January 2017 RCLAS Ezine Wordplay at Work, Issue 41

RCLAS WRITER OF THE MONTH

Hélène Levasseur

Hélène Levasseur once an Elementary School Teacher in Ontario became a Trade and Consumer Show Sales and Marketing Specialist doing exhibitions at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre and the B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver.

In 1989 Helene experienced a tragedy while golfing which disabled her, causing her to experience trauma for 27 years. Through rehabilitation, she now enters 2017 hoping to experience triumph.

Hélène however in her time of seclusion recorded a cd in 1999 entitled “Catch the Fever” and founded the Holy Wow Poets in 2009. Recitals occur at 7:00 pm on the 1st Tuesday of every month at the Act Theatre in Maple Ridge. Her poetry club is alive and well and still in fruition.

Unable to return to work she remained active composing music, and keeping a poetic journal.

She became a lyricist and a quirky rhyming poetic story telling queen.

For decades Hélène kept a journal with an el grandeur rhyming technique. In 2017 she will be launching her “Marie Noëlle’s Medley” poetry book that she has prepared for family and friends and now you dear poets…

She also created the Holy Wow Poets Anthology in 2013 and has been published in the Festival of Lights yearly poetry booklets and the Royal City Poets Anthology (Silver Bow Publishing). Hélène was an Award Winner in the Maple Ridge Earth Day Poetry Contest. She participated in past Honouring our Vets anthologies and others.

Hélène is called “Cheers and Chuckles” as this how she is. She is delighted to share her love for her Creator and thanks Him for His Healings galore and all her family and friends and acquaintances that have spruced her up as she recovered and rehabilitated for over a quarter of a century! It’s been a long haul.

Many thanks indeed to all of you who help Hélène Levasseur to move forth with vim and vigour in the years to come.

Helene wishes all “A Happy New Year Everyone!”

Not Bad for a T.B.I. (Traumatically Brain Injured)

by Hélène Levasseur

Twenty seven years have gone like bye-byes Having left me with a few following my demise But without so many wailing cries I venture out with vim that thus fortifies Was labelled severely brain injured My intelligence somewhat hampered Focus & concentration was tampered Leaving traces of being brain severed Many semesters were in my recovery The first one was headlined “A Tragedy” “Trauma” was the second and very weary Lo and behold “Triumph” has come finally In this third decade I almost felt forbidden The doctors did say I would remain hidden Everything I learned was very heavy laden What can I say when I was so crestfallen After many years I’m only now re-integrating Time is here to come out of any rehabilitating And slowly enter the world when dismantling Engrained fears obtained by simply doing nothing At the Act Theatre I get rid of any kind of ill-will Delving into becoming public moving forth uphill I could leave a message that shrills people’s thrill The audience watches one with this outstanding pill Well of course the Pill is “Poetry!”

Poetry makes me want to believe that it’s easy to live Surviving a Brain Injury and two Cancers so progressive I, Hélène Levasseur, is without a doubt no captive In remission I am forgiving as I choose to be somewhat active The Holy Wow Poets in Maple Ridge of which I am the Founder Organizing it for several years has been quite an adventure Some self-published some not paint a fine delightful literary picture Of neatly performing recitals at Poetry Clubs with lots of vigour

A visit to Poetry Bashes at Performance Works on Granville Market Gave me a will to free poets as they bring forth their ingenious wit Whether in outstanding prose & rhyme poetry so devoutly fit For odd audiences showing the Lower Mainland’s Grand Spirit Once Teacher, Secretary and Trade & Consumer Show Manager Enabled me to go through what was destroyed only to encounter New skills, talents and treasures encompassing that of a “Rhymester” Seeing & Saying the sky’s never the limit for one who is a “Star Gazer” Things will surely pass as a Tragedy is proven to be only momentary In a coma for three weeks one becomes they say “Quite Contrary” “Out of Balance” our “Equilibrium remains deranged or fragmentary” It’s not our fault as everything we say is purposely involuntary 2017 is now here and it is my Year to have a “Benevolent Career” Doing Poetry Shows at the Act Theatre with “Hoopla and Cheer” Inviting the Fraser Valley folks to embark on as a “Volunteer” Published or not poets joining to simply becoming a “Pioneer” Holy Wow Poets invite you! So on your mark. Get set and Go! Read “Poetry for Dummies” and compose a poem so profoundo Show us that there is nothing that you cannot undergo Become a renown poet in our midst producing el Manifesto I, Hélène Levasseur, think that I’m onto “Something of Glory” A miracle from a production re “An International Documentary” From “Mental Damage to Homage” so we can make this honourary Realizing that we were all meant for quite a “Coup of Publicity!”

I’ve been waiting for “God’s pious Hooting and Cheering!”

For those who are experiencing “Suffering and Lamenting” Time has come to embark a few of us who are still self-denying But deeply yearning “Poetic Potential” though still hibernating Why not embark on the greatest “Prolific Adventure” Where a documentary endears a quest for any “Survivor” Taking people out of their “Shell and Burrowing Shelter” And immersing them into a “Poetry World of Wonder” What shall we name those survivors so magnified The new chapters in their lives are certainly gratified Performing we all become “Seasoned and Quite Dignified” It appears that we’re onto something “Grandly Sanctified” We’re Holy Wow Poets as we say with quite a wide smile Discussing matters over a cup of tea of tasty Chamomile Finally we’re coming out of having been in a “Long Exile” My goodness we’re here taking “A Quantum Leap Mile”

Folks do you think we have found in our midst a “Goldmine” The “Documented Holy Route” will seem like “A Serpentine Not to worry let’s just ponder drinking some “Port Wine” “No Monkeyshine!” Let’s all stand tall like “Lordly Pine!”

