A big thank you to the editors of Praxis Magazine Online for publishing my poems “The Rule” and “Your Sonnet.” Praxis is an African-based magazine for arts and literature. Check it out by reading the other stories and poems!
“The Rule” is obviously a response to the Covid pandemic. Like a lot of writers, I am torn between wanting to write about the pandemic and wanting to get away from it by NOT writing about the pandemic.
“Your Sonnet” is a poem that a lot of (particularly, but not exclusively) women can probably relate to. It makes use of the Little Red Riding Hood story, as do several of my poems in the last couple of years. I know that I have posted before about my Pinterest board for Little Red art, but now the board has over 1,300 images! I really do wonder if any secular folktale has inspired more art than Little Red: Red in the Woods
You can read the poems here:
THE RULE and YOUR SONNET
Last week I wrote about penpals and posted a link for Snail Mail Social Club. After applying by checking off my interests from a provided list, I was given two names and addresses to write to. One of them was an individual living at home. The other is a staff contact at a senior facility. The idea, apparently, is that the facilities don’t want to give out names for privacy issues so I am supposed to write as many letters as I like for these unknown people living there.
I have to admit I was disappointed. I wrote back, asking if they were going to match me up with people with my interests, but have not heard back. I can send generic letters to any senior facility–I don’t need this “finding” service to get me a staff member’s name. The reason I liked writing to Matt was because he said he was interested in war stories, so I wanted to hear his and tell him the ones I know about from my family. If someone wants to talk about books or history or art or cats, I’m all here. Or there. Or pen in hand.
Does anybody else have information about finding people to write to that I have something in common with? I think it would be more meaningful to shut-ins since I am not a 3rd grader writing with my class. Does that make any sense or do I sound nonsensical?
Let me know what you think . . . .
I applaud your interest in having pen pals. I had one in grade school but it didn’t last long, maybe a year. I wouldn’t know how to find one these days but with social media I’m sure there are avenues! Congrats on your poems!
My mom had a penpal when she was a kid that she was still friends with when I was a kid. We met her and her family for a picnic once and they got together a couple of other times, too. I had a French penpal, Dominique.
Luanne! I love your new poems! Especially The Rule!! SOOOOO good and evocative!! Brava!!
Thank you so much, Dawn! How are you doing? And how is the Covid situation down by you?
Great poems Luanne, I love the power of Your Sonnet particularly. When I was about 12 our English teacher, who was American, put those of us who wanted to, in touch with American penfriends. I started writing to a girl in NYC who I am still in touch with to this day. She visited me with her family when I was a teenager and I saw her when I went to NYC for my 40th. I had LOADS of penfriends when I was a teenager – there used to be a list compiled by one of the national newspapers that you could put your name and interests on. For quite a few years afterwards I would still get new penfriends – I had them in Italy, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Algeria – all over the place, though the only one that has lasted the distance is that first American one.
Andrea, thank you so much! Oh, that is so cool that you are still in touch with your penpal. And that you had so many! What fun! When I was a kid my family met my mom’s penpal’s family for picnics. That really made an impression on me. IN some ways, it was like making friends blogging or on social media ;), just more private.
Congratulations, Luanne! Excellent poems.
I don’t know about the penpal situation, but I’ll email you.
Thank you, Merril. I got your email and will respond! xo
Congratulations on your poems, Luanne. I don’t have any information on writing to people. Sorry
Thank you, John! The writing thing is turning into a big can of worms! I talked to the Life Enrichment lady at my mom’s place and found out there are people taking advantage of the situation!!!
Your poems always leave me thinking about them after I read them. Nicely done.
Wow, that is the BEST compliment! Thank you, Anneli!
It’s how I judge books and movies too. They’re good if I can’t get the out of my head right away.
