Portland Shares: Thoughts Vice-Presidents on the Portland ... · Ted Bowman Geri Chavis Nick Mazza...

News and Resources from the National Association for Poetry Therapy

Volume XXVIIIVolume XXVIIIVolume XXVIIIVolume XXVIIIVolume XXVIII • • • • • Number 2 • July 2007Number 2 • July 2007Number 2 • July 2007Number 2 • July 2007Number 2 • July 2007

NAPT Executive Committee(2005-2007)President

Diane AllerdyceVice-Presidents

Richard Brown (Conferences)Mary Caprio (Membership)

SecretaryPhyllis Klein

TreasurerBarbara Aglaia

By-Laws/Governance ChairLeia Francisco

Academic/Institutional OutreachMargaret BlanchardJournal of Poetry Therapy Editor

Nick MazzaPublications Chair

Karen vanMeenen

NAPT Board MembersEvelyn Torton BeckBarbara Bethea (Diversity)Margaret BlanchardTed Bowman

Geri ChavisNick MazzaHannah Menkin

A Praise of MusesJennifer BosveldMichael Dennis BrowneRafael CampoMichael CollierJack Coulehan

Maria Mazziotti GillanPatricia HamplEdward HirschJane HirshfieldDavid Read JohnsonShaun McNiffGregory OrrGrace PaleyLinda PastanJames PennebakerLuis J. Rodriguez

Myra Sklarew Henry Taylor

The Museletter Editor — Karen vanMeenen Layout — Connie Banta

(Continued on page 5)

Portland Shares: ThoughtsPortland Shares: ThoughtsPortland Shares: ThoughtsPortland Shares: ThoughtsPortland Shares: Thoughtson the Portland Conferenceon the Portland Conferenceon the Portland Conferenceon the Portland Conferenceon the Portland ConferenceContributed by Nessa McCasey

This year’s conference was exceptional inthat Kim Stafford, our keynote speaker, andLawson Inada, our keynote poet, were ab-solutely wonderful. Stafford charmed andeducated us. He seemed so comfortable inhis own skin, which surprised me since hehad such a famous father. He has found hisown niche connecting with poets in Portlandand maintains the William Stafford archives.Inada is currently the poet laureate of Or-egon and emeritus professor of writing atOregon State University. His manner withus was just as charming and downright fun.

I enjoyed Stafford’s entire presentation,but now as I think about it again, what I likedbest was that he spoke about being aroundthe dinner table with his dad. I enjoyed thevisual snapshot of the Stafford family din-ner table and wondered what it would havebeen like to be so immersed in a family lifeof poetry. This is why I so love coming tothe NAPT conferences, to hear these storiesand connect with others about poetry andhow it helps people in so many ways.

Kim also shared the phrase “OlamTikkun,” from the sixteenth century: the taskof repairing the world. He asked of us, “Howmight you repair the world?” He shared ametaphor for the question: What if someonedialed 911 and you answered the call? Whatmight be one thing that you could do thatwould help to repair the world? Just likethose who sew one bead at a time, even with

shaking hands or dimming eyes, poets areable to offer one syllable at a time. In theroom of conference attendees listening toStafford, our little poems became much big-ger through our synergy.

With the presentation by Inada, my de-light continued. Lawson is hard to describe.He was a distinguished professor (and clearlya wonderful one—I heard someone behindme say “I wish I had a professor like him”).He was also a little boy, the little boy whoexperienced our country’s dark days of Japa-nese American camps. Can that kind of ex-perience early in life ever be left behind? Ofcourse not, and yet, Inada was also silly and

Kim Stafford

2 The Museletter

••••• The Museletter is published in March, July and Novemberby The National Association for Poetry Therapy. Allcopyrights remain with the individual contributors.

••••• Please address all newsletter submissions to:Karen vanMeenen, EditorThe [email protected]

••••• Address all subscription inquiries as well as general NAPTinquiries, memberships, address changes and administrativebusiness to:

NAPT777 E. Atlantic Avenue, #243Delray Beach, FL 33483Toll-Free 1-866-844-NAPTE-mail: [email protected]

••••• Visit NAPT’s website at www.poetrytherapy.org

In This Issue: July 2007In This Issue: July 2007In This Issue: July 2007In This Issue: July 2007In This Issue: July 2007

Thoughts on the Portland Conference ............................. 1, 5From the Editor ................................................................. 2Outgoing President’s Message ......................................... 3New President’s Message ................................................ 4Poems from the Conference .............................................. 6Responses from First-time Conference Attendees .......... 10Chapbook ........................................................................ 11Findings .......................................................................... 12Poems as Process ............................................................ 14Muse Reviews................................................................. 16NAPT News .................................................................... 19NAPT Member News ..................................................... 20NAPT Foundation News................................................. 21Poem Nation ................................................................... 22Media Watch ................................................................... 26

FromtheEditor

Karen vanMeenen

Like most other organizations these days, NAPT reliesmore and more on e-mailed communications to members.This saves substantial amounts of money and also meansthat you can hear from us in a more timely fashion. Someof our e-mailed anouncements—such as the monthly mem-

bership e-newsletter—are not duplicatedwith print versions, so if we don’t have

your e-mail address, you are missingthem.

Please send us your e-mail ad-dress so we can keep you up-to-

date and you won’t miss out on anyof the benefits of NAPT member-

ship. If you’re not currently receiv-ing the monthly e-newsletter or other

NAPT announcements, please send a note [email protected] so we can add your e-mail ad-dress to the database.

Also, please notify us also of e-mail address changes.

E-mail addresses, please!E-mail addresses, please!E-mail addresses, please!E-mail addresses, please!E-mail addresses, please!

Once again, the NAPT annual confer-ence was a highlight of my year; andmany others have noted that it was oneof our most inspiring gatherings ever.This year included engaging presenta-tions by Keynote Poet Lawson Inadaand Keynote Speaker Kim Stafford, aswell as a day trip, pre- and post-confer-ence sessions and two full days of ex-periential workshops. This issue of TheMuseletter celebrates this event withpoems inspired by the events of the con-ference, responses by first-time attend-ees, and details about what our keynot-ers shared with us.

Just three days after I returned homefrom Portland to my home in New YorkState I saw my favorite living poet,

Mary Oliver, in person for the first time, reading at a localcollege. [See this issue for a review of her latest volume,Thirst.] Just days after Oliver’s moving reading, I traveledto New York City as a chaperone for the Rochester teen po-etry slam team, which was competing in the regional com-petition. Watching and hearing these young people speaktheir truths through poetry furthered the inspiration I alwaysexperience while at the NAPT conference. What a poeticway to start the Spring…. And as we head into Summer, Iwish you peace, happiness and continued poetic expression.

Contributors to This IssueContributors to This IssueContributors to This IssueContributors to This IssueContributors to This Issue

Diane Allerdyce, PhD, CAPF; Margaret Blanchard, PhD; TedBowman; Elaine Brooks, RN, RPT-M/S; Mary Caprio, MS;Leia Francisco; Deborah Eve Grayson, LMHC, PTR, RPT-M/S; Lauren Keller; Perie Longo, PhD, RPT-M/S, MFT;Nessa McCasey, CPT; Karen vanMeenen, MA, CAPF; LilaLizabeth Weisberger, MS, CASAC, RPT/MS; and numer-ous conference attendees.

July 2007 3

When Does Your Heart SayGoodbye?Contributed by Perie Longo

Perie Longo

We never leave each other.When does your mouthsay goodbye to your heart?

—Mary TallMountain

As Karen vanMeenen’s email comes across my inbox thismorning announcing the deadline for the next issue of theMuseletter, I feel some rumblings in my heart and stomach,buzz in my fingers and toes. NAPT tradition does not re-quire that the past-president write a letter, but we are nottraditionalists. Some of us have called ourselves “strange,”“weird,” a stew of poets and healers, “fools” who go whereangels fear to tread. Who else would walk into a homelessshelter, a vet or teens-at-risk center, a hospice support groupor all those places we go waving a paper exclaiming, “HaveI got a poem or story for you!” Sometimes we are met withblank faces until we start weaving our magic with words.Let’s face it, we’re addicted to words, and as writers, we’reemotional beings and passionate about our work to help oth-ers express their voices.

I’m thinking it is this passion that brings us together inNAPT, dedicated to creating a better life for ourselves andothers, whether it be presenting a poem or song, a journalentry or story, to help us feel more alive, have purpose, andgive meaning to our lives.

NAPT is where we gather, feed and inspire each other,as happened during the Portland conference. I will alwaysremember Kim Stafford’s melodious voice reading in OldEnglish, inspiring us to new verse on the spot. And LawsonInada’s welcoming humor as well as giving importance tohonoring all those behind us who brought us where weare today.

As NAPT faces its possibilities and challenges as anevolving organization, I also want to remember Kim’s ex-planation of the deeper meaning of his father William’s whim-sical comment about “lowering his standards” in reply tothose who asked what he did if his daily morning poem wasn’tup to his expectations. The standard is also a symbol of amilitary unit; to raise it is to “attack without mercy,” to lowerit is to “create an opening.” Ah, there it is! We must be opento what will strengthen us an organization.

As past-president, I have regrets I couldn’t accomplishmore. And just now I am also reminded of Kim’s writingprompt, “This I did, this I didn’t do.” It is always easier tothink of what we didn’t do, so in beginning my “TalkingStick” workshop, I suggested that each introduce herself bysaying “This I did.” It was powerful for each of us.

I’m thinking we could evenhave a “Talking Stick” columnin each issue of the Museletter,a sort of “standard” we couldhold in respect, and lower intalking and listening to eachother’s hearts.

Being a part of the boardfor sixteen years has become akind of habit, the past two aspresident and the previous twoas executive director. Even nowI think of how NAPT is affectedby changes that occur by forcesoutside of ourselves: the ridicu-lous price of gas and food andthe sufferable cost of war andsenseless bloodshed. The listgoes on. The Monday of the week of our conference, thetragedy at Virginia Tech happened. An excerpt of NikkiGiovanni’s poem she wrote in response, helped to give us away to begin our board meeting:

We are strong and brave and innocent and unafraid.We are better than we think, not quite what we want to be.We are alive to the imagination and the possibilityWe will continue to invent the future through our blood and tears,through all this sadness. . .

Her words gave us courage to proceed as we spoke aboutour future direction, to embrace a more diverse and inclusivemembership, and to even possibly extend the name of NAPTto reflect that course. Though not on the Board, I am here tosupport Diane Allerdyce and her Board in spirit and dedica-tion to NAPT’s future. Diane is a fearless leader with a strongboard. But she and the Board cannot do it alone. Every voiceis needed to extend NAPT’s place in the world.

In some organizations, outgoing presidents “forgive”certain things that have happened in their term. I wouldn’tpresume such a task, of course. But forgiveness, I havelearned, doesn’t mean we approve of this behavior or that,but means giving up the expectation that a person or situa-tion could have done any differently at the time. Speakingtongue-in-cheek, I forgive NAPT for not saving the world,but express gratitude for saving those it did; for helping makemy life richer, for bringing me lifelong friends, for honoringme with the presidency. I pray that we all can continue togrow, heal and transform our personal and professional livesas a model for those who enter our field of “Wrong-Doing”and “Right-Doing,” as Rumi says, where we meet. Again, Ithank the members of my Board for all their hard and cre-ative work, many of whom are continuing on the new board.And I thank all the past presidents of NAPT who brought me

Outgoing

President’sMessage

4 The Museletter

here during my time: John Fox, Kay Adams, Lila Weisberger,Steve Rojcewicz, Sherry Reiter, Peggy Heller, George Belland our pioneers who have left us to continue their work in aspirit of healing with words: Art Lerner, Jack Leedy and Sr.Arleen Hynes. Each has contributed something significantthat takes us forward. As for me, “When does your heart saygoodbye to your mouth?” as Mary TallMountain asks.

