February 2022 Muse
February 2022
“Read, read, read. Read everything — trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You'll absorb it. Then write. If it's good, you'll find out. If it's not, throw it out of the window.” — William Faulkner
Editor's Note:
The Strathcona Writers Muse is a forum for members of the Writers Foundation of Strathcona County to provide an opportunity for members to publish their works. Anything published in our letter is eligible to receive a publishing credit. We accept poems and short stories of 1000 words or less normally but longer pieces can be accommodated if they can be published in parts. We are always in need of new items for each month so don't hesitate if you have something we can put into our publication.
Send submissions to wfscsherwoodpark@gmail.com care of Henry Martell, editor.
Important Dates
Writers Circle Virtual Sharing Meeting online
Next date February 1, 2022
RSVP on the website and the link will be emailed to you prior to the meeting.
https://www.wfscsherwoodpark.com/event-details/writing-circle-meeting-online-13
Next Board Meeting: February 8, 2022
Newsletter Submission Deadline: February 25, 2022
Poets in the Park
Poets in the park meets the third Wednesday of every month online.
Reply to the link on the WFSC website
www.wfscsherwoodpark.com
Next scheduled meeting Feb 16, 2022
Children's Creative Writing Workshop
Second Thursday of each month
Next Meeting February 10, 2022
Reply to the link on our Website
www.wfscsherwoodpark.com
This Month's Submissions
Writing Exercise: Use these words in a poem or short prose piece. puddle, tree, letter, steps, trail, ache.
I am sharing my response here, but thought it interesting that the word puddle was the stimulus for me. A word association - puddle, rain, April showers. Hence this story.
April stamped her boot covered feet in the puddle. Murky brown water splashed in every direction bouncing off the stony trail and bordering grass. Little did her mother know when she named April that the name would be accepted by her adoptive parents.
The sealed letter with her birth mother's arrived that morning, making April's chest ache with longing and apprehension. As she stepped further into the park, she spied her tree. A special place, she would hide, when she felt uncomfortable or needed space from her step-siblings. Climbing to the thick horizontal branch, she made herself comfortable and took a deep breath.
Now was the moment, she would know her mother - well her birth mother anyway. She had so many questions. The envelope tore open and she pulled out several sheets of lined paper. The writing was cursive, but not difficult to read. This was the connection she had asked for - revealing words, memories and requests for forgiveness filled the lines. Tears ran down April's cheeks. This letter changed her life.
Mandy Eve-Barnett