April 2022 RCLAS Ezine Wordplay at Work, Issue 90

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Bridging the Gap RCLAS Co-operative Poem, National Poetry Month, April 2022 © 2022 by the poets Compiled by Janet Kvammen The crow and bridge, a surreal ferris wheel inside a rainbow dream, feathers brushing steel.

Candice James

To a bird, a bridge is a place to alight, merely a perch for a creature that soars in flight.

Kathy Figueroa

The crow flirts with steel and rivers of sky, weaving her filigreed path over the span.

Jude Neale

Raven struts along a streetlamp’s bowing neck, while below, cars echo off asphalt, steel, an always murky river.

Angela Rebrec

My father’s fishing rod waits, loose in his hands, oblivious to traffic and crows overhead.

Tamara Gorin

Serenity’s past, weighted with oppression, soars on blacken'd wing Secrets reveal'd for healing, compassionate voices blending sing.

Jerena Tobiasen

Curious crows and ravens angle their heads to better catch the bridge's wind-strummed music.

KB Nelson

Crow, a bridge between human and wild geographies may we caw our stories through urban biographies.

Celeste Snowber

Bridges are always a relief after contrary tides.

Crows mock the barbed wire fences between us.

Angela Kenyon

Draw that bowstring, put your back into it, aim— the mind of a crow can fly only so far.

Alan Girling

Humans create boundaries, build bridges and fences.

Yet, the ancient spirits of this land still fly, liberated.

Glenn Wootton

Crow watches, looking into forever; vision bridges the distance between mortal and Great Spirit; eternal guardians of humanity.

Deborah L. Kelly

Skeletal corvid wings; the pectoral girdle bones that grant the gift of flight, a bridge between sky & earth.

Warren Dean Fulton

On the bridge, the raven reads its inscription, Disregards it; he is wise and above proscription.

Isabella Mori

Hate is a fence keeping us nowhere Love is a bridge to somewhere.

Stephen Karr

You break things down, we build them up; Your cup half empty, we fill it up.

H.W. Bryce

A crow perches, watching the river flow It's plaintive cry reminds me you are gone.

W. Ruth Kozak

Remember this, a bridge is nothing until softened by feathers and bird song.

Carol Johnson

Bridges curving to tomorrow from today A crow flies, singing on its way.

Julia Schoennagel

Bridge ribs, interim wings, shift mass in energy lines to the banks unfolding forever weight of this land.

Jessica Lee McMillan

This bridge, humpbacked antique, calcified stitch between communities will be built again; a concrete, iron, suture of possibility.

Alan Hill

Corvid sentinel —this stoic messenger bridging the gap between past and future, we forge ahead into a new world.

Janet Kvammen

22 contributing poets in order of appearance: Candice James | Kathy Figueroa| Jude Neale | Angela Rebrec | Tamara Gorin | Jerena Tobiasen | KB Nelson | Celeste Snowber | Angela Kenyon | Alan Girling | Glenn Wootton | Deborah L. Kelly | Warren Dean Fulton | Isabella Mori | Stephen Karr | H.W. Bryce | W. Ruth Kozak | Carol Johnson | Julia Schoennagel |Jessica Lee McMillan | Alan Hill | Janet Kvammen | Acknowledgements Ekphrastic Writing Prompt: “Bridging the Gap” artography collage by Janet Kvammen

RCLAS Announcements RCLAS presents Tellers of Short Tales – Online Edition Feature Author Carleigh Baker Date: Thurs April 28, 2022 Time: 6:00 to 8:00pm Zoom room will open early for open mic sign up starting at 05:50 PM Pacific Time Let us know on the Facebook event page if you would like to attend.

OR you can RSVP by email to secretary@rclas.com

The evening will include an Open Mic for short stories. Space is limited.

FREE ONLINE ZOOM EVENT. Everyone Welcome.

CARLEIGH BAKER is an author and teacher of Cree-Métis and European descent. She lives on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Skwxwú7mesh, and səl̓ilwəta peoples. Her debut story collection, Bad Endings (Anvil Press, 2017), won the City of Vancouver Book Award, and was also a finalist for the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize, and the Emerging Indigenous Voices Award for fiction. She teaches creative writing at Simon Fraser University. Last Woman, a short story collection, and Mudlarkers, a novel, are forthcoming with McClelland & Stewart in 2023.

