Good morning, Mary - and TY!!! By unpacking why you wrote ... have committed to writing memoir, you illuminated something I've been curious and speechless about. For this holiday season, I pulled together 35 poems with black and white photos, self-published the chap book as a holiday gift for friends and family (Openings: First Poems). I've joked it's my later-in-life show-and-tell project - they clap : ) But, I've known it's more than that. Like writing memoir, and as you quoted Cole Arthur Riley, poetry offers a similar doorway: “We are worthy of tending to the pain of the past. Repair—truth-telling, reparations, healing, reconciliation—these are what breathe new life into us.”
From the back cover:
A Poet in Waiting
Others’ poetry books
crammed together on the third shelf.
A lifeline at eye level
containing the indispensable we crave.
Brilliant snapshots of life
captured in black and white, page after page.
Each line distills oft unspoken passions,
faithfulness resides,
perspectives wait unbridled, tears fall.
Gifts guaranteed to rescue
from the margins of otherness –
making sense
out of
otherness.
Welcomed into a poet’s world –
reality undressed, love laid bare.
I want desperately to feel my pen
take to the page as theirs did
to surface even a single piece of unsaid longing.
... hope that one word, one line, one stanza resonates for anyone who reads. Wishing you the very best and you revise, spit-polish, and bring your story into the world!!
Oh Karen, thank you! “To surface even a single piece of unsaid longing...” I love that. What a gift you are giving. Thank you for sharing a piece of it with us.
I've been listening to Trevor Noah's podcast, and he recently had an interview with Kerry Washington about her memoir, and they shared about the power of sharing the authentic messiness of their stories and how powerful it is to allow others to connect to them. Kerry described in particular how liberating it was not only for herself, but also for her whole family to be able to live in the truth of their relationships publicly.
Such a big deal. I understand the vulnerability of your work as well as the angst. You describe it so well. I used to believe I didn’t have the capacity to have more than one feeling at once but as humans we can have many mixed feelings-- some we describe to ourselves as good or bad. But aren’t all feelings in a way positive? Because we must take the good with the bad lest we have none. I used to think I only wanted the good ones but I was only half alive.
Congratulations on your first draft! How exciting! I love the vulnerability in this post. You also chose great quotes to share. I’ve had a couple of Goldberg’s books sitting on my shelf for a while, so this is my sign to finally read them.
“I feel happy of myself” is my new New Years Resolution. Nay life resolution! Love it so much. And girl! CONGRATS on the first draft!!! That’s huge!!! Can’t believe you were able to finish a first draft while weekly sub stacking and working - you SHOULD feel happy of yourself!
Wow, this really gets to the heart of memoir, doesn't it?? Congratulations on finishing your draft! I'm going to have to read the Blue Jay book but even nearly a decade out from my son's birth I don't know if I'm ready for that.
New motherhood was a shock to me and I still carry a lot of bad memories. I've only been able to listen to people talk about birth stories and such in the last couple of years.
That is a pain that so many of us carry. We are still so far behind in supporting mothers. I had a mix of that too throughout the process. I find Erdrich comforting because she’s open about the mess of it. I also loved Hope Jahren’s story in Lab Girl.
I love this! I shared an excerpt of my memoir this week (eek!) and it's so vulnerable. It's been such an important and ongoing process for me and I also frequently return to memoirs I admire. Cole Arthur Riley's is certainly one for me too. Suleika Joauad's is another. Kate Bowler. Kiese Laymon. Joy Harjo. Ashley C. Ford. It doesn't feel so lonely next to so many incredible writers. And even less lonely with the writing community on Substack like you, Mary!
Thanks Rachel. I read your memoir excerpt. It is really beautiful. I relate to that reminder of the uncertainty we live with and the idea of what it means to hold hope gently. You name some new authors for me, so thanks for that too.
Hi Mary! With 28 years as a full-time nurse under my belt, I’m beginning with the launch of a freelance copywriting business, as a means of supporting myself outside the hospital (and for fun!). Once that’s thriving, the personal creative writing shall wholeheartedly ensue. Prose has long been my love, and I so enjoy connecting here with those already Doing The Thing; it nurtures my own true north. Thanks for the question!
Mary- what glorious news! I can believe you are happy of yourself, indeed! May the burst of joy move you deeper into the writing life you reclaim each new year!
Good morning, Mary - and TY!!! By unpacking why you wrote ... have committed to writing memoir, you illuminated something I've been curious and speechless about. For this holiday season, I pulled together 35 poems with black and white photos, self-published the chap book as a holiday gift for friends and family (Openings: First Poems). I've joked it's my later-in-life show-and-tell project - they clap : ) But, I've known it's more than that. Like writing memoir, and as you quoted Cole Arthur Riley, poetry offers a similar doorway: “We are worthy of tending to the pain of the past. Repair—truth-telling, reparations, healing, reconciliation—these are what breathe new life into us.”
