
| December 2004 | Café Society's Poetry News Update |
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Helga Ross
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| It has been little more than a year ago
since I wrote my first poem. Yes! Pinch me, I'm dreaming. I picked up
the threads of the dream I dropped many more years ago, to write. I
feel like I'm starting over and in my second youth. Now I remind myself
of those poets of earlier times, when art was a way of life, not
necessarily a livelihood, but valid in and of itself.
In the intervening years, I had shelved my liberal arts education, English Major, for a career in the business world. It served me well and now provides the means for this pursuit which I find so much more personally satisfying. I'm one of that spirit, 'Child of the '60s', a lover of nature, of freedom of thought, of authentic self-expression, with wide and eclectic interests and tastes which I like to reflect in my writings in all its forms. I wasn't sure what I would write, what my niche would be when I embarked, but it wasn't long before a writer friend of mine pointed out the poetry in my prose - and here I am. That first piece which focused me on poetry as my key endeavor: Fragments of Flight by a Blue Butterfly I am fortunate to have met shortly thereafter, fellow Canadian poet, Richard Vallance, who has been a great support and inspiration to me, particularly with the sonnet form. He has published several of my poems, including non-sonnets in issues of Sonnetto Poesia, Poetry in Emotion and The Vallance Review No. 39. Writer/poet Carmen Ruggero, (of last month's Interview in Poetry Life & Times) introduced me to BeWrite, where some of my work is also published. My full repertoire of poetry, short stories, and essays appears at Authors Den. |
Since then I’m widening
my circle of fellow poets, artist friends, and valued contacts. My work
is being read, not languishing here at home alone, or in a drawer
somewhere, or discarded. I compare that to the artists of old, who,
when they couldn’t get published, had no audience at all. It would be
nice, of course, to be able to make a living at it, to be compensated
monetarily, but it isn’t everything. An audience is. I'm delighted to
be published here at Poetry Life & Times and to have been one of
Richard Vallance's editors and contributors to his poetry e-zines.
There’s lots of poetry
circles where there’s little or no serious critique, but there is
tracking, reading and stroking of each other’s egos. Some of the best
poets and the most serious ones aren’t part of this and therefore are
missed altogether or receive few comments for their very fine work.
Their labour of love is so evident if one would see it and better yet,
acknowledge it. Even a site such as
AuthorsDen.com should have minimum standards.
Poetry L & T:
Having read and
enjoyed your poems, Helga, I was surprised to learn, from your bio,
that you only started writing poetry a year ago, with the poem "Fragments
of Flight by a Blue Butterfly". I would be interested to know about
the moment in your life which inspired this poem...
Helga:
This
moment in my life was a Monday in mid summer, July 16, 2001, to be
exact, two years earlier; my first day back to work following a
typically too short annual vacation. By this time in my life my hopes
and plans were pinned on early retirement from full-time work. 30 plus
years was feeling like long enough. More so because it was summer, my
favorite season, and torturous to spend so much of it indoors. I much
preferred those long summer holidays of my youth, between school years,
or even the more sensible Augusts-off that many a European enjoys.
Recording my feelings was some consolation as well as a way of working
my way back into the literary directions I had dropped but felt strong
stirrings for, once more.
Poetry L & T:
Who are your
favourite poets?
Helga:
Unquestionably
there are many I appreciate from Chaucer of old to T S Eliot of ‘new’,
but Shakespeare has shaped me, and brought me to where I am. I owe him
everything, when it comes to poetic inspiration. I had a high school
teacher who loved Shakespeare so obviously he made his work come alive
for me. I can still place myself mentally in that classroom reading and
discussing the work, as Hamlet struts and frets. More of what I love
about Shakespeare: He ranged over the entire spectrum of human
experience and emotion; he used over 25,000 different words in his
writings, (according to one computer analysis, 31,534 different words
to be exact) – that's more than any other English writer has ever used!
He invented words and played with them and coined so many phrases we
still use today.
Poetry L & T:
You have a particular
affinity with the sonnet form. Do you have any favourite classic
sonnets, which have particularly inspired your own work?
Helga:
Yes,
I fall back on Shakespeare frequently to study the specifics of his use
of rhythm, rhyme, expression, and the structure of his lines:
"God’s Grandeur" is a great favorite of mine, which I find
quite exceptional.