Website: https://carleighbaker.com/

Poetic Justice Online Edition with Host Carol Johnson Date: Sunday May 8, 2022 Time: 3:00 to 5:00 pm (Pacific) Featuring

Joseph A. Dandurand Carly Herriges Open Mic sign up starts at 2:50 pm Find more info on Poetic Justice Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/poeticjusticepnw To receive zoom link Contact Carol Johnson caroljohnson@rclas.com or email secretary@rclas.com

Feature Bios:

Joseph A. Dandurand is a member of Kwantlen First Nation located on the Fraser River about 20 minutes east of Vancouver. He resides there with his 3 children Danessa, Marlysse, and Jace. Joseph is the Director of the Kwantlen Cultural Center. Joseph received a Diploma in Performing Arts from Algonquin College and studied Theatre and Direction at the University of Ottawa. He has just completed his residency as the Storyteller in Residence at the Vancouver Public Library. He sits on a committee for the Canadian Museum of History and is tasked with consulting on the redesign of the new Children’s Museum. He has published 13 books of poetry and the latest are: I WANT by Leaf Press (2015) and HEAR AND FORETELL by BookLand Press (2015) The Rumour (2018) by BookLand Press in (2018) SH:LAM (the doctor) Mawenzi Press (2019) The Corrupted by Guernica Press (2020) his children’s play: Th’owixiya: the hungry Feast dish by Playwrights Press Canada (2019) his book of short stories and short plays for children: The Sasquatch, the fire, and the cedar basket will be published by Nightwood Press along with his poetry manuscript: Here we come (2020-21) He also is very busy Storytelling at many events and Schools.

Carly Herriges is a recent graduate of Falmouth University with a degree in journalism and creative writing.

She is a paraprofessional at an elementary school but writing is her dream. As well as poetry, Carly writes fiction and fantasy.

“Good Advice from Bad Women” by Silver Bow Publishing is her first published book and she is thrilled to share it with everyone.

Writing Workshop: RCLAS presents Villains That Work with facilitator Eileen Cook Date: Sunday May 15, 2022 Time: 1:00pm – 3:00pm Pacific Time Zoom room will open early at 12:50 PM Pacific Time Host Sarah Wethered Register by email to secretary@rclas.com Workshop Fee: RCLAS Members FREE Non-Members $15 Payment by PayPal https://rclas.com/workshops/ Registrants will be emailed the zoom link Description: Mustache twirling is so last year. Come and learn how to create three dimensional characters that push your protagonist and keep the readers turning pages. We’ll explore what makes someone a villain and how you can dial up the conflict in your book. Participants will leave with prompts and suggestions of how they can apply the ideas directly to their own manuscripts.

Bio: Eileen Cook is a multi-published, award winning author with her novels appearing in nine languages. Her books have been optioned for film and TV. She spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer. She’s an instructor/mentor with The Creative Academy and Simon Fraser University Writer’s Studio Program where she loves helping other writers find their unique story to tell.

Eileen lives in Vancouver with two very naughty dogs.

RCLAS presents In Their Words Online Edition with host Ruth Kozak Date: Thursday May 19, 2022 Time: 7:00pm Pacific Time Three Feature Presenters: Janene White presents Eric O'Grey American writer, “Walking with Peety: The Dog Who Saved My Life” Jude Neale presents Patrick Lane Canadian poet/novelist (1939–2019) “The Quiet in Me” published posthumously Lesley Hebert presents Ursula K. Le Guin American novelist, Sci-Fi, Speculative fiction (1929 – 2018) Zoom room opens at 06:50 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada).

To receive ZOOM link RSVP by email to secretary@rclas.com You can also connect with Ruth Kozak via Facebook.

RCLAS presents Tellers of Short Tales – Online Edition Feature Author Shashi Bhat Date: Thurs May 26, 2022 Time: 6:00 to 8:00pm Zoom room will open early for open mic sign up starting at 05:50 PM Pacific Time Let us know on the Facebook event page if you would like to attend.

OR you can RSVP by email to secretary@rclas.com

The evening will include an Open Mic for short stories. Space is limited.

FREE ONLINE ZOOM EVENT. Everyone Welcome.

Shashi Bhat is the author of two books, most recently The Most Precious Substance on Earth (McClelland & Stewart, Canada; Grand Central Publishing, US), and a forthcoming short story collection from McClelland & Stewart. She was a winner of the Journey Prize and has been shortlisted for a National Magazine Award and the RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers.

Shashi’s fiction has appeared in publications across North America, including Best Canadian Stories 2018, 2019, & 2021, Journey Prize Stories 24 & 30, and others. Her debut novel, The Family Took Shape (Cormorant, 2013), was a finalist for the Thomas Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award. Shashi is editor of EVENT and teaches creative writing at Douglas College.