Reciting at the Royal City Literary Arts Society is always a pleasure What an honour being a “Special Holy Wow Poet Feature” Invited by the Poets who bring me forth as a new figure For the enjoyment of unknowns without pressure Perhaps I also called Marie Noelle Hélène will leave a “Fragrance” Choosing a “Bitter-Sweet-Bright-Biographic Nature” Elegance” Beginning a “Friendship Club” bringing some “Reconnaissance” To souls for their “Sweetheart Stage Personal Performance” I’ve reached this “Beginning Moment” in my poetry composing But am somewhat left with a yearning for more exposing Did you know that I believe that I was meant for “Entertaining?”

It’s been a part of me since I was just “A Teen simply Flirting” Oh Dear I must realize that the time has come for “Fruition” In “Baby Stages” of “Studying Poetry” we need much “Affection” “A Rhymester” shows up and the audience never “Falls into Oblivion” But must be careful of not scaring them through my “Poetic Passion” Whilst reciting a number came to my mind and I was “Smitten” Ten minutes has gone by now and I certainly don’t want to be a Burden Remember what the doctors had said I now prove them “Ill-Gotten” “Alive and Well Full of Fun and Laughter – “I’m out of “Kindergarten” So on that note let me inform you that I am full of “Excitement” Every day that goes by I will remember this grateful “Achievement” The Holy Wow Poets helps people reach an “Era of Encouragement” So I leave you today with some poetry that is “Not of Bereavement” I promise to study poetry and rehearse all of it “Godspeed!”

One of my favourite poems is our lovely “Apostle’s Creed” I promise to write wholeheartedly without any doubt or greed Never forgetting the listeners while I wear some “Fancy Tweed” I’m not into pleasing “Affluent People” but all who have an ear It certainly appears that the time has come for me to reappear Thank you for being “My Applauders” like I was “Shakespeare” I leave you now and embark on my “Study of Edward Lear!”

The Malevolent Snowman © Bryan Cousineau

The snowman grinned malevolently as the mailman turned the corner and approached the front gate of his house on Elm Street. He hated this postman, he hated Canada Post, he hated the mail this jerk brought every day. He always told himself he didn’t have much of a life, standing there, frozen and immobile on the front lawn. But at least he wasn’t a postman, thank goodness.

And this postman was a real pain in his icy butt. Every morning, punctually at 9:15, he would show up in his blue, standard issue Canada Post uniform. He somehow seemed to think that he was charming and witty, but every morning it was the same old line, the same old crap. “Good morning frosty Frosty” he would laugh, then head up the three steps to the house, to shove the day’s deliveries through the letter slot. When he came back, it was always “Have a nice day, Frosty. Try not to melt away”. And then he’d leave, laughing to himself while Frosty bridled at the tired, lame jokes.

Well, today it was going to be different. Today good old Frosty would get his revenge.

Behind him was the pile of snowballs he’d worked diligently all night to make. They were round, firm, fully packed, and ready for action. His coal eyes gleamed, and his button nose twitched. “I love the smell of snowballs in the morning”, he thought to himself, “they smell like a good whack on the back of the head”.

But today something was dreadfully wrong. The mailman wasn’t alone this morning; he was pushing something new in front of him. Frosty instantly recognized it as a brand new, bright red, Toro 375 snow blower. The very sight of it made Frosty’s ice veins run even colder. The mailman opened the gate, shoving the machine up the walkway like an assault weapon.

“Oh no”, thought Frosty. “Oh please don’t start”, he prayed. “Please have a breakdown”.

But it did start. It had been purchased just yesterday from Sears, and it was equipped with electronic ignition. The blower roared to life, the mailman smirking back.

Biting on his corncob pipe, Frosty was frozen in his tracks.

“I read your mail, Frosty” the mailman cruelly laughed. “That book you ordered? Snowballs For Dummies?! Hah! Nice try, frosty Frosty”.

He then aimed the machine’s snow-disposal chute at Frosty, who experienced the cold sensation of being covered by members of his own family as he was buried alive.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- copyright Bryan Cousineau

WORDPLAY AT WORK FEEDBACK & E-ZINE SUBMISSIONS

Janet Kvammen, RCLAS Vice-President/E-zine janetkvammen@rclas.com Antonia Levi secretary@rclas.com

RCLAS Members Open Call for Submissions

Call for HAIKU February 2017 Special Feature Issue 42 DEADLINE January 22, 2017 Ongoing Submissions for upcoming “New Westminster” Special Feature Poetry, Short Stories, Book excerpts, articles & lyrics are all welcome for submission to future issues of Wordplay at work.

Submit Word documents (Please include your name on document title) to janetkvammen@rclas.com

Janet Kvammen Photography

Thank you to our Sponsors & Venues 

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Arts Council of New Westminster

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New Westminster Public Library

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Judy Darcy, MLA

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Boston Pizza, Columbia Square

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The Heritage Grill

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Renaissance Books

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Buy-Low Foods

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Centennial Community Centre

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January 2017 Wordplay at work ISSN 2291- 4269 Contact: janetkvammen@rclas.com RCLAS Vice-President/ E-zine