With Gratitude and Best Wishes,Perie Longo

WelcomeWelcomeWelcomeWelcomeWelcomeContributed by Diane Allerdyce

Several years ago while at-tending the NAPT conferencein Albuquerque, New Mexico,I accompanied a group ofNAPT members and friends

on a cable car ride to a restaurant at the top of the SandiaMountains. I can remember standing at the window of thecable car looking down over the twinkling city more than10,000 feet below, awed by the realization that I was look-ing at the city of my birth, to which I had returned aftermany years to accept my certificate as a poetry therapist.The walls of cliffs rose up around us as our hanging car con-tinued its ascent up the mountain, strikingly huge and im-posing, yet beautiful. I could barely wrap my mind aroundthe reality that I was really here, that truly—in a way thatwas spiritually significant to me—I was home. Many of ushave a number of similarly significant homecomings through-out our lifetimes. For me, earning my PhD in literature afteryears of struggle to do so, looking into the eyes of my chil-dren, publishing a book—each of these events was, in a sense,a homecoming. Finding NAPT was a special kind of return-ing for me, and so was obtaining my credential of CertifiedPoetry Therapist (now Certified Applied Therapy Facilita-tor) four years after I started training. As I looked upon the“city of the turquoise sky” (as I had called Albuquerque sincea previous visit years before), I felt embraced within the heart-centered universe of poetry and supported by the whole groupof healers and friends that comprise the NAPT community.Now, as incoming president of NAPT, I wish that same senseof community to each of you.

Whether you are a writer, poet, therapist, educator/teacher or life explorer, we welcome each one who honorsand pursues the healing power of words. And whether youare interested in training to practice poetry therapy or facili-tation through our sister organization the Federation for

Biblio/Poetry Therapy (“the Federation”) or choose to net-work with others in the expressive language arts for purposesthat may not include training, NAPT embraces your pres-ence at the table—at the banquet that is NAPT. Our immedi-ate past president, Perie Longo, also used the metaphor ofthe table to describe NAPT’s inclusiveness. She wrote, “Iuse the word ‘table’ because we are a feast of people fromaround the country and world who carry to others our ‘goodnews’ of poetry, as William Carlos Williams wrote. Enrichedby each other’s diversity of profession, occupation, vocationand culture, each other’s creativity, talent and experience,we share our enthusiasm and success about how we integratepoetry and other literature into our life and work.”

During my term as president, I envision expanding andfurthering the emphasis on growth and healing through lan-guage and in moving beyond divisiveness that may some-times occur among different factions of any organization toembrace what we all have in common. Education, commu-nity practice and social action are equal to the clinical appli-cations of poetry therapy within NAPT’s purview, an ideathat Geri Chavis expressed eloquently in her keynote speechat the NAPT conference in Charleston, SC, in 1999 when hertopic was on the marriage between psychology and the hu-manities (and subsequently published in the Journal of Po-etry Therapy, vol. 13, no. 2). Since that time, we have addeda tagline to reflect NAPT’s common purpose: “Promotinggrowth and healing through language, symbol and story.” A

Outgoing president Perie Longo experiences an emotional momentas she studies the words of Theodore Roethke’s poem “The Waking”printed on the Certificate of Appreciation given her by incomingpresident Diane Allerdyce. Perie shared her gratitude with Dianeand the Board for all their support and dedication, wishing Dianelove, success and blessings in her new role. “Diane’s kindness andgenerous spirit mark her as a true leader,” Perie adds. The linesfrom Roethke’s poem, “I learn by going where I have to go” and“I hear my being dance from ear to ear,” are ones that particularlyspeak to Perie’s heart, thinking of her long years as a leader in NAPT.

NewPresident’s

Message

July 2007 5

relatively young organization (first organized in 1969 as theAssociation for Poetry Therapy and established as the Na-tional Association for Poetry Therapy in 1981), NAPT haschanged over the years while maintaining its central identityand purpose. As a poet and teacher, I, like many NAPT mem-bers and lovers of the poetic in both thought and language,believe that by reaching out to others from our core selves,we can change the world, one person, one poem, one story,one community, at a time. In Gandhi’s words, we can “bethe change we wish to see in the world.”

Toward that goal, we invite you to join one of our manycommittees to have your voice be heard. You may want towork with Mary Caprio, VP of Membership; Richard Brown,VP of Conferences; Karen vanMeenen, Chair of Publica-tions and Editor of the Museletter; Barbara Bethea, Diver-sity Chair; Nick Mazza, Journal of Poetry Therapy Editor;Phyllis Klein, Secretary; Leia Francisco, Bylaws/GovernanceChair; Margaret Blanchard, Academic/Institutional OutreachChair; or one of our Board Members-at-large: Evelyn TortonBeck, Ted Bowman, Geri Chavis, and Hannah Menkin. Theywere all welcomed with open arms as you will be. The ben-efits are many, among them connecting with like-mindedindividuals to share experience and create new ways to ex-pand the field. If you are interested in becoming credentialedas a Certified Poetry Therapist (CPT), Certified AppliedPoetry Facilitator (CAPF) or Registered Poetry Therapist(RPT), contact the Federation (www.nfbpt.com).

I look forward to doing this work with you, to carryingthe torch that is so important in this world, recognizing andsupporting all of you in affirming that language can heal.Each one of you has a role to play in NAPT’s outreach. AsWendell Berry says in his poem “Some Further Words”:

. . . . Each one who speaks speaksas a convocation. . . . It is not “human genius”that makes us human, but an old love,an old intelligence of the heartwe gather to us from the world . . .

Berry ends “Some Further Words” with lines that reflectthe authenticity with which I aspire to serve as NAPT’s presi-dent, an authenticity of place and of purpose known, accord-ing to Berry, by animals, each of which knows what it trulyis. That knowing is not always possible, he says, especiallynow, but this is what we must stand for, holding ourselvesand each other to being true human beings in a manner thatso many NAPT leaders have modeled. NAPT provides us acommunity within which to strive for that kind of true be-ing. Let each of us gather from the world the tools we needto enrich, heal and co-create. Thank you for being co-travel-ers on this journey.

Poetically yours,Diane [email protected]

fun! He giggled at his own jokes and sometimes would be sotaken by mirth that he’d move away from the podium andnearly dance.

And yet it wasn’t all funny. Here are some prompts heoffered to us: Choose five things that you will carry with youto the internment camp. These are all that you will be able totake forward into your new life that you can’t even imagineyet. Also write down five things that you will miss from yourlife now. What are the things that are so important to you thatyou must take them and what is so important that if you can’ttake them, you will miss them? Only you will know the truesignificance of the chosen items.

There was something about this prompt that created moreempathy in me than I had ever had before for people whohave experienced forced moves such as Inada and his familyexperienced in 1942. If Lawson doesn’t write poems abouthis experience, how will we ever learn to stop doing this topeople? How will we understand what it is like for those whomust leave home due to a hurricane? If we don’t encouragepeople to write their stories, how will we keep repairing theworld, as Stafford had earlier inspired us to do?

Another prompt from Inada was about ancestry: What isyour ancestry? What is your identity? What are some charac-teristics of your ancestry? The sentence stem he gave us wasstark: I am a _____________. Inada also told us that RichardWright started writing haiku in France in his last years, andhe recited several of them. They were funny, and even fun-nier because of how tickled Inada was. Soon the entire roomwas laughing together, and how great that was for our diges-tive systems!

Together, these two poets inspired me a great deal,and do so again now as I write this. I hope this brief re-port conveys some of what these two Portland poets gaveto us during the NAPT annual conference in 2007. AsNAPT connects to the poets and the poets connect to usthrough our conferences, so many rewards are availablefor all of us. For me, I am so glad to have heard them both.

Thoughts on the Portland Conference Thoughts on the Portland Conference Thoughts on the Portland Conference Thoughts on the Portland Conference Thoughts on the Portland Conference (con’t.)(con’t.)(con’t.)(con’t.)(con’t.)

Moving?Let NAPT know!

Whether you are moving house orjust changing service providers,please let NAPT know your newsurface mail or email address soyou do not miss any announce-

ments from us. Email [email protected] so wecan make the change to our database.

6 The Museletter

Poems from the ConferencePoems from the ConferencePoems from the ConferencePoems from the ConferencePoems from the ConferenceOde to Portland: Not Haiku

Unexpected pleasureNeophyteOf Portland and poetry conferencesWaterfallswords enthrallSpeaking the language I love

The truth Kim sharedBefore he started his talkReminding us that by loweringOur standards we can raise endlessPossibilities

Lawson reminding us that insight isVision personifiedTouching on our heritageReminding me of the comfortsOf home, the sleepaway campsOf my youththe camps of my ancestors

Outside fareless squareInside fearless farehaiku, dance, yoga,music, movie, drama

Not much time for sleep but ohThose mattresseswe ached forsouvenirs

And,while grounded,Mt. Hood obscured

Clouds conversation… poetryThere on flights’ ascent She stood unobstructed

Topped by snow… poetry.

—Leslie Golden Stampler

Muses

I write for you, mother, for you,whose writingis the thread that I pick up.

And I write for your motherwho never wrote at alland whose voiceen route to the gas chamberslost all chance to speak.

You are my muses.The ones whose broken silencesB r e a t h e through me.

—Evi Beck(Inspired by Margot Van Sluytman’s workshop, “Dance

With Your Healing—Tears Let Me Begin to Speak”)

Cancer

I travel to see my mother at St. Joseph’s Hospital,watch her go under the radiation eye that sizzles cellsand sees what I cannot see . . . four tumors in her brain.And she a poet whose words on the page gave intimateexpression to the details of her everyday farm life.

After the doctor announces the cancerous tumors andabruptly leaves, I ask, Do you understand what he said?

Her white hair splays against the pillow in a ghost-like halo. She is wearing a long magenta robe I gaveher for Christmas, a twin to my robe. Extendingeach arm outward, and wide, she is lucid as sunriseand says, Thy will be done . . . as God’s Son had done.

—Mary Willette Hughes(Inspired by Robert Carroll’s workshop, “Wisdom Poetry 3”)

Crush of stone underfootJet sounds break through filigreed leavesBlue-bronze crane looks up

—Catherine Conway(Inspired by the “Healing Ways of Water” day trip, led by

Richard Brown)

July 2007 7

Am I holding backTears of resurrection

Dry eyedDry heartedDry mouthed

Without a voiceA desert life deserted

Still can bloomAll for lack of water?

—Diane Kaufman(Inspired by Margot Van Sluytman’s workshop, “Dance

With Your Healing—Tears Let Me Begin to Speak”)

Three Haiku

Blood-red camelliaweeping in the shadowsblossoms fade and die

Cedars stand vigilprotecting what is hiddenin quiet water

Tender garden mosspoets gather in the raina little bird sings

—Barbara Schramm(Written in Portland’s Japanese Garden during the “Heal-

ing Ways of Water” day trip, led by Richard Brown)

See How You Swim

Your Muse? That question mark?That inscrutable enigma?

Perhaps not. Is she not like a fountain?Forever present and gushing—a sourceto help guide your pen,your fingers,your soulful longing to let go?

And is she not endlessly aliveto sustain your every breath,as you let go those tears,let go those rushing waters,let go those drops of blood—like rose-colored petalsfalling to earthto soilto seed?

May I just say this: It is but a leap of faith.Call upon your Muse during this, your hurting time.

Take the plunge and see how you swim.

