Tag: poetry

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.

      Harvest Moon

      Fall is upon us, providing inspiration to writers everywhere. Today is October 7, but this year the Harvest Moon was in its glory yesterday on October 6. It will be bright for several evenings because of its celestial positioning during the autumnal equinox. The Harvest Moon has always been a traditional time for celebrations, both in the West and in the East. For the Chinese, mooncakes are the center of celebrations. A close Chinese friend reminded me last month to be sure and order my mooncakes, so I have had two packages tucked away in my fridge since September 27. If you have never tried a mooncake, they are delicious!

      As every season manifests its glory, I think, “Oh, this is my favorite season!” What I love about fall is the intense blue of the sky in Colorado, the days with perfect weather, the aspens turning gold, the maples turning red, the hackberries turning yellow, and the crunch of leaves as I walk. A fond memory is that of my huge Bouvier des Flandres chasing an immense, dry, and rattling leaf down our driveway in the fall. She was so proud when she caught it.

      Fall is an energizing time, as mammals busily tuck away food for the winter, birds fly overhead heading south, students return to classrooms, and all the town meetings that took the summer off resume. I find the autumn a satisfactory time to read, write, and reflect as I enjoy the warmth of my fireplace in the evening.

      What is your favorite fall pastime? Football games? Bike rides? Going to your local Oktoberfest? Shopping for warmer clothes? Changing your sheets from cotton to flannel? Stocking up on matzo ball soup? Whatever your favorite pastime is, don’t forget to take a walk and enjoy the invigorating air and the beautiful blue skies.

      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. Today, Bardic Trails featured Ghost Stories told by Betsy Quammen. Some participants shared spooky ghost stories of their own.

      Colorado Poetry Center: Each month, Beth Franklin, the director of the Colorado Poetry Center, hosts poetry readings at the Boulder Book Store. In September, the featured poets were Sheryl Luna, whose recent book, Magnificent Errors, received the Ernest Sandeen Prize at Notre Dame, and Stan Deetz, who read from his book Between….

      Columbine Poets: The Columbine Poets Fest in September featured George Kalamaras, who was the poet laureate of Indiana from 2014 to 2016 and who is a professor emeritus at Purdue University Fort Wayne. Kalamaras has published twenty-four books of poetry. At the Columbine Poets Fest, my unpublished poem, There, Then Bare, was recognized. On September 20, I gave an in-person presentation for the Columbine Poets on the nineteenth-century French poet, Paul Verlaine.

      I also attended an online workshop on Haiku, Tanka, and Cinquain forms led by Brenda Wildrick. During the workshop, I tried my hand at these three short poetry forms.

      Cannon Mine Poets: The Cannon Mine Poets group in Lafayette, now hosted by Abby Seber, highlighted Larry LaVerdure in September. Larry read from his lifetime of inspiring work.

      Celebrations of Poets: This month, I saw an early screening of Come See Me in the Good Light, a documentary about the local poet, Andrea Gibson, who died on July 14, 2025, of cancer. It was heart-rending.

      • Continue to make progress on my draft novels:

      Finish my first novel and query agents (IW): I bought a printer so that I could print the entire novel out and make revisions. Then, my writer friends told me it would make more sense to have it printed at the local print shop. I will take their advice.

      Finish my second novel (G): I attended a Boulder Writers Alliance workshop presented by Asa Henderson and Nicholas Dunbar on Writing Richer Conflicts: Beyond Good and Evil, and applied their process to a character in my draft novel.

      Continue to work on my third novel (PW): I combined my individual documents into one long document.

      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 September. Our speaker was Lisa Berley, who spoke about writing “erasure” and “found” poetry—both methods that I would like to try out for myself.

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

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

      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 October 7, 2025. I am posting my tenth blog for this year. September was a productive month for me—something about the fall weather puts wind in my sails. I wrote several poems in September and also read some aloud at the open mic sessions that accompanied readings that I attended.

      A Poem for October

      Paul Laurence Dunbar, 1872–1906, authored numerous collections of poetry and prose. Dunbar was one of the first African American poets to receive national recognition. I love this poem by Dunbar:

      October

      October is the treasurer of the year,
          And all the months pay bounty to her store;
      The fields and orchards still their tribute bear,
          And fill her brimming coffers more and more
      But she, with youthful lavishness,
          Spends all her wealth in gaudy dress,
      And decks herself in garments bold
          Of scarlet, purple, red, and gold.

      She heedeth not how swift the hours fly,
          But smiles and sings her happy life along;
      She only sees above a shining sky;
          She only hears the breezes’ voice in song.
      Her garments trail the woodlands through,
          And gather pearls of early dew
      That sparkle, till the roguish Sun
          Creeps up and steals them every one.

