Dan Jorgensen's Blog, page 107

'Hearing the soul's suffering'

 

“There'sa reason poets often say, 'Poetry saved my life,' for often the blank page isthe only one listening to the soul's suffering, the only one registering thestory completely, the only one receiving all softly and without condemnation.”– Clarissa Pinkola Estés

Estés’ works, published in 37languages, includes Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of TheWild Woman Archetype, a New York Times' bestseller for a remarkable145 weeks.  From that work forSaturday’s Poem, here is,  

 

Rainmaker: you could be the water

 

By the scent of water alone,
the withered vine comes back to life,
and thus…wherever the land is dry and hard,
you could be the water;
or you could be the iron blade
disking the earth open;
or you could be the acequia,
the mother ditch, carrying the water
from the river to the fields
to grow the flowers for the farmers;
or you could be the honest engineer
mapping the dams that must be taken down,
and those dams which could remain to serve
the venerable all, instead of only the very few.
You could be the battered vessel
for carrying the water by hand;
or you could be the one
who stores the water.
You could be the one who
protects the water,
or the one who blesses it,
or the one who pours it.
Or you could be the tired ground
that receives it;
or you could be the scorched seed
that drinks it;
or you could be the vine,
green-growing overland,
in all your wild audacity…

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'Just the right word, or phrase'

 

“Theywho dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream onlyby night.” – Edgar Allan Poe
Poe was born in Boston on this date in 1809.   A key figure in the worldwideRomanticism movement, he wasboth a poet and one of America's earliest writers of short mysteries, many of which were macabre in nature.

The first well-known American writerto try to make a living by writing alone, Poe had spurts of decent amounts of income followed by periods ofdestitution.  Ultimately, his lack ofincome may have been a contributing factor to his early death.  But the actual cause of his death at age 40has never been determined, and has been the subject of many movies and “whodunit?”books.
Poe probably would have likedthat.  He enjoyed writing both a good mysteryand a good detective story.  Sir ArthurConan Doyle noted, "Each [of Poe's detective stories] is a rootfrom which a whole literature has developed . . . Where was the detective storyuntil Poe breathed the breath of life into it?"  The Mystery Writers of America have namedtheir annual awards for excellence, "Edgars.”
His use of  “justthe right word or turn of phrase” also might reflect back to his love of poetry.                           He oncenoted,  “I would define, in brief, thepoetry of words as the rhythmical creation of Beauty.”

A Writer's Moment: 'Just the right word, or phrase'

A Writer's Moment: 'Just the right word, or phrase':   “They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.” – Edgar Allan Poe Poe was born in B...

A Writer's Moment: 'Great worlds to explore'

A Writer's Moment: 'Great worlds to explore':   “There are great books in this world, and great worlds in books.” – Anne Bronte   Both novelist and poet, the youn...

'Great worlds to explore'

 

“Thereare great books in this world, and great worlds in books.”– Anne Bronte

 

Both novelist and poet, the youngestmember of the Brontë literary family (her sisters Emily and Charlotte also werewidely published and read during her short lifetime), Anne was born on Jan. 17,1820.  She died at age 29 fromtuberculosis and the flu, only a few months after the death of her sister Emilyfrom a similar malady. 

 

Her novel The Tenant of WildfellHall, published just months before she died, was considered both brilliant- for its complex, multi-layered plot - and shocking, especially in that staidVictorian era.  So, naturally, it was aninstant hit and sold out in just weeks. 

 

 Stillstudied in writing programs around the globe, Tenant’s depictionof alcoholism and debauchery was both disturbing and an awakening to19th-century sensibilities, especially in its revelation about the treatment ofwomen.

 

In issuing a call to action from herreaders, she wrote:  “No generous minddelights to oppress the weak, but rather to cherish and protect.”

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Quiet routine; powerful results

 

“Youdon't need many words if you already know what you're talking about.”– William Stafford 
Stafford, who was born in Kansas onthis date in 1914, had a quiet daily ritual of writing, much of it focused onthe ordinary, but powerfully presented through his writing.  

A close friend and collaborator ofMinnesota poet Robert Bly, Stafford’s writing career started late in life (hewas 46 when he first published).  Hiswriting, though, started privately much earlier and for over 50 years he kept adaily journal until his death in 1993. Ultimately his journals totaled over 20,000 pages, some published in the2003 book Every War Has Two Losers.  Stafford’s complete journal collection ismaintained by Lewis & Clark College.
A frequent contributor to magazinesand journals, Stafford composed some 22,000 poems with over 3,000 appearing inhis 57 published books of poetry.  Stafford said he would love to beable to constantly look at life through a child’s eyes. 
 
 “Kids dancebefore they learn there is anything that isn't music.”

A Writer's Moment: Quiet routine; powerful results

A Writer's Moment: Quiet routine; powerful results:   “You don't need many words if you already know what you're talking about.” – William Stafford   Stafford, who was born in K...

A Writer's Moment: 'How lucky we were . . . and are'

A Writer's Moment: 'How lucky we were . . . and are': "It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like 'What about lunch...

'How lucky we were . . . and are'

"It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like 'What about lunch?'" – A.A. Milne     Alan Alexander Milne, who gave us one of the most lovable and lasting figures inchildrens’ literature – Winnie The Pooh -- was born in England in January of 1882.  His amazing success with “That Silly Old Bear” overshadowed his otherwriting, which was really quite amazing in its own right.     During a 20-year period from about 1906 to1925 he published 18 plays, 3 novels, and was a screenwriter for the earlyBritish cinema, including four films produced by up-and-coming actor LeslieHoward, who gained everlasting fame as Ashley Wilkes in Gone With The Wind.  Howardactually got his start acting in Milne’s play, Mr. Pim Passes By.
But Milne is most famous for his two Poohbooks about a boy named Christopher Robin, named after his son ChristopherRobin Milne, and Christopher’s menagerie of stuffed animals headed up by ateddy bear named Edward.  Both A.A.and Christopher loved a bear at the London Zoo named Winnie and a swan swimmingthere named Pooh.  So, instead of Edward, the bear got those combined names and the rest, as they say… 
 [image error] A.A. Milne & son Christopher

Through Pooh, Milne gave us a conduit to many great terms, including  “Being a little eleven-o’clockish.” It’s when you’re getting tired of the morning and wishing you had moreenergy, or something to eat – but it’s too late for a mid-morning pick-me-upand too early for lunch.  I’ve found it alsoworks for describing other things, too, like feeling dragged out or unable toput any more effort into something. 
He also noted, "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." 

'Be willing to fail'

 

“I'm always terrified when I'mwriting.” – Mary Karr

Karr’ssentiment probably echoes all who take pen in hand or sit up to a keyboard ortypewriter to begin the creative process.

 

Bornin Groves, Texas on Jan. 16, 1955 Karr brought her early years back to life in her New York Times bestselling memoir, TheLiars' Club.   The book delvesvividly and often humorously into her childhood, most of whichwas spent in a gritty industrial section of Southeast Texas. 

 

Theauthor of 2 other memoirs, Cherry,and Lit: A Memoir, she also has had success as a poet (5 volumes to date) andessayist.  Winner of the prestigiousWhiting Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship in poetry, and two Pushcart Prizes, her “dayjob” is Professor of English Literature at Syracuse.

 

“Youngwriters often mistakenly choose a certain vein or style based on who they wantto be, unconsciously trying to blot out who they actually are.” Karrsaid.   “The thing I have to do as a writer . . .  is that I have to be willing to fail.”

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