—© Susan Wirth Fusco(Inspired by a prompt offered in Margot Van Sluytman’s

workshop, “Dance With Your Healing—Tears Let MeBegin to Speak”)

Lawson, HarryTwo men with ready laughterWho came through

—Victoria Field

Victoria writes, “I was deeply moved by Lawson Inada’saddress. My stepfather, Harry, was a prisoner under the Japa-nese during the Second World War and worked in appallingconditions on the Thai-Burma railway. Only a third of hisparty survived but Harry lived to be 84 and his cheerful na-ture touched everyone. Hearing Lawson’s account of theround-up of innocent Japanese in Portland was very poignant.This is the haiku I wrote during his talk.”

A Feeling of Security at PDX

Let’s write a poem, you and I,as we crisscross in security lines,your bags, your knees, you thumbing on the keys.The old couple with matched draped green eyes,the scary woman with eyes and hair attacking the air.We weave again, pink toenails, and then, endearing flappingshoelace man,with the rectangular glasses and the quizzical look.You add your line on the line.

I am comforted and aggravated to know that everything Ithink has already been thought.I am thrilled to barter haiku glancesunder the ceiling of chainlink diamonds through which I seethe graying sky.

—Beth Jacobs

8 The Museletter

Haikus

a hidden pathretraced my stepspath nowhere to be found

flowing water poundsempowersI do not want to leave

fish dart and perusedart againalways in pairs

in this elevated placeI peacefullyslope downward

people walk placidlyspeak quietlyrespect in their tone and gait

time stopsthe hands on my wristwatchmelt away

when least expectedI find the path againFish promenading always in pairs

—Niall Hickey(Inspired by a post-conference trip, led by Richard Brown,

to the Japanese Gardens) Japanese Garden, Portland, Oregon,Earth Day 2007

a child’s voicecuts across therustle of leaves, thetrickle of water, andcreates truth

—donna c. owens

Portland’s Japanese Gardens. Photograph byCatherine Conway.

July 2007 9

Like You I Love

Like you I love being aliveLike you I love to hold small pieces of earth in my handsLike you I love the magic of airplanesLike you I love hummingbirds – that beauty so untrappablethat always comes

back to flirt with usLike you I love the smell of children’s hairLike you I love both of usLike you I love connectionLike you I love approaching understanding and being un-derstoodLike you I love the way stories build bridgesLike you I love the sweetness in a moment of connectionLike you I love deep stillness in shadowy momentsLike you I love the healing in words, having tasted too oftenthe distinctions

of their pain.

—Closing Group Poem(“Image and Self-Image: Poetry for Helping the LatinaWoman Integrate Conflicting Identities,” led by Alma

Maria Rolfs)

Dance as the Spirit of Now

You must dive naked under the creaks of agingto the spring wells of dance you knew as a child.Do not concern yourself with this body’s hesitation.The child will swim through your cells,feed the body’s memory of what it knows.Give in.Let go of moaning.Listen to the music swell in wavesthrough your flesh,your bones,your sinews.Dance in the deep,weightless,agelessbubbles of delight rising to the surface.Danceas the spiritof now.

—Cathleen CallahanCathleen writes, “This poem was actually written in amandala, a spiral of words from the outside edge to the cen-ter, during Evie Beck’s dance workshop. Writing and read-ing it in a ‘round’ mirrored the kinetic experience of the circledances.”

Whose Land Am I?Whose Land Am I?Whose Land Am I?Whose Land Am I?Whose Land Am I?

I am an open meadow,providing space to run,and wonderment.

I am soft grass, muddy,and mosquito bites.

I am not the dry air of high desertor wild glaciers of Alaska.

I am gentle, rolling mountains,hikable in a day.

I am lake water so pureyou can dip your cup inand drink—without treatment or chemicals.

I am organic and sweet,like New England maple syrup.

I am a crisp applethat comes from a blossom,that comes from a tree,that grows every year,for hundreds of years.

I come from people who were guided to a new land,and once they were found —they stayed.

—Jan Daniels(Inspired by Lawson Inada, who asked us to think

about the landscape we love, and how it defines whowe are.)

10 The Museletter

Responses from First-time Conference AttendeesResponses from First-time Conference AttendeesResponses from First-time Conference AttendeesResponses from First-time Conference AttendeesResponses from First-time Conference Attendees

When I was first approached by CETHA in December2006 to become NAPT’s new manager I wasn’t quite surewhat I was getting into. By April I had learned so manyaspects of NAPT: who the people are, the clientele theyserve, and how wonderful are the members who are partof this organization. On my flight to Portland I was con-sumed with excitement and filled with a little anxiety. Ihoped that everything would run smoothly and that thepeople at the conference would be accepting of a newperson taking over as their manager.

I arrived in Portland and was greeted by HannahMenkin who served as the volunteer coordinator for thisand past conferences. At first I thought I might be over-whelmed but with the help of Hannah and some otherwonderful volunteers, we were able to start the confer-ence with ease. As people started registering, I began tomeet the faces of NAPT. It was so nice to be able to put aface to all the names and voices of people I had beenworking with over the phone and via e-mail.

When I envisioned what my trip to Portland would belike, I thought I would work, work, work, and have no one tospend time with when I wasn’t working. Fortunately, I wasable to go out on the town with some very special people. Imade my way to Powell’s Bookstore where I wandered themaze of books into the wee hours of the night. I also had anopportunity to be escorted by conference attendee JamesSawyer to the Saturday Market where we were able to takein and enjoy the culture of Portland. Portland is such a beau-tiful city with an amazing landscape. I had such a good timeI plan to return for in the future for a vacation.

I use poetry as a way to focus on particular subjects or issueswith my student poetry group. And I coordinate a poetryworkshop series at my high school. Attending the NAPTconference was like stumbling into a secret world. My origi-nal intent for attending this conference was to meet my daugh-ter and attend her workshop, but her decision not to comeallowed me the opportunity to explore and discover.

—Barbara Toomer Davis

Lauren Keller and Niall Hickey at the conference.

Overall my experience at the NAPT 27th Annual Con-ference was amazing. It was exalting working with allthe wonderful people at the conference. Not only was theconference interesting because of all the new people, butthe city of Portland was just magnificent. It was like tak-ing in a big breath of fresh air.

I hope to continue a growing relationship with NAPT,and I thank everyone for being understanding and patient. Ihad such an unforgettable experience and go home with manyspecial memories.

I would also like to send a special thanks to NAPT forallowing me to experience this inspiring group of people whowelcomed me with open arms. And to my supervisors DianeAllerdyce and Joseph Bernadel who trusted me and encour-aged me to accept this responsibility.

—Lauren Keller

Videos ofPortland

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Videos of thepresentation by Lawson Inada, Keynote Poet atthe Portland conference, and of the 2007Rattlebox Open Mic are available on DVD for$12 each, which includes priority mailing. Pleaseemail orders or requests for further informationto [email protected] or write to LaperTapesat 1330 West Hwy WW, Springfield, MO 65803.

July 2007 11

My Father is Teaching Me PolishMy Father is Teaching Me PolishMy Father is Teaching Me PolishMy Father is Teaching Me PolishMy Father is Teaching Me Polish

My father is teaching me Polishin a Mexican restaurant,the guttural groans of Eastern European,potato-laden syllables clashes with thecastinet clicking of the waitress saying,“Si, steak de peurco, pollo ala plancha,”the vowels float off her rolled tongue inperfect rhythm with her pen.

My father motions that he is readyTo teach more phrases and prods playfully.He tries to find a language lost since 1929Yet somehow is more familiar than theEnglish that escapes his short term memory,

Lost like light in the sun orShadows in the dark.

At times it feels as if I have walked intoa Salvador Dali timepiece painting,the memories melting like tired clocksSurrealistic and real because I knowDad too, is unwinding,

ChapbookChapbookChapbookChapbookChapbookDDDDDeborah writes, “My Dad was from Lodz, Poland, and Iwas always interested in his life in Europe, his voyage to Americaand everything in between. My parents owned a bakery forover 50 years and that was where I basically “lived.” The clamorof pans, bakers pounding out dough for rolls and setting traysup for cookies were part of my upbringing. There was always aradio blasting in the background to keep Dad and the othersapprised of the “other world” beyond flour, orders from anx-ious customers and delivery trucks. I would use that time to askDad about where he came from. He would work and I would“interview” him. He first began to teach me Polish when I was12, the same age he was when he came to America and had tolearn English. When his short-term memory started to falter,and he was frustrated that he couldn’t remember much, I re-minded him of his native tongue and asked him to teach memore. He was thrilled and looked forward to every opportu-nity. One day, he joined us for dinner at a favorite restaurant.The clamor of restaurant noise gave Dad the perfect setting toteach me another Polish lesson. This eventually helped him tolink language that was absent before and to access other memo-ries with relative ease. The poem wrote itself, between the ap-petizer and the entree, mostly on a memo pad that I keep in mypurse. I read this at his funeral on January 9, 2007.”

His time here ticks away in increments of“Tsoch chesh?” (what do you want?)and “Ya nevyum.” (I don’t know.)

On certain days he is so lucidI want to bring him back home to live with us,Have him help me peelhis beloved “car tufflee” (potatoes)as he watches Matlock and saysfor the fourth time in five minutes,“He puts on a good show, that Matlock.It’s a nice picture.”I agree, put the potatoes in a potAnd wait for it to come to a boil.

During commercials, I chime backWhat he has taught.His proud smile shines through the steamRising from the range.This memory too will soon be a mirage.He echoes back, “Pravda!” (correct)“So yeschay?” (what else?)And I can’t find all the wordsFor what I want to know.

So I hug him and silently beg GodFor more time because,

“Toy yest moya oychitz” (this is my father)

and I am not yet ready for the not so distantHorizon of good-bye.

(Dovid zenya,dovid zenya,

dovid zenya.)

— Deborah Eve Babyatsky-Grayson

12 The Museletter

FindingsFindingsFindingsFindingsFindingsA Healing Story: Franz Kafka’s Storyof the Doll

Contributed by Lila Lizabeth Weisberger

I was reading a book by Paul Auster, The Brooklyn Follies.Tom, the novel’s protagonist, was speaking about the youngage at which many early twentieth-century writers died. Hespoke about Kafka’s death at age forty and nine months fromtuberculosis. Tom explained that before Kafka died he helpeda little girl who had lost her doll. Tom was marveling at thefact that Kafka used his creativity and energy at the end ofhis life in such a compassionate way.

I am interested in healing stories, and have been creatingmy own stories as well as studying the techniques used byothers. I was reading The Brooklyn Follies because I haveliked Auster’s writing in the past, and I was drawn by thebook’s title since I grew up in Brooklyn, New York. I was sosurprised when on page 153 I found out about a healing storythat Kafka had written for a small child whom he had met inthe park who was crying about her lost doll. An excerpt fromthe book:

Every afternoon, Kafka goes out for a walk in thepark. More often than not, Dora goes with him. Oneday they run into a little girl in tears, sobbing herheart out. Kafka asks her what’s wrong, and she tellshim that she’s lost her doll. He immediately startsinventing a story to explain what happened. “Yourdoll has gone off on a trip,” he says. “How do youknow that?” the girl asks. “Because she’s written mea letter,” Kafka says, “I’ll bring it with me tomor-row.” Kafka goes straight home to write the letter.He sits down at his desk, and as Dora watches himwrite, she notices the same seriousness and tensionhe displays when composing his own work. He isn’tabout to cheat the little girl. This is a real literarylabor and persuasive lie, it will supplant the girl’sloss with a different reality—a false one, maybe, butsomething true and believable according to the lawsof fiction.