      But what cares she that jewels should be lost,
          When all of Nature’s bounteous wealth is hers?
      Though princely fortunes may have been their cost,
          Not one regret her calm demeanor stirs.
      Whole-hearted, happy, careless, free,
          She lives her life out joyously,
      Nor cares when Frost stalks o’er her way
          And turns her auburn locks to gray.

      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.

      Writing and Gardening

      The two greatest pleasures of my life are writing and gardening. I write every day of the week, every week of the month, and every month of each year. Every day, I write a gratitude and compassion journal, work on poetry, and edit and fine-tune one of the novels I have been working on. My monthly meetings with my critique partner are a pleasure and contribute to the development of my knowledge and proficiency.

      Since I live in a summer/winter climate, my gardening is limited to the late spring and early fall but I have a huge flower garden behind my house and smaller ones on the north and east. My favorite flowers are sunflowers and zinnias, but my large garden is resplendent with perennials including iris, roses, columbines of multiple colors, lazy Susans, daisies, lavender, and marigolds. One of the glories of my landscape is an old and huge rhododendron bush with gorgeous lavender blossoms. I also plant a tiny vegetable garden in the summer and enjoy having fresh vegetables on hand.

      Parallels that exist in these two different interests are profound. Both writing and gardening require consistency and commitment. They both require consultation and constant research and learning. Both writing and gardening keep me involved with talented and supportive individuals with whom I love to communicate. And, best of all, both writing and gardening contribute to my mental and physical health and stamina. My research, writing, editing, critique groups, readings, and conferences keep me informed and engaged in a community of writers. Bending over in the garden, pulling weeds, harvesting vegetables, and dragging a heavy, long hose from the front to the back of the house are activities that keep me strong and limber. Being outdoors cheers me up, clears my mind, improves my breathing, and assures my nights are spent in restful repose.

      I encourage my readers to engage in what interests them on both a personal, group, and community level. Engagement leads to a long, pleasant, and fulfilling life.

      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. This month, the invited speaker was Juliana Aragón Fatula, who has been a writer in residence for the Colorado Humanities Writers in the Schools Program and who is a member of the Sandra Cisneros Macondo Foundation. The diversity of poets who read during the open mic is entertaining. I read one of my poems.

      The Colorado Poetry Center: In May, at the CPC in-person, evening session at the Boulder Bookstore hosted by Beth Franklin, Mary Crow, an American poet, translator, and professor who served as poet laureate of Colorado for 14 years read from her extensive work. Mary Crow has been recognized by the Arts and Colorado Council on the Arts, the Colorado Book Award, a Translation Award from Columbia University, a National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship to New York University, and three NEH summer seminars. Jack Martin also read that evening. Jack taught junior high and high school English for around twenty years. He is a graduate of the MFA program at Colorado State University and his poems have appeared in many magazines. Jack Martin also received the Colorado Council on the Arts Poetry Award. I enjoyed the open mic readings that evening as well and stepped up to read a poem myself.

      The Boulder Writers Alliance Poetry Circle: In May, BWA featured Stan Deetz. Stan is a Professor Emeritus and was a President’s Teaching Scholar at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He has been a featured presenter at Queer Art Organics and participated in open mic readings at Junkyard Social Club, Trident, the Coffee Stand, and the Colorado Poets Center Open Mics at the Boulder Bookstore. In 2024, Stan published a prose and poetry memoir Between….by TransGender Publishing.

      Columbine Poets: I recently joined Columbine Poets and attended an online poetry critique group with the group this week. The poets in the group are knowledgeable and give inspired feedback and suggestions.

      Cannon Mine Poets: Over the last year, I have also been attending the Cannon Mine Poets group in Lafayette which is hosted by Larry LaVerdure and also has an open mic session. In May, Connie Boyle, winner of the Colorado Authors League 2012 poetry award, presented a reading.

      My poetry project goals: I managed to write a new poem every week over the last month and submitted one to a contest. I also attended the Poetry Rodeo in Denver this month and took an insightful workshop on writing poetry led by Julie Cumming whose work I admire.

