Wruth's Writings and Art

[Ken, Moderator]

What defines a chapbook vs. a manuscript? Almost all poetry collections are slimmer than Twiggy. I just got a free copy of the Polish poet's latest. You know. Her. Last name starts with a W followed by LOTS of letters....

[Ruth]

A chapbook is smaller, maybe 10-30 pages. Usually stapled, not perfect bound.

You mean Wisława Szymborska? I surprised myself by knowing how to spell the last name, but not the first.

[Ken, Moderator]

That's her! Her latest. Pic of her with a lit cigarette on the cover. It's so... European.

[Savvy]

But she has much to 'verse' about even being a European... :-)

[Ken, Moderator]

Such well-Polished verse, too.

[Robin]

I may be new to the party but who is Wishawa Szymborska I must read her.

[Ruth]

Just google her. There's bound to be a bunch of poems on the net.

[Robin]

all right will do.

[M]

NE, did you do a good job of mowing Debbie's yard? In dreams, that makes all the difference.

[Ken, Moderator]

I'll let Debbie be the judge of that!

[Robin]

I do not know what you guys are talking about, Fill me in, or should I just guess at this stage of the game?

[Debbie, sardonic princess of cheerfulness]

Nah....it was lousy.....I have a number to call for a 'little man' to come and do it on the next fine day but the problem is that the ground underneath is too waterlogged....so I just keep watching it grow. Do you know anyone who needs to supplement their haymaking?!!!

[Carol]

Our new grass is about two inches high and my husband is itching to mow it. Not yet I told him it is too young.

[Robin]

Well, Debbie we do have a retiree living next unit over, who is constantly watering daily even at 5:30 in the ayem, and he does his own manual lawnmower, the one that you push back and forth, as a matter of fact he just finished our back area that is his own patch of heaven. He even manually mows after the regular maintenance crew have already used their mowers, and weedwhackers, etc. Do you want someone like him, oh, but he babysits his grandchildren during the week- day, so I guess not.

[Debbie, sardonic princess of cheerfulness]

Also....I couldn't afford his travel expenses!!

[Robin]

Yes, LOL He would probably be pretty expensive, but as I said he is a retiree, so there is no job, just other things that do take up his time, besides the daily watering and the manual lawnmover click clacking along.

[M]

Debbie, I'm intrigued. You have a number to call for a little man to come out and mow? Is he a yard gnome? I hear they use them in Gnome, Alaska, though it's a short season.

[Robin]

Like the gardener, or some such person.

[Debbie, sardonic princess of cheerfulness]

Wealthy British socialites called any person employed in a menial capacity "Little" to denote that they came from a lower class.

[M]

No wonder I'm so worn out after mowing. I'm much smaller than I thought.

[Robin]

Where are you M I can't see you.

[M]

I'm out here in the high grass, feeling the splendor.

[Robin]

With Natalie Wood?

[Robin]

and Warren Beatty, M I thought you were mowing the lawn. . .Good Grief!

[M]

I was hiding from Maud.

[Ruth]

Okay you smart alecks. I'm booting you off so I can take possession of my thread for a while.

The inaugural issue of Panache is out. Looks good. It includes four poems from me--Afghanistan, Pink Ribbons, Requiem for July and Does This Help?
http://www.sterlinghoffmanco.com/pana...

[Carol]

Do we get it at B&N or is it online only? Never mind I answered my own question.

[Robin]

Oh, sorry, Ruth just thought I would be smart aleckey with M one last time.

[Debbie, sardonic princess of cheerfulness]

Can't read any of yours Ruth...just see the titles in the contents. Do we need to subscribe?

[Robin]

Hi Debbie How is New Zealand? See ya guys later, must get back to the second shift?

[Ruth]

You'd have to subscribe, Debbie. And it isn't cheap, unfortunately.

[M]

Robin wrote: "Oh, sorry, Ruth just thought I would be smart aleckey with M one last time."

I get no respect!

Ruth, are you sending us all subscriptions?

[Carol]

I will let Ruth break the news to you.

[M]

I'm gone. I don't look good in bootprints.

[Ruth]

Sure. Subs for all 928 members. My treat.

[Robin]

Please make the subscriptions cheaper, Ruth?

[M]

You should just give a few out to your friends. That's the way they do everything here in East Texas.

[Scout]

M, let's show some manners and let Ruth have her thread back.

[M]

Very well. I'll go back to my lair and lie lurking.

[Carol]

Lurky loo M

[Savvy]

M wrote: "Very well. I'll go back to my lair and lie lurking."

Hmmmm....Can one tell a lie whilst lair lurking?
There are so many little critters lurking in your lair, I was afraid to enter! :-)
Nothing crawls in one's britches uninvited where I live!

[Robin]

Yes, they have to ask permission first.

[M]

Make yourself at home, Susanne! The critter's here aren't much bother, but it's wise to shake out one's britches (or shirts) before putting them on. Scorpions like to climb into boots and shoes, and it becomes a habit to turn those upside down and shake them. The tarantula's name is Tammy.

There's a Robert Herrick poem with lines something like: "No beast for his food dares now range the wood, / but hushed in his lair he lies lurking, / while mischief by these, on land and on seas, / at noon of night are a-working."

[Robin]

m, you crack me up:)

[Scout]

Ruth, at what age did you write your first poem, and what was the subject? I wrote my first poem at 35 and, of course, it was addressed to the man who done me wrong. It would have made a mediocre country song:)

[Carol]

Scout ,Ruth has some wonderful paintings also. I don't know if she still has them posted. She is a very talented lady.

[Robin]

Ruth, you should post some of your writings on this thread since this is after all Wruth's Writings.

[M]

I think Ruth went down to City Hall to make sure her thread hadn't re-zoned from residential to commercial.

[Ruth]

Ruth has been in Los Angeles all day at a poetry workshop given by Mark Doty. What a marvellous writer he is, poetry and prose. But Ruth is plumb tuckered.

[Debbie, sardonic princess of cheerfulness]

Hmmmm....writing in the third person...... I diagnose a slug of rum and a biiiig sleep!