Sonnet XXIX
Sonnet XXX
Sonnet CXVI
Sonnet CVI
John Milton:
"On His Blindness"
Gerald Manley Hopkins
Poetry L & T:
How has the internet
helped you, as a poet?
Helga:
I wrote my first piece, mentioned above, as an essay/journal style
entry and published it on the web at Writtenbyme.com, now defunct.
That’s where a fellow writer saw it and recommended I publish it as a
poem. I let him do so at his web site, left it at that, and continued
to write essays and stories. At Author’s Den, I noted the action
revolves around poetry, particularly. I decided: Hey, maybe I can do
that too! I posted my one poem and went on from there. It was a
creative breakthrough for me. Until then, I’d realized there’s lots of
good writers of fiction and non-fiction, so, had been stumbling around
somewhat, artistically speaking, writing well enough, but looking for
my stamp of uniqueness. I believe I found it, found my voice, my
creative niche, when I found my way to poetry.
Poetry L & T:
Is there anything in
modern poetry online, or poetry websites, which irritates you?
Helga:
Oh,
certainly. First and foremost: FEEDBACK please! Helpful feedback. Even
when there’s lots of hits there little indication of how one is being
received. And that's always a pity for the writer.
Is one moved? Does one identify? What does one like about the work? If
there’s obvious flaws to otherwise good work, like spelling and syntax
errors, be kind enough to point them out, but not to the exclusion of
its merits.
If the work isn’t good, no point in any of the aforementioned, would be
my recommendation. It would be both rude online and unkind.
Indifference, likewise; leave alone.
Poetry L & T:
I enjoyed reading
your sonnet "Midlife Meander", through
which I find some common ground with my some of my own poems on this
subject, though this one is generally more optimistic than some of
mine. Do you generally enjoy being in your "midlife"?
Helga:
I
do, I actually do. I feel as good today as 10 years ago and more, but
I’m more savvy. Midlife is a state of mind. I like where I’m at –
mentally, emotionally, and intellectually so wouldn’t trade that for
anything. I’ve got it together in that way. I’m not one of the
angst-ridden, whereas there were times I had been. Mature doesn’t have
to mean overly serious or dour. My sense of humor, my adventurousness
and fun-loving side is intact. My interests and passions fuel me. These
are all things I like to reflect in my poetry. Physically, I work at
maintaining my health. I dress and look and behave younger than my age.
Poetry L & T:
I enjoyed the image
of your cat, Sherman, portrayed in your sonnet "His Lopsided Grin". Cats often interrupt
a writer's work, yet often they inspire it. Which does Sherman do, most
of all?
Helga:
He’s
a redhead (partly, by way of large splashes on a white background) and
quite willful when he’s not laid-back. So, he’s more of a distraction
than an inspiration -- although, when I really studied him with a
purpose, he inspired me, definitively.
Poetry L & T:
"Stale Brew, Stagnant Water" is an
interesting poem of yours... it seems to me to show the crass futility
of the modern consumer lifestyle. What particular image or event
triggered the idea for this poem?
Helga:
I
wanted to write something modern, that was the only conscious intention
in my mind. From there, my usual method is to let an opening line come
to me and lead me on from there – it will dictate the tempo, the line
length, then the rest will evolve and flow --The first line came, the
very words, and with it the metaphor, the cooking and eating imagery. I
didn’t know where I was going; we went together. It was a relatively
easy write with little need of polishing or rewrite.
Poetry L & T:
I like the
philosophical ideas in your sonnet "Power
Block". It has some memorable lines which will ring true for many
readers. Did this one grow from one single idea, or did it take some
time of drafting and re-drafting?
Helga:
This
is my latest, to date. I’m pleased at the perceptiveness – I wrote with
the intention of making memorable lines. Writing it was both
inspiration and perspiration. It grew from a single idea, expressed in
the first two lines. Some of the memorable lines further on just came
to me first try; others, in between and concluding, needed work to best
express, since there were words in my head I didn’t want to let go of.
Overall it involved some time of drafting and redrafting to get it
right, all of a piece, until I was fully satisfied.
Poetry L & T:
What, in your
opinion, makes a poem good, or memorable?
Helga:
My
opinion, and my observations of what I like best:
Poetry L &
T:
If a younger poet
asked you for tips on how to become successful as a published poet,
what advice would you give?
Helga:
Study
the great poets and the great poems. The motivated and aspiring poet
can’t help but absorb good things, in the way of artistry and
techniques. Gain a good ear and a good eye. Don’t dismiss any period –
for instance, Chaucer. He's wonderful, when one gets the hang of Old
English.