      1. Finish my first novel and query agents (IW): I went through all my files and moved them into different folders to create seven draft segments of the novel.
      1. Finish my second novel (G): Nothing accomplished here.
      1. Continue to work on my third novel (PW): Nothing accomplished here.
      1. Continue to develop a network of kindred spirits in the world of writing and publishing:
      1. Boulder Writers Alliance: I hosted the BWA Poetry Circle which featured Stan Deetz but missed the BWA Happy Hour because I had company from abroad.
      2. Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers:  I read the newsletter and various emails. I also worked on a potential submission to the anthology.
      3. Women Writing the West: I read the newsletter and listserv.
      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 June 7, 2025. I am posting my sixth blog for this year. May, and so far June, have been extremely damp in Colorado. Rainfall on the Front Range has exceeded typical late May and June weather in Seattle and Portland—which may be a first. I took a drive this week and was astounded at the intense green of the fields and foliage in Boulder County. I don’t think I have ever seen such an emerald landscape here in our high-altitude desert. It made me wonder why green is not seen as the color of love.

      A Poem for June

      The Best Thing in the World

      By Elizabeth Barrett Browning

      What’s the best thing in the world?
      June-rose, by May-dew impearled;
      Sweet south-wind, that means no rain;
      Truth, not cruel to a friend;
      Pleasure, not in haste to end;
      Beauty, not self-decked and curled
      Till its pride is over-plain;
      Light, that never makes you wink;
      Memory, that gives no pain;
      Love, when, so, you’re loved again.
      What’s the best thing in the world?
      — Something out of it, I think.–

      Sadness and Grief Wrapped in Splendor

      The passing of Pope Francis has had a touching impact on people from all levels of society and all religions. He was a gentle and honest man who chose to live without ostentation or wealth. Although as pope, he had no special political power, during his lifetime he was welcomed by political leaders from around the world and by leaders of most religions. Thus, his funeral was attended by leaders, kings, queens, and other royalty as well as by many of his followers and admirers. Today the papal conclave began to choose the new pope as the world awaits in anticipation. At the end of the day, the smoke emitted was black, indicating that a new pope had not yet been selected. Even though I am not Catholic, I admire the life and work of Pope Francis and look forward to a new leader with a heart as big as his. Even after his death, his impact will be felt by the people of Gaza to whom he requested that his popemobile to be remade for medical service.

      My favorite movie over the past year was Conclave which featured Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, and Isabella Rossellini. I thought the acting was splendid. The setting and the costumes were beautiful. I was disappointed that it didn’t win every category at the Oscars but appreciated that fact that the Screen Actors Guild awarded the cast The Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture Award in 2025. If you haven’t seen Conclave, now is the perfect time to view it.

      My Writing Goals for 2025

      1. Continue to develop my poetry and connections with other poets:
      2. 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. This month, the presentation took place on May 6. Two poets presented their work: Ellery Akers who has published multiple books of poetry and whose A Door into the Wild won the 2024 Blue Light Book Award and a silver medal in the 2024 North American Book Award in Poetry and Benny Manibog who won the 2024 Cantor Prize for his poem, “Honeycombs.” I genuinely enjoy the Bardic Trails open mike session as the poets who read are excellent. This month, I read my poem “Winning Horses” in the open mike session.
      3. The Colorado Poetry Center: In April, Michael J. Henry, who is the Executive Director of Lighthouse and who has published two collections of poetry, No Stranger Than My Own and Active Gods, and a book of nonfiction, Mountain Biking the Colorado Trail, read at the CPC evening session at the Boulder Bookstore. I enjoyed the open mike readings that evening as well.
      4. The Boulder Writers Alliance Poetry Circle featured Lorrie E. Wolfe. Her second chapbook, The Language of Crows, won the Middle Creek Press 2023 Fledge Chapbook Award and was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Lorrie’s work has been widely published in journals and anthologies. Lorrie was also named Poet of the Year at the Ziggies Poetry Festival in Denver.
      • My poetry project goals: I managed to write a new poem every week over the last month and plan to submit one to a contest.
      • Finish my first novel and query agents (IW):  I attended a BWA Silent Writing Group session and discussed my synopsis at my critique group.
      • Finish my second novel (G): Nothing accomplished.
      • Continue to work on my third novel, (PW: Nothing accomplished.

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

      1. Boulder Writers Alliance:  I was unable to attend the BWA’s Writers Who Read discussion of Butcher by Joyce Carol Oates, led by Gary Alan McBride. This was a difficult book for me to read. I had to reread the first three parts three times to make my mind focus on the story. It is rare that I dislike a book and almost throw it across the room but I did not like this book.
      2. Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers:  I read the newsletter and various emails. I also started a draft of a potential submission to the anthology.
      3. Women Writing the West: I read the newsletter and attended our critique group. I do plan to attend the online/virtual WWW Conference this year.
      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 May 7, 2025. I am posting my fifth blog for this year. When I was a child, on May Day, we prepared little May baskets for older ladies in the neighborhood and left them on their doorstep as a surprise. It was fun to know that they didn’t know who left them. Once as an adult, I had someone leave me a May basket which was a pleasure and brought back memories of my childhood. I never discovered who left it! This month, I have had visitors from abroad which has been a delight.

