[stylist] Of time, age, and love, in a villanelle

[Jackie Williams]

Lynda,
I am still catching up. I have forgotten to ask you what a Milestone is. I
am guessing either a tape recorder, or a digital recorder. Or is it similar,
but able to put into a folder or file on the computer, like a journal?
Also, why don't I write about the sexual escapades of those in their
eighties? I could, but why shake things up. I think I have a good reputation
on the list. That could disappear quickly if some died  either from laughing
too hard, or crying, or from disapproval.
I will try to attach a Villanelle which won a first prize several years ago,
and tracks my last love affair when I was 78. My problem is that I like
older men, and not many are still alive when you are eighty-five.  
The relationship I write about is about another blind man, quite serious in
reporting how your kids feel about starting a new relationship and does not
begin to convey the intensity of the feelings. I do not know that I was ever
totally lovesick before in my life, which includes not being able to eat.
So there it is, out there. 
You might understand why I have a quote about time, which is of the essence
at my age.
Jackie Lee

Time is the school in which we learn.
Time is the fire in which we burn.
Delmore Schwartz	 


-----Original Message-----
From: Lynda Lambert [mailto:llambert at zoominternet.net] 
Sent: Monday, May 26, 2014 6:51 AM
To: Jackie Williams
Subject: Re: [stylist] Memorial Day

Hi Jackie,
Happy Memorial day to you! I am having my morning cup of coffee and I was 
thinking that this Memorial Day would be a good one to write about - 
thinking about what life is like fourteen years after the one I wrote and 
sent out to the group. How life changes - it shifts, doesn't it! And, the 
shifting is often done in a twinkle of a moment, like a leap into another 
dimension with no time for contemplation.

I had to laugh out loud this morning when I read your description of "an old

woman's diminished desires" too! You sure gave this a slant I could not have

anticipated - that's fun to think about.  This could be a wonderful topic 
for you to write about from your perspective.

I appreciated your insight into my method of creating a poem - and yes, this

poem was written when I was fully sighted.  looking back over it, I am 
certain that it will still be the same if I wrote it today. Yes, my notes 
would be on my Milestone that I carry wherever I go. My Milestone is an 
important part of how I remember things and how I record my thoughts and 
important details I want to save for use later. It is the piece of equipment

I use more than any other in my day-to-day life. My Milestone keeps me 
organized - I highly recommend this little jewel for anyone who may want a 
quick and easy way to store information. It's great for people who do not 
use Braille.

Lynda


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jackie Williams" <jackieleepoet at cox.net>
To: "'Lynda Lambert'" <llambert at zoominternet.net>; "'Writer's Division 
Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, May 25, 2014 5:02 PM
Subject: RE: [stylist] Memorial Day


> Lynda,
> It is so good to have an update on you both and to see you again being
> creative in your short moments.
> There is much to comment on, your blog about writing from journals, and 
> your
> sestina.
> The article about writing using a journal is excellent as a roadmap, but
> primarily for the sighted or partially sighted. For myself, if I could get
> around, I would be dependent on a tape recorder, or memory, or in some way
> be tied to a computer. Therefore I use memory, reminiscing, and a screen
> reader to make notes as soon as possible about words, phrases, ideas, 
> etc.,
> in a "commonplace" file in my documents
> Your Haiku were beautiful, superb, and truly showed how you mined what you
> had seen in your traveled, and distilled it to finally honed bits of this
> fine Japanese form.
> About your sestina, I do like it that you have uneven length of sentences
> throughout. I did not know that was allowed, but in doing that, you have
> made it more meaningful, easy to comprehend, and capture the pathos of 
> your
> memories, but also, almost give us a roadmap for effective writing. A
> sestina has always intimidated me, but it is less so now, after you have
> shown us how to make it more flexible.
> There is one line that made me smile: "become confused, like an old 
> woman's
> diminished desire." You are not an old woman. How do you know it does not
> increase? According to the latest research, women in their eighties
> experience increased desire and sexual fulfillment than in their earlier
> years. You must visit a retirement village some day and watch the people
> walking with their pillows to another's living accommodation For their
> evenings Assignation. Sexual freedom is not only hitting the Gay, Lesbian,
> etc., groups, but all the others who have been pushed into great aunt, and
> grandparents roles supposedly devoid of all their natural desires. It is a
> good metaphor for a poem, but    I would like to see poetry challenge 
> these
> myths.
> My comments in no way effect my feeling that it is wonderful to have you
> accessible to us, and sharing your beautiful thoughts. Everything you are
> doing is full of grace.  My thoughts , I hope, will bubble up around you 
> and
> give support and love.
> I also love your quote from James Baldwin.
> Jackie
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lynda 
> Lambert
> via stylist
> Sent: Saturday, May 24, 2014 8:41 AM
> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [stylist] Memorial Day
>
> I wrote this memorial day poem in 2000.
> Writing from my memories of family gatherings on Memorial Days, and 
> mingled
> with a "Memorable" event in our family. I will cut and paste it below, and
> attach the copy of it for those who may find the cut and paste jumbled. 
> It
> is in my favorite form, the sestina.  Lynda
>
>
> Memorial Day - A Sestina for Multiple Voices
>
>
>
> In my mother's kitchen my aunts each begin to speak
>
> about family achievements and God's great mercy.
>
> They hover over the wood table. They desire
>
> to share hot casseroles wrapped in linen towels.  With a spirit
>
> of joy  they cut into the fresh-baked apple pie.  They sing
>
> praises of their children and pass  new photos to show a truth.
>
>
>
> My aunt's pastor  brought  her a  truth
>
> not  pleasing to speak
>
> about recent news from  Minnesota.  He'll sing
>
> praises about her daughter's life.  He'll speak of God's mercy.
>
> My aunt's  spirit
>
> becomes confused like an old woman's diminished desire.
>
>
>
> My daughter's love was my only desire
>
> but I need to know the truth.
>
> Tell me again about her spirit
>
> dashed by an unfaithful lover.  I speak
>
> about my daughter's life that is over.  Mercy
>
> is about a dirge to sing.
>
>
>
> Group your words into stanzas - make a poem sing
>
> The indentation of lines can vary as you desire
>
> Single words can occupy entire lines - like, "mercy"
>
> You can break up your words into the shape of truth
>
> Allow the shape to be the message you speak
>
> Use unconventional punctuation as a path to the spirit
>
>
>
> Near the body the two women  felt  no spirit
>
> how could they sing
>
> in this cold place?  They couldn't speak
>
> of  work,  home, or desire
>
> for new clothing to hang in closets or the truth
>
> about unopened birthday cards and her need for mercy.
>
>
>
> My aunt holds a photo and  prays  for mercy
>
> She flicks away  dust with a wipe of  shattered spirit
>
> This year it's a more remote truth -
>
> no picnics in my mother's kitchen.  No voices to sing
>
> around a wood table.  My mother's only desire
>
> is for   visitors who come to speak
>
>
>
> O, God!  You are proved right as you speak.  Grant me a willing spirit.
>
> Have mercy on me, O, God!  Let my tongue sing
>
> on Memorial Day.  Let me desire wisdom and innermost truth.
>
>
>
>
>
>                        Copyright, Lynda J. Lambert: August 2000. All 
> rights
> reserved.
>
>
>
> Lynda McKinney Lambert, MFA
> Artist, Educator, Author
> 104 River Road, Ellwood City, PA 16117
> http://www.lyndalambert.com
>
> "Human beings are creatures who conceal an interior of uncharted chaos 
> which
> lies beneath the surface reality "James Baldwin, The Creative Life (1962)
>
> 

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