May 20, 2015

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Tom Spencer Sharon Palmeri, Bob Philpot, Dave Wilgus, Lisa Groszak, Victor Marmolejo, Mary       Lu Cowley,Luneil Morrow, Ruthann Graczyk, Beverly Stanislawski, Nancy Ritz

GUESTS: Ken Ritz

OLD BUSINESS:

A vote of approval for the May 7, 2015 meeting was given by DAVE WILGUS and seconded by TOM SPENCER .

NEW BUSINESS: 

SHARON PALMERI  reminded the members of the meeting June 18, 6 p.m., which will feature Jerry Davich as guest speaker. Mr. Davich is a  news columnist and an investigative writer for the Post Tribune as well as the Chicago Tribune. He will discuss his job, books he has written and other pertinent topics. Copies of his book, Lost Gary, Indiana, and Connections: Everyone Happens for a Reason will be available to purchase.

LITERARY NEWS:

TOM SPENCER mentioned that people could still join his poetry class, June 8, at 6 p.m., at Cedar Creek Community Center, 151 Fremont St., Lowell, IN. Other classes will be held the second Monday of July and August.

MARY LU COWLEY shared a book, The Ode Less Traveled  by Steven Fry, which is a good source of information about poetry.

SHARON PALMERI mentioned a book on poetry entitled The Teachers & Writers Handbook of Poetic Forms by Ron Padgett

READINGS:

TOM SPENCER offered his poem, “Poetic Mindset,” written in free verse and containing several poetic terms. The poem explained how “poetry shapes the human soul” and “builds a moral mind.”

RUTHANN GRACZYK read part of Chapter 1 of her novel, Starting Over. This section told of several problems a single mother has with relatives She desires to try to start a new life for herself and her son Mark, with the help of her friend Jan.

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI offered a sonnet, “Freedom’s Legacy,” in honor of Memorial Day. The poem told of the priceless gift of freedom, won by our service men and women and how we should continue to value this legacy.  Beverly’s  second offering, “Meraki” was based on a word put on WOH’s web page. The word means to do something with soul, creativity, or love. To put something of yourself into your work.  Beverly’s poem about believing in yourself, had letters of her name within lines of the poem.

BOB PHILPOT read Chapter 5B of his novel, Strange Friend, which continued the saga of Zeb and Cob. While they have drinks together, Zeb thinks about going back to the big city and Orwell Security, while Cob is watching Deputy Darrel approaching in his truck.  During the meeting with Darrel, Zeb is inducted by Cob into the Sheriff’s ranks.

DAVE WILGUS continued his novel, The Josh Henderson Story which found the troubled, young couple still trying to get answers and possible treatments for their son Joshua’s serious illness. While the doctor did not offer much hope, the devastated couple also worried how to pay the medical bills and how to tell their daughter, Brooke. 

VICTOR MARMOLEJO presented his offering, "Paradise Secured," which seeks to explain Christ’s actions depicted in the Gospels as the hypothetical product of His contention with Satan. Written in Miltonic blank verse, this poem could be considered a third part of John Milton's "Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained."

LUNEIL MORROW read a children’s short story, “I Can’t Like That,” which told of a young girl’s food preferences.  While her mother was trying to give Kam a cheese sandwich for lunch, the youngster refused to eat it, saying, “I can’t like that.” Kam knew that tomorrow her daddy would be home; and he always gave her favorite food, chicken and french fries.

The meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI