Celebrating the Two-Year Anniversary of Our Live Virtual Group Sessions! 6PM EDT March 30th 2022

Thank you for joining us for this session and celebrating the two-year anniversary of our Virtual Group Sessions!

For this session we read an excerpt from Gate A-4ย by Naomi Shihab Nye, posted below.ย 

Our prompt was: “Write about something that can still happen.”

More details will be posted on this session, so check back again!

Participants are warmly encouraged to share what you wrote below (โ€œLeave a Replyโ€), to keep the conversation going here, bearing in mind that the blog of course is a public space where confidentiality is not assured.

Also, we would love to learn more about your experience of these sessions, so if youโ€™re able, please take the time to fill out a follow-up survey of one to two quick questions!

Please join us for our next session Monday April 4th at 6pm EDT,  with more times listed on our Live Virtual Group Sessions page.


Gate A-4ย by,ย Naomi Shihab Nye

Wandering around the Albuquerque Airport Terminal, after learning
my flight had been delayed four hours, I heard an announcement:
"If anyone in the vicinity of Gate A-4 understands any Arabic, please
come to the gate immediately."

Wellโ€”one pauses these days. Gate A-4 was my own gate. I went there.

An older woman in full traditional Palestinian embroidered dress, just
like my grandma wore, was crumpled to the floor, wailing. "Help,"
said the flight agent. "Talk to her. What is her problem? We
told her the flight was going to be late and she did this."

I stooped to put my arm around the woman and spoke haltingly.
"Shu-dow-a, Shu-bid-uck Habibti? Stani schway, Min fadlick, Shu-bit-
se-wee?" The minute she heard any words she knew, however poorly
used, she stopped crying. She thought the flight had been cancelled
entirely. She needed to be in El Paso for major medical treatment the
next day. I said, "No, we're fine, you'll get there, just later, who is
picking you up? Let's call him."

We called her son, I spoke with him in English. I told him I would
stay with his mother till we got on the plane and ride next to
her. She talked to him. Then we called her other sons just
for the fun of it. Then we called my dad and he and she spoke for a while
in Arabic and found out of course they had ten shared friends. Then I
thought just for the heck of it why not call some Palestinian poets I know
and let them chat with her? This all took up two hours.

She was laughing a lot by then. Telling of her life, patting my knee,
answering questions. She had pulled a sack of homemade mamool
cookiesโ€”little powdered sugar crumbly mounds stuffed with dates and
nutsโ€”from her bagโ€”and was offering them to all the women at the gate.
To my amazement, not a single woman declined one. It was like a
sacrament. The traveler from Argentina, the mom from California, the
lovely woman from Laredoโ€”we were all covered with the same powdered
sugar. And smiling. There is no better cookie.

And then the airline broke out free apple juice from huge coolers and two
little girls from our flight ran around serving it and they
were covered with powdered sugar, too. And I noticed my new best friendโ€”
by now we were holding handsโ€”had a potted plant poking out of her bag,
some medicinal thing, with green furry leaves. Such an old country tradi-
tion. Always carry a plant. Always stay rooted to somewhere.

And I looked around that gate of late and weary ones and I thought, This
is the world I want to live in. The shared world. Not a single person in that
gateโ€”once the crying of confusion stoppedโ€”seemed apprehensive about
any other person. They took the cookies. I wanted to hug all those other women, too.

This can still happen anywhere. Not everything is lost.

Naomi Shihab Nye, “Gate A-4” from Honeybee. Copyright ยฉ 2008 by Naomi Shihab Nye


Live Virtual Group Session: 6PM EDT March 28th 2022

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this session!

For this session we took a close look at the painting Untitled 2009, by Kerry James Marshall, posted below.

Our prompt was: “Write about something unfinished”

More details will be posted on this session, so check back again!

Participants are warmly encouraged to share what you wrote below (โ€œLeave a Replyโ€), to keep the conversation going here, bearing in mind that the blog of course is a public space where confidentiality is not assured.

Also, we would love to learn more about your experience of these sessions, so if youโ€™re able, please take the time to fill out a follow-up survey of one to two quick questions!

Please join us for our next session Wednesday March 30th 6pm EDT,  with more times listed on our Live Virtual Group Sessions page.