      A Poem for May

      May Baskets

               —Annette Wynne

      In other lands the children bring

      May baskets for the first of spring,

      And hang them on a lady’s door

      To say that spring is here once more;

      And when the lady comes to see

      What all the sound outside may be,

      She’s glad; that’s the way

      The Swedish children keep the May.

      But we can do kind things and sing

      And tell our way the joy of spring.

      Though April Showers May Come Our Way…Americans Love Democracy

      We are one week into April and I have been humbled and pleased by the bravery of so many Americans across the country who have joined protest marches in support of democracy. While I have read that these protests have not been widely published about nor on the front pages of mainstream newspapers, they are covered quite well on Facebook, CGNTEurope is covering the protests. I have contributed some cash to some marches but have not attended one. Many of my friends have attended local and state protests and have found the process uplifting. It is also thrilling to observe the marches taking place in other countries in support of American democracy.

      As we are living in a moment where democratic principles are being challenged and sometime ignored, I decided to review and comment on the key principles of our American Constitution.

      The five key principles include: the separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, and popular sovereignty. The separation of powers deliberately divides governmental authority among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches to prevent a single branch from becoming too powerful. The principle of checks and balances allows each branch of the government to limit the power of the other two branches. The concept of federalism divides the power between the federal government and the state governments. The fourth principle, popular sovereignty, states that the government derives its power from the people. And, the fifth principle, limited government establishes that the government’s power is restricted by the Constitution—the government must not act arbitrarily.a

      So, if you support our democratic procedures and the separation of powers, now might be a suitable time to let your thoughts and voices be heard. Writers Unite: Take Up the Fight!

      My Writing Goals for 2025

      1. Continue to develop my poetry and connections with other poets:
      2. 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. This month, the presentation took place on April Fool’s Day but suffering from the fool’s part of the day, I forgot to log on.
      3. The Colorado Poetry Center: The poet who read at the CPC session in the middle of March, Christina A. Bejan, is a local. She presented with professional actors several scenes from her anthology of plays: “Finally Quiet: Four Plays from Bucharest to Washington DC.”
      4. The Boulder Writers Alliance Poetry Circle featured Gregory Seth Harris who read from his impressive narrative poems. Seth has recently published an audio book of his poetry book, A Black Odyssey, on Spotify.
      5. My poetry project goals: I managed to write a new poem every week over the last month and plan to submit one to a contest.
      6. Finish my first novel and query agents (IW):  I attended a BWA Silent Writing Group session and managed to make some progress over this month on this novel.
      7. Finish my second novel (G): Nothing accomplished on this manuscript.
      8. Continue to work on my third novel, (PW): I read and corrected several pages of notes on my topic.

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

      1. Boulder Writers Alliance:  I attended the BWA’s Writers Who Read discussion of Burma Sahib by Paul Theroux—an informative and engaging read. It is a novelized biography of Eric Arthur Blair whose penname was George Orwell, the author of Nineteen Eighty-Four. Curiously, the beginning sentence of the novel is: “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.”

      2. Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers:  I read the newsletter and various emails. I also started a draft of a potential submission to the anthology. The RMFW Gold Conference takes place this year in September: https://rmfw.org/conference/

      3. Women Writing the West: I read the newsletter and attended our critique group. The WWW Virtual Conference this year takes place October. If you are interested, you can check it out at:

      Conference

      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 April 7, 2025. I am posting my fourth blog for this year. April is, of course, tax month so I have devoted many hours to tax preparation and submission. However, I have also had time to write. After having new snowfall on the ground over the weekend, today I took a drive and was thrilled to see white blossoms on some trees, white trees with red blossoms, pale green baby leaves popping out on bushes and trees all along the way, and tulips tipping their tops in the breeze. Spring is finally here!

      Some Lines from a Favorite Poem

      The Waste Land

                  —T.S. Elliott

      April is the cruelest month

      breeding lilacs out of the dead land, mixing

      Memory and desire, stirring

      Dull roots with spring rain”…

      March Weather and Our Lives

      In the Boulder foothills, March came in like a lamb—not like a lion. The first day of March was a beautiful, sunny day with blue skies, and the temperature reached 61 degrees Fahrenheit. Later that week, the temperature topped out at 35 degrees with snow. Wherever you live, these drastic March weather variations are likely to be commonplace.

      Ralph Waldo Emerson famously said, “Our life is March weather, savage and serene in one hour.” His quote is reflected not only in fluctuating meteorological conditions and in our personal lives, but also in current local and national events. This month my usually reliable writing time was shortened with the need to spend three days buying and setting up a new computer, then shortly thereafter having it compromised by hackers, and having to spend more than a week clearing up the resulting mess with my bank and various other financial groups.