As I read on, I wondered if the tale about the journey ofthe lost doll was actually written by Kafka and was histori-cally correct. I asked people who I knew were steeped in theknowledge of literature to no avail. And then I went to theGoogle search engine. I did not expect to be successful infinding references to Kafka as the writer of the stories. Afterwriting only two words—“Kafka” and “doll”—I found tomy surprise many references to this story and only minordifferences in the details.

I was excited at my find! I was joyful to be on the trail,along with experts from Germany and other countries. I wassurprised by the interest so many people had in the tale, andthe efforts being made over the years to find the manuscriptor someone with first- or secondhand knowledge of its exist-ence. There were a number of searches to find the letters,and to locate the family of this little girl who would be morethan 90 years old in 1996. The general conclusion was thatKafka did write these missing letters and had an empatheticside so different from what readers of his works, such as TheMetamorphosis, might expect. Unfortunately, the generalconclusion of the experts is that these letters were most likelydestroyed as other manuscripts of Kafka’s had been.

I wonder if Auster found the references to the story ofthe lost doll and the letters in the same way I did, through theInternet. Some of the references were written before his bookwas published and some afterward.

In a blog of book reviews, I found one of Paul Auster’sbook The Brooklyn Follies. The reviewer said this book wasnot a must read, but that there was a highlight and that wasthe passage about Kafka. I think after all that’s what I re-member most about the book. Eventually I may forget whereI originally saw the story about Kafka and the lost doll, but Iwill not forget the healing quality of the tale nor the remark-able joy I felt when reading it.

Lila’s childhood doll, Micky: needing mending but not lost

The protagonist, Tom, says that his heart began to breakwhen he realized that Kafka returned to the park each day witha new letter that he had written for the little girl and explained itwas written by her doll, Suzie. Kafka works out the plot of theletters so that the little girl, Nancy, understands why the doll hashad to leave and as a result her pain is eased.

July 2007 13

The final treat in my search was finding that a long poemwas written by Dean Blehert entitled The Doll’s Journey. Inthis work Suzie is the doll’s name and Nancy is the name ofthe little girl. With her mother’s help, Nancy is respondingto the latest letter she has received from Suzie. Blehert writesthat the idea for this illustrated work came from a footnote ina biography of Franz Kafka. A passage to savor:

Lila’s granddaughter dolls: Abigail, Rachel and Rebecca

Now Mother sits At the kitchen table, Nancy on a chair Beside her. “Say I miss her, but it’s good She gets to travel. Oh! And try to see The King in London and that I will never Get another doll, so please come home Sometime and that.”

Each day another letter, a new place, All secret she won’t even tell her friend, Although at times she’s bursting just to tell, As when, across the sandbox, she describes The palace you can row with oars in Venice, And Pat says, “How do YOU know?” “Well... my Mom Told me! Someday I’ll go and see myself.” It would be fun to tell, but it is even More fun not to. She almost hopes her dollie Never does come back, but keeps on sending Letters from everywhere.

The scene came to life before my eyes and I felt that Iwas both an explorer and a detective. Now, I am more andmore motivated to work with healing stories. I googled “heal-ing stories” and of course found pages and pages devoted tothis topic. Perhaps you will also be motivated to researchhealing stories and to find out more about Kafka’s letters toNancy. I look forward to knowing anything new you findout about this tale.

123 Pitkin Road Plainfield Vermont 05667

www.goddard.edu [email protected] x204

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moved, inspired, challenged

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Power of Words ConferenceLiberation through the Spoken, Written & Sung Word

September 28th - October 1st, 2007Goddard College, Plainfield, Vermont 05667

Featuring David Abram, Allison Hedge Coke, Nehassaiu deGannes and over 35 presenters and performers on writing, storytelling, drama, social change, ecology, healing, mythology and music.

Explore how to make a living, make community and make change through our words.The Power of Words TLA Reader available soon through TLANetwork.com.

14 The Museletter

Poems as ProcessPoems as ProcessPoems as ProcessPoems as ProcessPoems as ProcessWith a poem offered by Ted Kooser in his “American Lifein Poetry” column and writing prompts by NAPTer TedBowman.

American Life in Poetry: Column 107American Life in Poetry: Column 107American Life in Poetry: Column 107American Life in Poetry: Column 107American Life in Poetry: Column 107

by Ted Kooser, U.S. Poet Laureate, 2004-06

Naomi Shihab Nye is one of my favorite poets. Shelives in San Antonio, Texas, and travels widely, anambassador for poetry. Here she captures a lovelymoment from her childhood.

Supple CordSupple CordSupple CordSupple CordSupple Cord

My brother, in his small white bed,held one end.I tugged the otherto signal I was still awake.We could have spoken,could have sungto one another,we were in the same roomfor five years,but the soft cordwith its little frayed endsconnected usin the dark,gave comforteven if we had been bickeringall day.When he fell asleep firstand his end of the corddropped to the floor,I missed him terribly,though I could hear his even breathand we had such long and separate livesahead.

Reprinted from A Maze Me: Poems for Girls(Greenwillow, 2005), by permission of the author.Copyright (c) Naomi Shihab Nye, whose mostrecent book of poetry is You and Yours (BOAEditions, 2005).

Writing SuggestionsWriting SuggestionsWriting SuggestionsWriting SuggestionsWriting SuggestionsStart with a list of signals that you or others use toconnect with someone special. I’m told, for exampleby some Italian friends, that many parents have amouth sound that they use to let their children knowwhere they are when separated in a large crowd. Mywife often puts a surprise deep in my suitcase that Ifind after arriving at a far destination. Dogs are of-ten called by a special mouth whistle when their own-ers want them to come. Choose a signal or connect-ing item and write a poem or story about this itemand its relational associations.

Ed. note: Although Kooser is no longer PoetLaureate, he continues to publish “American Lifein Poetry” and we will continue to explore someof those poems in more depth in this column inThe Museletter. If you are interested incontributing writing prompts, original exercisesor an original, copyright-free poem of 20 lines orfewer suitable for this purpose, please contact theEditor at [email protected].

July 2007 15

Writing SuggestionsWriting SuggestionsWriting SuggestionsWriting SuggestionsWriting Suggestions

• Walk around your home. Take note of furniture,paint choices, wallpaper, where things are placed.Start with one thing that grabs your attention. Freeassociate for a moment. Write all the things thatcome to mind as you think about your choice. Now,choose one of the associations for more writing.

• Ted Kooser, in his introduction to the Thompsonpoem, suggests that improvement projects testrelationships. What is another test of a relationship?Vacation destinations? How to spend a windfall? Thetoilet seat? Toothpaste tube rolling or not? Writeabout one such test.

American Life in Poetry: Column 109American Life in Poetry: Column 109American Life in Poetry: Column 109American Life in Poetry: Column 109American Life in Poetry: Column 109by Ted Kooser, U.S. Poet Laureate, 2004-06

One big test of the endurance of any relationship istaking on a joint improvement project. Here SueEllen Thompson offers an account of one such trialby fire.

WallpaperingWallpaperingWallpaperingWallpaperingWallpapering

My parents argued over wallpaper. Would stripesmake the room look larger? Hewould measure, cut, and paste; she’d swipethe flaws out with her brush. Once it was properly

hung, doubt would set in. Would the floralhave been a better choice? Then it would growuntil she was certain: it had to go. Divorceterrified me as a child. I didn’t know

what led to it, but I had my suspicions.The stripes came down. Up wentthe flowers. Eventually it became my definitionof marriage: bad choices, arguments

whose victors time refused to tell,but everything done together and done well.

Reprinted by permission of the author. Copyright(c) 2006 by Sue Ellen Thompson, from her book,The Golden Hour, published by Autumn HousePress.

“”

Growth itself containsthe germ of happiness.

—Pearl S. Buck

16 The Museletter

Muse ReviewsMuse ReviewsMuse ReviewsMuse ReviewsMuse ReviewsThirstby Mary OliverBeacon Press, 2006

Reviewed by Margaret Blanchard

Thirst, the latest volume of MaryOliver’s poems, introduces themes ofgrief and faith that challenge and re-define characteristic themes, in herprevious poetry, of the immanentspirituality of the natural world.

Her grief at the loss of her beloved partner of more than40 years, Molly Malone Cook, permeates the entire collec-tion, both explicitly (“After her death”) and implicitly inimages of absence (“a love to which there is no reply,” learn-ing “to live, instead of all that touching, with disembodiedjoy,” to survive “grief’s shock and torpor, its near swoon”).

For solace, Oliver turns to her faith, to companionshipwith Christ. Poignantly, this means reentering, to some ex-tent, an institution that had cast her out, leaving her to hum,like the beautiful sparrow, in the “almost empty fields,” thehymns she used to sing in church: “They could not tame me,so they would not keep me, alas, and how that feels, the weightof it, I will not tell any of you, not ever.” Those who’ve feltthe sting of institutional homophobia don’t have to be toldwhat such exile feels like. “Am I lonely?” she asks, havingfound that “God, once he is in your heart, is everywhere.”This God, of course, cares as much about the fall of the simplesparrow as about anything else.

In the loneliness of grief, however, Oliver now seeks God,not just in nature as she’s always done, but also in the ritualsand readings of her Christian religion, and in the person andpresence of Jesus, seeking the way to affirm not just the ec-stasies of creation but “the world of the invisible, the inscru-table, and the everlasting.”

This tension between what we can see and love (in otherpeople, in the natural world) and the mysteries of death andloss and intangible presences is the underlying theme of thisbook of poems. Her characteristic faith in the wonders ofnature remains firm, and is evidenced in many of these po-ems (the rose’s fragrance causing her to “spin with joy”) buther doubts about her own ability to accept what she cannot see,touch, hear leaves her thirsting, not just for the presence of herdeparted lover, but also “for the goodness I do not have.”

A natural mystic, Oliver is attempting in this volume toaffirm God’s presence in everything of nature, “the acciden-tal and the intended,” but she’s “still unsatisfied… I am think-ing not of His thick wrists and His blue shoulders but, still,of Him. Where do you suppose, is His pale and wonderful

mind?” She wants to share with God what she shared withher partner, not just felt experiences but reflections, mean-ings as well. Chiding herself throughout that she isn’t “good”enough (a vestige, perhaps, of her previous estrangement fromthe church), she recognizes that goodness is not about sinand salvation but about faith in the goodness of the world—that despair (what she calls the “heart-shackles” of “lassi-tude, rue, vainglory, fear, anxiety, selfishness”) prevents herfrom entering that “other kingdom: grace—and imagination,”cuts off her natural empathy with “a leaf, a rose, a dolphin, awave rising.”

Reading the three long religious poems dispersed amongher shorter lyrical poems, I was forced, somewhat reluctantly,to confront my own religious roots, and I initially bemoanedwhat seemed like a diminishment of Oliver’s vision. Whatabout those devoted readers who do not understand this eccle-siastical language, who do not share this devotion to Christ;won’t they be alienated? But then I felt compassion forOliver as she feels for the moth and the snake: in herdeeply felt grief she tuned to her own sources of comfort;who am I to judge?

I recognize she is undergoing a transformation in herown life as miraculous as any of the natural metamorphosesshe witnesses to in her poetry. As our premier American Ro-mantic, her lyricism has enhanced our love of this world.But as we lose our own beloved ones and face our own deaths,she is also becoming a guide to more elusive spiritualities, inthe company of mystical poets of many denominations, notjust the Christians Herbert, Donne and Hopkins but also Rumi,Mirabai, Basho, the writers of the psalms. Despite her evo-cations of the Lord, she knows she hasn’t arrived there yet.But what a pilgrimage so far!

