.

My Writing Goals for 2025

  1. Continue to develop my poetry and connections with other poets:

      Bardic Trails: The Talking Gourds/Bardic Trails is a monthly Zoom presentation of poets, followed by an open mike, which is broadcast from Telluride, Colorado. On November 4, Bardic Trails featured Beth Franklin, who read from her work. The following open mic session was excellent.

      Colorado Poetry Center: Each month, Beth Franklin, the director of the Colorado Poetry Center, hosts poetry readings at the Boulder Book Store. In October, Juan Morales read from his newest book, Dream of the Bird Tattoo. Michelle Battiste, whose The Elsewhere Oracle was just published, handed out oracle cards and read oracles for the audience. Both readings were impressive.

      Columbine Poets: The Columbine Poets hold four regular meetings each month, two in-person sessions where a poet reads or someone presents, and two online meetings that are critique sessions. The critique group was helpful with a poem I submitted. I attended the meeting in Lafayette to do a send-off for Diane Rex, who is moving to Nice. Julie Cummings was there. On October 18, I attended a tanka workshop led by Ricardo J. Bogaert-Alvarez. I enjoyed my first attempt at writing in the tanka form and wrote several. On October 25, I attended the Columbine Poets workshop led by Julie Cummings. And, on November 1, I attended the Zoom critique group. Members provide excellent suggestions for improving our work.

      Cannon Mine Poets: Abby Seber is now hosting the Cannon Mine Poets group in Lafayette. This month, Julie Cummings, who is a past President of the National Federation of State Poetry Societies and past President of Columbine Poets of Colorado, read from her work. Her book of poetry, Ride of My Life, is available on her website: https://juliecummingspoetry.com/store and on Amazon.

      2. Continue to make progress on my draft novels: No progress.

      Finish my first novel and query agents (IW): No progress.

      Finish my second novel (G): No progress.

      Continue to work on my third novel (PW): No progress.

      3. Continue to develop a network of kindred spirits in the world of writing and publishing: 

      Boulder Writers Alliance:  I hosted the BWA Poetry Circle in October. Our speaker was Abby Seber, who presented on the recently deceased poet, Andrea Gibson. Participants also each wrote a new poem and read their new poems aloud.

      Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers:  I read the newsletter.

      Women Writing the West: I enjoyed the online conference in October and read the winning short story.

      4.  Document my writing progress through my blog and post it on the seventh day of each month, one blog per month in 2025:

      Today is November 7, 2025. I am posting my eleventh blog for this year. As I was searching for a poem to include this month, I realized that many writers view November from a bleak perspective. Personally, November has always been one of my favorite months. I find the fall weather invigorating and the reds, oranges, and yellows of fall stunning against our blue Colorado skies. Plus, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. May we all have something to be thankful for this year!

      A Poem for November

      My November Guest

      Robert Frost, 1874 –1963

      My sorrow, when she’s here with me,
           Thinks these dark days of autumn rain
      Are beautiful as days can be;
      She loves the bare, the withered tree;
           She walks the sodden pasture lane.

      Her pleasure will not let me stay.
           She talks and I am fain to list:
      She’s glad the birds are gone away,
      She’s glad her simple worsted grey
           Is silver now with clinging mist.

      The desolate, deserted trees,
           The faded earth, the heavy sky,
      The beauties she so truly sees,
      She thinks I have no eye for these,
           And vexes me for reason why.

      Not yesterday I learned to know
           The love of bare November days
      Before the coming of the snow,
      But it were vain to tell her so,
           And they are better for her praise.

      Blood Moon

      My love and attraction for the full moon have always been a part of me. Over the course of about three years, I published two books of poetry about the moon: Moon Chimes and Moonglow (available on Amazon). Both were based on projects that I set for myself. Over the period of two different years, each evening during the full moon, I drove to a hill above my city to watch the full moon rise and soar in the sky. Each poem was inspired by my observations on each evening.

      Today, there is a total lunar eclipse, which is sadly not visible from the United States. This particular eclipse is being called a “Blood Moon.” An eclipse occurs when the Earth passes directly between the sun and the full moon, casting its shadow on the moon. With an extraordinarily long and reddish 83-minute totality phase, this eclipse will be visible from Antarctica, Europe, Africa, Madagascar, Asia, and the western Pacific Ocean. So, if you are reading my blog from any of those regions, I hope you step out into the dark to view it.

