MEMBERS PRESENT:
Katherine
Flotz, Beverly Stanislawski, Al Koch, Mike Ripley,
Dennis Mclean, Amy Brailey, Pam Maud, Ruthann Graczek, Hardarshan Valia,
Marlene Starcevich, Gail Galvan
GUESTS
PRESENT:
Philip
Wielgus, Diane Alicea
OLD
BUSINESS:
A vote of approval for the January 2, 2020 meeting was first
given by Dennis Mclean and seconded
by Katherine Flotz
READINGS:
AL KOCH read his
essay entitled “Journey to a Degree” that
displayed glimpses of his sojourn to becoming a teacher. It began at age of 23
bringing in life-changing events: socially, economically, and personally.
Juggling his way through arduous journey, he was able to fulfill personal
responsibilities, obligations, commitments, duties, and promises. However,
after more than 50 years, the journey still continues per a stanza in Robert
Frost’s poem “ Stopping by the Woods One
Snowy Evening:” ‘The woods are lovely
dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep. And
miles to go before I sleep.’
Marlene
Starcevich read a chapter from her
book-in-progress entitled George Joseph, The Rescue Cat which deals with author’s journey coping with
family illness, family death -- and a very special cat named George. The author poignantly describes a daughter’s
dilemma when her 90-year old mother wishes to return back to her own home after
recuperating from illness. She reluctantly comes to terms with granting her
mother’s wishes. However, dilemma arises when mother asked for one of the two
cats that were author’s pet. After much discussion, mother agreed to adopt a
rescue cat and proposed the name “George” after her father’s name. The
continuity of connectivity to love through generations, and into the future,
was movingly presented in this story..
BEVERLY
STANISLAWSKI read “The Puzzle Pro” narrating
the story of Preston Crawford, a businessman, who has a “silent” battle over a
crossword puzzle and the stranger who “stole” his newspaper. The tension builds
as Preston is in a race to finish the crossword puzzle before the stranger
completes the same puzzle. The desire of revenge overpowers Preston. At the end
of the story, the stranger humbly explains his winning strategy to Preston.
DENNIS
MCLEAN read his four short free-verse poems. In his poem “Directions” the he laments about the human right abuses
that come from all directions. The next
poem, “The Past, the Present, and the Future” describes how broken
promises of hope have always been a constant factor in the vastness of time and
space. “More on Time (or Moron Time)”
Dennis sheds light on how time creates its own elusive dreams about promises of
a better future. His last poem, “Strange
Worlds” ponders upon the perpetual motion of the spirits with no place to
call their home.
MIKE
RIPLEY read his story entitled “Avoid the Night.”
It
narrates a mayfly’s flight to the west to avoid nightfall. As nightfall
approaches, the mayfly finds beauty of life in the arms of a rose flower. Its
end of life metaphor conveyed beautifully that is hard to find in today’s
literature.
Amy
Brailey continued with Chapter 15 of her book Joe Everett and the Hall of History. Marching towards Fort Duquesne, Jon notices Lieutenant Colonel Gage is looking for someone. When two spies return and
Gage continues to search, Jon realizes someone has not returned.
Pam Maud read from
Chapter 1, Part 2 of her book-in-progress
entitled God’s Fingernail. Linda
puts the final touches on the preparation for the family’s last camping trip of
the season. In the process, Linda empties a cash box and gives it to her friend
without noticing the content of the cash box, which she figures her husband
Dale will sort it out at a later date. After the friend leaves, Linda awaits
for Dale’s return hoping he arrives early for the trip.
Gail
Galvan before reading her two poems “Fiercely at Play” (Dedicated to Max Ehrmann) and “Afternoon Near the
Tippecanoe,” She introduced
attendees to the writings of Max Ehrmann, American writer, poet, and
attorney from Terre Haute, Indiana. He is widely known for his 1927 prose poem
“Desiderata” (Latin: “things desired”).
In the first poem “Fiercely at
Play,” Gail describes how Max
Ehrmann’s poem inspired her to heed the simple remembrance of nature’s rewards
and heartfelt deeds while taking blissful strides through pathways of her own
life. In the second poem “Afternoon
Near the Tippecanoe,” the she describes
her gratefulness to “all creative life
jackets thrown at her during her poetic travels both on land and when tried to
walk on creative waters.”
The meeting was
adjourned at approximately 7:30 P.M.
Respectfully
submitted by:
Hardarshan
Valia, Jan. 20, 2020