Website: https://shashibhat.com/

Poetic Justice Online Edition with Host Carol Johnson Date: Sunday June 12, 2022 Time: 3:00 to 5:00 pm (Pacific) Featuring

Wendy Donawa Linda K. Thompson Open Mic sign up starts at 2:50 pm Find more info on Poetic Justice Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/poeticjusticepnw To receive zoom link Contact Carol Johnson caroljohnson@rclas.com or email secretary@rclas.com

Writing Workshop: RCLAS presents Taking Research on the Road with facilitator kc dyer Date: Saturday June 18, 2022 Time: 1:00pm – 2:30pm Pacific Time Zoom room will open early at 12:50 PM Pacific Time Host Sarah Wethered Register by email to secretary@rclas.com Workshop Fee: RCLAS Members FREE Non-Members $15 Payment by PayPal https://rclas.com/workshops/ Registrants will be emailed the zoom link Description: Ever considered traveling for research purposes? How do you even begin, anyway? Where do you go? What do you pack? And what happens when there is a pandemic? Join bestselling author kc dyer as she unpacks her best tips and tricks for hitting the road when there's research to be done.

Bio: kc dyer loves travel and has literally flown around the world in search of fantastic stories. When she’s not on the road, she resides in the wilds of British Columbia, where she likes to walk her dogs in the woods and write books.

Her most recent novel, AN ACCIDENTAL ODYSSEY continues the ExLibris adventure series that began with EIGHTY DAYS TO ELSEWHERE. When an unexpected phone call derails a young woman’s wedding plans, it sparks an epic adventure around the magical, modern-day Mediterranean

We Came From Water RCLAS Co-operative Poem, National Poetry Month April 2020 © 2020 by the poets Compiled by Janet Kvammen The sun shines at the river's mouth And the Spring wind softly stirs on the bank.

W. Ruth Kozak

Water when a source of reflection uncovers what's lying underneath.

Aidan Chafe

Upon the river's glassy face patches of cloud soft as lace.

Hope Lauterbach

On life’s parchment paper of sorrow, joy and pain We are ink stained pages falling through the rain.

Candice James

Internal living waters of the heart, express mortal pain as rivers; healing tears falling from our eyes.

Deborah L. Kelly

sky in the river, river in the sky long bridge to forever where souls can fly.

Julia Schoennagel

They said the river couldn't be spanned But they weren't dreamers, so didn't understand.

Kathy Figueroa

The river is deep—so, too, are the philosopher’s ‘thinks’— Fed when angels weep; the sparkles are the angels’ winks.

H.W. Bryce

There’s nothing we can’t learn by taking time to see, how water paints her face with sky, land and trees.

Carol Johnson

In the year Twenty-Twenty the River silently winds along.

Amid lives mingled feelings the stream of consciousness, prevail upon.

Una Bruhns

Fraser river radiates with brilliance, infusing into my empty heart, A million rays of light, I become water and shine.

Ashok Bhargava

Sinuous clouds in a river bluer than sky break into foreground brushstrokes.

K.B. Nelson

The sky reflects on the water clear as a wind chime in summer.

Stephen Karr

The river flows, the river flows From the mountain down to the sea it goes.

George Chris Michas

Nothing is painted on river skin but sky, mirror sliding, hiding secrets underneath.

Ruth Hill

stretched from bank to bank separated yet connected history flows beneath fluid ghosts.

Warren Dean Fulton

Old man river, "Mighty Fraser" is his name Opens his arms for the salmon to come home.

Jenny Ihaksi

Where the river enters the larger body, we drift seaward to warm and rise and be translated into light.

Angela Kenyon

The Mighty Fraser River is becoming clearer, cleaner & healing.

Stand here, listen to it sing a ‘thank you’ song.

Lozan Yamolky

Mirror still surface hides the roiling, merging river and sea Humans and technology live beside this timeless traveller.

Glenn Wootton

The mighty Fraser River flows New Westminster love shows.

Angel Edwards

when the river is a picture window to the sky I sit back, my world turned over, carried off, commended.

Alan Girling

An azure sky reflects on river as muse, infinitely yours, we return, home to the water from which we came.

Janet Kvammen

Still part fish, I crawled from the river. Skin raw, still burnt from the big bang, my phone in hand.

Alan Hill

Contributing poets in order of appearance: W. Ruth Kozak | Aidan Chafe | Hope Lauterbach | Candice James | Deborah L. Kelly | Julia Schoennagel | Kathy Figueroa | H.W. Bryce | Carol Johnson | Una Bruhns | Ashok Bhargava | K.B. Nelson | Stephen Karr | George Chris Michas | Ruth Hill | Warren Dean Fulton | Jenny Ihaksi | Angela Kenyon | Lozan Yamolky | Glenn Wootton | Angel Edwards | Alan Girling | Janet Kvammen | Alan Hill | Acknowledgements Ekphrastic Writing Prompt: “river as muse” artography by Janet Kvammen Poem Title: Thanks to Alan Hill, title inspired by his book We Came From Water (Silver Bow Publishing)