How sweet that you are looking for someone in assisted living to write to regularly. I have a friend I send cards and letters to but she can’t write back as her hands are so arthritic that even dialing her cell phone is a challenge. I think they just need to hear some good news from somewhere. I regularly correspond with many of the bloggers I follow. We’ve been doing it for many years. I have this massive collection on wonderful cards and even a few gifts are exchanged all over the globe. It’s been so fun. Mine are not hand made cards but I keep a collection of cards so I never run out and then we get something in the mailbox. Back to the way it used to be.
The arthritis issue could be a problem for many. I also talked to the Life Enrichment person at my mother’s place, and she said there are people who are using the situation to scam people!!!! So that is why a lot of places are not doing it! She is going to see if she would be able to put together something where only family members of people at my mom’s place can write to other people there. I would be very willing to do that!
I LOVE that you are keeping up with blogger friends this way! I wish I could put myself on your Christmas card list, but I am not very good t returning the favor. I never send cards any more! I wonder if people like me will change that this year. I somehow doubt it since the price of stamps is so high. I ought to consider this, though. This has been a hard year and we need to make it better for as many people as we can!
I send a lot of cards and packages internationally as well and the price of postage just keeps going up but we need a federally protected mail system so I keep buying stamps whether I need them or not. I’ve been mailing out things left and right just to keep the post office working and to keep connections. My Christmas card list gets smaller every year as many do not bother to exchange them. I do keep trying though. E-mail just isn’t quite the same but better than nothing.
So happy for you to have two poems posted in Praxis!
You are the best, Luanne!!
Sheila, thank you!!!!!! Woot! Hope you are still well and get to see that sweet baby often enough!
Love these two poems, Luanne! Well-done! Not sure about the pen-pal thing, although I am writing a lot more snail mail letters to past and current friends, and I love getting responses!
OOPS. I owe you a letter! Or more than one letter. You are so good at the letter writing!!
Thank you re the poems, Carla. I am finding it pretty difficult, though, to write. How about you? Sending LOVE.
Some days, yes, but I write letters almost daily. Working on some poems, shaping, re-shaping. Love back!
I’m going through some I set aside and trying some new things with them. Good luck with your process!
Congratulations on the publication of your two poems, Luanne! Your metaphors in “The Rule” very clearly convey the nightmare we find ourselves in. “Your Sonnet” does strike a personal chord with me. Sending generic letters to unknown people seems very impersonal to me, like “Dear Resident.”
THANK you, and I mean about the generic letters. What is the point? And she never got back to me either, which I dislike. I am just not happy with the whole situation although it seems to be a not-for-profit enterprise and perhaps overtaxed because of being mentioned by AARP? I’m not that picky of a person, but I don’t have a lot of spare time, so I want to use my time as well as I can, if that makes sense.
Thank you re the poems, too. I kind of thought a lot of women would feel that way about “Your Sonnet” hah (unfortunately).
It also seems to me that writing generic letters suggests that the recipients are generic and interchangable, which is troubling.
Congratulations on your publication. Such a great achievement. I too, had many pen-pals in my youth and still have some of the letters, but I’m not sure how you would connect now.
On the Red Riding Hood theme, we have an Australian author who is often inspired by those tales. You may enjoy The Wild Girl, based on the Brothers Grimm, and the village girl who originally told them the stories.
https://www.amazon.com.au/Wild-Girl-Kate-Forsyth-ebook/dp/B00ANG3WZQ
Oh wow, this book sounds and looks great. I will put it on my to-read list at Goodreads. I love books that use the old “mythologies.” Isn’t it funny how pen pals seem kind of old-fashioned today? I guess it is because of social media and email, etc. But there is something to be said for some of the old school methods. Thank you re the pub, too!
Wow! Both of your poems are so powerful. The Rule especially struck me. I’m still wrestling a little with The Sonnet, all its parts and how they fit. The last six lines though really hit me. Well, well done. And congratulations!
Thank you so much, Deborah. That means a lot to hear you say that. Thank you for reading them!
Brilliant poems, Luanne!
