THE WIND

—written by Sarah

Shout the truth
Scream it to the sky.
It will never fade
for the wind will carry voices.

The wind will carry your voice
for all to hear.

Listen close, listen closer
Do you hear the

INTEGRITY: A JOURNALISTIC CODE OF ETHICS REVIEW

Responding to a telephone complaint, an animal shelter representative, Nadine, visited Erica, who had taken in forty homeless cats. Nadine, director of the no-kill shelter, confiscated all the cats but ten. She takes three to the animal shelter. These she advertised as “rescued” cats that need a home. She claimed that the others are not spayed, and have not had their shots. In addition, they are so disease ridden that she took them where they were euthanized. The next animal shelter newsletter published an article on

DAVID Part 5 of a 10 Part Romance Story

Part 5 of a ten-part story, David, by long-distance Beanery Writers Group member Jane. Continuing segments will be posted in the Beanery Online Literary Magazine consecutive Wednesdays.
To read previous parts, in the Beanery Online Literary Magazine, click on DAVID Part 1 of a 10 Part Romance Story & DAVID Part 2 of a 10 Part Romance Story & DAVID Part 3 of a 10 Part Romance Story & DAVID Part 4 of a 10 Part Romance Story

For the next few days I begged off seeing David. I was upset, sad. Any other negative mood you can think of I was wallowing in. On the third day, when I returned from work, he was waiting on my doorstep. “I’m sorry,” he signed.

We went inside and he asked me what he was sorry for. I had to tell him. “I don’t think I can see you anymore, David.”

There, I had bluntly stated it.

“Is it because of how I look?” he quickly signed.

“Oh no, David!” I was crying now and quietly added:

A CHILD IN JUNE

—written by Kathleen

Oh, to be a child in June
when the clock hands swing toward noon
on the last of school.
Bright ribbons of breathless color,
footsteps pounding the pavement
racing toward waiting cars and buses,
leaving behind classrooms and cement
racing toward summer’s sweet scent.
Oh, to be a child in June
with an entire summer free
to embrace sunshine, dreams and creativity. . .

For additional reading:

TO MATTIE

OF FIREFLIES AND LIGHTNING BUGS

LOGGING IN MAINE AND ON THE PERU-BRAZILLIAN BORDER

PLANT FOOD RECIPE: Making Compost

 

DEVELOPING CHARACTERS IN NOVEL WRITING

According to David Poyer, author of four million copies of thirteen published books in print in 1993 and numerous ones since then, one of the most challenging aspects of writing is character creation—a process central to every length and genre of fiction. And, I might interject, in any other writing that involves persons—albeit, in characters based on living persons, the character is developed differently.
 
In the historic romance novel I’m writing, my characters are given. The main character in the first part of my novel is a French woman

DAVID Part 4 of a 10 Part Romance Story

Part 4 of a ten-part story, David, by long-distance Beanery Writers Group member Jane. Continuing segments will be posted in the Beanery Online Literary Magazine consecutive Wednesdays.
 To read previous parts, in the Beanery Online Literary Magazine, click on  DAVID Part 1 of a 10 Part Romance Story & DAVID Part 2 of a 10 Part Romance Story & DAVID Part 3 of a 10 Part Romance Story

This was the beginning of my dating David, and learning about a man with so much strength I was always in awe of him.

I’ll go back now to the explanation of David’s injuries. A year before I met him he was struck by

OF FIREFLIES AND LIGHTNING BUGS

—written by Jordan using information from a Tribune-Review newspaper article, NightLights (July 23, 2007).

During the summer I like to have sleepovers with my friends. We like to stay up all night and watch movies, eat popcorn—and catch lightning bugs.

We catch the bugs with our hands. It’s safe to catch them in our hands because

DAVID Part 3 of a 10 Part Romance Story

Part 3 of a ten-part story, David, by long-distance member Jane. Continuing segments will be posted in the Beanery Online Literary Magazine consecutive Wednesdays. To read previous parts click on  DAVID Part 1 of a 10 Part Romance Story & DAVID Part 2 of a 10 Part Romance Story

We ate lunch with intermittent conversation, he writing, me speaking. At one point he raised his hand and used what I guessed was sign language.

“Well, missy smarty pants,” I thought. “How do

IMAGINATIVE, ORIGINAL, PURE, PROFOUND POEMS by CHILDREN

Not long ago, while cleaning out my writing files, I found a folder of poems written by elementary students. They were in my possession because I had been a judge of the children’s writing works. I sorted out what was the best of them and we reviewed them at a recent Beanery Writers Group meeting. Since I had no way of contacting the students of these poems, some of which I wanted to post, I had to dispose of them, and after the meeting very sorrowfully burned the papers. After reading some of them, Kathleen wrote the following poem, which ends with a question.  Carolyn

To touch the heart, make us laugh

take us back…

An assignment given by

TO MATTIE

Poet and Peacemaker, Mattie J.T. Stepanek began writing at age three. Author of a five- volume Heartsongs collection, 13-year-old Mattie died June 2004 from a rare neuromuscular disease that resulted from his Muscular Dystrophy. 

Mattie’s heart-felt writings reached a global audience, including M. D. patients and many well-known celebrities.  He joined President Jimmy Carter as a champion of peace and prayer. Gifted and brilliant, Mattie will long be remembered for his outgoing, optimistic personality and his rare ability to write well on a variety of subjects.

I wrote the poem TO MATTIE to honor Mattie’s short, productive life.             

 

— written by Kathleen Clark    6-15-03

 

            So young to be so prolific

 

                        . . .above and beyond terrific!

 

            Such a beautiful