      The occurrence of this exceptional eclipse inspired me to investigate the meaning of the word “eclipse.” Being a word smith, I enjoy expanding my knowledge of etymology and meaning. “Eclipse” derives from the Greek verb ekleipein (to leave, to fail to appear), formed from ek- (“from” or “out”) and leipein (“to leave”). “Eclipse” has three essential meanings. The standard meaning of the word is the “obscuring of the light from one celestial body by the passage of another between it and the observer or between it and its source of illumination.” (Merriam-Webster). The literary meaning is “losing or having lost significance, power, or prominence.” (Merriam-Webster) And, the third meaning is ornithological and defines the fading of feathers on some birds: “Eclipse plumage is the dull, female-like non-breeding plumage that male ducks and some other birds wear temporarily after the breeding season to camouflage themselves during a simultaneous molt of their flight feathers, which renders them flightless and vulnerable to predators.” (Merriam-Webster). The verb “eclipse” thus can be used to mean “surpass,” “exceed,” “top,” or “better,” while the noun is the synonym of “declination,” “deterioration,” “decline,” “degradation,” or “descent.” (Merriam-Webster)

      The origins and meanings of words fascinate me because so many of our abstract uses of words come directly from the concrete world, which we observe on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. So, my wish for myself and for you for this month is that we shine brightly, that no one or nothing obscures our light, that our reputations remain admirable, that our hair color does not fade, that our positive expectations are exceeded, and that we suffer no decline. Have a wonderful month of September!

      My Writing Goals for 2025

      1.     Continue to develop my poetry and connections with other poets:

      Bardic Trails: The Talking Gourds/Bardic Trails is a monthly Zoom presentation of poets, followed by an open mic, which is broadcast from Telluride, Colorado. The beloved poet Art Goodtimes is the host. This month, the featured poet was Pete Anderson, author of Riding the Wheel, Reading Colorado, Heading Home— Field Notes, and First Church of the Higher Elevations.

      Columbine Poets: Columbine Poets meets on Saturday mornings—sometimes in person and sometimes on Zoom. In August, Lynne McNamara presented a useful in-person session on the rondeau. One week, Anita Jepson Gilbert presented on the work of Naomi Shibab Nye on Zoom. On August 30, I presented an in-person session on Charles Baudelaire and his poems from Les Fleurs du Mal and Le Spleen de Paris.

      Cannon Mine Poets: The Cannon Mine Poets group in Lafayette in August featured a group of poets: Abigail Seber, MD Friedman, Valerie A Szarek, and Naomi Horii in an inspiring presentation that combined poetry and music.

      2.  Finish my first novel and query agents (IW): No progress.

      3.  Finish my second novel (G): No progress.

      4.  Continue to work on my third novel (PW): No progress.

      5.  Continue to develop a network of kindred spirits in the world of writing and publishing: I continue to enjoy logging on each month to Bardic Trails and attending poetry readings, one arranged by Beth Franklin at the Boulder Bookstore and the other hosted by Larry LaVerdure in Lafayette. I have also learned a tremendous amount about how to write and read poetry in the Columbine Poets group since I joined. The critique groups are quite useful, and the presentations are excellent.

      Boulder Writers Alliance:  As president, I attended and hosted our August Social at Chautauqua. I also attended a Zoom presentation by Terry Mark, who writes The Vim Hood Chronicles.

      Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers:  I read the newsletter.

      Women Writing the West: I am looking forward to the online conference on October 17–18, 2025.

      6.  Document my writing progress through my blog and post it on the seventh day of each month, one blog per month in 2025:

      Today is September 7, 2025. I am posting my ninth blog for this year. August was a pleasant month weather-wise where I live. My flower garden is splendid. And, I have been involved in poetry groups, presented on Baudelaire, and attended both in-person and online poetry presentations. As Voltaire commented, “Il faut cultiver notre jardin.”

      A Poem for September

      September

      By Lucy Maud Montgomery

      Lo! A ripe sheaf of many golden days

      Gleaned by the year in autumn’s harvest ways,

      With here and there, blood-tinted as an ember,

      Some crimson poppy of a late delight

      Atoning in its splendor for the flight

      Of summer blooms and joys—

      This is September.

      Changing Traditions

      When I was young, summer vacation began with Memorial Day and ended after the celebration of Labor Day. We had a full three-month period to enjoy the beauty, freedom, and warmth of summer. The following nine months were devoted to school and school activities, with, of course, skiing thrown in when there was enough snow to cover the ski hill. But I remember with a smile all the summer days I spent riding my horse around the large valley we lived in, heading for the hot springs to relax and swim afterwards, and the beautiful, long evenings with the sunset painting our surrounding mountains various shades of rose, orange, and red.

      Today, in the city in which I live, students are heading back to school on August 13 or 14th —depending on their age group. I am always surprised when, in August, I see families loading up their cars with school supplies and school clothes late in July and the first week of August. My heart feels a tug for the young people who are deprived of the beauty and warmth of the lovely month of August. Rather than being outdoors, they will be inside, in an air-conditioned room. Fortunately, they will have some after-school activities. But, when Labor Day arrives, they will be thinking, labor has already started for us!

      Even our local university now opens its doors and “fall” classrooms in August, with Open Enrollment beginning on August 14. Amazingly, this year the university’s final exam week begins on December 6, 2025. While I spent most of my life as an academic, I wonder if some of these students sometimes yearn for a free month of August in which they could relax, vacation, and spend most of their time outdoors, with school openings beginning after Labor Day.