Replacing a beloved of 40 years with another, howevereternal, isn’t easy. I’m more moved by her poems about thecompanionship of her dog than about her relationship withJesus, but I believe she is well on her way to achieving asynthesis between transcendence and incarnation (to use theChristian terminology), which will enhance her natural mys-ticism, for as long as “Love for the earth and love for you arehaving such a long conversation in my heart.”

Look at how beautifully she anticipates her own deathas a coming home on a snowy evening, “covered with stars”:“Whenever I get home—whenever—somebody loves methere… Wherever else I live—in music, in words, in the firesof the heart, I abide just as deeply in this nameless, indivis-ible place, this world…, which is faithful beyond all expres-sions of faith, our deepest prayers” (“Walking Home fromOak-Head”).

In one of these poems Oliver describes a powerful ar-chetype, the woman priest “in her beautiful vestments, herhand over the chalice.” And she begins this volume with apoem about her own work of “loving the world… whichis mostly standing still and learning to be astonished,” in

July 2007 17

rejoicing and gratitude, “telling them all, over and over, howit is that we live forever” (“Messenger”). In this book, I be-lieve, Oliver is claiming her own role as priest-poet, affirm-ing her poetry as sacramental, revealing the sacred in what isnatural, both visible and invisible. While, at the same time,using writing, as many of us do, to recover from the shockof loss.

This I Believe: The PersonalPhilosophies of RemarkableMen and Womenedited by Jay Allison and DanGediman in association with NPRHenry Holt and Company, 2006

Reviewed by Leia Francisco

This I Believe is a series of 80 es-says based on the National Public

Radio series by the same name, originally hosted by EdwardR. Murrow in the 1950s. Each essay—chosen from thou-sands of entries—represents the writer’s guiding life prin-ciples distilled into about 500 words. Some of the essays arefrom the 1950’s series (by Albert Einstein, Jackie Robinson,Eleanor Roosevelt, Carl Sandburg) and others from the pastfew years (by Isabelle Allende, Bill Gates, Gregory Orr, ColinPowell). In addition to recognizable names, there are home-makers, students, clerks, psychologists and parents. Such isthe variety of cultures and beliefs expressed that readers willfind their own voices here.

In addition to the voice of the individual, the essays bringa larger community voice of deeply held beliefs and experi-ences. It is important to both read and listen to This I Believeas a connection across time and cultures and place. I foundthat reading one or two essays at a time was optimal for me.This is not a ponderous collection, although some of the es-says from the 1950s such as that of Thomas Mann are moreanalytical than narrative in tone. Some essays approach truthsin a lighter way: “In Praise of the ‘Wobblies’” and “ There isNo Such Thing as Too Much Barbeque.” The reader willfind agreement and disagreement with some philosophies andalways a way to match others’ beliefs against their own.

Common themes for the essayists are truth, love, givingto others, belief in a higher power, integrity, faith, knowl-edge, forgiveness and the mystery of life. When SupremeCourt Justice William O. Douglas writes in the 1950s that,“We need a faith that dedicates us to something bigger …than ourselves,” his voice is echoed by contemporary poetJo Harjo, who believes that, “We exist together in a sacredfield of meaning.” Many writers recognize that both art andscience seek the truth and yet stand in awe of the essential,unknowable mystery of truth.

Those interested in using these essays for educationaland writing purposes will find much to choose from. Be-cause of their brevity, the essays lend themselves to quickreading and exercises that would allow the reader to respondto a line or image in the writing. And of course in connectingwith the essay, each reader has an opportunity to answer thequestion, “What do I believe?” It is possible to juxtaposetwo very different essays and find a common connection ortwo similar essays and explore the differences. A reader mightwish to write a dialogue with an essayist or write a poemspawned from an idea in the essay.

In fact, This I Believe (in Appendix B) outlines how towrite your own essay for the project by going towww.thisibelieve.org. The web site is a resource for materi-als to help you engage other communities in conversationsand write about their truths.

With Nothing behind but Sky: AJourney through Griefby Perie LongoArtamo Press, 2006

Reviewed by Deborah Eve Grayson

Perie Longo, the author of a new col-lection of poems, With Nothing behindbut Sky, has been keeping good com-pany these days. In March, her book

was #12 on the contemporary poetry bestsellers list, and right-fully so! Comfortably wedged between The Collected Po-etry of Nikki Giovanni (#13) and Jack Gilbert’s RefusingHeaven (#11), her poetry deserves this kind of literary fan-fare. She takes us by the heart, with humor, depth, honor andgrace through the journey of loss. Grief is often a thief, rob-bing us of joy, strength, ease and logic, yet these poems soothelike a cool compress on a fevering forehead and illuminatedark corners of despair with insightful beauty and understanding.

Longo’s collection of poems chronicles the journey ofher husband Phil’s illness and untimely death, yet also cel-ebrates their 30 years together and the bountiful life she urgesus all to live. We learn that somberness is not a permanentstate of mind, even though it feels “mud-after-flood-thick,”we even discover that azaleas and shades of a dawn sky con-tinue to rise in spite of days of held breath, bargaining, sick-ness and despair. These poems are restorative and inspiring,allowing the reader to glimpse at grief without taking on thebaggage that often accompanies it.

This substantial collection of over 60 poems is dividedinto two sections and begins with, “What My Husband TaughtMe about Adventure.” It is filled with practical advice like:

18 The Museletter

The Museletter is looking for people to write full reviews(750-1,000 words) of new books of poetry/writing andart therapy theory and practice, as well as poetry collec-tions and other related titles for “Muse Reviews.” Re-viewers may suggest books to review or check the “BooksReceived” list in each issue of The Museletter for pos-sible review titles. We are also looking for people to writeshorter “Books Noted” pieces (100-150 words) highlight-ing not-so-recent books and other media that may, forvarious reasons, not be covered in a full review in “MuseReviews.” If you would like to contribute or need addi-tional information, please email Karen vanMeenen, Edi-tor, The Museletter, at [email protected].

Books ReceivedBooks ReceivedBooks ReceivedBooks ReceivedBooks Receiveden(compass): The Poetry Caravan AnthologyStamford, CT: Yuganta Press, [email protected]

End-Cycle: Poems about Caregiving by PatriciaWellingham-Jones. PWJ Publishing, 2007

Listing in “Books Received” does not preclude futurenotation or full review in The Museletter. Individualsinterested in reviewing titles listed here, or other booksthat may be of interest to readers of The Museletter, areencouraged to contact the editor [email protected].

“never sit still if there’s a mountain to climb” and “riskingyour life is a good thing—it halts rumination.” The closingline, “do yoga at the edge of piers and sing as much as youcan,” seems to set the pattern of urgency to live your bestlife, whether because of or in spite of the important passagesthat indelibly mark time, no matter how hard we try to fight it.

I was especially moved by the poem, “Untitled,” per-haps so named for the parallels of trying to name that whichcan’t be contained by a label alone. For me, the ending saysit all:

If I could name the fearI sometimes have you will be gone one day,what would I call it—alonelike the wind as it rushes past everything,or still as the stick which once bloomed?

In one sentence, Longo has masterfully juxtaposed thefull vibrancy and possibility of life with the haunting still-ness that often accompanies being alone. Even the word,“alone” stands by itself in the stanza—the dash a symbolichand, perhaps, that can’t reach far enough to grasp the other.

The poems are chronologically ordered like pages of adiary that start from 1996, when the safe world of health andvitality was about to be challenged, to 2005, four years afterPhil’s death when Longo, after many stops and starts, is ableto look back and ask, “Self inside of self, are you dying likethe sun or more alive than ever waiting for the light?”

This book kept me company as I shaved my father forone of the last times, spoke to him about life’s values and theintricacies of love and loss. He used to say, “A living person’salways got a chance,” and believed in the ultimate good of aperson’s intentions. This book is clearly that—intended tohelp us get past the “language of fog” and to write throughthe process of grief even though sometimes, “the world istoo large to fit on a page.”

Longo has written about the fine art of keeping life aliveafter a physical death. She knows that death can sometimestake up too much time and that life beckons us to move for-ward even when we haven’t the energy to do what’s neces-sary, like going through the closet and deciding what to dowith certain items. She writes, “I bagged his shoes, I did, andhis ties like sorry thin prayer flags dangling from the bed-room door. I saved the one with the mallard ducks…” andwe instantly know the art of savoring the simple moments ofa shared and vitally rich life. She has been there forging aheadin the rapids of whatever comes next, reminding us that, “it’shard to say what’s happening while we paddle like hell.”

I am writing this review barely four months after myfather’s death at the respectable age of 89. Just today, in ayard sale and in boxes filled to capacity for the Veterans topick up next week, I saw his clothes, artifacts and his shoes,barely used, walk out of my life. I know my father no longer

needs these physical trappings and confinements and thatsomeone who does will put them to good use, but I still chokedat seeing them go.

For solace, I returned to Longo’s book and with seren-dipity on my side, I opened to the poem, “While Watching aVideo of the Dali Lama” and saw the lesson I needed to re-member: “how it takes death to put everything in its rightplace, how it takes death to perfect a life.”

Longo has orchestrated a collection of poetry treasuresto be used as transportation through the muddied and diffi-cult passages of grief. She includes the known, smooth roadsas well as the ones under construction and does so with can-dor, class and comedic timing. In her poem, “The WidowDoesn’t Take Advantage” she writes, “he thinks I’m fragile,you know how sorrow diminishes a woman, turns you toputty… He doesn’t know I’ve been lifting weights for awhile.Sometimes the sky.”

Beautifully crafted and poignantly expressed, With Noth-ing behind but Sky proves that Longo has arrived as a cel-ebrated and worthy poet.

July 2007 19

NAPT NewsNAPT NewsNAPT NewsNAPT NewsNAPT NewsNAPT awards 2007NAPT awards 2007NAPT awards 2007NAPT awards 2007NAPT awards 2007

Contributed by Elaine Brooks

Each year at the annual conference, NAPT recognizes indi-viduals who have made significant contributions to the or-ganization and to the field of poetry therapy. This year awardswere presented to the following individuals:

The Distinguished Service Award was presented to NickMazza, PhD, PTR, for his years of dedicated service and hisongoing work editing the Journal of Poetry Therapy.

The Outstanding Achievement Award was presented toNormandi Ellis MA, CAPF, for her work in sustaining andgrowing the NAPT Foundation.

The Art Lerner Pioneer Award was presented to Geri Chavis,PhD, CPT, for her work in bringing poetry therapy to theUnited Kingdom.

The Art Lerner Pioneer Award was also presented to NiallHickey, PhD, PTR, for his work in helping to expand thepresence of poetry therapy in the United Kingdom.

The Morris Morrison Education Award was presented toSherry Reiter, PhD, PTR, for her years of work in creatingprofessional standards, educating countless individuals andbringing poetry therapy to new communities.

The Above and Beyond Award was created this year to honorthe work of Richard Rosenfield, PhD, for providing supportand assistance to the Executive Board that surpassed his roleof treasurer.

The Public Service Award was presented to the This I Be-lieve Team at National Public Radio for their weekly essays“encouraging the written expression of core values and be-liefs so that we may be enriched by our diversity.”

Update on Special Interest GroupsUpdate on Special Interest GroupsUpdate on Special Interest GroupsUpdate on Special Interest GroupsUpdate on Special Interest Groups

Contributed by Mary Caprio, VP for Membership

NAPT Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are a recent initiativedesigned to provide new ways for members to network andcollaborate around common interests and goals. Our first twogroups came together for breakfast-and-brainstorming sessionsduring the Portland conference that were well attended despitethe early hour. Membership in both groups is open to all NAPTmembers, so even if you missed the Portland sessions, we wel-come your participation in the weeks and months ahead.

