[stylist] April and a Poem Submission
Lynda Lambert
llambert at zoominternet.net
Mon Apr 16 23:18:20 UTC 2012
Thanks, Jackie.
I am currently planning trips to some family academic celebrations. Our
daughter, Ilsa, will receive her MS in Library Science Technologies on May 6
from UK. She is so excited and proud of this achievemtn in her life. While
working full time teaching, and taking care of two teen age childern and a
husband, she has been pursuing her advanced degree at a university that is
two hours away from her home and job. She has done this all, full time.
Our grand daughter, Brittany, has just called me yesterday to reveal where
she has chosen to go to college. She will graduate June 3rd. from high
school. She was in the tip 1,200. students in the US for highest scores on
the SATs. She has been accepted at a number of very good schools, and has
now decided she will attend Mount Holyoke in New York.
Another grand daughter called to tell us that her two children, ages 10 and
14 made the honor roll this semester, too.
Education is a big piece of our family life. But, for all of our five
children, it never mattered what they wanted to become in their adult life.
All that mattered for us was that the child decided what they wanted to do,
and that it was what they were in love with, and saw themselves doing for
the rest of their life. It is so interesting to stand by and watch them
developing their own pathways in life. We never ever speak to them about
"job opportunities" or that education is for the purpose of doing a job.
Education has nothing to do with those things. Education is for the love of
life to flow through your entire person. Most of all, it is about the young
person beginning to remember the things they already have known, but have
forgotten. The rold of the teacher is to help the student to begin to
remember, to reconnect with his spirit, and to build on that remembered
information. It is already there, inside of the person. It comes through the
person herself, not through the teacher.
It is exciting to see students finding their true calling in life. Every
occupation is a worthy occupation.
Lynda
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jacqueline Williams" <jackieleepoet at cox.net>
To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, April 16, 2012 6:47 PM
Subject: Re: [stylist] April and a Poem Submission
> Lynda,
> You have done an excellent job of explaining the MFA programs to me. It is
> so true that one gains respect for the programs only by learning the
> details
> of the excellence required. I had no idea it was so difficult to be
> admitted, and also to graduate.
> Previously you explained to us what post-modern poetry is, and now you
> have
> given some comprehension of how one can get there.
> I do so much appreciate your expertise, not only in the fine arts, but
> ability to bring the understanding to all of us.
> As usual, I have copied your e-mail and put it in your folder in my Word
> Documents, for my further education. I have folders for many of you now.
> Thank you for your comprehensive answer to my questioning.
> Jackie
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Lynda Lambert
> Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2012 2:10 PM
> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [stylist] April and a Poem Submission
>
> Jackie, I will try to answer your questions about the MFA programs.
>
> A person can do their MFA in whatever way they have created to do it.
> However, you will work with a committee during your entire process.
> Everything you do goes through your committee and has to have their
> approval.
> It is quite different in every way than doing an undergrad degree. The MFA
> is a terminal degree in literature and in fine/studio art.
>
> My background in poetry goes back to the anceints though with studies in
> Greek and Roman literature; Medieval, Renaissance, Romantic, etc. Along
> with
>
> the literature preparations you had previously, you will have had intense
> studies in philosophy and history so that you have a good foundation on
> which to understand the works of writers and artists.
>
> Competition for a spot in any MFA program is fierce - very competative.
> Only a select few spots are offered in most programs each year for new
> students. You have to figure out what universities have the faculty who
> are
>
> philosophically where you want to be in your own work. For each of my
> degrees, I cnose universities because of the faculty I would have the
> opportunity to work with. These people will be your mentors through the
> program, your committee that sits in judgement of everything you say and
> do,
>
> and often times will be life-long friends and professional colleagues.
>
> The other interesting thing is that even though a person gets into a MFA
> program, I have seen quite a few not make it past the first year. Or, I
> have also seen some who worked through until the final day of their
> program,
>
> and then be denied the degree. That means, if they want to continue on
> with
> their career, they must try to get into another university, and begin all
> over again, from scratch. This happened to two of my friends. One
> eventually went to a different university and made it through. the other
> called it quits and just left for the west coast where she built a new
> life
> and she never did get that degree she had worked on for so long.
>
> the work on my own MFA spanned the distance from the ancient past (the
> marks left in ancient pre-historic caves) to the present and my focus was
> on
>
> the collective memory. My thesis work is titled "A Commemorative
> Recollection." Memory has always been of interest in all my studies.
> When
> I wrote my tenure project at the college where I taught, the title of it
> was
>
> "Abstraction: The Power of Memory."
>
> The other thing is that to get an advanced degree in English at just about
> any university I know of, you must be able to write and read in at least
> two
>
> different languages. You are tested in the languages of your choice and
> that
>
> is a prerequesite for applying.
>
> I had the privilege today to attend a lecture given by my former
> professor.
> It was so wonderful to be seated there in her classroom (she is now
> retired)
>
> and hear her lecturing again. Yesterday, it was I who was lecturing at a
> different classroom at a different location. Lecturing is a very
> important
> part of everything we do when working and in our retirement. It just keeps
> on going! It is a very good life and I have not regreted my path in life
> for
>
> one moment.
