anchorpoet's Xanga

no poetry

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:41:11 GMT

again, i've written VERY little poetry lately. been working on some other stuff, including getting some poems ready to submit for an exhibit that will be here the first two weeks in October. the Artists' Roster of Shreveport Regional Arts Council is sponsoring a show for all the member artists. most will be visual art of various kinds and some will be performances. all the members were invited to submit up to ten works, with the promise that the committee would use at least one item from each entrant. i prepared six short poems in frames with some kind of visual element behind or around the text. the committee only agreed to take one for the exhibit, but i think the exhibit will be a fun event and maybe one they'll repeat next year. the poem they chose was 'shoe leather,' which has been posted here. i printed it out on a brown sandwich bag and made orange marker 'stitching' around the edge, then crumpled it up to look like 'leather' before framing it. it turned out fun. if you're in the Shreveport area, come out to Artspace October 1-17 and enjoy the exhibit, free.

i've also done some proofreading for the next four volumes of work from Silver Boomer Books. we are now the proud publishers of three nostalgia anthologies, two inspirational books, two books of poetry (not mine) and a book of essays about learning to live in the country. the anthologies and essays are published under the original Silver Boomer Books line. the inspirationals are part of Eagle Wings Press, our recovery imprint; and the poetry books are appearing from Laughing Cactus Press, which will also present works of fiction, including my short stories if i can ever finish the collection! all our titles are available through the Silver Boomer website, at Amazon, or the Barnes and Noble website. in Abilene, the titles are also available at Hastings Books and Music.

our third anthology, pictured above, is This Path, stories, poems and essays about choices people make or life events that have put us on the life path we follow, sometimes not the path we thought we'd be on.

wisdom

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:57:13 GMT

just finished, a few days ago, Broken Down House by Paul David Tripp. highly recommended. some of you will see copies in your Christmas stockings -- unless you tell me you've already bought and read it. very good, readable, accessible, challenging. last chapter goes along with a talk we heard by Lauren Winner at the Glen Workshop. i.e. it's not about you. it's all for Him and to Him and through Him (God)! Winner's comments to writers specifically, and to artists in general, included that our art is not about self-expression, not about telling our story, but using our work, our story, as a springboard to tell God's story. that's where real fulfillment lies -- building His kingdom rather than gazing at our own navels.

following is another poem from the aforementioned Proverbs series. (i made it through day 14 before i washed out.)

dig
Proverbs 2:4 … seek (wisdom) as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures…

deep in dark
tunnels of earth
narrow shafts
slender beams
light reveals
truth’s flash
pick and shovel
free the ore
raise the prize
to assayer’s table
tested, weighed
and then refined
by heat, heat
the furnace
separates till silver
shines

Becky Haigler
July 2009

the Glen Workshop

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 03:32:34 GMT

David and i are blessed to be participating in the Glen Workshop of IMAGE Journal, in Santa Fe this week. he'll be blogging photos of the incredible setting, if he hasn't already, at his xanga site Haig Law. he's participating in the Fiction Workshop and i'm in one of the Poetry Worshops in the morning hours. after lunch, there's time for a nap every day before a presentation by one of the faculty members at 3:30. after supper, there's another faculty presentation, a worship time and usually an open mic or other performance of some sort.

the combination of top-notch artists from every field with discourse about how our faith inflects our art is very heady stuff -- both encouraging and challenging. and the beautiful setting of St. John's college on a mountainside south of Santa Fe is icing on the cake. every building has balconies and terraces with amazing views and so far every afternoon and/or evening has offered a short but sweet thunderstorm.

Thursday is a free day and we'll be taking the bus into town to visit the Georgia O'Keefe museum and maybe some shops.

Sunday evening, at the opening session of the Glen, IMAGE editor and publisher Greg Wolfe's welcome to the group was interrupted. here's a poem about it.

The Glen 2009
opening night

Insistent wind blew a mountain thundershower
through open transoms. Ruach disturbed
heavy drapes of the conference room
to interrupt the speaker, capture
our minds, remind us Who
had called us to this time and place.

Afterward, we hurried to the terrace
breathing clean-washed air
glimpsing golden light on hills
like hinder parts of Him Who would
continue to disturb us through the week.

Becky Haigler
July 2009

not a sonnet, but another rhyme

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:50:42 GMT

i've about decided maybe reading the Proverbs in KJV is what's inclining me to more traditional forms of verse right now. btw, i've fallen WAY behind in the challenge of a poem a day from Proverbs, but .... maybe i can do the other half in August. we'll see.

Proverbs 12:18 … the tongue of the wise heals.

Intensive Care

Yes, sticks and stones have broken bones
and words have injured many hearts.
Though plaster casts and bandages
can help the body’s healing start,

there is a cure that can ensure
the restoration of the soul.
Speak words of wisdom in the ear;
begin to make the spirit whole.

Truth is the sword, the healing word,
that cuts through death to bring new life.
So nurse me with elixir sweet:
give, faithful friend, your counsel wise.

