WRITERS’ MILL MEETING
July 18, 2021
Minutes with thanks to Jean Harkin
Attendance: 16 via Zoom (thanks to Laura Baca at Cedar Mill Library). Laura announced this will be her last meeting as library host with Writers’ Mill. She introduced Jennifer Keyser, who will be her replacement for a while. The group applauded and thanked Laura for her valuable assistance to Writers’ Mill during the last few years.
Steve Cooper led the meeting in the absence of Sheila Deeth. While awaiting contest host David Fryer to join the meeting, Steve congratulated all who entered the contest as winners.
July contest awards: David announced the top awards:
· 1st. Steve Cooper, “The Ballad of Shamus,”
· 2nd. Iain Yuill, “A Lifetime of Yeses,”
· 3rd. Jessie Collins, “Was There a Question?”
Robin Wilkinson was welcomed back after her absence due to covid.
Jean Harkin introduced poet Carolyn Martin for her workshop entitled “It Happens This Way.” Carolyn noted that she has been a guest presenter at Writers’ Mill since 2017. She said she couldn’t imagine how interactions would work via Zoom, and she “misses the hugs.” But Zoom has opened new pathways, a “virtual journey” to be present to writers over long distances as well as those nearby.
A summary of Carolyn’s workshop appears at the conclusion of these Minutes.
Carolyn announced her new book release as of August 15: The Catalog of Small Contentments. Catherin Violante chimed in that her and Iain Yuill’s book of poetry is also to be released August 15: Poems and Poyums.
Following the workshop presentation, Carolyn welcomed members to send poems to her for reading or comments. Her email is portlandpoet@gmail.com. Her website is carolynmartinpoet.com. She mentioned that she would do a poetry reading Tuesday, July 27 at “Head for the Hills” online Zoom, 7 to 8:30 pm.
Steve announced that the August contest theme is “Serenity.” Deadline is midnight, first Sunday in August—August 1.
He also announced that submissions are needed for the 2021 Writers’ Mill anthology. Deadline is first Sunday in September—September 5. He invited members to volunteer to help Sheila produce the anthology, such as editing, organizing, and other tasks. Sheila’s detailed list of volunteer needs appeared on the July contest page as one of the “comment only” entries. You should have now received the list in an email for members to sign up for various jobs. PLEASE REPLY to that email!
Carolyn Martin’s Workshop: “It Happens This Way”:
Before diving into the actively creative part of the workshop, Carolyn reminded us that fallow time—a time to rest, reflect, read, collect—is also valuable for the poetic brain. Like seeds in fallow soil, more bountiful production will emerge. Resting prepares for creativity.
Carolyn presented seven avenues of inspiration, ways to create poetry, followed by prompts for individual writing:
Show up and pay attention—with feeling and empathy! Pay active attention to life happening around you. Pick out the details and use fresh language based on your experience. A poetic statement will broaden out the writing. In her first sample poem, Carolyn wrote about the natural world around her, broadened by allusions to Robert Frost’s writing.
In her second poem, “The Fly,” the voice is the narrator/poet but she speaks to the subject of her poem—a fly trapped in her house for several days. Her poem “begins in delight, ends in wisdom.” Carolyn acknowledged that she often begins her poetry in delight, ends in delight and hopes for some wisdom in between. But pure delight is definitely OK.
Anaphora and list poems. Anaphora is when all lines of a poem begin the same way. In her poem “Evidence” Carolyn begins each line with “the fact is” and lists random facts, some humorous, some informative. Here again, delight is key. Prompts and examples of first lines include “I ought to,” “don’t forget,” “I am waiting,” “it’s possible.”
Pile up words and play. Begin with a word that has multiple definitions or synonyms. Carolyn’s sample poem used the word “community.” Her poem includes a variety of synonyms, such as coterie, tribe, circles, fellowships. Strong verbs express what communities do, such as bind, bond, unite, vow. The prompt suggests opening a dictionary at random and picking out a word that has multiple definitions, then play with them. She recommends Word of The Day (https://www.dictionary.com/e/word-of-the-day.) Research via a dictionary or thesaurus is also recommended.
Write a letter to a poet/novelist and tell them what you like or dislike about their work. Be as specific as possible. Carolyn’s poem is a letter to poet Mary Oliver and refers to themes in Oliver’s poetry, starting with a question as to why a gangly heron shows up in so many of her poems. The poem then goes on to compare with Mozart’s “too many notes” and her own menagerie of feral cats.
A brief discussion followed regarding where to break lines in poetry. There are many choices based on visual form, rhythm, and meaning. Carolyn urged trying new forms to see what best fits.
Consider writing an ekphrastic poem or story (one based on a piece of visual art or sometimes music.) Carolyn’s example is a poem using research and a lucky coincidence. Serendipity can occur when a person is paying attention—and also doing their research. Her poem “To Capella, the Goat Star,” begins by addressing the star after finding stories and stats about it. She then came upon a painting by Breton “The Shepherd’s Star,” and put her imagination and emotions to work to flesh out the idyllic shepherdess in the painting. The result is a poem with depth based on research and imagination.
Carolyn noted there are journals that incorporate ekphrastic poetry. Carolyn’s poem was published in The Ekphrastic Review.
Hack magazine and newspaper articles, TV shows, fiction, or nonfiction books. Carolyn’s example makes use of a National Geographic article about people from developing countries who leave home to find jobs to support families back home. Her poem is an example of “persona” where the voice is someone other than the poet—in this case, the voice of a Filipino man who laments all he’s lost in order to gain a better life for his family and perks such as a color TV.
Carolyn urged us to pay attention and keep pen and pencil handy when reading or watching TV. Keep files of ideas to inspire a future poem or story.
A discussion followed about the appropriation of other people’s experiences outside the writer’s realm. Creativity is limited if a writer can only “write what you know.” Carolyn said that “integrity of truth” is important and finding the commonality with other human experiences. Research is important when writing outside one’s personal experience.
Nab lines from other sources and authors. Carolyn titled her poem with a line from Mary Oliver: You Do Not Have to be Good, and, of course, acknowledged Oliver as the source. Carolyn has also used lines from other artists: my poor eyesight makes me see everything in a complete fog from Monet became the poem “Eye-Minded”; never blame the lettuce from Thich Nhat Hanh became “Blamestorming.”
Carolyn prompted us to pick out lines from favorite poems or stories to agree, contradict, or launch from. She also suggests reading our own stories and picking out the best lines, characters, or settings to weave into a new poem or story.
Carolyn drew our attention throughout the workshop to the different “voices” a poem may use: The poet as narrator talking to the audience, the poet talking to a subject (such as the fly and the Goat Star), persona where the voice is someone or something other than the poet (as in “From the Country called ‘Abroad.’”) Sometimes a poem takes the form of a list or letter. Many choices, many voices!
A further discussion that took place during the workshop was a question: What is the difference between poetry and prose? Carolyn’s summation was that the qualities of poetry are intensity and brevity. Prose, including prose poetry is more narrative. David inserted that he finds poetry more “interpretable.” According to Carolyn, it’s a simple equation: Prose adds IN, poetry leaves OUT.