>
> I do not believe in ever having a "plan B." Because if you do, I can
> guarantee that is exactly where a person will be going. If there is only a
> "Plan A" than that is the only place where you will go - you have closed
> off
>
> all other doors. I knew from the first day I entered college exactly where
> I
>
> would be going in my career. My goal was to be a professor and there was
> never any other plan for me. When I advised students i told them to do
> what
> they love to do most of all, and to never leave that path behind and not
> allow anyone else to ever take them away from their goal.
>
> Lynda
>
>
>
> Lynda Lambert
> 104 River Road
> Ellwood City, PA 16117
>
> 724 758 4979
>
> My Blog: http://www.walkingbyinnervision.blogspot.com
> My Website: http://lyndalambert.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jacqueline Williams" <jackieleepoet at cox.net>
> To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2012 3:18 PM
> Subject: Re: [stylist] April and a Poem Submission
>
>
>> Lynda,
>> I wanted to mention that this an enlightening definition of post-modern
>> poetry. I have had difficult accepting poems that I cannot understand.
>> That
>> is, until I read your words about what it is really is. Is this the main
>> focus of an MFA in poetry?
>> You are the person I have needed to expand my understanding of this craft
>> in
>> all of its manifestations up to and through the present.
>> Jackie
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Lynda Lambert
>> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 8:02 AM
>> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [stylist] April and a Poem Submission
>>
>> thanks for asking, Barbara.
>> It is a Pantoum form, originating in Malasia.
>> It is written in quatrains - they are repeating throughout the poem which
>> gives it the structure of a weaving and brings movement and life to
>> the
>> poem.
>>
>> Many of my poems are written in Pantoum, Villanel, and Sestina. the
>> Sestina
>> is my favorite form, and I write many of them. Otherwise, my poetry is in
>> post-modern configurations requiring the reader to create as they read.
>> Because of the structure of post modern works, the reader has decisions
>> to
>> make continually while reading the poem. The reader becomes part of the
>> creative process - the poem is not complete without the reader's
>> participation, and no two readers will make the same decisions while
>> reading
>>
>> so the poem is ever changing each time it is performed or read. But, even
>> when I am writing in a particular form - there are always post modern
>> references throughout the text that continually bring the reader back to
>> the
>>
>> exact moment of the writing itself - always references to the ACT of
>> writing, while writing. You can find those things in the poem as well,
>> even
>> though it is a Pantoum. The poem, for me, is a weaving on numerous levels
>> simultaneously.
>> Writing is first of all a physical ACT, a movement of the body, mind, and
>> spirit all working in tandum.
>>
>> Hope this helps as you read it - like looking at a painting, the colors
>> and
>> strokes all done in layers upon layers.
>>
>>
>> Lynda Lambert
>> 104 River Road
>> Ellwood City, PA 16117
>>
>> 724 758 4979
>>
>> My Blog: http://www.walkingbyinnervision.blogspot.com
>> My Website: http://lyndalambert.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Barbara Hammel" <poetlori8 at msn.com>
>> To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2012 10:47 PM
>> Subject: Re: [stylist] April and a Poem Submission
>>
>>
>>> What type of poem is this? Is it a made-up structure or does it have a
>>> name? Tomorrow when the twins are in school, I'm going to hook up my
>>> Braille display so I can run my fingers through it and truly absorb it.
>>> It's pretty.
>>> Barbara
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Poetry is an echo, asking a shadow to dance. -- Carl Sandburg
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Lynda Lambert
>>> Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2012 8:20 AM
>>> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
>>> Subject: Re: [stylist] April and a Poem Submission
>>>
>>> Ah, here it comes!
>>> It's just around the corner.
>>>
>>> It is nearly April.
>>>
>>> I have attached a poem I wrote in 2001 - "In the Storms of April -
>>> Plunge"
>>> (An excerpt from my book _ Concerti: Psalms for the Pilgrimage_
>>> I wrote it in response to a friend who had sent me a poem he wrote.)
>>>
>>>
>>> April is National Poetry Month!
>>> April brings fresh new experiences and inspirations for our writing.
>>>
>>> Poetry is in the spring sunshine and cast shadows of my Zen Meditation
>>> Garden this morning.
>>>
>>> My white cat, Angel, is curled up in a little bed of green leaves, He
>>> sleeps there among the thick Periwinkle vines like a bright furry bird
>>> in
>>
>>> his expansive nest.
>>>
>>> I thought I heard Poetry in the woods, quietly moving about behind the
>>> delicate green buds of the thickets today. I walked my eager and hungry
>>> dogs early this morning. I paused at the top of the cliff and let the
>>> dogs
>>
>>> sniff it out. They were at full alert. They barked and growled.
>>> Scratched
>>> the rich black earth beneath the limp leaves, the debris of winter that
>>> lines the floor of the woods. It had vanished.
>>>
>>> April is National Poetry Month.
>>>
>>> Is there anything you will be doing to celebrate this month?
>>>
>>> For Poetry Month I pledge to spend my early morning hours here in my
>>> office. I'll enjoy my cup of Puerto Rican coffee, as I work to capture
>>> some of the images from my daily life through poetry. There will be
>>> nothing here but the sounds and smells of the early morning hours
>>> wafting
>>> in through the open window. I'll try to capture the flight of fancy
>>> that
>>> fills my fingertips as I type.
>>>
>>> Lynda
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> My Blog: http://www.walkingbyinnervision.blogspot.com
>>> My Website: http://lyndalambert.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
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>>>
>>
>>
>>
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