Read prolifically; then write prolifically.
Experiment, write from your experience and your passions, and trust
your instincts.
Don’t let earning a living in other venues, if you have to, dissuade
you.
Young writers have a head start on me, and a medium available that for
years others, and I, didn’t have. I’m not one who has successfully
marketed myself or knows how to go about that part, so I can’t suggest
beyond the scope of what I’ve said, this far.
Poetry L & T:
Finally, Helga, what
are your main ambitions for the future?
Helga:
I
will keep writing and improving and building my poetry repertoire. I
will do what I can to gain a greater audience. One of these days I’d
like to see my name and my poetry included in a hard cover on the
bookshelves, preferably in a volume that sells. It needn’t include me,
alone, as long as I’m in good company. The ultimate ambition would be
to be a known quantity at home and abroad, by name, and/or ‘that
Canadian (lady) poet from Newmarket’.
Poetry L & T:
Thank you for the
interview, Helga.
Helga:
Thank
you, Sara! I'm very delighted to be graced by your pages!
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NEW - in our merchandise store: the Poetry Life & Times Poetry Journal... click image to find out more.
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| Dear Poets,
Welcome to the December 2004 issue of Poetry Life & Times (For those of you reading this on a mirror site and not poetrylifeandtimes.com, click here). This month's interview features Helga Ross, published poet and short story writer. Featured Poets this month include Deborah Kolodji, Ian Thorpe, Jim Dunlap, Robin Ouzman Hislop, Richard Vallance and Jan Sand. Deborah Kolodji has also written a special article about The Peace Rose, for Poetry Life & Times, which can be found through a link under her poems on this page - and roses are the theme for her poems this month. |
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In the Vallance Review for December 2004, Richard's Review No. 40 features George Frederic Handel, "L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato" (1740) after John Milton's, "L'Allegro" and "Il Penseroso" (1645). This Vallance Review also features an interview with the musician Peter Zanette. Fans of The Perils of Norris cartoon: You can buy Norris merchandise for home and office, including apparel and stationery... Click here to visit the store at CafePress.com. More goodies will be added as soon! Also available: Poetry Life & Times logo merchandise. My own poetry can be found on AuthorsDen, these days. The links in the left-hand column of my pages include books and articles as well as poetry. Some of the articles give advice on making chapbooks, or finding publishers - and there is even an item on ghosts. My latest e-book: Worlds Inside The Head, is now available, featuring animated html poetry pages, short stories, video & audio recitals, plus pages in PDF format. Click here to scroll down to the animated ad at the bottom of the page, and click the link to find out more. The animation shows images from the CD. NEW - Poetry Life & Times Mobile Phone Pages + Free Ringtones & Wallpapers! We have started a series of new mini-sized Poetry Life & Times supplement pages for mobile phones, which include information on the main site, occasional interviews, short poems + free ringtones and wallpapers. If you have a WAP-enabled mobile phone with a colour screen, point your mobile's browser at these pages (on your mobile you can usually omit http//:): www.poetrylifeandtimes.com/pltmobile/index.htm Ringtones are both classical and new original music (my own). Wallpapers are mostly from The Perils of Norris cartoon. Any comments on this issue or back issues can be emailed to me on the link at the bottom of the page. Announcements are always welcome (brief if possible), you can also promote poetry books here. Poetry submissions should be in plain text in the body of an email, with a small jpeg author picture attached, also a bio, with the URLs of any ezines mentioned, so that they can be shown as links. This increases the chance of inclusion, especially for late submissions. Pictures are best at a maximum of 520 pixels across, otherwise they take ages to arrive by email, especially in bitmap or TIFF format. I recommend that poets click the submissions link on our main page, for full guidelines, and please, always use a spellchecker. Poets can submit previously-published work here. If another editor likes it, there's a chance we'll like it too. Best Regards, |
Click title below for this month's Vallance Review
feature
Richard
Vallance reviews sonnets, both classic and modern.

Featured Poets
this month include Deborah Kolodji, Ian Thorpe, Jim Dunlap, Robin
Ouzman Hislop, Richard Vallance and Jan Sand. Many thanks to all
contributors.
