Change, Time, and Straws of Gold
11/05/2004 05:21 p.m.
Good morning all. On this blustery Winnie-the-Poohish kind of day, in Ottawa, in a bustling, busy stretch of writing life, I have been reposing (composing, maybe composting?) my brain whenever I get a chance, with a treasure of a book, by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and David Kessler, Copyright 2000 (even though she's now passed away,their next one is coming out soon. This is one of the facts I love most about writing, that we're still performing when we're gone, and still talking, which is great news for me!)

Unlike most of her books, before the collaborations with David, this one deals with life in a more general subject approach, not primarily death, but the latter does have the strong experiential influence of her work with that process couched throughout the chapters. She had such humour and resilience that it doesn not oppress or seem gloomy, just matter-of-fact, courageous and spiritual.

There are chapters on Forgiveness, Anger, Love, Loss, etc. but it's the chapter on Time, I'm escaping to right now, for guidance, as I try to imagine how to juggle all my projects in life that are especially pressing in the next few weeks, (reminds me of when my husband worked in the pizza shop and we delivered pizzas together, and we had lulls, then a "rushes" of demand). But I haven't had a lull for quite a while, and I am trying to be better at managing time and organizing, balance, etc. all the more lately. I guess I shouldn't spend too much time right now, reading about time, see how crazy I can be? Focus, girl! But really, it can help!

Anyhoo, I loved this reference in that chapter. She is addressing change, before she gets in depth into time, and quotes Ronnie Kaye, author of Spinning Straw into Gold (Isn't that a gorgeous title?) - it starts out like a line I've always recalled from the Sound of Music movie, but then adds a new twist (you wouldn't hear in the movie).

"In life when one door closes, another door always opens...but the hallways are a bitch."

She goes on to help us with the process of negotiating to accepting change.

Anyway, back to the book for a bit, then more final edits and organizing for a contest and a chapbook, with deadlines close to each other, and both imminent, and a pantoum (my first) is being tackled. Thanks Bruce Niedt, I'm looking at your example on here, among others, of the latter style. There are some definitely dramatically different formats of these, and I'm not clear enough yet on the last stanza process. But I'm supposed to end up where I began, so what does that say about change and hallways? When it works out, I'll post it on here. If I'm not insane by then. Villanelles and other structures I have enjoyed, so I should with more time and quiet focus, handle this one fine.

Let's hope it won't be a Royal "B". as I gather the straw (rake the leaves, (the lines) as in my theme) and pile my stones upon stones together (the words). (also a theme). Ahh, craft and was it compells us to do on a Milne type of day. At least it's indoor work!

I am currently Creative
I am listening to the computer hum