      Likewise, since January 20, national events have felt like March weather—difficulties, surprises, and shocks. The whole country is upset. There has been an explosion of local marches in every state of the union, as well as protest marches against fascism in other countries. Citizens in the USA are protesting current national policies that are destructive to individuals, businesses, and freedoms which we all value.

      Our area had its own protest this week because staff positions were slashed at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA is the national group that builds, as their website states: “… a Weather-Ready Nation by providing better information for better decisions to save lives and livelihoods.” The weather information our cell phones display comes from NOAA. Given climate change and the increase in flooding, fires, and other dramatic weather events worldwide, firing experts endangers the lives of Americans and individuals elsewhere. Laying off so many workers undermines the economy. People need salaries to pay their rent, buy food, and pay taxes.

      As I post this blog, we are only one week into the month; the Ides of March will soon be upon us. Most folks know the expression “Beware the Ides of March” but do they know to what it refers? Shakespeare wrote the line, a warning spoken by a soothsayer, into his play Julius Caesar. Caesar ignored the fortune-teller’s portent and was subsequently assassinated on the fifteenth of March—the middle of the month. This year, March 15 falls on a Saturday. I am always extra careful on the Ides of March, while at the same time being happy that spring is creeping closer.

      Given the current political situation, I encourage writers to make their viewpoints known and support democracy: Writers Unite; Take Up the Fight!

      My Writing Goals for 2025

      1. Continue to develop my poetry and connections with other poets:
      2. Bardic Trails: The Talking Gourds/Bardic Trails is a monthly Zoom presentation of poets, followed by an open mike, that comes out Telluride, Colorado. This month, Teow Lim Goh presented her poetry which focused on Chinese workers in Wyoming during a period when they were harassed, murdered, and had their settlement destroyed by local white men. Goh illuminated a shocking period of Western US history that was unknown to me.
      3. The Colorado Poetry Center: I didn’t make it to a CPC reading this month but did attend an exceptional reading by the Irish Poet, Pádraig Ó Tuama, at the Denver Public Library. I purchased and enjoyed reading his book, Kitchen Poems.
      4. The Boulder Writers Alliance Poetry Circle featured Brenda Wildrick, a Colorado poet who has published several poetry books including On the Train for Somewhere Else and two coloring books, The Color of Hope and Seasons of Resplendent Color which feature a haiku poem with each image. Brenda’s poetry ranges from the poignant to the political.
      5. My poetry project goals: Despite the interruptions, I’ve managed to write a new poem each week so far this year.
      6. Finish my first novel and query agents (IW): I had no new pages in hand to share with my critique group but I provided feedback on the pages presented to me.
      7. Finish my second novel (G): I had no time to work on this manuscript this month.
      8. Continue to work on my third novel, (PW): I discussed drilling accidents with a knowledgeable person.

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

      1. Boulder Writers Alliance:  I attended the BWA’s Writers Who Read discussion of James by Percival Everett, led by Gary Alan McBride. Everett’s use of diction to demonstrate differences in position and power was impressive. I also joined our February BWA Happy Hour for an engaging and informative discussion with other writers. I appreciated Brenda Wildrick’s riveting poetry reading for our BWA Poetry Circle.

      2. Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers:  I read the newsletter and various emails. The RMFW Gold Conference takes place this year in September: https://rmfw.org/conference/

      3. Women Writing the West: I read the newsletter and attended our critique group. The WWW Virtual Conference this year takes place in October: https://www.womenwritingthewest.org/conference/

      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 March 7, 2025. I am posting my third blog for this year. After a frigid February, it is nice to have lighter skies, longer days, and intermittent warmer temperatures. I have enjoyed the talented poets and writers that I have met with this month.

      Some Lines from a Favorite Poem

      My academic degrees (BA, MA, PhD) are all in French Literature. Guillaume Apollinaire (1880–1918) has always been one of my favorite French poets. Here are the opening lines of one of his poems in French, followed by my personal translation of these lines of his poem into English:

      Sous le Pont Mirabeau

      Sous le pont Mirabeau coule la Seine
        Et nos amours
           Faut-il qu’il m’en souvienne
      La joie venait toujours après la peine

                 Vienne la nuit sonne l’heure
                 Les jours s’en vont je demeure

      Under the Pont Mirabeau

      Under the Pont Mirabeau flows the Seine
      And our loves
      Must I remember
      That joy has always appeared after pain

      Let the night come and the hour ring
      Days drift away yet I remain.