Clare, thank you SO much! xo
xo
Both of the poems are beautiful. From reading the rule, I feel some kind of shift back to March and April when everything still felt really surreal, yet scary.
Yes, you’re right. That’s when I wrote it!
Congratulations – I loved your poems and completely understand why they got published:)
Sarah, thank you so much. And thank you for reading them!
You’re welcome – it was my pleasure:))
I love your poems! The Rule, oh my goodness, that’s what it feels like sometimes. I’m keeping an eye on myself as I know I could easily lapse into agoraphobia. I had to steel myself just to go and pick up take-out from a sandwich shop only a mile from here. Everyone wore masks except an older guy who stood a few feet away while I collected my order. I almost jumped when I turned and saw he was maskless. Eh. The only thing I could imagine was he forgot and left his mask at the table. I can understand that. Last week we went to a lodge dining room for the first time since mid-March. It was empty which was great for us, but having to put our mask on every time the server came over was jarring. One time both of us had food in our mouths so we stopped breathing and just nodded at her … lol. I don’t think we’ll be going out to eat again any time soon. And The Sonnet! Wow! Congratulations 🙂 As for pen pals, it’s a lovely idea but I don’t know how best to go about it. I had a pen pal when I was a young teenager but it might have lasted only for a year or so. I think she was a year older than me. Seemed like a nice girl. I have no idea how we found each other, but I lived in the country and had few friends. I remember the last letter I received from her, she told me she was pregnant. She was worried about my reaction. I don’t believe I wrote back which probably didn’t surprise her. I didn’t judge her but I didn’t understand. I was that young (at least in my head) that I didn’t understand how she would have gotten pregnant. I hadn’t even started dating. She was opening a door to a world I wasn’t ready to be part of.
Wow, that is quite the story about your penpal! I can see why she wanted to have a penpal to talk to about her situation in life because she probably couldn’t talk to close friends in case they would “talk.” But what a load to lay on you!
Thank you about the poems. You sound like me about going out. It gets so anxiety-provoking to stay safe it’s just easier to stay home. Yesterday I got my flu shot at Walgreens, and I was writing a story in my head about all the different approaches to masks, distancing, etc. There was the pharmacy employee wearing a shield but no masks. ALL THAT SPRAY COMING OUT OF HIS MOUTH AND JUST GOING RIGHT DOWN ON TOP OF EVERYTHING INCLUDING ALL THE MEDS HE WAS HANDLING. Oops, sorry for shouting. Sort of. The lady who had her mask on her chin. The lady who kept full-on squeezing her nose through her mask. I could go on, but I will spare you. YOu get the idea. It was driving me crazy. Then the little covid booth I had to get my shot in!!!
Greg keeps putting off going to Home Depot because last time he was there hardly anyone was wearing masks. Yeah, I get unnerved too when I’m having to be in a place and seeing how people are/aren’t wearing masks. At our local coop a while ago, I stood behind a customer who was wearing a mask that didn’t cover her nose. Everyone else had a mask that covered their noses. It was so obvious she wasn’t wearing hers correctly but she seemed oblivious.
I’ve seen several people wearing masks like that!
Congrats on your published poems, Luanne! Love your imagery – lurching cockroaches indeed! It’ll take me a while to wipe that from my memory banks, thank you very much! 😀
LOL! Sorry (not sorry)! hahaha
🤣
Both of the poems are great. TY for sharing them. Now my pandemic dreams seem tame…
LOL! You can be glad if your pandemic dreams are not as bad as The Rule! Thanks for reading them, Ellen!
Luanne, I loved your poems and lucky for Praxis magazine to have you along. <3
Carol, what a sweet thing to say! Hope you are staying well! xo
I’m sorry your efforts to find a pen pal have led to limbo. I hope that you find some neat people to write to.
Your poems (so beautifully penned) scared me, especially the one with the wolf on crutches. Eek!
Be well —
Thank you. We shall see. For now I am recovering from the flu shot.