Writer on the Run: Cabaret- 2009

Writer on the Run: Cabaret- 2009

Cabaret- 2009

(To the tune of Cabaret)

As I sit here the war has been going on 

For 8 years, what’re we to do?

I look to my grandmother’s generation.

More who survived.

For some guidance here

Others have grown fat, soft on the land of peace. 

To day we must fight, but what is right? 

Our war has gone longer than both before. 

And we are losing friends, quick to abandon us, what else can we choose? 

To no longer stand in their way?

We give the Taliban, what the Nazi always wanted-

Complete control over all we do and say?

When will it stop? 

What will make it stop?

Why can’t we live? 

Just to let live? 

Why must we make the choice? 

To live life to the fullest? 

And live as Elsie? or lie down to see another day? 

Life is Cabaret ol’ chum,

Come to the cabaret. 

Fear

A mourning veil of grey mist shrouds the lake.

Blowing in the winds icy breath.

Not this wind’s blue tongue that causes the frail body to shiver, and gooseflesh to appear on sallow skin.

Nor the flickering light of the lantern,

That casts light on the great gnarled fingers of the forest bones, white against the night sky.

His hands, cracked and fingernails, broken and bleeding carry.

Cold nails of forest ancients, picking at the cloak on his back, unhappy with this deadly pursuit.

“Go back,” they whisper.

“Hurry, run for your life, Go Back!”  

Wise field mice take heed the warning and run blindly into the night, over rotting boots.

Wet leaves mix with sweaty, wool socks that slip in the forest tomb.

A branch breaks, somewhere near.

Wary eyes open wide, and strain in the darkness, seeing nothing.

A rustle of leaves under a bush and his breath rattles in the lungs.

Entering and leaving all too quickly- for fear of his being the last.

Lantern swings wildly and catches a glimmer,

Yellow eyes pierce the soul.

“Who goes there?”  seeps from chapped lips.

Whooo, Whooo. echos the grey owl perched on a mouse, under the bush.

Breath returns to a relieved body, his mind laughing with madness.

So silly to be scared of nothing.

All Hallows Eve

Welcome my witches and warlocks, tonight we celebrate the eve of the Dead.

Some words of caution the dark night.

The vail between the worlds is lifted and they walk amongst us.

Lost loved ones return, and we all dance together. 

Oh what a wonderful treat this is. 

But beware of the ones who sneak behind the good. They are malicious and evil. 

These ghouls are to be avoided at all costs, lest they drag you to the land of the dead this auspicious night.

Keep those you love near with a picture so dear, and offer them food from your table.

Take heed the warnings, and keep the firelight burning.

A candle for those you love and one in an empty gourd to frighten evil away. 

Sweets for all who ask this night, and tricks for any who cause a fright.

Take warning if a broom may fall, company is comming for one and all.

Pour salt on your doorstep, to seal in the good.

Prevent the ghosts of evil from scratching at your head.

Wear cloth of foreign make to distract all who take,

the living from life, and cut the orange gourd deeply,

to make a horrific sight.

Take heed all of these and laugh and dance,

For now you live amounst the dead, that cannot touch your life.

Happy Halloween, my ghosts and goblins.

I have attached this site for your amusement, a little treat from me to you.

http://www.wtfcostumes.com/

Surviving the Holidays- Happy Thanksgiving!

I would like to wish all of you, a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada. It is with the changing of the seasons that brings pause and reflection. How are we doing in our lives? 

What are we doing with our lives? Are we successful? Are we healthy? Are we happy or in love?

This coming together of families and friends, can also add extra stress, that is not always able to be avoided. Never fear, you can survive the holidays. By taking a step back from situations. 

Keeping in touch with emotions and stressful thoughts that occur by journaling or talking to a sympathetic ear.

This will help in putting these thoughts and emotions in perspective. 

Some of you may know this already, but I have struggled with an eating disorder for over 16 years, and have been in recovery for just over 1 year 

now. So I can understand that holidays for many can be stressful. I would like to share some tips, that mirror- mirror.org( an eating disorder support website) has posted to help survive the holidays.

I think they bode well for everyone.

Make a list of things you can do to help relax and distract yourself from the feelings of fullness after a big meal. e.g. go for a walk, take a bath, read, visit a friend, go for a drive, etc.

• Have the phone numbers of friends and crisis lines available to you.
• If you have to be at a function with certain people who make you uncomfortable, plan ways to excuse yourself from their immediate presence.
• Try not to count calories and try to avoid the scale.
• It is only normal to eat more during the holidays. Most people do and it really is okay.
• Prepare responses to make to people who may say something to you that would make you uncomfortable.
• If you feel you need to, set some boundaries for yourself by telling people ahead of time that you do not want anyone to comment on your appearance or your eating.
• Be sure to plan some time for yourself to do something that you enjoy. It is very important to take special care of yourself during the holidays

.http://www.mirror-mirror.org/holiday.htm

Another tip I always find useful is to have an advocate with you. Could be a parent or sibling or spouse. Someone who you can talk to if you are feeling overwhelmed and come up with an action plan. My favorite is a secret signal, that I use with them, to change the topic. 

Also works when Uncle Harry goes on about fishing too long.

It is one day, the day will pass like all the others. Be mindful of comparing your life to others when catching up with the family. There are many ways to define success, and you are no better or worse than anyone at that table. We each live our own lives that contain good times and bad, happiness and sorrow. 

Please be kind to yourselves over the holidays and let us all give thanks for the blessings in our lives.

Writing in the middle of the night.

   I sit at night in front of the computer, from 10 at night to 4:30 in the morning as I try to tap into the stream of unconscious around me. The river of dreams that surround me, yet rush by untouched. I guess it is my attempt to reach in and drink from that creative life giving water. I feel there is a stillness during this time. 

Even if I am out at a club with friends I find this peace within the constant beat of the DJs set, and a whisper of melody can send me to that place of dreams. 

   I was always “connected” you could say. As a child in Grades 1 to 4 I was often caught daydreaming in class. This attachment to the dream world has remained strong for me. Now as a writer there is a catharsis for me and a wonderful sensation making dreams physical. Giving birth in the quite hours of the morning. No planing, simply tapping in and letting the river flow from dream to written word.

   The idea of storytelling appeals to me for a couple of reasons. One of the most interesting is how we being humankind are the only species on the planet that use various methods of storytelling whether written or drawn or told through song and dance or spoken word to describe past and future events. However for me the stories of  fictitious events and how they evolved from explaining the unknown to us to entertainment is what really fascinates me.

   It is who we are, where we come from and where we are going. The medium changes but the objective does not. From campfires and cave walls to movies and podcasts the stories we tell connect us in a way that to me is perhaps the original magic of the old world. 

   My favorite activity as a writer I think has got to be free writing. Where you simply write for 5 or 10 minutes nonstop. No editing, no stopping. It is a great way to work through writers block, or learn something new about a character, or my favorite is finding a new story. I tend to have a few projects that were developed from free writing exercises.

  I think for myself that writing poetry or in prose is the hardest challenge for me. I sometimes am able to write poems but I am far more comfortable writing stories or screenplays. I think even plays would be easier than poetry. I admire people who have a talent for it. To capture a picture with a select set of words in a certain order. I find my voice tends to be more action and character driven. I don’t think I have the vocabulary required to be a really good poetry writer. Maybe though one of these nights I will find the words.