When asked how a SIG devoted to Journaling and Jour-nal Therapy could be of benefit to them, attendees mentionedissues such as these:

• Promoting each other’s work through book reviews, websitelinks, etc.

• Enhancing facilitation skills for using journaling methodswith groups in different settings and handling the emotionalcontent that such work may produce

• Promotion and marketing of our services

• “Breaking in” to new settings, such as school systems, andin general making a place for this kind of work in our com-munities

• Sharing information on new techniques and learning op-portunities

• Developing research projects to establish the ways in whichour work leads to change for clients

The following morning those interested in the SIG for Writ-ing in Academic Settings met to discuss the challenges andopportunities in working with children, adolescents, and col-lege students. We generated the following list of ideas andpossibilities the group could address:

• Increasing NAPT outreach and marketing to teachers andothers in education

• Legitimizing the use of the expressive arts in academic set-tings

• Finding new ways to use writing and poetry across the cur-riculum, not just in Language Arts classes

• Showing how expressive writing in the schools leads tomeasurable increases in literacy as well as benefiting stu-dents on the emotional level

• Training teachers to use poetry therapy and expressive writ-ing with their students

In both sessions I found that people were pleased to getto know others who were passionate about the same issues. Ihope this energy will continue to build as we move forward,with the groups providing not just a place for sharing andnetworking, but also the development of new projects andresources to benefit the NAPT community and the clients weserve. Let’s plan to meet again next year at the Minneapolisconference to take stock of what we’ve done and what wewant to do next.

Online discussion lists have been created for both groups.Email [email protected] to sign up. Member-ship in the Special Interest Groups is open to all NAPT mem-bers at no additional charge.

20 The Museletter

NAPT Member NewsNAPT Member NewsNAPT Member NewsNAPT Member NewsNAPT Member NewsPlease send your professional news announcements of 150words or fewer in the format exampled below to the Editor [email protected] by the published deadline foreach issue. Please note: we do not list events or awards thatare listed elsewhere in The Museletter (e.g., Poetry Aliveawards and awarding of CPTs and RPTs). Members wishingto publicize these accomplishments in the monthly membere-newsletter are encouraged to email the information to MaryCaprio at [email protected].

Barbara Bethea (New York, NY) became a licensed cre-ative art therapist in August 2006 through New York Stateand has been selected as an honoree for this year’s Black andWhite Extravaganza for the National Council of NegroWomen. She was selected to write a poem for an honoree inthis year’s Queens Council of the Arts annual gala “Remix.”She is currently running a writing group for “frail seniors” atthe Lenox Hill Senior Citizens Center-HEP Program andworking with children through an art-based program for FreeArts for Abused Children at a charter school. She is also inprivate practice through Poetryworks Entertainment and islisted on PsychologyToday.com. In late 2006 she completeda CD project entitled “Like Manna For The Soul.”

Normandi Ellis (Berea, KY) has received an Artist Enrich-ment Grant from the Kentucky Foundation for Women towork on her first novel, which will focus on suffragettes andthe spiritualist movement.

Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg (Lawrence, KS) was awarded awriter-in-residency at the Dairy Hollow Writers’ Colony inEureka Springs, Arkansas, where she spent part of June work-ing on her fiction and poetry. Her poetry has recently beenpublished in First Intensity, a literary journal. Four of thesongs she co-wrote with rhythm and blues singer Kelley Huntwill appear on Hunt’s new CD, now in production. In Mayof this year, at the Brave Voice retreat they facilitate, Caryn

and Kelley performed their show, “Brave Voice: The WildWinds That Carry Me,” a compilation of their songs, Kelley’smusic and Caryn’s poetry focused on healing, embodimentand spirituality.

Caryn’s new book, The Power of Words: A Transfor-mative Language Arts Reader, edited with Janet Tallman,is the first collection on Transformative Language Arts.This groundbreaking book on the written, spoken and sungword for individual and community transformation en-compasses writing, storytelling, songwriting and perfor-mance as a personal and collective tool for liberation.Whether through community storytelling for elders,journaling for self-discovery, or interdisciplinary dramafor youth, transformative language artists create greateropportunities for people to become agents of change intheir lives and communities. The Power of Words con-tains over 30 essays on topics including poetry therapy,all manner of the literary expressive arts, narrative therapy,drama therapy, storytelling, social change drama,songwriting and transformation, community buildingthrough writing, health and healing. The 488-page bookis available this summer through www.TLANetwork.orgor at TLA Network, PO Box 137, Keene, NH 03431 or byemailing [email protected]. The book is $28 plus ship-ping and handling.

Rob Merritt, a professor at nearby Bluefield College, is rep-resenting NAPT and has offered Virginia Tech copies ofGiving Sorrow Words: Poems of Strength and Solace andwriting therapy and/or poetic workshops by NAPT mem-bers. Officials at Virginia Tech have indicated that they mayaccept NAPT’s offer when students return for the Fall se-mester. We will keep you updated.

* * *NAPT has received additional funding from the NAPTFoundation to reprint Giving Sorrow Words: Poems ofStrength and Solace. Copies of this popular healing toolwill be available in mid July so get your orders in now!

Share the News!Report your lastest

accomplilshments to:[email protected]

by Sept. 10 for theNovember 2007

Museletter.

July 2007 21

NAPT FoundationNAPT FoundationNAPT FoundationNAPT FoundationNAPT FoundationNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsAt the Foundation Friday Fundraiser we raised over $3000 tofund such programs as the Seeds of Joy, Poetry Alive, The ChrisMazza Award, publications, scholarships and many other cat-egories that provide support for our NAPT members. If youmissed the opportunity to give a love offering in support of thehealing power of poetry, you can still do that by writing Foun-dation Treasurer Dottie Joslyn at [email protected] andasking how you may contribute. This year we funded six na-tional scholarships to the conference and five Poetry Alivegrants. Read about the other important awards given out at the2007 NAPT conference in Portland.

Seeds of Joy ScholarshipsSeeds of Joy ScholarshipsSeeds of Joy ScholarshipsSeeds of Joy ScholarshipsSeeds of Joy Scholarships

The wings of poetry therapy transport the healing workworldwide. The Seeds of Joy Scholarship provides financialsupport for international practitioners and/or students ofpoetry therapy to attend the annual NAPT conference. It alsomay provide aid to an international practitioner for his orher contribution to the field of poetry therapy in the world.This year the NAPT Foundation announced two Seeds ofJoy scholarships were givern to Dr. Bonghee Lee from Seoul,Korea, and Margot Van Sluytman of Calgary, Canada.

Van Sluytman is the editor and publisher of PalabrasPress, which recently published Layers of Possibility: Heal-ing Poems from National Association for Poetry TherapyMembers this Spring. She offers workshops in the use ofhealing poetry to caregivers in palliative care and sexualabuse centers, and at centers of spirituality, as well as col-leges and universities in the United States and Canada. Herbook, Breathe Me: Why Poetry Works, is forthcoming in Fall2007.

Dr. Bonghee Lee, CAPF, is a professor of English at theKorea Nazarene University and director of the Korea Centerfor Poetry/Journal Therapy. She has been a dedicated stu-dent of bibliotherapeutic models since 2004, including tak-ing a year-long sabbatical from her university position torelocate to Denver to study poetry and journal therapy. In2005, at the St. Louis conference, she presented a workshopon the use of film as a therapeutic medium. In 2007 at thePortland conference she presented a workshop on the themeof the Arachne myth in film. In addition, Lee has translatedtwo works by Kay Adams, Journal to the Self and The Wayof the Journal, into Korean and is at work on acquiring trans-lation rights for other seminal works.

Seeds of Joy funds are offered each year to award theongoing work of international poetry therapists and appliedpoetry facilitators who are furthering the work of NAPT

abroad. Funds may also assist internationals wishing to at-tend the annual conference. For more information about theSeeds of Joy scholarship and the application process for nextyear, please check online at www.poetrytherapy.org, and clickon the NAPT Foundation link.

The First Pursue the Dream: The ChrisThe First Pursue the Dream: The ChrisThe First Pursue the Dream: The ChrisThe First Pursue the Dream: The ChrisThe First Pursue the Dream: The ChrisMazza AwardMazza AwardMazza AwardMazza AwardMazza Award

During the Portland conference the NAPT Foundation an-nounced the Pursue the Dream: The Chris Mazza Award forPoetry Therapy to promote projects that benefit, uplift andsupport the development of adolescents and young adults.Inaugural recipients of the Chris Mazza Award are RichardBrown, of Portland, Oregon, and Rosanne Singer, of TakomaPark, Maryland, who received their awards at the Portlandconference from Dr. Nick Mazza.

For the last decade Brown, a CAPF, has worked as alanguage arts teacher with at-risk youth in residence, as wellas middle and high school students. His after-school “Pop-corn and Poetry” programs have become a safe haven foryoung writers to express themselves. He also volunteers withthe Deep Roots Music Project, which connects youngpoets with musicians who help set their work to music toproduce CDs.

Dr. Alma Rolfs praised Brown’s work, saying, “Richardis clearly both passionate about working with young peopleand exceptionally gifted in this endeavor. He brings to thiswork all the patience, compassion, firmness and flexibilityof a dedicated and experienced special education teacher,along with the empathy, creativity and sensitivity of the un-spoken depths of the poet/helper/artist.” Brown is also amember of the NAPT Board.

After more than 10 years as a poet in the schools, Singer,a CAPF, began working with Karma Academy, a therapeuticgroup home and alternative school. For five years she hasused poetry as a way to provide self-expression for growthand healing for at-risk youth. Her mentor, Dr. Peggy OsnaHeller, praised Singer as an inspiration to others and calledher work at Karma Academy, “sensitive, creative and pro-foundly significant for these adolescents.” Because of bud-get cuts, her work at Karma Academy was in jeopardy. Thanksto receiving the Chris Mazza Award, Singer can continue todo the works she loves.

The Pursue the Dream—The Chris Mazza Award hon-ors the memory of Christopher J. Mazza (May 13, 1984–November 1, 2005), a kind and loving young man with anunconquerable spirit. Because of this award the glow ofChris’s life light will shine on through those who try to makethis world a better place to live.

For information about the awards and the application pro-cess for next year, please check online at www.poetrytherapy.org,and click on the NAPT Foundation link.

22 The Museletter

Joy Sawyer Accepts Co-Presidency ofJoy Sawyer Accepts Co-Presidency ofJoy Sawyer Accepts Co-Presidency ofJoy Sawyer Accepts Co-Presidency ofJoy Sawyer Accepts Co-Presidency ofthe Foundation for 2007the Foundation for 2007the Foundation for 2007the Foundation for 2007the Foundation for 2007

Joy Sawyer, LPC, PTR, M/S of Denver, Colorado, has ac-cepted the offer to preside as co-president (with NormandiEllis) of the Foundation for 2007. Joy is a performance poet,as well as the author of two books on creativity and spiritual-ity, and has served as a Foundation board member since theSt. Louis conference in 2005.

Along with Kay Adams, LPC, PTR, M/S, she has co-hosted an annual summer poetry/journal therapy training in-tensive for the past six years, and serves as adjunct faculty inthe Master’s of liberal studies program at University Col-lege, University of Denver, where she teaches classes(some on writing and healing) in the creative writing cer-tificate program.

Says Joy, “I’m thrilled to further serve the work of po-etry and poetry therapy in the world in this way. I think NAPTis one of the best-kept secrets in today’s overlapping healingcommunities. As David Whyte so beautifully says, ‘One goodword is bread for a thousand.’ I’m looking forward to work-ing together with poetry lovers of all kinds to see that the‘good word’ we have to offer reaches as many peopleas possible.”

