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

Tue Jun 17 13:48:28 UTC 2014

Jackie

Beautifully written.  I admire the folks who can work with the different poetic forms.

I to am catching up, so I haven't been able to join in the conversations of late, much is happening in my life (so what else is new).

Thanks for sharing, it's no wonder that this poem won.

Shawn

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jackie Williams via stylist
Sent: Monday, June 16, 2014 7:33 PM
To: 'Lynda Lambert'
Cc: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: [stylist] Of time, age, and love, in a villanelle

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)
>
> 