      My Writing Goals for 2025

      1.     Continue to develop my poetry and connections with other poets:

      Bardic Trails: The Talking Gourds/Bardic Trails is a monthly Zoom presentation of poets, followed by an open mic, which is broadcast from Telluride, Colorado. The beloved Art Goodtimes is the host. On August 5, 2025, David Mason and Cally Conan-Davies presented an amazing array of poems.

      The Colorado Poetry Center: Beth Franklin, the director of the Colorado Poetry Center, offers an in-person, monthly session at the Boulder Bookstore. In July, Alysse McCanna and Jackie White read poems from their work.

      Columbine Poets: In July, I attended a critique session and a workshop on Naomi Shihab Nye led by her friend, Anita Jepson-Gilbert. I also Zoomed into a special session to celebrate the life and work of Andrea Gibson, the Colorado Poet Laureate, who died in July from ovarian cancer at the age of 49. Although it was not sponsored by Columbine Poets, some others from our group and I attended a workshop called Po-Open the Doors & Windows: Revising for More Air, Illumination, Hospitality, which was led by Marj Hahne.

      Cannon Mine Poets: The Cannon Mine Poets group in Lafayette is hosted by Larry LaVerdure, but I was unable to attend in July.

      2.    Finish my first novel and query agents (IW): I worked on rearranging and editing using my spreadsheet to help me clarify my timeline.

      3.    Finish my second novel (G): Nothing accomplished here.

      4.    Continue to work on my third novel (PW): I worked a bit on this novel during a BWA workshop on writing a climax.

      5.    Continue to develop a network of kindred spirits in the world of writing and publishing:

      Boulder Writers Alliance:  I attended our July happy hour. We also had an officer’s lunch at Chautauqua and met with the manager who is setting up our August Social, which includes a bar and hors d’oeuvres. Additionally, I attended our Writers Who Read group summer gab fest hosted by Gary Alan McBride. Gary is in the process of publishing a book on his method of literary analysis that he calls Literary Forensics. I also attended a BWA online workshop led by Professor Kika Dorsey Kiko, who discussed different approaches to writing a climax.

      Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers:  I read the newsletter.

      Women Writing the West: I registered for the online conference.

      6.  Document my writing progress through my blog and post it on the seventh day of each month, one blog per month in 2025:

      Today is August 7, 2025. I am posting my eighth blog for this year. Summer in Colorado has been pleasant, allowing time for writing, going out, and attending outdoor activities. I particularly enjoyed attending the Colorado Music Festival. Composer Michael Abels’ Amplify, co-commissioned by the festival, opened the program, which then featured a splendid performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony conducted by Director Peter Oundjian, with performances by soprano Lauren Snouffer, mezzo-soprano Abigail Nims, tenor Issachah Savage, bass Benjamin Taylor, and the St. Martin’s Chamber Choir.

      A Poem for August

      August

      By Helen Hunt Jackson (1830–1885)

      Silence again. The glorious symphony
      Hath need of pause and interval of peace.
      Some subtle signal bids all sweet sounds cease,
      Save hum of insects’ aimless industry.
      Pathetic summer seeks by blazonry
      Of color to conceal her swift decrease.
      Weak subterfuge! Each mocking day doth fleece
      A blossom, and lay bare her poverty.
      Poor middle-agèd summer! Vain this show!
      Whole fields of golden-rod cannot offset
      One meadow with a single violet;
      And well the singing thrush and lily know,
      Spite of all artifice which her regret
      Can deck in splendid guise, their time to go!

      The Benefits of Participating in a Critique Group

      Over the last several years, I have been a member of Women Writing the West which hosts an annual conference each year. I am looking forward to the online conference this October 2025. The title of the conference is From Quill to Keyboard. The online conference offers two days of workshops and networking opportunities. WWW also offers the Willa Literary Award, the Laura Short Fiction Award, and the Downing Journalism Award. Additionally, the organization has an active listserv on which members share ideas and advice. The group also organizes critique groups. I have participated in one for a few years.

      Our WWW critique group began with four participants who were writing drafts of their novels. Eventually, this group devolved into just two of us, who have continued to work together on our drafts. We meet monthly on Zoom with the expectation that we will each provide about 2000 words for critique. The benefits I have derived are multiple. First, having a monthly critique meeting ensures that I will keep up with my writing in a steady fashion. Secondly, I have learned a lot from my partner who has already published two novels. And, thirdly, I feel that our regular meetings have provided personal as well as professional support—in fact, we have become long-distance friends.

      Recently, I joined a poetry organization, Columbine Poets of Colorado, which offers a workshop and a critique group each month. The meetings have from four to eight participants. The participants are experienced poets and share helpful feedback and encouragement. What I have found is that listening to the types of feedback given and to who pays attention to what and how they express their opinion is teaching me about poetry in ways that are novel to me. Regarding the feedback that I have received personally, I value the fact that it points me to a need for careful research on the topics about which I am writing. It also expands my awareness of how I might select topics and forms.

