Monday, October 13, 2008

Pencils! Points: September 23, 2008

We had a very productive meeting at my house on Tuesday Sept 23. Attending were: Claudia, Keith, Joyce, Carol, Yvonne, Jerry...and Henderson who attended virtually- feeling a little under the weather, he sent a poem to be read via EMail.

1. Jerry was up first who read a short story called "Perfection" which was a re-work from a writing exercise we did at the May 27th meeting in which we had to use a sentence as either first or last. At that time his sentence was "Good is not good enough" ....."I trust you will strive for nothing less than valedictorian?" He waited for an answer and I said yes. "Well, he said "That is as it should be." And he left the room. I was Salutatorian of a graduating class of over 300 students. When the graduation ceremony was over, my father walked right past me to the Valedictorian and congratulated her on a wonderful speech. Knowing I was in earshot, he said "I wish my son was more like you." .....

2. Next, Joyce read a chapter from her novel, "Venus Ascending" .....Vince leaned forward, voice plaintive. "Mimi, don't be mad. You know how much I care about you." Mimi's shoulders pulled back. "I care about you too. I want us to be together, but, except for when we're dancing, you always keep your distance." She bit her lip. "We've been together since Thanksgiving, and you've never hugged or kissed me".....

3. Keith treated us to "the first third" of a short story titled "Fat and Ash".....Chores completed, he steps outside on to the deck with his pack of Lights and fires up the first of his daily five, a tiny defiant smokestack he hoists against the Jersey sky. The draw, the searing purge, and clarity. A tingle, a dancing ember of youth, starts at The base of his scalp, descends through his stomach, and culminates, satisfyingly, in his loins. He remembers. Today, he will not stop at five, Today, he will not stop. Today is Fat Tuesday. Ruby Tuesday.

4. Carol shared part of chapter 7 of her novel, "Buried for Life"..."That still doesn't explain how you met Mrs. Sullivan and her daughter at the playground." The jagged line of questioning increased Walter's anxiety but he answered as calmly as he could. "I'm sorry. My first love is photographing children in their natural environment, not in a studio setting. I like to go to the playground and shoot kids when they're not posing." .....

5. The final piece was Henderson's poem, "I Welcome the Theologian - me" read by Claudia (who did not nearly do it justice...). ..." Theology-me even whispers of truths unknowable to science-me."

Announcement and Request- Jerry is working on the Pencils! website and is asking for suggestions from members of what we would like to have.

Book / Resource Recommendation- from Keith - "The Ode Less Travelled: Unlocking the Poet Within" by Stephen Fry