Poem NationPoem NationPoem NationPoem NationPoem NationProfessional TrainingProfessional TrainingProfessional TrainingProfessional TrainingProfessional Training• CaliforniaPerie Longo, PhD, MFT, RPT, announces that the SouthernCalifornia Peer/Supervision Group meets the second Satur-day of each month, either in Los Angeles or Santa Barbara.Trainees take turns facilitating groups followed by process-ing the experience. Case studies, literature review and skilldevelopment are part of the training. The second summertraining intensive is being planned. Quarterly meetings arealso held on Sundays, led by Robert Carroll, to develop ac-tivities throughout the year, which includes the annual ArtLerner Poetry Therapy Day in October. Call Perie Longo at (805)687-1619 or email [email protected] for further information.

• ColoradoColorado CPT training group meets the third Sat (withsome schedule variations) near downtown Denver. Peergroup, literature review, group supervision. Contact KayAdams at (303) 986-6460 or [email protected] forschedule and information.

• ConnecticutPeer group forming in Southeastern Connecticut beginningin August. Easily accessible to CT, MA and RI. For moreinformation, contact Elaine Brooks, PTR-M/S, at (860) 546-0621 or [email protected].

• FloridaThe South Florida Peer Group meets the third Sunday ofthe month at the Fort Lauderdale office of Mentor/Supervi-sor Deborah E. Grayson, LMHC, RPT. Each month partici-pants are treated to the latest techniques in Poetry Therapy,thematic poems, new books and resources in the field andinvaluable feedback from their peers. We allow ample timefor discussing difficult cases, reviewing applications andupdating personal files. This has been an ongoing group foreight years! Join us by reserving your space at (954) 741-1160.

Mari Alschuler, LCSW, RPT, M/S, is available formentoring of CPT and RPT trainees. She continues to offera correspondence/email course in Poetic Devices. Pleasecontact her at [email protected] or (954) 424-9085.

• Illinois• Illinois• Illinois• Illinois• IllinoisCharlie Rossiter, PhD, CPT, offers mentoring for poetrytherapy trainees as well as writing and poetry therapy work-shops in the Chicago area. For more information or to beadded to his mailing list to be kept informed of offeringscontact him at [email protected]. Charlieis also working on developing an “Off-Season TrainingIntensive” in the Chicago area. If you are interested in re-ceiving details when they become available, send a note [email protected] with “off-season inten-sive” as the subject line.

• Maryland• Maryland• Maryland• Maryland• MarylandGina Campbell, Counselor and CAPF, offers training inSymbolic Modeling, a cutting-edge mind/body techniquethat uses a systematic process for verbally exploring anddeveloping a client’s internalized metaphors to foster clar-ity, healing and change. Participants will have opportunitiesto be both facilitator and client as they learn the basics ofSymbolic Modeling and Clean Language. These are skillsreadily used by therapists, body workers, life coaches, teach-ers and business consultants. Quickly and safely get at thedeep-rooted sources of issues that may not be accessible atthe conscious level. Effective with assisting clients in re-leasing old patterns, beliefs and trauma. Also effective withgoal-setting, motivation issues and more. Register now forLevel I Training at the Pearlstone Conference and RetreatCenter in Baltimore County, Maryland, for September 30-October 3, 2007. Group will be limited to 12 to ensure plenty

July 2007 23

of personal attention. For more information [email protected].

• Minnesota• Minnesota• Minnesota• Minnesota• MinnesotaGeri Chavis, PhD, LP, CPT, facilitates a poetry therapy su-pervision group in Minneapolis. For information contactGeri at [email protected] or (651) 690-6524.

Minnesota Regional Gatherings: Since the early 1980s, theMinnesota Poetry Therapy Network has been meeting sixtimes a year and is going strong. This peer experience poetrytherapy group focuses on a particular theme, reading and cre-ating together and sharing resources. At our last meeting,May 19, there was much deep and genuine interaction andcreative expression on the topic of “Forgiveness.” Currently,we are in the process of planning our group’s second anthol-ogy of choice poems generated during our gatherings. Wemeet every other month on Saturdays from 10:30am to2:30pm (next meeting: July 14). For details contact GeriChavis at [email protected] or at (651) 690-6524.

• New EnglandThe New England Chapter of the American Society forGroup Psychotherapy and Psychodrama (ASGPP) offersfree, open psychodrama trainings three times a year in NewEngland. For information e-mail [email protected] orphone (508) 647-0596.

• New York City/Long Island/• New York City/Long Island/• New York City/Long Island/• New York City/Long Island/• New York City/Long Island/Long DistanceLong DistanceLong DistanceLong DistanceLong DistancebridgeXngs POETRY CENTER, INC, a state-of-the-art com-prehensive poetry center and intentional community pioneer-ing on-line courses for poetry therapy trainees, directed byLila L. Weisberger, offers local and long distance trainings,individual and small group supervision. Monthly poetry peergroups are offered in Manhattan as well as the July Intensive“ACTIONWEEK.” Registration is currently underway forthe on-line course Poetic Forms: Poetry as Symphony, Po-etry as Container. This course will start in Fall 2007. Alsooffered are on-line poetry peer groups for long distance train-ees (10 hours); an on-line 10-month didactic course basedon the text The Healing Fountain: Poetry Therapy for Life’sJourney by Chavis and Weisberger; Abnormal Psychology;Words on a Hat: Learning Psychology Through Literatureand study groups of major poetry therapy texts. Special Pro-grams: Poetry and Altered Books; Poetry and Doll Making.For Information contact Lila at [email protected] or (917)660-0440.

• On-line/Virtual/Region-freeTwo-year CPT distance learning program with KayAdams RPT, mentor/supervisor. Call Kay Adams, (303)986-6460, email [email protected] or seewww.journaltherapy.com for details.

Online CPT psychology prerequisite courses. AbnormalPsychology, Group Process and Counseling Methods classesof 10 weeks each are forming now. Call Kay Adams, (303)986-6460, email [email protected] or seewww.journaltherapy.com for details and schedules. Indepen-dent study Language Arts prerequisite classes also avail-able with Gayle Nosal, CPT, [email protected].

The Wordsworth Center’s signature Intensives that en-gage the wider world of applied literature in poetry therapyare available for presentation in your community. KenGorelick and Peggy Heller, clinical poetry therapists, men-tor/supervisors and former presidents of NAPT, have devel-oped unique intensive programs, often called “creativitycamp,” for students, practitioners and seekers in the poetrytherapy field. All participants will attain knowledge of po-etry therapy methods and principles through lectures, dis-cussions, readings and writing processes; skills through ex-perience of classical and action poetry therapy and team de-sign of field applications hours in didactic, peer group andgroup supervision applicable to CPT or RPT credentials ormentor/supervisor requirements. For more information aboutsponsoring and organizing a Wordsworth Intensive in yourcommunity contact Peggy Heller at [email protected] Ken Gorelick at [email protected].

Margot Van Sluytman offers five on-line courses in Po-etry/Writing and Healing: 1) Poetry and the Process of Heal-ing: The Dance With Encounter; 2) Poetry from Soul—Soulfrom Poetry; 3) Writing From Wild Self—Real Self: Surren-der not Control; 4) Writing and the Process: Out of DarkNight; and 5) Writing and the Process Two: the Healing Artof Dancing With Words. For information visit www.Dance-With-Words.com and select “On-Line Course” link or contactMargot at [email protected] or (705) 760-9446.

Workshops, Classes, Seminars,Workshops, Classes, Seminars,Workshops, Classes, Seminars,Workshops, Classes, Seminars,Workshops, Classes, Seminars,Educational OpportunitiesEducational OpportunitiesEducational OpportunitiesEducational OpportunitiesEducational OpportunitiesThe Master of Arts Program of The Union Institute andUniversity (formerly Vermont College of Norwich Univer-sity) now offers opportunities for graduate study in CreativeArts and Humanities, Health and Wellness, and History andCulture Studies. This program offers students the chance to

24 The Museletter

earn their MA degrees while also meeting requirements forpoetry therapy certification. Many NAPT members are gradu-ates of, or faculty in, this unique program for adult learners.Studies, which are self-designed with guidance from expertmentors, can focus on the healing arts or on the creative artsor some combination of both. Study can be entirely on-lineor can include cycle residencies every six months in Ver-mont (October and April) for face-to-face meetings with fac-ulty and learning communities of people with shared inter-ests. For more information contact Deborah Alicen at Ver-mont College Admissions: [email protected].

Goddard College’s Transformative Language ArtsMaster’s Program allows students to pursue social and per-sonal transformation through the spoken and written wordthrough a deep exploration of your personal TLA practice(as a writer, storyteller, etc.) as well as the social and culturalpicture informing your particular focus of study (a focus youchoose!). TLA students may also fulfill most of the poetrytherapy certification requirements through this degree. TLAcriteria include a community-based practicum, thesis projectof your own design, and a balance between theory and prac-tice in your study and art of words. Students also have op-portunities to shadow poetry therapy and related practitio-ners around the world. See www.goddard.edu/academic/tla.html or contact Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg [email protected] for information.

Since 2003, the Masters in Liberal Studies program (MLS)at University of Denver’s University College has offeredcoursework on Writing & Healing. Students can earn a DUgraduate degree while meeting many of the requirements forpoetry therapy certification. The following classes are de-signed and taught by Kay Adams, RPT, M/S; Joy Sawyer,RPT, M/S; and Gayle Nosal, CPT: Writing & Healing I,Writing & Healing II, Journal to the Self, and Poetry & Per-sonal Growth. Courses are available on campus and online.For more information call Holly Dunn at University Col-lege: (303) 871-393.

Reflective Writing: A Women’s Writing Group meets onMonday evenings, 7:30-9:00pm, through the Behavioral andCollaborative Medicine Department at South Miami Hospi-tal, and is facilitated by Barbara Kreisberg, MS, CPT. Throughspontaneous guided writing experiences designed to awakenand nurture the self and through the reading of selected po-ems, participants will discover the process of personal growthand healing by using the written word. Participants are giventhe opportunity to be moved by their own writing as well asothers, with the emphasis on gaining a deeper understandingof life events, obstacles and opportunities. Please call (305)975-3671 or email Bkexpres @aol.com for further informa-tion and pre-registration.

Writing for Life: Creating a Story of Your Own by SandraLee Schubert. The journaling and scrapbooking techniquestaught in this course provide a creative way to connect with theinner self and heal emotional wounds while documenting yourstory, your life in a fun and unique way. For more informationand to sign up visit www.selfhealingexpressions.com/scrapbooking.shtml.

Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, PhD, CPT, facilitates ongoingworkshops for people living with or recovering from cancerat Turning Point of Kansas City: A Center for Hope andHealth; Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Lawrence, KS; andThe Light Center, Baldwin, KS. Caryn also regularly facili-tates workshops on writing as a spiritual practice, writingfrom the earth and mythopoetics. Please seewww.writewhereyouare.org for what’s coming up.

Lapidus is the UK’s national Association for the LiteraryArts in Personal Development and brings together peoplewith an interest in creative words for health and well-being.Lapidus offers monthly “Writing-Well” seminars, part ofa program of regional development for Lapidus in Scotland,which follows the aims of central Lapidus to promote anddevelop the role of the literary arts in healthcare, educationand the community. Each evening focuses on a theme (re-cent themes include “Cancer, Poetry and Healing” and “De-mentia and Creativity”) and allows ample time for creativeand reflective writing, discussion and questions with a guestspeaker. For details email [email protected].

