Before and during a writers' retreat in Piggott AR

After a respite of fourteen months during which I miss three such meetings, I finally get back to the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum Educational Center's June 2012 writers' retreat. A new mentor, Dr. Rick Lott, from ASU, was recommended by Dr. Rob Lamm, a previous mentor, who is teaching in China. Dr. Lott was a great choice. Here are cinquains written the first few days of June, then some written after arriving at the Downtown Inn on Sunday evening, June 3.

IN HOUSTON
Waiter's
auto totaled
in flood. He found a tip
of five grand from his regular
patrons.
~~~

THE LAST STRAW
She knew
when she empied
a bully's watergun
in his surprised face, "it's time to
retire."
~~~

MORNING'S COOLNESS
Despite
a short window
before an afternoon
activity, I sit out and
just "be."
~~~

NO MORE EMERGENCY LAW
Drinking
water from a
traditional clay jar,
the Egyptian man celebrates
freedom.
~~~

THE NEXT MORNING
Peeking
out from between
the slats of the white blinds,
one could not tell that it rained hard
last night.
~~~

GHOST BAKER
Beyond
my bedroom wall
the luscious aroma
of brownies baking at midnight--
 no dream.
~~~

TWO DAYS INTO THE RETREAT
Too tired
to write or read
yet I toss and turn all
evening. At midnight, I arise
and work.