Untitled 2009 by, Kerry James Marshall

Credit: Kerry James Marshall/Jack Shainman Gallery


ฮ–ฯ‰ฮฝฯ„ฮฑฮฝฮฎ ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮตฮดฯฮฏฮฑ ฮฑฯ†ฮทฮณฮทฮผฮฑฯ„ฮนฮบฮฎฯ‚ ฮนฮฑฯ„ฯฮนฮบฮฎฯ‚: ฮšฯ…ฯฮนฮฑฮบฮฎ 27 ฮœฮฑฯฯ„ฮฏฮฟฯ…, 7:30 ฮผ.ฮผ. ฮ•ฮ•ฮค

ฮฃฮฑฯ‚ ฮตฯ…ฯ‡ฮฑฯฮนฯƒฯ„ฮฟฯฮผฮต ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฯƒฯ…ฮผฮผฮตฯ„ฮตฮฏฯ‡ฮฑฯ„ฮต ฯƒฮต ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮฎฮฝ ฯ„ฮท ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮตฮดฯฮฏฮฑ.

ฮบฮตฮฏฮผฮตฮฝฮฟ: ฮ— ฮฑฯ…ฮปฮฎ ฯ„ฯ‰ฮฝ ฮธฮฑฯ…ฮผฮฌฯ„ฯ‰ฮฝ (ฮ™ฮฌฮบฯ‰ฮฒฮฟฯ‚ ฮšฮฑฮผฯ€ฮฑฮฝฮญฮปฮปฮทฯ‚)

ฮธฮญฮผฮฑ: ฮ“ฯฮฌฯˆฯ„ฮต ฮณฮนฮฑ ฯ„ฮท ฯ†ฮฟฯฮฌ ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฮดฮตฮฝ ฮบฮฑฯ„ฮฑฮฝฮฟฮฎฯƒฮฑฯ„ฮต/ฮดฮตฮฝ ฮณฮฏฮฝฮฑฯ„ฮต ฮบฮฑฯ„ฮฑฮฝฮฟฮทฯ„ฮฟฮฏ ฮฑฯ€ฯŒ ฮบฮฌฯ€ฮฟฮนฮฟฮฝ.

ฮฃฯฮฝฯ„ฮฟฮผฮฑ ฮธฮฑ ฮผฮฟฮนฯฮฑฯƒฯ„ฮฟฯฮผฮต ฯ€ฮตฯฮนฯƒฯƒฯŒฯ„ฮตฯฮตฯ‚ ฯ€ฮปฮทฯฮฟฯ†ฮฟฯฮฏฮตฯ‚ ฯƒฯ‡ฮตฯ„ฮนฮบฮฌ ฮผฮต ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮฎฮฝ ฯ„ฮท ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮตฮดฯฮฏฮฑ, ฮณฮน โ€˜ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฯŒ ฮตฯ€ฮนฯƒฯ„ฯฮญฯˆฯ„ฮต ฮพฮฑฮฝฮฌ.

ฮฃฮฑฯ‚ ฯ€ฯฮฟฯƒฮบฮฑฮปฮฟฯฮผฮต ฮฝฮฑ ฮผฮฟฮนฯฮฑฯƒฯ„ฮตฮฏฯ„ฮต ฯ„ฮฑ ฮณฯฮฑฯ€ฯ„ฮฌ ฯƒฮฑฯ‚ ฮผฮฑฮถฮฏ ฮผฮฑฯ‚ ฯ€ฮฑฯฮฑฮบฮฌฯ„ฯ‰.