      While participating in a critique group can be helpful, it is important to consider which benefits you would like to incur from participation. First, identify which aspects or forms of your writing you would like to submit for a group review. Next, you might want to identify opportunities through local writing groups, think about whether you might prefer an in-person or online group, select a group that you think will meet your needs, and study how to provide useful and effective feedback. For example, check out a variety of books that have been published about critique groups. And, last, upon joining the group and participating in it for an appropriate amount of time, evaluate its effectiveness for you and for the other members.

      My Writing Goals for 2025

      1.     Continue to develop my poetry and connections with other poets:

      Bardic Trails: The Talking Gourds/Bardic Trails is a monthly Zoom presentation of poets, followed by an open mic, which is broadcast from Telluride, Colorado. The well-loved Art Goodtimes is the host. On July 1, the speaker was Black Atticus (Joseph Woods), who is serving as the current Poet Laureate (2023-2025) of Knoxville, Tennessee. His poetry includes rap and spoken-word performances.

      The Colorado Poetry Center: Beth Franklin, the director of the Colorado Poetry Center, offers an in-person, monthly session at the Boulder Bookstore. In June 2025, the CPC featured Emily Perez and Aimee Herman. Emily Pérez is the author of What Flies Want—winner of the Iowa Prize and a finalist for a Colorado Book Award; House of Sugar, House of Stone; and two chapbooks. She is co-editor of the anthology, The Long Devotion: Poets Writing Motherhood. Aimee Herman is the author of the young adult fiction novel Everything Grows, which won the Forward Reviews 2019 Silver Award for Best Young Adult Fiction. Aimee has also published two books of poetry: to go without blinking and meant to wake up feeling.

      Columbine Poets: In June, I attended a Saturday workshop with the Columbine Poets led by Julie Cumming that focused on a deep dive into writing a villanelle—a form I had tried before. The workshop was excellent and improved my understanding of the form. I also submitted a poem and attended a critique group on July 5th.

      Cannon Mine Poets: The Cannon Mine Poets group in Lafayette is hosted by Larry LaVerdure and in June featured Douglas Jackson who had mentorships with the poets Yakshi Vadeboncoeur and Will Staple in Camptonville, California. Doug writes about his wanderings in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Mojave Desert, and the Rocky Mountains. I admired his work and his style of reading aloud.

      Naropa Poetry Readings: In June, Naropa holds the Summer Writing Program. I attended readings by both students and visiting faculty on different evenings.

      2.    Finish my first novel and query agents (IW): Nothing accomplished.

      3.    Finish my second novel (G): Nothing accomplished.

      4.    Continue to work on my third novel (PW): Nothing accomplished.

      5.    Continue to develop a network of kindred spirits in the world of writing and publishing:

      Boulder Writers Alliance: I attended our monthly happy hour. I also enjoyed Gary Alan McBride’s Writers Who Read session in which we discussed Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe—a book that merits an attentive read.

      Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers: I read the newsletter.

      Women Writing the West: I registered for the upcoming online conference. Our critique group did not meet.

      6.  Document my writing progress through my blog and post it on the seventh day of each month, one blog per month in 2025:

      Today is July 7, 2025. I am posting my seventh blog for this year. Boulder has had an unusually rainy May and June, thus the foothills and surrounding areas have been a vibrant dark green. I live in a beautiful area for hiking and being outdoors. As I watch the news of devastating storms and floods across the nation and the world, my goal of lowering my personal carbon footprint becomes stronger. I drive as rarely as possible and I haven’t flown anywhere for about five years.

      A Poem for July

      The Hunter

      By William Carlos Williams (1883–1963)

      In the flashes and black shadows
      of July
      the days, locked in each other’s arms,
      seem still
      so that squirrels and colored birds
      go about at ease over
      the branches and through the air.

      Where will a shoulder split or
      a forehead open and victory be?

      Nowhere.
      Both sides grow older.

      And you may be sure
      not one leaf will lift itself
      from the ground
      and become fast to a twig again.

      Living and Blogging in Distressing Times

       

      Each of us is an individual. Most of us have a devoted family. We have close friends. We belong to groups and organizations that we love. Personally, at the family level in the last two years, I have lost the three people closest to me which has been heartrending and leaves me with no one whom I can talk to at any minute I so choose. At the friendship level, I am in a book club that I started with a friend several decades ago. Our group, which has been meeting on Zoom since the Covid lockdown, is an intimate and supportive group of women. We all know each other’s life stories and have known each other’s partners and children as well. For this group who loves to read and discuss literature, I am thankful. I am in another women’s group in which one year we host and the following year we present a paper. The papers expand my knowledge into areas that are often unknown to me. As a professional, I have participated in several organizations. Thus, I have a strong professional network of individuals that I can trust and talk to about many different issues.

