A spring getaway to the Ozarks—eleven years running

                                             Tree still in winter dress this early spring

Last week, in Eureka Springs, a gathering of poets from surrounding states and Arkansas closed out another Lucidity Poetry Retreat held at the Inn of the Ozarks Convention Center. The final meeting was the Awards Banquet ON Thursday evening. In previous years, many of us prolonged our goodbyes at a local cantina, but as far as I know, the practice is kaput.

Poets from as far away as California and New Mexico and as close as Missouri, Texas, Tennessee, Illinois, and Oklahoma traveled this spring not only to renew inspiration and gain new techniques for writing, but also to savor the ambience and fellowship of like-minded folk, as well as that of the unique resort town. New friends will become old friends and old friends will be like family.

From Sunday afternoon until Saturday morning, I lived in 505, the annex at the Writers Colony at Dairy Hollow. That way, I had a full day and a half to work on my own writing before Lucidity consumed the next two days. Friday was my time again as well as Saturday morning. I decided to leave earlier than noon and arrived back home mid-afternoon. By Monday morning, we’d had to remove all furniture from the living room for a ceiling re-do.

Other Arkansans who attended Lucidity were Pat D., Norfork; Fay G., Jonesboro; Erin J., Springdale; Kate L., Fayetteville; John M., Searcy; Pat O., Cherokee Village; and Charles S., Viola.

The poem I come back to for National Poetry Month was written by Faye Boyette Wise, a Saline Countian who says her only claim to fame is being born on the fourth of July. She is too, too modest. Mrs. Wise is to Benton what Kitty Yeager is to Arkadelphia: the unofficial ‘poet laureate’ of the city.

APRIL COUPLETS
--from Faye’s book, BLESSED CONNECTIONS. 

Walking my boundaries is daily delight
With marvels of morning blessing my sight.
Sky in the east is a rosy-mauve hue. 
Johnny Jump Ups tint meadow floor blue.
Lavender petals of apricot blooms
Are silky string-art from angelic looms
Hear the brook babble where small foxes drink
The sing-along-song of a bobolink.
Spider webs woven by spinners of night
Leave shimmery veils to sparkle in light
A breeze lifts my hair and tickles my face
And I laugh aloud for love of this place.
Earth is so lovely it’s simple to see
How much more beautiful heaven must be.
Sudden rain showers surprise April’s calm. 
I catch clear droplets like pearls in my palm.
When God walks his boundaries, world neighborhood
Hope He laughs aloud and still calls it good.

Here is one of mine:

PETIT JEAN IN APRIL (Cameo pattern)
Slender
sapling on mountain
path stretches skyward; at its feet
three pale blue
Phoenix violets rise above
winter’s leafy, brushwoodsy
blanket.

Hasn’t this been a wintry April? Brr! Brr!

             The newest building at the Writers Colony at Dairy Hollow, Eureka Springs

c 2018, PL dba lovepat press, Benton AR USA

Cinquains from the Ozarks

 

October 29^th

Views from
two windows show
different hues of dogwood
even though they are planted side
by side.
~~~~~

A friend
wondered why—with
my large, attick-ed home place—
I chose to go to the mountains
to write. 

And yet
she, too, escapes
 to a second dwelling
away from cats and colts and her
neighbors.
~~~~

No squirrels,
 no crows—only
 the intrusive droning
of the nearby park cleaner’s leaf
blower.
~~~~

October 31^st:

After
yesterday’s rain
the flamboyant dogwood-
reds, the fiery hickories lost their
colors.
~~~~

Even writers have fun on Halloween

Writers Colony at Dairy Hollow, Eureka Springs Arkansas. L. to R. Pat L. and Dorothy J., central  Arkansas; Talya B., Dallas and Fayetteville; Tom S., New Hampshire. The photographer was another resident, Joan B. from Ontario.

Cinquains for autumn

Autumn
weekend: Ozarks'
cold snap means bundling up
for outside activities--like
writing.
~~~~
Under-
story maple--
mostly green with yellow--
will soon add its oranges to
autumn.
~~~~
Shutting
out the Ozarks'
brightness--for shame!-- its glare
on my computer distracts from
writing.
~~~~
The first
biker I've heard
during this writing stint--
It's the weekend, so it won't be
the last.
~~~~
I joined
Facebook after
saying I never would.
Does peer pressure exist among
writers?
~~~~

c 2012 by Pat Laster dba lovepat press, Benton Arkansas

From the Writers Colony at Dairy Hollow (Arkansas)

Some of these poems have gushed up from wherever such things lie. And some have been formed from news articles or photos.

SEN-NEWS

"Christmas Eve"

a failed attempt
at suicide--the Madoffs
after the news broke
~~~

SEN-NEWS

"Later, perhaps"

We burn
our macramas,
those stifling body veils.
The flames resemble thin, frilly
neck scarves.
~~~

CINQUAIN

"In the Mountains"

Inside
in the Ozarks
during the autumn? What
a shame! But, geez! It's 28
degrees!
~~~

CINQUAIN

"Noise"

Last night
the fan sounded
like a bullfrog in pain.
I sprayed some Skin-So-Soft on it.
Voila!
~~~

SENRYU

"At the writers colony"

replica
of a Dairy Hollow cow
watching as I write
~~~

CINQUAIN

"Late October"

Brewing
second 4-cup
pot of flavored coffee
on this cold and rainy Ozark
morning.

c 2011 by Pat Laster dba lovepat press