ฮšฮฑฮปฮฟฯฮผฮต ฯŒฮปฮตฯ‚ ฮบฮฑฮน ฯŒฮปฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฯƒฯ…ฮผฮผฮตฯ„ฮตฮฏฯ‡ฮฑฯ„ฮต ฮฝฮฑ ฮผฮฟฮนฯฮฑฯƒฯ„ฮตฮฏฯ„ฮต ฯŒฯƒฮฑ ฮณฯฮฌฯˆฮฑฯ„ฮต ฮบฮฑฯ„ฮฌ ฯ„ฮท ฮดฮนฮฌฯฮบฮตฮนฮฑ ฯ„ฮทฯ‚ ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮตฮดฯฮฏฮฑฯ‚ ฮผฮฑฯ‚ ฯ€ฮฑฯฮฑฮบฮฌฯ„ฯ‰ (โ€œLeave a replyโ€) ฮบฮฑฮน ฮฝฮฑ ฮบฯฮฑฯ„ฮฎฯƒฮฟฯ…ฮผฮต ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮฎ ฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฯ„ฯŒฯƒฮฟ ฮตฮฝฮดฮนฮฑฯ†ฮญฯฮฟฯ…ฯƒฮฑ ฯƒฯ…ฮถฮฎฯ„ฮทฯƒฮฎ ฮผฮฑฯ‚ ฮถฯ‰ฮฝฯ„ฮฑฮฝฮฎ, ฯ…ฯ€ฮตฮฝฮธฯ…ฮผฮฏฮถฮฟฮฝฯ„ฮฌฯ‚ ฯƒฮฑฯ‚, ฮฒฮตฮฒฮฑฮฏฯ‰ฯ‚, ฯŒฯ„ฮน ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮฎ ฮตฮฏฮฝฮฑฮน ฮผฮนฮฑ ฮดฮทฮผฯŒฯƒฮนฮฑ ฯ€ฮปฮฑฯ„ฯ†ฯŒฯฮผฮฑ ฮบฮฑฮน ฮท ฯ€ฯฯŒฯƒฮฒฮฑฯƒฮท ฮฑฮฝฮฟฮนฯ‡ฯ„ฮฎ ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฮบฮฟฮนฮฝฯŒ.

ฮ˜ฮฑ ฮธฮญฮปฮฑฮผฮต ฮฝฮฑ ฮผฮฌฮธฮฟฯ…ฮผฮต ฯ€ฮตฯฮนฯƒฯƒฯŒฯ„ฮตฯฮฑ  ฮณฮนฮฑ ฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮตฮผฯ€ฮตฮนฯฮฏฮฑ ฯƒฮฑฯ‚ ฮผฮต ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮญฯ‚ ฯ„ฮนฯ‚ ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮตฮดฯฮฏฮตฯ‚. ฮ‘ฮฝ ฯ„ฮฟ ฮตฯ€ฮนฮธฯ…ฮผฮตฮฏฯ„ฮต, ฯ€ฮฑฯฮฑฮบฮฑฮปฮฟฯฮผฮต ฮฑฯ†ฮนฮตฯฯŽฯƒฯ„ฮต ฮปฮฏฮณฮฟ ฯ‡ฯฯŒฮฝฮฟ ฯƒฮต ฮผฮนฮฑ ฯƒฯฮฝฯ„ฮฟฮผฮท ฮญฯฮตฯ…ฮฝฮฑ ฮดฯฮฟ ฮตฯฯ‰ฯ„ฮฎฯƒฮตฯ‰ฮฝ!

ฮ‘ฮบฮฟฮปฮฟฯ…ฮธฮฎฯƒฯ„ฮต ฯ„ฮฟฮฝ ฯƒฯฮฝฮดฮตฯƒฮผฮฟ:ย https://tinyurl.com/nmedg-survey


ฮ‘ฯ€ฯŒฯƒฯ€ฮฑฯƒฮผฮฑ ฮฑฯ€ฯŒ ฯ„ฮฟ ฮธฮตฮฑฯ„ฯฮนฮบฯŒ ฮญฯฮณฮฟ ฮ— ฮ‘ฯ…ฮปฮฎ ฯ„ฯ‰ฮฝ ฮธฮฑฯ…ฮผฮฌฯ„ฯ‰ฮฝ ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฮ™ฮฌฮบฯ‰ฮฒฮฟฯ… ฮšฮฑฮผฯ€ฮฑฮฝฮญฮปฮปฮท (1957)