© Deborah P
Kolodji Deborah P Kolodji works in information
technology to fund her poetry obsessions and to pay for her children’s
college tuition. She is the editor and co-founder of Amaze: The
Cinquain Journal (www.amaze-cinquain.com) and the owner and moderator
of a yahoogroups e-mail discussion list for cinquain poetry called
CinquainPoets. Her cinquains have appeared in Eclectica, Scrivener’s
Pen, Wilmington Blues, St. Anthony Messenger Magazine, Autumn Pond,
Short Stuff, Brevities, Hummingbird, and many other places. Three of
her poems appear in the international poetry anthology by India's
Cyberwit, New Pegasus.
Cherokee Rose
© Deborah P Kolodji
Tears fell
along the trail
where white roses now grow--
thousand mile march to a mother's
heartbreak
first published: Autumn Leaves - Volume 8 No 5, September 2004
Christmas Rose
© Deborah P Kolodji
pink-tipped
snow white petals -
winter’s rare gift of bloom
for a shepherdess, for the Child,
for us
Prom Night
© Deborah P Kolodji
Orchids
and white roses
in my daughter's corsage -
the baby of my family
blooming.
First Place, 2004 Siloam Springs Writer's Group Annual Contest
The Corner Florist Shop
© Deborah P Kolodji
bouquets
a reminder -
last minute birthday gifts
forgotten anniversaries
guilt trips
he stops
slinking home from a late night out
buys her a peace token
a red dozen
roses
A Change on the Breeze
© Deborah P Kolodji
Rosebuds
in early spring --
scent of warmer weather;
I watch the possibilities
unfold.
Click Here for Deborah's article on The Peace Rose...
IAN R. THORPE A happy child but a late developer, Ian Thorpe was born at quite an advanced age and remembers nothing more for several years. One morning he awoke and was aware of being in a large white room. The blinds were drawn but the furniture was real. A note pinned to the wall said XYZZY. "I've only got your word for that" Ian replied and the note threw itself in a waste paper bin. This experience convinced Ian that his destiny was to become a writer. He immediately composed his first poem "Ode to a Milkman." Seriously, Ian has been away some time but is back with this selection from a work in progress based on what he calls "single source myths," the mythology of India, Arabia and Celtic Europe.
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Peccavimus (we have sinned) © Ian R. ThorpeThe reference here to "frost -wolf" perhaps needs clarification as in many ancient mythologies of the northern lands there are wolf myths connected with winter and long dark nights. This reference is actually to the names of the full moons. The wolf moon is the last full moon of the pagan year (in this part of the world at least) and so its "icy breath" is the air during the long nights around solstice. Names of the full moon: January, Cold moon; February, Snow moon; March, Sap or worm moon; April, Blossom moon May, Flower moon; June, Strawberry or rose moon; July, Buck moon; (Male deer, or bucks, grow their first antlers during this month); August, Salmon moon; September, Harvest or corn moon; October,Hunter's moon; November, Beaver moon (no jokes please); December, Wolf or hunger moon; If anyone is wondering about the blue moon, that occurs when there are two full moons in a single calendar months - the second is a blue moon. Imbolc © Ian R. Thorpe Imbolc (1st February) is the first festival in the eightfold year of the ancient Celtic belief system. The legend is that on this day, when the snowdrops andother early flowes bloom and the first buds are starting to swell, fertility returns to the womb of the earth mother. Slaney O’ TooleBefore anyone takes offence can I remind you that in my part of the world there has always been a strong link with Ireland and so many people with Irish names are more English than the Queen. Actually this character's real name is Tommy Glover but it does not scan. |
![]() JIM DUNLAP (Rhyme Master) Jim is in the Marquis, Who's Who In America and will be in the Marquis Who's Who In The World in it's next edition as well. He is also in the Directory of American Poets and Fiction Writers. His list of publications include "Candelabrum", "Plainsongs" and the "Paris/ Atlantic"; and he is now (or has been) online at "Die Niderngasse", "Poetry Repair Shop", "Midnight Edition" and Poetry Life & Times". He is a resident poet, and an Alpha poet at the Poet's Porch, and has had about six hundred poems published to date. He has been in the Writer's Digest top 100 three times, although he doesn't usually enter their contests any more, as their entry fees have gone out of sight. However, he has decided to send a single poem this time. He is currently the newsletter editor for the Des Moines Area Writers' Network. His work also appears
online at: |
A SOLDIER’S CHRISTMAS |
Click here for December 2004 Featured
Poets page 2 --> 
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WORLDS INSIDE THE HEAD
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