From the back cover:
A Poet in Waiting
Others’ poetry books
crammed together on the third shelf.
A lifeline at eye level
containing the indispensable we crave.
Brilliant snapshots of life
captured in black and white, page after page.
Each line distills oft unspoken passions,
faithfulness resides,
perspectives wait unbridled, tears fall.
Gifts guaranteed to rescue
from the margins of otherness –
making sense
out of
otherness.
Welcomed into a poet’s world –
reality undressed, love laid bare.
I want desperately to feel my pen
take to the page as theirs did
to surface even a single piece of unsaid longing.
... hope that one word, one line, one stanza resonates for anyone who reads. Wishing you the very best and you revise, spit-polish, and bring your story into the world!!
Oh Karen, thank you! “To surface even a single piece of unsaid longing...” I love that. What a gift you are giving. Thank you for sharing a piece of it with us.
I've been listening to Trevor Noah's podcast, and he recently had an interview with Kerry Washington about her memoir, and they shared about the power of sharing the authentic messiness of their stories and how powerful it is to allow others to connect to them. Kerry described in particular how liberating it was not only for herself, but also for her whole family to be able to live in the truth of their relationships publicly.
I like that phrase authentic messiness. I also like the idea of living in more truth.
Such a big deal. I understand the vulnerability of your work as well as the angst. You describe it so well. I used to believe I didn’t have the capacity to have more than one feeling at once but as humans we can have many mixed feelings-- some we describe to ourselves as good or bad. But aren’t all feelings in a way positive? Because we must take the good with the bad lest we have none. I used to think I only wanted the good ones but I was only half alive.
I love this comment. Feeling the good and the bad and all the mix-up in between is being alive.
Congratulations on your first draft! How exciting! I love the vulnerability in this post. You also chose great quotes to share. I’ve had a couple of Goldberg’s books sitting on my shelf for a while, so this is my sign to finally read them.
Yay! She’s so good. Thanks for the love.
“I feel happy of myself” is my new New Years Resolution. Nay life resolution! Love it so much. And girl! CONGRATS on the first draft!!! That’s huge!!! Can’t believe you were able to finish a first draft while weekly sub stacking and working - you SHOULD feel happy of yourself!
It is a pretty great phrase. And we should all feel happy of ourselves more often. Thanks for that reminder!
Congratulations on finishing your first draft! That’s amazing. What an of courage and commitment.
Thanks Vanessa!
Nicely said.
I love that you share the books that inspire you each week!!
Thanks for reading. I am glad you like the sharing of books.
Wow, this really gets to the heart of memoir, doesn't it?? Congratulations on finishing your draft! I'm going to have to read the Blue Jay book but even nearly a decade out from my son's birth I don't know if I'm ready for that.
Funny. I wish I had read it then. Thanks for reading!
New motherhood was a shock to me and I still carry a lot of bad memories. I've only been able to listen to people talk about birth stories and such in the last couple of years.
That is a pain that so many of us carry. We are still so far behind in supporting mothers. I had a mix of that too throughout the process. I find Erdrich comforting because she’s open about the mess of it. I also loved Hope Jahren’s story in Lab Girl.
I love this! I shared an excerpt of my memoir this week (eek!) and it's so vulnerable. It's been such an important and ongoing process for me and I also frequently return to memoirs I admire. Cole Arthur Riley's is certainly one for me too. Suleika Joauad's is another. Kate Bowler. Kiese Laymon. Joy Harjo. Ashley C. Ford. It doesn't feel so lonely next to so many incredible writers. And even less lonely with the writing community on Substack like you, Mary!
Thanks Rachel. I read your memoir excerpt. It is really beautiful. I relate to that reminder of the uncertainty we live with and the idea of what it means to hold hope gently. You name some new authors for me, so thanks for that too.
Congratulations on finishing! I love “happy of myself.” Going to start using that ♥️
It is so good. Thanks Keris.
Congratulations! From the seat of the still-aspirational, the applause is laced heavily with awe. Glad you’re marking - and savoring - the occasion.
Thanks so much Angela. What are you working on these days?
Hi Mary! With 28 years as a full-time nurse under my belt, I’m beginning with the launch of a freelance copywriting business, as a means of supporting myself outside the hospital (and for fun!). Once that’s thriving, the personal creative writing shall wholeheartedly ensue. Prose has long been my love, and I so enjoy connecting here with those already Doing The Thing; it nurtures my own true north. Thanks for the question!
How exciting! I’m so glad you find the space nurturing. I love the phrase true North. 🤗
Mary- what glorious news! I can believe you are happy of yourself, indeed! May the burst of joy move you deeper into the writing life you reclaim each new year!
Tess
Thanks Tess!