       Currently, I am a member of the Boulder Writers Alliance which provides around ten different activities for members each month. The group is fascinating in that the age span of men and women involved varies from the twenties to the eighties. We have a book discussion group, a meet for drinks and dinner to continue the discussion group, a poetry group, a happy hour group, several critique groups, and several silent writing groups. Participating in groups that have a focus on writing is a fulfilling activity for me as I learn so much from the others.

      Family, friends, and professional colleagues are a delight in happy times. They provide inspiration, collaboration, and support. Our small and large networks of reliable and likable people are essential to our well-being. Participation and sharing build our skills and our sense of belonging. Remember this, and rely on your, as the French say, “semblables” during the stressful days and months that our nation is encountering as I write this blog.

      My Writing Goals for 2025

      1.  Continue to develop my poetry and connections with other poets: I forgot to log on to Bardic Trails in February and thus missed the presentation by Wendy Videlock who is the Western Slope Poet Laureate, however, I did read her books. The Colorado Poetry Center monthly readings which feature a poet, have an open mike, and take place at the Boulder Bookstore have been enjoyable. The Boulder Writers Alliance Poetry Circle featured Abigail Seber who has published three full-length books of poetry. Abigail combines physics, painting, and poetry. As for my poetry project goals, I have managed to write one poem each week so far in 2025.

      2.  Finish my first novel and query agents (IW): I met with my critique group and presented a new section.

      3.  Finish my second novel, (G): I did not work on this novel this month.

      4.  Continue to work on my third novel, (PW): I did not work on this novel this month.

      5.  Continue to develop a network of kindred spirits in the world of writing and publishing:

      a.  Boulder Writers Alliance:  I attended BWA’s Writers Who Read discussion, led by Gary Alan McBride, of Good Material by Dolly Alderton. The critical content of the discussion was quite knowledgeable. Our January BWA Happy Hour was entertaining. I did not attend a silent writing session this month. I organized the BWA Poetry Circle for both January (which featured Abigail Seber) and February which will feature Brenda Wildrick.

      b.  Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers:  I read the newsletter and various emails.

      c. Women Writing the West: I read the newsletter and attended our critique group.

      6. Document my writing progress through my blog and post it on the seventh day of each month, one blog per month in 2025:

      Today is February 7, 2025. I am posting my second blog for this year. My original positive outlook for 2025 has been squelched by shocking political events over the last few weeks. As I try to remain calm so that I can focus on my writing, I feel compelled to follow the national news. My advice is: Writers Unite; Take Up the Fight!—but find your compatriots in writers who write for democracy.

      Some Lines from the Poem Bibliography by Nikki Giovanni (1943–2024)

      There is a bat

      In Chile named

      Micronyteris giovanniae

      Dr. Robert Baker named it

      After me. He discovered it

      While studying bats

      And thought the big ears

      Were just like me

      Maybe if the bat wrote

      She would be

      A poet

      Radical Acts of Optimism

      I enjoy watching the award shows for cinema—the European Film Awards, the Golden Globes, and the Oscars. Because Emilia Perez won Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Screen Writer, and Best Editing late in 2024 at the European Film Awards, I streamed the film to watch it. It is a powerful story. This week, it was also awarded Golden Globes for Best Musical or Comedy and Best Non-English Language Film, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Original Song. 

      When Jon M. Chu accepted the award for Cinematic and Box Office Success at the Golden Globes for his film, Wicked, he made an inspirational comment that caught my ear, he said, “a radical act of optimism.” For the rest of 2025, I will keep this statement in my awareness and attempt to be a writer who engages in radical acts of optimism.

      What will I be optimistic about? My writing, my life, and the world around me. I noticed recently that I tell myself, “I have to write.” I realized that it sounds like a command, so I will change this statement to “I love to write and I will reserve time to do so.” My life has been quite different over the last two years because of the death of loved ones. This year, I will be more appreciative of all my living loved ones and let them know that I think about them and love them. Given the shift in politics in the world around me, I have wondered what is wrong with average citizens who make terrible choices in elections. This year, I will focus on clarifying traditional democratic values when I can do so.

      My Writing Goals for 2025

      1.  Continue to develop my poetry and connections with other poets: Attend Bardic Trails, Cannon Mine Poetry, the Colorado Poetry Center events, and the Naropa events. I will also lead the BWA Poetry Circle and write one poem each week.

      2.  Finish my first novel and query agents( IW): Reorganize to clarify the plot and the storyline for each character, write necessary chapters, and edit existing chapters to fit the reorganization.

      3.  Finish my second novel, (G): Reorganize to clarify the plot and the storyline for each character, write necessary chapters, and edit existing chapters to fit the reorganization.

      4.  Continue to work on my third novel, (PW): Reorganize to clarify the plot and the storyline for each character, write necessary chapters, and edit existing chapters to fit the reorganization.