Becky Haigler
July 2009

swine's snout

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 01:11:23 GMT

i'm a little bit concerned about coming up with TWO traditional sonnets in a two-week period! i'm not really crazy about the form and wouldn't want to get stuck in it. but when the first line of a poem comes out in iambic pentameter it's tempting to keep following it. i've always loved this verse from Proverbs.

As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman…without discretion.
Proverbs 11:22

Famous

You have to feel some pity for the girl
whose simple costume change becomes a rage,
the latest news on every screen and page;
whose face is magnified around the world.

With advertisers flashing wads of cash,
producers promising a life of fame,
it’s hard to point a finger that will blame
the girl for making choices that are rash.

If no one ever read to her the Book,
nor showed her beauty’s deepest in reserve,
no wonder then she offers up her charms
to groping eyes and salivating looks.
She never had the wisdom to preserve
a modest mien and guard her heart from harm.

Becky Haigler
July 2009

sonnet

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:50:46 GMT

oh, dear! i've taken up a challenge from some poetry buds to write a poem a day in July based on the book of Proverbs. we'll see if i persevere through the month! here's a formal sonnet for day 3, based on a line from Proverbs 3:12 … a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

Discipline

At times along the journey I can feel
the chastening hand of God upon my back –
when I have erred from gentle wisdom’s track;
mistaken stagnant ponds for waters still.

When I would forfeit pastures green for straw
or call a noisy throng my place of peace,
it’s then God’s hand will heavy on me press;
I dread to hear correction in His call.

But, oh my Father! leave me not alone!
Return me to the blessing of Your way;
though painfully, my wayward feet restrain.
In chastening all who are Your true-born ones,
You shape our hearts Your glory to display
and our great good Your rod severe obtains.

Becky Haigler
July 2009

exceptional image

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:52:36 GMT

still haven't been writing much poetry. editing and mentoring have been occupying my time and that's good work, too. saw a note on Writers' Almanac a couple of days ago about a man who purposed to get up and write a new poem every morning, first thing. he persisted for 188 days, then culled and refined and got two books of poetry out of the results.

twice now in the last year i've participated in month-long poem-a-day exercises through the Writers' Digest poetry blog, but even then, some of my poems were posted a day or so late and a few times i cheated and posted an old poem that fit the prompt -- either because i was too busy or really liked the old poem and didn't think i could do better for that prompt. but 188 days? all new stuff? that's a very challenging thought.

a couple of summers ago, i blogged about the idea of journaling 'one exceptional image' each day, rather than trying to capture daily routine in a journal. i didn't keep up with that very long. i have been doing the more mundane kind of journaling for a few months now and keeping up with it pretty well, but i often wonder why. it's boring even to me! today while walking, i thought again about the 'one exceptional image' idea and thought maybe i could get at least one new LINE of poetry a day. so, here is my 'image' for today -- not very exceptional, but compelling and repeated throughout my walk.

grass thriving
in merest cracks of asphalt -- a testimony
God prefers green

guilty pleasures

Tue, 26 May 2009 16:44:14 GMT

a facebook entry made by my niece, Starwhisperer, reminded me of this piece i wrote last fall. i haven't done any new poetry for a couple of weeks, so i offer some leftovers for your edification. this was from a collection of poems on the theme of "Beauty Will Save the World."

Guilty Pleasures

I’ll confess I don’t always want what’s lovely
or true and good and pure. Sometimes
I just want a hamburger and fries;
want to sit in the dark and play solitaire
or watch a makeover show where somebody
is transformed, so I don’t have to be.

Becky Haigler
November 2008

May Morning

Fri, 08 May 2009 22:38:41 GMT

i have been walking in my neighborhood instead of going to Curves, three days a week, for the past few weeks. i actually like it. hoping i can keep it up as the weather gets hotter. will have to get out earlier than i usually go to Curves! anyway, the poem-a-day challenge for April is over, but the Writers Digest poetry editor puts up a prompt on his blog every Wednesday. the topic this week was 'spring.' this is what i wrote while walking this morning.

May Morning
“…if these should hold their peace,
the stones would immediately cry out.”
Luke 19:40

Thank You, Lord
for this blue-sky day
no less yesterday’s
gray mist; gratitude
for the ceaseless song
of mockingbird
determined that no stones
cry out on his watch.

Becky Haigler
May 2009

baby shower

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:50:16 GMT

we have lots of baby showers in our church because it is a growing church with lots of young families. when i was younger, i didn't like showers. wasn't really comfortable with rooms full of so much estrogen, but i'm mellowing in my old age. and the women in our church are very dear to me. the poem-a-day challenge prompt for Saturday was to write about an event, and we had a baby shower yesterday, so here's my poem. p.s. i qualify for 'old biddy' status in this group! :)

baby shower

a gathering of old biddies
earnest new mothers and blasé
mid-life moms where wisdom
is passed from ear to ear
and generations share
strength with lullabyes
humming in our breasts

Becky Haigler
April 2009