Right on time, here is our first word challenge word for the new year, thanks to our old friend and poet, JOY ACEY FRELINGER. Here is how she put it.
My selection for the January word is “You.” The “Y” is like standing with your arms open wide to take everything or everybody in a great hug. The circular “o” reminds us every good poem makes a circle with a good beginning, middle and end.
And the “u” tells us we are all in the experience of the poem together.
It should be an easy word for all of us to easily use to start the new year.
A quick reminder to those who have not posted their November Word of the Month poems yet. Grief is filled with meaning and stories. Thank you for the insightful poems already posted. I hope to see others as the month winds down.
If you remember, a few months ago I turned to the poets who attended my first workshop in 2011 near Honesdale, Pennsylvania and asked them to choose words for the next eight months. They were CORY CORRADO, JEANNE POLAND, KEN SLESARIK, SUSAN CARMICHAEL, JOY ACEY, HEIDI MORDHORST, BECCA MENSHEN, and CAROL-ANN HOYTE. In previous posts I’ve mentioned this group of poets, most of whom came to the workshop as strangers and left friends. Many have remained in touch over these past eleven years. With that original group in mind, I asked each in turn to provide the Word of the Month word for the months of September (Cory), October (Jeanne), November (Ken), December (Susan), January (Joy), February (Heidi), March (Becca), and April (Carol-Ann).
So far we’ve enjoyed words provided by Cory, Jeanne, and Ken. Coming up in December is Susan. I’m eager to see what she suggests to tickle our muses.
In a few more days it will be time to post a word for the September Word of the Month Poetry Challenge. For the past many months I’ve posted each new word myself, but I think it’s time to share the fun again.
The first Highlights poetry workshop I gave in Honesdale, in 2011, was attended by the following good people CORY CORRADO, JEANNE POLAND, KEN SLESARIK, SUSAN CARMICHAEL, JOY ACEY, HEIDI MORDHORST, BECCA MENSHEN, and CAROL-ANN HOYTE. In previous posts I’ve mentioned this group of poets, most of whom came to the workshop as strangers and left friends. Many have remained in touch over these past eleven years.
Cory and Carol-Ann
With that original group in mind, I’m going to ask each in turn to provide the Word of the Month word for the coming months of September (Cory), October (Jeanne), November (Ken), December (Susan), January (Joy), February (Heidi), March (Becca), and April (Carol-Ann). If someone would rather not or can’t be located in time, we’ll always have me as Plan B.
Ken, Carol-Ann, Heidi, Joy, and Susan
So Cory, you’re up first. Send me a note in the next few days at davidlharrison1@att.net with your word for September and I’ll post it on September 1. Thank you in advance!
Hi everyone,
I met poet Joy Acey Frelinger in 2011 when she attended my Highlights Foundation poetry workshop near Honesdale, Pennsylvania. Joy, Jeanne Poland, Ken Slesarik, and Cory Corrado were in the same group and I love it that we’ve all stayed in regular contact over these last eight years. That’s Ken and Joy (in red) in the picture.
Yesterday Joy sent me a note about my contribution to Jane Yolen’s new form, which she has dubbed the Tendrillon. Here’s Joy’s note/suggestion.
“I like your reply poem to Jane’s challenge BUT your ending couplet didn’t make much sense to me. I’d like to suggest for the last line:
I’ll drink martinis, very dry.”
And here’s my response.
“Thanks for the suggested revision. I meant my tongue in cheek ending to smack of irony: after over imbibing on wine for so long, my speaker decides to turn to vodka until he gets all that vine out of his system. Your suggestion changes my meaning but is a clearer solution. I’ll mention this on my blog.”
Sometimes when a writer dashes off a line to reflect his meaning, the result isn’t as clear to his reader as it seems in his mind because he knows what he means to convey and the reader has to be told. This may be a good example of it. The floor is open if you care to add your own thoughts to this example or perhaps to speak in general on the subject of clarity of expression. Thanks, Joy, for creating the teaching/learning moment.
Hi everyone,
Unless you have come to this blog during the past six months, you may already know about the twice yearly blog parties. I hosted the first four, starting December 2015, and Matt Forrest Esenwine took over from me in December 2017.
The concept of having virtual blog parties originated in conversations among Matt, Joy Acey, and me in December 15 so it seemed fitting that Matt would step in to become the second host for this fun event that routinely brings so many people together from the comfort of their own homes.
It’s astonishing how fertile imaginations can conjure a party that seems very nearly real. Guests come and go all day. Many bring refreshments. Old friends greet one another as warmly as though they were meeting face to face. Guests with questions feel free to ask them of the group or of individuals.
I don’t know if our blog party has a future but it’s fun to imagine that others will step up when Matt is ready to pass the hosting role to someone else. Right now I think he’s an ideal host because he’s riding a wave of publishing success and seems poised to enjoy more of it as he goes. So good for him and good for us as we click over to his house tomorrow at https://mattforrest.wordpress.com
I hope to see you there. Please spread the word to anyone you know who would enjoy dropping by to enjoy warm company and great food!
Children's Author David L. Harrison's Blog 