      5.  Continue to develop a network of kindred spirits in the world of writing and publishing:

      a.  Boulder Writers Alliance: Attend Writers Who Read, the BWA Happy Hour, at least one silent writing session each month, and organize and lead the BWA Poetry Circle: I attended our first meeting of Gary Alan McBride’s Writers Who Read 2025 which provided a detailed analysis of Kaveh Akbar’s Martyr!

      b.  Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers: Pay dues and follow the newsletter.

      c. Women Writing the West: Attend the online conference and continue to work with our critique group each month.

      6. Document my writing progress through my blog and post it on the seventh day of each month, one blog per month in 2025:

      Today is January 7, 2025. I am posting my first blog for this year. Despite my concerns about national politics, I am feeling positive and hopeful for 2025—I like the number! I am more comfortable in my own skin than I have ever been. I enjoy my friends and colleagues. I appreciate the wonderful individuals that I have met and worked with this past year and look forward to deepening these relationships. I enjoy the service activities that I accomplish. My knowledge of the local and state-wide poetry world has broadened considerably. The Zoom workshop I lead through the Boulder Writers Alliance Poetry Circle offers the opportunity to meet and collaborate with amazing poets. The other organizations I belong to offer friendship and remarkable connections.

      A Line from an Inspirational Poem

      When I was a high school senior, I represented my school at the State Speech Meet. The poem that I recited from memory was Renascence by Edna St. Vincent Millay—a serious poem for a seventeen-year-old. Here are a few lines from this long poem:

      From Renascence (1917)

      “…I know not how such things can be;
      I only know there came to me
      A fragrance such as never clings
      To aught save happy living things;
      A sound as of some joyous elf
      Singing sweet songs to please himself…”

      May you, my reader, sing happy tunes to yourself throughout the coming year!

      Winter Writing Can Conjure Up an Army of Writers

      What could be more lovely than to sit by a glowing fireplace and write? Maybe sitting by a cheery fireplace and reading while one listens to classical music trilling from the stereo system? As I grow older, nothing seems more perfect to me. Here I sit, cuddled up in a warm soft blanket, my toes tenderly warmed by the radiating warmth of the fire. Nevertheless, I have found it difficult to work on my creative writing lately.

      Even though it has been more than a month since the national elections in the USA, my artistic juices have congealed. I sit down to write a new sentence, a new page, a new chapter, and find myself looking out the window at the gentle falling snow. In frustration, I realize that if I am incapable of creativity, I might as well do some reorganization. I pull up my Xcel spreadsheet and fumble around for a bit—my organizational skills seem to have flown out the window to drift down on a snow-covered bush in the garden. I refuse to pick up my cell phone this evening. I have squandered too much of my life over the past month scrolling to distract myself.

      Instead, I will reflect a bit on what is weighing me down. I have always been a positive, forward-looking person. I have always been confident that I can solve my personal challenges and resolve difficulties with acquaintances. I have always believed in the greater goodness of the United States of America and had confidence that Americans are pleasant and dependable human beings. I have always believed that democracy in our country is as solid as the Rocky Mountains which tower above the area where I live. The outcome of the last election challenges everything in which I have ever believed. Politics has exploded my once-held beliefs into scattered whisps much like a thundering herd of buffalo crush the grass into fragments. As a writer, I feel compelled to “do something.” But I am unsure of what impact I could have in the grand scheme of things. While I have always been an active voter, I have never been a marcher, a demonstrator, or a protestor.

      Will I recover? Will I stabilize? Will I be able to view the horizon of the next four years with hope? I cannot continue to be overwhelmed by gut-level emotions that paralyze my creativity. What can I do to make sure that our democracy holds fast despite the outrage that has occurred against it?

      One step I can take is to express my thoughts through writing. I can clarify, reflect, question what is happening, and search for concrete connections that will sustain me and others. As I write, I imagine forming an army of writers who would join me in our paper protests. Writers who could set the goal of connecting across the nation through the power of writing.

      As Margaret Atwood said, “A word after a word after a word is power.” Imagine what might occur if writers harnessed their powerful words for positive change, for the preservation of democracy, and for the return of normalcy where individuals fill roles for which they are prepared and proficient?

      When I went to bed last evening, I could not fall asleep which is usually an easy slide for me. My thoughts would not stop or calm down. My mind resolutely began an incessant chant, “Writers Unite, Take Up the Fight!” I chuckled to myself and answered, “OK, Subconscious, I guess you are speaking to me.”

      My Writing Goals for 2024

      Continue to develop my poetry and connections with other poets:

      In November, I attended Larry LaVerdure’s Poetry Party at The Collective in Lafayette. A grant funded the event which included a workshop led by Seth Harris, an open mike for student poets, and three featured poets: Valerie Szarek, Zbass, and M. D. Friedman, as well as treats and a fun discussion during the get-together afterward. I’ve met so many poets over the last two years that I knew many of the attendees and enjoyed chatting with them and learning more about their lives. Plus, the readings were all exceptionally good.

