Image by digitalart; FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Contributors
April Bulmer – “Ward Paint”, “Perennials”, “Petting the Black Dog”
Barbara Lefcourt – “Good Housekeeping”
Diane Attwell Palfrey – “Birthing the Hexenhammer”, “Teratoma”
S. J. White – “The Great Illusion” (2nd Prize), “Mr. Whittaker”
Congratulations to all!
by April Bulmer
Image: scottchan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Hermes. A major player in the pantheon of Greek gods, Hermes is known as a trickster, messenger of the great Zeus, and the guide of the dead into the underworld. He is identified as the inventor of the Greek written alphabet and thus is the god of writing, as well as speech and dreams.
Apollo. As the Greek god of the sun, Apollo was also a god of music and often depicted with a lyre. He was also, at times, seen as the protector of poetry, reciting and dance—anything that was associated with the public playing of the lyre. It is believed that his music was inspirational in developing written work, inspiring the artist to produce thought into a document.
Muses. The Greek muses inspired and protected dance, poetry, writing and dramatic stories. Today, they are still associated with modern theatre, music, science and research. The muses are not true gods, but they are the focus of many Greek minds and literary inspiration. The muse who protects poetry is Kalliope.
Odin. Chief god of Norse mythology, Odin is lord of wisdom, poetry, war, death and magic and is provider of the runic letters. He is the Norse equivalent of Woden who was honoured in pre-Christian Europe and England. He is considered sire of many other gods and co-creator of the cosmos and of humans. It is thought that Odin/Woden may have originated in the Wild Hunt, the traditional mythology of Germanic peoples that tells of thunder storms being developed by the loud gallop of spirits of warriors. In another story, Odin becomes wise by hanging upside down in the World Tree for nine nights without food or drink, dying from a self-inflicted wound with a spear. There he discovered magic runes and learned nine inspired songs and returned to life with wisdom which is associated with letters.
Sarasvati. In the Rg Veda, one of the early sacred Hindu texts, Sarasvati was the personification of a sacred river that bore her name. Aryans performed religious rituals on its banks. As the river-goddess, Sarsvati was associated with power, purity and fertility. She is recognized as the inventor of the Sanskrit language and as the goddess of wisdom and learning, speech and eloquence. She is also patron of all arts and sciences.
Devi Sarswati. Hindus also honour Devi Sarswati who is the goddess of knowledge, books, literature, and alphabets. Each year they celebrate a day in her name. They pay her respect by not reading any book or engaging in writing. They believe the goddess, herself, resides in books. They never touch books or writing material with their feet because they are considered a mean part of the body. If, by chance, such materials are touched by feet, they hold them to their forehead, as it is considered an honourable place where knowledge resides.
Thoth. Thoth was a moon god in early Egyptian mythology. He was associated with the sacred bird called the ibis, perhaps because its bill resembled a crescent moon. As the moon became more significant in the Egyptian religious rituals and its calendar, Thoth became associated with calculation, magic, the organization of time, and writing. He was the inventor of hieroglyphics and became known as the “Lord of the Holy Words.” He was also scribe of the gods. He kept accounts and records of them and the divine archives. He also recorded the histories of the kings of Egypt. He wrote their names on the leaves of a sacred tree.
Gabriel. The Judeo-Christian archangel, Gabriel, is the angel of creative writing and literature. She aids the writer in beginning the writing process and helps keep thoughts clear while writing. If one asks for guidance, it is said she works though a person to write divinely-guided thoughts. She inspires and fuels ambition. She even helps to get the work published. If you wish to summon an angel, burn a pink candle. It is believed that Gabriel and other angels respond to the colour pink.
Sources: Internet: “Gods of Writing,” by WolfWikis. “Is there a god or goddess of literature, books, reading, writing, authors, etc.?” Yahoo.
In 2008, Serengeti Press published my book, The Goddess Psalms. Below is one of the poems from that book that was inspired by my relationship with a divine goddess.
Psalm 44
The rains came and
the well water
was clean and sweet
for drink,
a covenant of dirt and heaven.
I bury ashes
among old roots
where witches gather
to raise the moon:
arms lifted toward her veil:
crown and torn tulle.
And I bury my prayers
in the cradle of a tree.
Bear water and shadows:
a new mythology.
April Bulmer has published six books and four chapbooks of poetry. She holds Master’s degrees in creative writing, religious studies and theological studies. She has been published nationally and internationally in many prestigious journals including Harvard University’s Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion. In 1998, her second book, The Weight of Wings was nominated for the Pat Lowther Memorial Award for the best book of poetry by a Canadian woman. She is long-time member of the Cambridge Writers Collective. She also belongs to Voices Israel, the International Women’s Writing Guild and the League of Canadian Poets.