EventsEventsEventsEventsEventsThe Power of Words: Liberation through the Spoken,Written and Sung Word will take place Sept. 28–Oct. 1,2007, at Goddard College in Plainfield, VT. Seek greater free-dom and transformation for yourself and your communitythrough the power of words at this unique gathering of peoplewho write, tell stories, perform and do other language arts.Make community with others in the emerging field of Trans-formative Language Arts. Keynoters: David Abram, authorof The Spell of the Sensuous; Allison Adelle Hedge Coke,poet, writer, storyteller; Nehassaiu deGannes presenting herone-woman multicultural show, Door of No Return, plus over25 workshops and performances. The conference—organizedby Transformative Language Arts at Goddard College, a 48-hour MA degree in social and personal transformation throughthe written and spoken word—also features NAPT memberspresenting, including Perie Longo, Evelyn Torton Beck, andothers. Conference costs start at $190 for registration plusadditional fees for pre- and post-conference workshops. Lodg-ing and all meals on campus begin at $201/double or $261/single. Some partial scholarships available including schol-arships through the Roxanne Florence Fund for people of

July 2007 25

color. Work-study positions available. Professional and po-etry therapy peer and didactic hours available. Completeschedule and registration at www.goddard.edu/academic/TLAconference.html, call Denise at 802/454-8311, x204, orcontact [email protected].

Calls for Work/Articles/ProposalsCalls for Work/Articles/ProposalsCalls for Work/Articles/ProposalsCalls for Work/Articles/ProposalsCalls for Work/Articles/ProposalsThe Museletter is seeking writers of book reviews, “Pro-files” of organizations and individuals, “Poems as Process,”“Happenings” reports, “Process” pieces, “Chapbook” poems(with accompanying narrative), interviews with poets andcreative arts therapies practitioners and feature articles forfuture issues. The Editor welcomes proposals 3+ weeks inadvance of submission deadlines. As we are unable to pub-lish all the submissions we receive, please refer to issues ofthe Museletter for general style and content guidelines be-fore submitting a proposal or article. See ad in this issue forfull Submission Guidelines, including upcoming deadlines.

Patient Education and Counseling presents a new sectioncomprised of selected narratives on reflective practice. Re-flective Practice will provide a voice for physicians and otherhealthcare providers, patients and their family members, train-ees and medical educators. The title emphasizes the impor-tance of reflection in our learning and how our patient careand own self-care can be improved through reflective prac-tice, similar to other health care provider skills. We welcomepersonal narratives on caring, patient-provider relationships,humanism in healthcare, professionalism and its challenges,patients’ perspectives, and collaboration in patient care andcounseling. Most narratives will describe personal or pro-fessional experiences that provide a lesson applicable to car-ing, humanism and relationship in health care.

Submit manuscripts through the Patient Education andCounseling on-line electronic submission system at http://ees.elsevier.com/pec. Patient Education and Counseling isan international journal indexed in Medline and 13 other re-lated indexes. All manuscripts, including narratives, are peer-reviewed.

If you would like an electronic copy of the editorial de-scribing the Reflective Practice section, “Sharing Stories: Nar-rative Medicine in an Evidence-Based World,” please e-mailDr. Hatem or Dr. Rider. Editors: David Hatem, MD, Univer-sity of Massachusetts Medical School: [email protected];Elizabeth A. Rider, MSW, MD, Harvard Medical School:[email protected]; Florence van Zuuren,PhD, University of Amsterdam and the Free, University inThe Netherlands: [email protected].

Submissions of poems, stories, diary entries and essays onthe analytic experience are being sought for The Psycho-analytic Experience: Analysands Speak. No rhymed or re-ligious material. Deadline: Ongoing. Email submissions to

Editor Esther Altshul Helfgott, PhD, [email protected]. For more information visitwww.analysands.homestead.com.

The Canadian Art Therapy Association Journal, whichpublishes on a variety of subjects relevant to Art Therapyand Expressive Arts Therapies, is seeking submissions. Formore information and instructions for authors please visitwww.catainfo.ca.

Research ProjectsResearch ProjectsResearch ProjectsResearch ProjectsResearch ProjectsEd. Note: This section provides students and researchers a fo-rum for obtaining information from and establishing connec-tions with the poetry therapy community. Send informationabout your research projects, including what information youare seeking, from whom, for what purpose and by when (maxi-mum of 200 words) to [email protected] with thesubject line: PoemNation: Research Projects.

NetworkingNetworkingNetworkingNetworkingNetworkingEd. Note: This section of PoemNation provides a forum forNAPTers to exchange ideas and contact information per-taining to specific work being undertaken outside of the realmof NAPT proper. Please send your text of 150 words maxi-mum to the Editor at [email protected] with thesubject line: PoemNation Networking.

Those interested in learning more about an evolving projectto serve veterans of the Iraqi war who may be vulner-able to PTSD, please contact Faye Snider [email protected].

Products & ServicesProducts & ServicesProducts & ServicesProducts & ServicesProducts & ServicesVideos of NAPT conference keynote poets, including JaneHirschfield (San Jose), Rafael Campo (Miami, 2003), Li-Young Lee (Costa Mesa, 2004) Gregory Orr (St. Louis, 2005),Lawson Inada (Portland, 2007) available on DVD for $12each, which includes priority mailing, or receive three for$25. Also available for $12 is the 2007 Rattlebox Open Micsession. The three LaperTapes documentary DVDs on po-etry as healing are $20 each, including priority mailing. Theseare “The Truth About Ourselves: How Poetry Heals,” “TellAll the Truth: How Poetry Heals A Multicultural Society”and “Moving Towards Truth: Poetry, Motion and Wholeness.”As a package, all three are specially priced at $40 (one free!).Please email orders or requests for further information [email protected] or write to LaperTapes at 1330 WestHwy WW, Springfield, MO 65803.

26 The Museletter

Opportunities for AuthorsOpportunities for AuthorsOpportunities for AuthorsOpportunities for AuthorsOpportunities for AuthorsBlooming Twig Books, an NAPT institutional member,is offering a brand new, completely free guide to pub-lishing. This is available as a free PDF e-book (150 pages)online: download from the button on the front page onour website www.bloomingtwigbooks.com. Or, visit theentire guide online at www.bloomingtwigbooks.com/publishing_bible.html where it is completely navigablewith nothing to download. Blooming Twig has also startedan author podcast, and encourages all authors to submita reading of their choice to us in just about any audioformat. More information is at the podcast itself:www.humanepub.com/podcast. Feel free to be in touchby telephone at (866) 389-1482 or email [email protected].

Join NAPT’s onlinediscussion group

It’s a great place to ask questions, shareresources, and stay in tune with otherswho share your belief in the power of

words to bring about growth and change.To sign up send your e-mail address to:

[email protected]

Media WatchMedia WatchMedia WatchMedia WatchMedia WatchThis column of The Museletter is designed to be a service to ourreaders and to the larger field of poetry therapy. We will printlistings of newspapers, periodicals, academic and professionaljournals, radio programs, television specials, etc. that providecoverage of writing as a healing tool, as well as related is-sues. If you see or learn of material that should be included,please email full citation information to the Editor [email protected] for inclusion in the next issue.

• The March 28, 2007 edition of the Los Angeles Timesincluded an article entitled “Gangsters’ special weapon:poetry.”

• The May 22, 2007, issue of the New York Times includedan article entitled “This Is Your Life (and How You Tell It),”exploring recent research about the positive effects of per-sonal narrative.

• The June 24, 2007, issue of the Charleston (SouthCarolina) Post and Courier included an article entitled“Poetry a vessel for our collective pain.” Author MarjoryWentworth, the state’s poet laureate, advocates for the use ofpoetry to help heal the community after the tragic loss ofnine local firefighters.

”

“ The real voyage ofdiscovery consistsnot in seeking newlandscapes, but inhaving new eyes.

— Marcel Proust

July 2007 27

Museletter SubmissionsMuseletter SubmissionsMuseletter SubmissionsMuseletter SubmissionsMuseletter SubmissionsGuidelinesGuidelinesGuidelinesGuidelinesGuidelines• Submissions can only be accepted as email ATTACH-

MENTS to the Editor. Do not send text in the body of anemail unless requested. Send submissions [email protected].

• Microsoft Word files are preferred, with SimpleText orRTF files accepted. Do not send zipped or stuffed files.

• Submissions must include a subject line noting that theemail is in regard to The Museletter and indicating forwhich section of The Museletter the submission is intended.Example: “Museletter submission: Speakeasy.”

• Before sending completed manuscripts, please formataccording to Museletter style, using past issues as a guide.For example, we use bold, left-aligned titles (not centered);tabs for paragraph returns (with the first paragraph of anarticle not tabbed); no underlining; poem titles are inquotes; book titles are in italics.

• Texts submitted must not include hyperlinks. Please de-activate hyperlinks before sending texts. Texts submitted withactive hyperlinks will be returned to author.

• Notes are discouraged but if they must be used, they mustbe included as endnotes, not footnotes.

• Include your name exactly as you would like it to appearand the acronyms of any credentials you hold for inclu-sion in our Contributors’ list (e.g., Jane Smith, MSW,RPT). We are unable to include any other biographicalinformation.

• Submissions are greatly appreciated before the deadlines.• In order to keep the publication schedule on time and to

get timely information to our members, submissions arenot accepted after 5pm on the day of the deadline (usu-ally the first Monday of the month) unless prior arrange-ments are made.

• We are unable to publish all unsolicited submissions. Po-tential contributors are encouraged to discuss proposalsand article ideas with the Editor via email at least threeweeks prior to the submission deadline.

• Please see above for advertising rates and technical specifi-cations. Email [email protected] for details.

Karen vanMeenen, Editor, The [email protected]

Send ads to NAPT officeSend articles to [email protected]

November 2007 issue:Advertising: September 3, 2007Articles: September 10, 2007

March 2008 issue:Advertising: January 7, 2008Articles: January 14, 2008

Submission DeadlinesSubmission DeadlinesSubmission DeadlinesSubmission DeadlinesSubmission Deadlines

• FULL PAGE: 7.5" x 10" ($280)

• HALF PAGE (LANDSCAPE): 7.5" x 5" ($140)

• HALF PAGE (PORTRAIT): 3.625" x 10" ($140)

• THIRD PAGE (LANDSCAPE): 7.5" x 4" ($110)

• QUARTER PAGE: 3.625" x 5" ($70)

• EIGHTH PAGE (Similar to business card size):3.625" x 2.5" ($35)

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The editor reserves the right to refuse ads that are not rel-evant or appropriate to the mission of NAPT and theMuseletter. Ads must be submitted with payment to theNAPT Office according to stated deadlines. JPEG, TIFFor PDF files are preferred, but camera-ready artwork mayalso be used.

Institutional Members receive a 10% discount on statedadvertising rates in the Museletter.

Typesetting may be available—e-mail Lauren Keller [email protected] or call 866-844-NAPT.

NAPT National Office777 E. Atlantic Avenue, #243Delray Beach, FL 33483Toll-Free 1-866-844-NAPT

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PAIDAmes, IA

Permit No. 1340

Thoughts on the Portland Conference Conference Poems NAPT News Poems as Process And much more ...

Save the Date!Save the Date!Save the Date!Save the Date!Save the Date!2008 NAPT Annual Conference2008 NAPT Annual Conference2008 NAPT Annual Conference2008 NAPT Annual Conference2008 NAPT Annual ConferenceApril 2-7, 2008April 2-7, 2008April 2-7, 2008April 2-7, 2008April 2-7, 2008Minneapolis, Minnesota

Watch for updates on our conference page at www.poetrytherapy.org.

Portland Shares: Thoughts Vice-Presidents on the Portland ... · Ted Bowman Geri Chavis Nick Mazza...

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