      Sadly, I forgot to log on to Bardic Trails this month.

      Finish my first novel and query agents:

      I worked with my critique group.

      Continue to work on my second novel:

      I talked to a fellow writer about this novel.

      Continue to work on my third novel: 

      I made no progress on this one.

      Continue to develop a network of kindred spirits in the world of writing and publishing:

      Boulder Writers Alliance: I attended the BWA Happy Hour in late November. I also attended this past week’s Writers Who Read session with Gary Alan McBride in which we discussed Jesmyn Ward’s Let Us Descend—the emotional level of which matched my own.

      Denver Woman’s Press Club: I read the newsletter but did not attend any meetings.

      Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers: I read the newsletter.

      Women Writing the West: I looked over the new website which is nicely designed.

      Document my writing progress through my blog and post it on the seventh day of each month, one blog per month in 2024:

      Today is December 7, 2024. I am posting my twelfth blog of 2024. I have now been writing this blog since 2018—a full seven years! I have enjoyed composing my musings about writing, the built-in goal setting which helps me focus and refocus, and having a fixed date for publication, which is the seventh day of each month. While my blog is a way for me to encompass my writing and my goal-setting in a single document, it is also a tool to help me contemplate writing as a profession and a nudge to keep me on track and working at my desk.

      Writers who were born in December that I particularly enjoy:

      Jane Austen, Carlos Castaneda, Willa Cather, Arthur C. Clarke, Joan Didion, Gustave Flaubert, Rudyard Kipling, Edna O’Brien, and James Thurber

      Poets that I admire who were born in December:

      Alfred de Musset, Emily Dickinson, Paul Éluard, Rainer Maria Rilke, Christina Rossetti, and John Greenleaf Whittier

      Creativity in a Stressful Time

      This past month, I have found it difficult to concentrate on my creative writing. I have spent hours listening to talk shows and pundits. I finally resorted to watching all the available versions of Matlock with Kathy Bates in one sitting. The writing, acting, and filming of that series are remarkably good. Kathy Bates’ performance is phenomenal. I was entranced by a TV show for the first time in years.

      Creative writing requires a mind that is rested and not distracted and, in particular, a train of thought that is not interrupted with “What if?” I managed to eke out one short poem in the last few weeks. However, I have not yet written the pages for my November critique group next week. On November 5, I simply sat at my computer and read various weak and unsatisfactory commentaries by various news outlets.

      I keep asking myself: what has gone wrong with education in the USA? Whose voices and whose writing can a wise person follow to understand current affairs? When and where can an everyday citizen be involved in stabilizing our struggling democracy? What can writers do to have an impact? Which kinds of stories can we tell that expand readers’ ability to recognize facts, identify lies, and interpret what they read? How can we help regular readers select reliable sources of information? How can we assure readers that all issues are not divided into “two sides”? How do we prevent division and separation among family members, former friends, and former colleagues? What is the common good that might unite?

      At the moment I have no answers—only questions.

      My Writing Goals for 2024

      Continue to develop my poetry and connections with other poets:

      In October, I attended the excellent Colorado Poetry Center poetry presentation by Kathryn Winograd at the Boulder Bookstore.

      I also participated in a poetry reading with Larry LaVerdure’s group in Lafayette and read one of my recent poems.

      I attended Bardic Trails, a program on the Western Slope, on Zoom. This month it featured two readers from the Navajo Nation: Zoey McKenzie of Las Cruces, New Mexico whose work can be viewed at: https://saaniidotcom.blogspot.com, and Milton Bluehouse, Jr., who is the son of a former Navajo leader and Tribal Chair, a hunter, rancher, and poet. He has worked in tribal, federal, and state inter-governmental relations, including facilitating and mediating multiple Indian Country issues. He has also provided relations training for federal and state agencies, private corporations, and non-governmental organizations.

      Additionally, I invited Bobby Parrot who has published hundreds of poems to read for the BWA Poetry Circle. Bobby’s work can be viewed in various online journals including: https://www.exactingclam.com/contributors/bobby-parrott/

      Finish my first novel and query agents:

      I drafted new pages for my critique group.

      Continue to work on my second novel:

      I talked to another writer about this book.

      Continue to work on my third novel:

      Even though I really liked the new BWA literary critique group, I decided that I could not manage another meeting, nor could I read more manuscripts at this point. So, with regret, I dropped out.

      Continue to develop a network of kindred spirits in the world of writing and publishing:

      Boulder Writers Alliance: I attended the BWA Happy Hour in October and Gary Allen McBride’s group this week in which we had an energetic conversation about Stephen King’s Holly.

      Denver Woman’s Press Club: Our 100th-year celebration was held in October.

      Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers:  I read the newsletter and chatted with folks who had attended the conference.

      Women Writing the West: I could not attend the conference because I was sick. It was a big disappointment.

