Welcome back. This year seems to be speeding past. It’s Spring already. I know the weather is warm, but it’s always warm here in Florida. The warm, not yet hot temperatures bring on a type of laziness that precludes physical and mental work. Many of us, including myself, struggle during this period to write. I think they call that ‘Spring Fever.’
This second meeting of April welcomed two new attendees, Donna Serio and Gary (I’ll do my best to make it out) Conkol. Gary, if I messed it up, I’ll make it up to you next issue. I hope you both enjoyed the meeting, and we look forward to seeing you again.
To start the meeting, Ernie brought an audio player and his recording of Roads, written and read by Peter Frickel. Hearing the voice of our friend again invigorated those of us who were fortunate enough to have known such a talented individual. Of the ten attendees, eight of us knew Peter.
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Starting the reading portion of the meeting, Ernie Ovtiz read from Chapter 53 of his historical fiction chronicling the life and rule of Constantine The Great. Crispus, Contantine’s son by his first wife, is accused of adultery as his stepmother conspires to introduce him to a beautiful young woman who is part of her royal entourage. As always, intrigue and conspiracy reign in the court.
Have you ever tiptoed past a graveyard so as not to disturb the residents there? We know what that’s like as Don Westerfield reads his story, Harold Higbie’s Ghost. On the occasion of a funeral, a young lad and his uncle walk through a graveyard. Upon coming upon a particular tombstone, the uncle calls the boy’s attention to the name on the marker, Harold Higbie. He tells the lad, “In 1953, two people claimed to have seen the ghost of the grave’s inhabitant.” After hearing the story of his Uncle and Aunt’s classmate, Handsome Jack, and his conquests with the ladies, the boy had a question. But it wasn’t asked nor answered.
To a poet, many things can inspire the creation of a magical tale. For Scott Anderson, a painting by his wife of a purple road caused him to ask, “What does purple feel like?” Scott brings the color to life. A reader or listener can touch, smell, and come to know the answer within Scott’s words. As a fancier of butterflies, Scott writes for the Lepidopterist quarterly magazine. His prose style includes a meter that puts forth a feeling of whimsy as he describes a peaceful walk in the woods during which he observes the actions of the butterflies.
Richard Cope entertained us by reading three poems. County Fair speaks of the joys and tribulations of being a parent to a productive child. Reminded of raising our children, I look forward to watching my grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow. Road Hazard shows that side of town, on the other side of the tracks, where we seldom visit and tend to ignore. Upon hearing Renaissance of Utopia, the healing powers of water in many forms come to mind.
It ain’t all man’s fault. As Bruce Haedrich continues with his conversation with Gaia, we come to see another point of view about the conditions of our climate. The eons past have seen similar changes, most even before humans in any form inhabited Earth. Gaia warns and predicts what may happen in the next eighty years if things don’t change. Are Bruce’s writings controversial? Yes, but keep an open mind. Even celebrated scientists have conflicting opinions about what and why the changes in our climate are happening. Maybe it’s an option nobody has even thought about.
Unlike many newcomers to our group, Donna Serio was unafraid to share some of her writings. Donna has a theatrical background as a teacher and actor, and Donna’s reading of her work was extraordinarily graphic. We could see and feel the emotion as she read of saying goodbye to an old, dear friend upon her move to Florida. I felt the pressure rising in my chest as she described how she’d taken this friend in and moved to different homes over the years. It was not always easy to live with, but it was always a joy to be with; her Ode To A Grand Old Piano showed it as a true friend. Not all of us could relate to her second reading entitled The Bell. For those of us who could, the bell in the cancer treatment center holds a special meaning. Ring long and hard when declared ‘Cancer Free.’
The Indian wars of the Great Plains were bloody and filled with broken promises. James Kelly writes of the life of Calvary Men, their families, and the lives of the Indians. His writing explores the tribulations of all who lived and died there. In this work entitled Tremain, Tremain McKenzie is the son of Shadow Hawk, a fierce warrior of the Lakota tribe. Shadow Hawk and Joshua McKenzie were friends as well as adversaries. Each carried great respect for the other. When Shadow Hawk died in battle, his final wishes were that his friend McKenzie raise his son in two worlds, Indian and White. In this chapter, Tremain visits his grandfather at the Lakota reservation each summer until the old man passes.
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That’s about all for this session. Despite the doldrums of Spring and the onset of an acute attack of spring fever, I urge you to read as much as you can. And, above all, KEEP ON WRITING. See you at our next meeting, May 3rd, at 6:30 PM at the Nokomis Firehouse.
