Poetry, Poetry...

Tonight at our second writing workshop group in our town, all of us were simply astounded that eleven people came -- that's a HUGE number for such a small town. One woman shared part of a story she wrote for the Alpine Sun. I read one of my poems, one that I wrote at Ad-Lib (Christian arts retreat) last fall, and everyone seemed to like it. Then Teresa, one of our creative art meeting regulars, read a few of her poems, several which were humorous and one which was very serious. Our leader, Dave, then read two pages from the opening of his novel -- what a great hook! Judith distributed some preliminary copies of her book of poetry. I wish that we had had enough time to hear her read her work; her poems are so amazing and I so enjoy hearing her read them.

We had a couple of new people, one of whom asked a lot of questions about publishing, agents, etc. But it was a good group meeting, a good incentive for me to keep working on my writing and not allow it to slip into the background as it usually does. My goal was to have my book intro ready to pass around tonight, or at least part of it. Right now it's in that gangly teenager stage where it's kinda going everywhere, is very awkward and more than a little shy. So I hope to expand in some areas, tighten in other areas, revise doggedly, and somehow bring to a graceful close. We'll see how much I get done in the next four weeks....

So here's the poem I revised this afternoon and read tonight:

Retreat 2006

Self-doubt assails –
Making assault after assault
Against my weakened battlements.
Am I worthy of the name?
Does what I do contain anything of
Truth? Beauty? Glory?

I feel emptied –
A cistern violently overturned,
The depths now dry,
Useless, wasted.

But then she comes,
Pressing a golden
Aspen leaf
Into my palm –
As she assures me of
My worth in His eyes,
Of the delight He takes in me –
His dear, dear daughter --
And of the possibilities
In what I have accomplished,
In what I will create
As I express what He has
Wrought in me.

Perhaps I am indeed
A writer.

(Copyright 2007 by Susanne Barrett. Do not copy, reprint, or use in part or entirety without written permission of the author.)