      Document my writing progress through my blog and post it on the seventh day of each month, one blog per month in 2024:

      Today is November 7, 2024. I am posting my eleventh blog of 2024. October was unseasonably warm—I continued to harvest beans and corn from my garden until October 18th. My flower garden lasted until Halloween when we had our first freeze. Our first feathery snowfall covered my garden with snow flowers this week.

      Writers who were born in November that I particularly enjoy:

      Margaret Atwood, Roland Barthes, Fyodor Dostoevsky, André Gide, Nadine Gordimer, Margaret Mitchell, Helen Hooven Santmyer, Mark Twain, Voltaire, and Kurt Vonnegut

      Poets that I admire who were born in November:

      William Blake, Marianne Moore, and Anne Sexton

      Lessons in Writing

      Bonnie Garmus, the author of Lessons in Chemistry, and an enthusiastic supporter of libraries was the featured speaker at the local Boulder Public Library Gala in September. With attendance at close to 400 supporters, our Boulder Writers Alliance group was fortunate to have good seats close to the dais. Maeve Conran from KGNU conducted an insightful interview with Bonnie. The interview will be broadcast on October 24, 2024, at 9 AM, on KGNU Community Radio 88.5 FM on Radio Book Club, a collaboration between KGNU and the Boulder Bookstore.

      The next morning, I joined a small group from the Library Foundation and their supporters to meet with Bonnie for breakfast at a local venue. Bonnie spoke about how important both the school librarians and the local public librarians in her town were to her as a child. Her interest in reading and writing blossomed under the guidance of attentive librarians who gave her interesting tasks to do. Thus, she has chosen to be an active supporter of libraries as an adult. Throughout her career, Bonnie worked as a copywriter. Honing her skills for editing and accuracy proved invaluable to her work as a novelist. She added that her experience in marketing was beneficial when she began to collaborate with her publisher. She also emphasized that she goes through many drafts before publishing—up to fifty! I am looking forward to her next publication.

      My Writing Goals for 2024

      Continue to develop my poetry and connections with other poets:

      This past month, the Jaipur Literary Festival Colorado was held at the local public library. I attended several sessions with visiting and local poets, including Rohan Chhetri, Jovan Mays, Reiland Rabaka, and Anne Waldman.

      I also participated in a workshop at Naropa University led by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer who was San Miguel County’s Poet Laureate from 2007-2011 and the Western Slope Poet Laureate from 2015-2017. Moudi Sbeity, a poet who is a writing instructor at Naropa University, joined Rosemerry for the session. The following evening, they both read their work at the Colorado Poetry Center’s reading at the Boulder Bookstore. I found both the workshop and the reading to be exceptionally warm, personal, and instructive.

      I also attended Bardic Trails, a program on the Western Slope, on Zoom. This month it featured Eirene Hamilton, a poet who writes in both Diné Bizaad and English. Eirene’s integration of nature, humor, and her people’s culture into her poetry was delightful.

      Additionally, I invited David Jilk to present for the Boulder Writers Alliance Poetry Circle in September. He discussed and read from his newest publication. Dave is the author of Epoch: A Poetic Psy-Phi Saga, two collections of lyric poetry, co-author of The Entrepreneur’s Weekly Nietzsche: A Book for Disruptors, and lead or co-author of several academic papers on cognitive neuroscience and on existential concerns related to artificial intelligence.

      Finish my first novel and query agents:

      I drafted new pages for my critique group.

      Continue to work on my second novel:

      I did not work on this book this month.

      Continue to work on my third novel:

      Our new BWA literary critique group met to work together. Three of us were present on Zoom and we all expressed our appreciation for each other’s work. We also made comments and made helpful suggestions.

      Continue to develop a network of kindred spirits in the world of writing and publishing:

      Boulder Writers Alliance: I attended the BWA Happy Hour in September and our Writers Who Read session led by Gary Allen McBride this week in which we had a lively discussion of Ann Patchett’s Tom Lake.

      Denver Woman’s Press Club: I read the newsletter and decided which sessions I could attend this fall.

      Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers:  I read the newsletter and followed the RMFW Colorado Gold Conference on Facebook.

      Women Writing the West: I am looking forward to the annual conference which takes place this month. I sent in my pages for the critique group being held at the conference.

      Document my writing progress through my blog and post it on the seventh day of each month, one blog per month in 2024:

      Today is October 7, 2024. I am posting my tenth blog of 2024. September was beautiful and mostly warm. Because of our exceptionally warm autumn, my flower garden is still in full bloom today, adding color and richness to my days.

      Writers who were born in October that I particularly enjoy:

      Jill Kerr Conway, e. e. cummings, Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, Ursula K. Le Guin, Doris Lessing, Katherine Mansfield, François Mauriac, Terry McMillan, Arthur Miller, Ivan Turgenev, and Oscar Wilde

      Poets that I admire who were born in October:

      John Keats, Sylvia Plath, Arthur Rimbaud, Wallace Stevens, and Dylan Thomas