“The Clandestine Life of Paintings, in Poems” by Robin Gabbert. Review by Marianne Lyon. Robin Gabbert’s Magical Ekphrastic book “The Clandestine Life of Paintings, in Poems” by Robin Gabbert is inventive, otherworldly, and intriguing. The poems muse duet verses with paintings. The marriage of these creative pieces invite contemplation. They invite the mystical to emerge. The twists and leaps of Robin’s imagination are made all the more meaningful by the deeper truth of human feeling that underlines each verse. They journey us into painted worlds with words as our guides. Her poems are written in sonorous fashion much like art songs. This partnering of poems and art invites the reader to recognize our shared humanity. They pulse with nature’s beauty. Universal meaning danced my eyes from poem to painting to poem. “A Collage of Questions” isa short-found poem fashioned from questions Robin asks in her amazing book. Let these queries…
Author: mcullen
Marlene Cullen is enthusiastic about encouraging people to write, even those who think they can’t write. Her series of books, The Write Spot anthologies, features writing that entertains as well as inspires writing. Every story, vignette, and poem in The Write Spot books include writing prompts motivating readers to become writers.
Marlene hosts The Write Spot Blog, a treasure chest of inspirational gems for writers.
Fulfilling her passion for writing and sharing with others, Marlene has created unique writing environments such as Jumpstart Writing Workshops, where participants often experience transformational changes. Her workshops provide essential elements for successful writing.
Marlene is the founder of Writers Forum of Petaluma, a monthly literary event featuring presenters talking about the craft and business of writing.
Marlene's awarding winning short stories and essays have been published in literary journals, anthologies, and newspapers, including Tiny Lights, Building Bridges, More Bridges, Redwood Writers anthologies, and The Write Spot anthologies.
She is a member of the California Writer's Club.
Simple listening allows sparkling . . .
“A dear friend gave me a small notebook, with a sun on the cover. I often find myself writing in it while drinking my morning coffee, mostly just short phrases or impressions. It reminds of the simple listening that allows sparkling dew drop images to appear.” — Pam Hiller You can read more of Pam’s writing: Journey on The Write Spot Blog and in The Write Spot to Jumpstart Your Writing: Discoveries. #justwrite #amwriting #iamawriter
Rain Dog, a Pantoum
Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page. Rain Dog, a Pantoum By Suse Pareto Dog is bored and restless. Rain is pouring down. I’m loath to leave this comfy bed, but walk we must, says she. Rain is pouring down, the road is sodden and feckless. But walk we must, says she, up to the woods we go. The road is sodden and feckless. The hills are wet and slick. Up to the woods we go, Dog barks in great delight. The hills are wet and slick, rain drips from leaf and stick. Dog barks in great delight, “Water slithering, sliding everywhere!” Rain drips from leaf and stick. The gullies run fast and wild, water slithering, sliding everywhere, it’s like the earth has burst. The gullies run fast and wild, Dog nips at water’s tumble. It’s like the…
Character Sketch . . . Prompt #703
Instead of New Year’s Resolutions, how about writing a character sketch, either about yourself, or about your fictional characters. Finish the following sentences as your fictional character would, or for yourself, perhaps a new way of looking at old ideas. “Character Sketch” My full name is: I live at or near: I live with: Today I want: Today I hope: I am happiest when: I daydream about: If I had my way: I don’t understand: What I could do is: Sometimes I think: If I were in charge: I get angry when: People wouldn’t like it if they knew: If only we had enough: A person can’t be happy unless: I never told anyone that I: Five years ago: Five years from now: “Character Sketch” by B. Lynn Goodwin, Writer Advice The idea of using Lynn’s “Character Sketch” as inspiration for a new way of looking at old ideas is…
Motto for 2023 . . . Prompt #702
What will your motto be for 2023? #justwrite #iamwriting #iamawriter
It’s a wrap . . . Prompt #701
Write an end-of-the-year letter. One you might send, or would never send. You can capture how the year was for you, where you went, why you went there, what happened on that trip. Or, it might be “I didn’t go anywhere and I didn’t do anything.” You can write about a friend or a family member. Or write about goals achieved, accomplishments met, or what was disappointing. Just Write! #amwriting #iamawriter #justwrite
2020 was . . . Prompt #700
My son said, “2020 was last week and lasted three years.” Writing Prompt: Your take on the past three years. Or: Nothing prepared me for . . . #justwrite #amwriting #iamawriter
Smiling
Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page. Smiling By Jenny Beth Schaffer Smiling, after a certain age, is an act of boldness and an invitation to danger because already there are enough lines and wrinkles in your face that the very last thing you want to do is aggravate the problem. Because as everyone knows perfectly well, each smile takes a tiny toll on the elasticity, the buttery lacquer of your already anxious countenance. It’s a high-risk situation, this smile or not smile gambit, one requiring the weighing of the pros and cons, and typically you have just milliseconds to make the decision. Look no further than Wile E. Coyote to understand the consequences of split second decisions. Someone passes on the street, a stranger perhaps, casting the sunshine of their toothiness in your direction. What. Do. You. Do? It calls for a…
Invent a Holiday . . . Prompt #699
If you could invent a holiday, what would it be called and what would it celebrate? #justwrite #amwriting #iamawriter
Healing Starts When You . . .
“Healing starts when you write about what happened and how you felt about it then, and how you feel about it now. And in order for our writing to be a healing experience, we need to honor our pain, loss and grief.” — “Opening Up By Writing It Down” by James Pennebaker “The Write Spot: Writing as a Path to Healing” has an expansive section on how to write about difficult subjects without adding trauma.