Does what you’re writing now seem somewhat familiar? Are you constantly reusing the same words, phrases, or imagery to describe something? Do your characters sound alike? Are you mindlessly producing thousands of words per day? If you’ve answered yes to any one of these, then perhaps you’re stuck in a rut.
This week’s assignment is to try something different.
Image: Grant Cochrane / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Posted in Exercises, Fun, Writing Life
Tagged Writer's Block, writing, Writing Exercise
by Bill Ashwell
Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
As I type this, there are approximately 20 local artistes of all stripes, including yours truly, teamed up across the city creating and collaborating in their respective milieux. At a point in my creative life when I thought, through my various artistic networking efforts, that I knew or was acquainted with most of the artists in this city (they/we are a rather tight-knit bunch) I found myself teamed with a complete stranger, a wonderful Preston-area artist by the name of Heidi Hirschmann. Heidi and I were tasked to create work of art combining her talents as an artist and mine as a writer. Much like the 5-Minute Writing Exercise and the Homework Assignment at CWC meetings, Heidi and I were given the topic “Babbling Brook”, and then given carte blanche to come up with something unique and original. I’m not going to spoil the surprise and share with you what we jointly created. You’ll have to wait and see.
The project will be unveiled at the Cambridge City Hall Thursday, May 31 at the Cambridge Fall Fair, and some pairings may be included at the Mayor’s Celebration of the Arts and Cambridge Arts Festival.
Gee, I can hardly wait myself. See you on May 31. You won’t be disappointed.
In 2007 Bill was awarded the City of Cambridge’s prestigious Bernice Adams Memorial Award for Communication and Literary Arts. His poetry and prose have been published in several editions of the Writers Undercover Anthologies, The Cambridge Wartime Scrapbook, and most recently, for the Cambridge Libraries’ 2011 Poem-A-Day Contest. In 2001 Bill published Moments of Clarity, a collection of his poetry.
Bill also volunteers for many community Arts organizations, including the Cambridge Arts Festival.
Posted in Announcement, Exercises, Fun, Writing Life
Tagged Collaboration, Exhibit
Image: twobee / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Whether it be in poetry or prose, fiction or non, as writers, we relay knowledge and understanding through story. Our words make abstract concepts concrete, and general ideas specific. This Earth Day, use your super power to tell your story about what it means to “save our planet”.
by Marion J. Smith
I’m sure most writers have a little notebook and pen handy in a pocket or purse. I’m sure most also find time to kill while dinning solo in a coffee house or waiting an hour at the doctor’s office. Do not kill that precious time. Make it work for you.
Image: Jeroen van Oostrom / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Now you have learnt the basics for character studying you can hone your pen, un-lock your note-pad and set out to find characters for your next project.
Start with a person you think may be around for the next ten minutes or so.
Note the obvious: his approximate generation, her obvious nationality. Maybe you have a pair or a couple. Workmates, senior lovers, mother and child, a pair of teens.
Next note is he obese, she reedy, he an Adonis? So far so easy.
Now is the time to bring your sneak-a-peek training into play. See her hands: How does she hold her coffee cup? Are the fingernails clean, scarlet, dirty, split, bitten? Are the knuckles red raw, arthritically twisted? Is the hair windblown, dirty, or newly coiffed? Describe the appearance. His dirty fingers. Is it fresh motor oil? He must be a mechanic. Or weeks old ground in dirt: a hobo or a slob? Her red rough hands. From a lifetime of manual employment, a possible skin disease, smoker’s nicotine, or time out in a bitter wind.
Now sneak-a-peek at the face. Ruddy or pale. Made up or neglected. Is that is a secret smile, an ugly sneer, or hidden tears. Study the body language; slouched, stiff, upright, bowed.
Ask yourself why. Now is the time when everything you have sneeked-a-peek at you can assume reasons for. What is that smile about? Why is he so gaunt and gray? Why has she had her hair done? Try to get involved in a casual conversation. Maybe something useful will come of it.
Next we will try using our eavesdropping skills. She chats to everyone who passes by. What does she find to say and why. He’s bitching to his buddy about someone else or even to an invisible partner. The couple across the way, are they looking at each other when they speak or avoiding eye contact? Gather clues from these conversations.
Having observed and made notes of the obvious elements you can then begin to assume. Ask yourself “Why”. The kids in the waiting room are driving everyone crazy why does the mum, or mummy, or mother, not do something about them? A drunk is arguing with the server. Something unusual has happened in the car park. The staff clearing tables is doing a lousy job.
Now your jottings can really start to work for you. Maybe your story has already been born of it’s own free will. If not then save your characters for a rainy day writer’s block. Next year you may need a well-dressed, obese man in a doctor’s waiting room along with the sexy Mom of three brats.
You take it from here. I wish you many hours of happy character building. Just don’t end up in the doctor’s waiting room because you have consumed too many coffees.
