Monthly Newsletter April, 2014 Donna Bradley LXXXIX
A spring snow and crisp, very cold air created a challenge met by our biggest group in a long time. I think we all needed to “get out”, and fourteen of us did just that. We had to connect two tables together and we used every available chair in the library to provide seating. And we were on a roll.
After introductions, since we had three new attendees, Chris updated us on the progress we are making toward the publication of our third Chap Book. Chris has collected quite a few submissions for our book, and encouraged the rest of us to email her additional ones.
Everyone is welcomed to offer one or two pieces. Chris also suggested that a few sketches and photographs may be added to enhance our publication. It is looking good. Just a reminder, the final date for submissions is May 15.
We had a variety of readings this afternoon including poetry, fiction, and memoir. We started us off with A Chance Meeting, the true love story of a lifetime. Following this we heard several haikus written with beautiful imagery. Using her background as a teacher of teenagers we heard Dennis’ Story. Dennis, as a transfer student entering a classroom late in the year, had a background that did not define his character. Breakfast in Bed, grandchildren were charmed with maple syrup and whipped cream pancakes in bed! A second poem, Epigram, challenged by a class assignment, was filled with effective clichés. The piece, Waiting in the Wings, allowed us to recognize the sounds of nature as the beautiful music that it is.
The Summer of 1969, took mother and daughter, to Majorca, Spain. Her mother’s reaction to returning to NYC at the end of the summer seemed strange to her daughter at that time, until she realized that she was her mother’s child and would have felt the very same under the circumstances. We then heard a poem and two haikus. Swallows, described a squadron of swallows as they swooped from sky to the ground in their search for insects disrupted and exposed by a mowing machine.
The Silent Woman followed the life story of a 49 foot boat owned and loved dearly by a gentleman whose wife died and who then tragically killed himself. The sensuous descriptions of the boat in this piece reflect the true devotion of a boat lover! We heard a piece entitled Moving In. We enjoyed the details of the late night transition made from New Jersey to Indian Lake.
One of our writers decided to share stories of encounters with famous individuals he has had throughout his life. He wrote about an encounter with Johnny Cash last month and this month he wrote about his interactions and accumulated knowledge of David Rockefeller, who was
Chairman of The Chase Manhattan Bank. Looking at the Past for a Glimpse of the Future we enjoyed the detailed description of items in a grandmother’s attic transitioned into the pleasure found while visiting second hand shops, auctions, and garage sales. A recent find of a lovely vase turned into a one of a kind treasure. We ended with a short fiction piece entitled, Mattie Helps Herself. Looking for independence may be difficult while in a nursing home, but Mattie managed to achieve it.
Our next meeting: Wednesday, May 21 1:30 in the library
Our next assignment: Your treasures or Something that makes you laugh
***MAY 15 —DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS
send submissions to: czacher51 at gmail.com