If I am not a Glimmer,
So I have to be a Shimmer.
And if I am not a Shimmer,
I must be a Himmer.
And if I am not a Himmer,
I must be a Jimmer.
And if I am not a Jimmer,
I must be a Chimmer.
And if I am not a Chimmer,
What am I?
A foot of snow atop our bluff: Evergreen Heights, Jersey Township, SW Illinois. Mother, that which you filled and then emptied, we fill again as best we can. Your chair hold us at the wheelhouse hub, yet a glance windowward unfolds and holds worlds beyond. This morning’s world insulated in a snowy rug. Cardinal families…
Naomi Shihab Nye (Image Credit: Stephen Barclay Agency—Photo by James Evans) As the beauteous Ibtisam Barakat (author of “Taste the Sky”—see post below as well) laid out a table filled with books overflowing with tabbed pages and Naomi Shihab Nye’s wisecracks began to flow alongside her wisdom, we knew we were in for something besides…
In a workshop on sacred space, I drew a rainbow vortex, holding 4-6 crayons in my hand at a time. I loved that part. Then, looking at my crayon drawing, I wrote this letter to the rainbow vortex. Later I cut the vortex into a spiral and pasted it into my journal, folding in switchbacks…
In the early 1960s I was captivated by John Wieners’ THE HOTEL WENTLEY POEMS (Auerhahn Press, San Francisco, 1958). I memorized those poems. Their appeal was so strong I felt compelled to search book stalls in New York City on Fourth Avenue, in the West Village, on the Upper West Side for other poems he…
Remember Arletta Dawdy’s poem “Clara’s Air” posted May 12, 13 and 14 in three parts? Here she is again with “The Apple Factory” which grew out of a conversation in the 1970s with an elderly neighbor as they stood in her kitchen window looking out on the apple orchard that backed both their homes. Both…
From 2000-2001 I sent out my poems, stories, and personal essays to national literary journals. I used Writers Relief, Inc., an author’s submission service, to help me with the logistical details of submission. I learned a bundle (notice the verb is “learn,” not “earn”!) and enjoyed getting all the mail, including the rejection letters. After…
“If I am not a glimmer…” I predict this young writer has a glimmering future ahead.
Maggie -and Amelia -do seem to show great signs of purpetuating future generations with the family talents.
Hi Maggie,
It sounds like you are a fantastic simmer from the exceptional world of yiemmer…
With Chi,
Hal
Webster defines Yiem as matter. It is the primordial material substance from which all elements are supposed to have been derived. So that would make us all Yiemmers, right? Maggie at seven is simmering, growing into a fantastic version of one of us yiemmers.
Dear Maggie,
It is plain to see that if you are not a Chimmer, you are most wonderfully a “Rymmer” of the poetical sort. Congratulations on starting your writing career so early and so nicely!
Arletta