ฮคฮฟ ฮญฯฮณฮฟ ฮฑฯฯ‡ฮฏฮถฮตฮน ฮญฮฝฮฑ ฯƒฮฟฯฯฮฟฯ…ฯ€ฮฟ ฯƒฯ„ฮนฯ‚ ฮฑฯฯ‡ฮญฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฮบฮฑฮปฮฟฮบฮฑฮนฯฮนฮฟฯ. ฮ— ฮœฮ‘ฮกฮ™ฮ‘ ฮบฮฌฮธฮตฯ„ฮฑฮน ฯƒ ฮญฮฝฮฑ ฯ€ฮตฮถฮฟฯฮปฮน ฮดฮตฮพฮนฮฌ ฮบฮฑฮน ฮบฮตฮฝฯ„ฮฌ ฮญฮฝฮฑ ฯ„ฯฮฑฯ€ฮตฮถฮฟฮผฮฌฮฝฯ„ฮนฮปฮฟ. ฮ— ฮ’ฮŸฮฅฮ›ฮ‘ ฮญฯ‡ฮตฮน ฯƒฯ„ฮทฯฮฏฮพฮตฮน ฯƒฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮพฯฮปฮนฮฝฮท ฯƒฮบฮฌฮปฮฑ ฮญฮฝฮฑ ฮบฮฑฮธฯฮญฯ†ฯ„ฮท ฮบฮฑฮน ฮบฯŒฮฒฮตฮน ฮผฮฟฮฝฮฌฯ‡ฮท ฯ„ฮฑ ฮผฮฑฮปฮปฮนฮฌ ฯ„ฮทฯ‚. ฮฃฯ„ฮฟ ฯ€ฮฑฯฮฌฮธฯ…ฯฮฟ ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฯƒฯ€ฮนฯ„ฮนฮฟฯ ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฮ™ฮŸฮกฮ”ฮ‘ฮฮ— ฮฟ ฮณฮนฮฟฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฮฟ ฮ“ฮ™ฮ‘ฮฮฮ—ฮฃ ฮดฮนฮฑฮฒฮฌฮถฮตฮน ฮญฮฝฮฑ ฮฒฮนฮฒฮปฮฏฮฟ. ฮŸ ฮ™ฮŸฮกฮ”ฮ‘ฮฮ—ฮฃ ฮผโ€™ ฮญฮฝฮฑ ฮผฯ€ฯŒฮณฮฟ ฯƒฯ„ฯฯ‰ฯƒฮฏฮดฮนฮฑ ฯƒฯ„ฮฟฮฝ ฯŽฮผฮฟ ฮญฯฯ‡ฮตฯ„ฮฑฮน ฮฑฯ€’ ฯ„ฮฟ ฮฒฮฌฮธฮฟฯ‚ ฮบฮน ฮฑฮฝฮตฮฒฮฑฮฏฮฝฮตฮน ฯƒฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฯ„ฮฑฯฮฌฯ„ฯƒฮฑโ€ฆ

ฮ’ฮŸฮฅฮ›ฮ‘: ฮ“ฮนฮฌฮฝฮฝฮทโ€ฆ

ฮ“ฮ™ฮ‘ฮฮฮ—ฮฃ: ฮ•;

ฮ’ฮŸฮฅฮ›ฮ‘: ฮŸ ฮผฯ€ฮฑฮผฯ€ฮฌฯ‚ ฯƒฮฟฯ… ฮฑฮฝฮตฮฒฮฑฮฏฮฝฮตฮน ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฮฑฯƒฯ„ฮตฯฮฟฯƒฮบฮฟฯ€ฮตฮฏฮฟโ€ฆ

ฮœฮ‘ฮกฮ™ฮ‘: ฮฯฮฑ ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฮตฮฏฮฝฮฑฮน, ฮฟ ฮฎฮปฮนฮฟฯ‚ ฮญฮณฮตฮนฯฮต.

(ฮŸ ฮ“ฮ™ฮ‘ฮฮฮ—ฮฃ ฮดฮต ฮผฮนฮปฮฌ. ฮŸ ฮ™ฮŸฮกฮ”ฮ‘ฮฮ—ฮฃ ฮฑฯ€ฮปฯŽฮฝฮตฮน ฯƒฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฯ„ฮฑฯฮฌฯ„ฯƒฮฑ ฯ„ฮฑ ฯƒฯ„ฯฯ‰ฯƒฮฏฮดฮนฮฑ ฯ„ฮฟฯ…. ฮ— ฮ’ฮŸฮฅฮ›ฮ‘ ฯ€ฮปฮทฯƒฮนฮฌฮถฮตฮน ฯ„ฮท ฮœฮ‘ฮกฮ™ฮ‘).

ฮ’ฮŸฮฅฮ›ฮ‘: ฮ”ฮต ฮผฮฟฯ… ฮปฮตฯ‚, ฮผฮฎฯ€ฯ‰ฯ‚ ฮฌฯ†ฮทฯƒฮฑ ฯ„ฮฏฯ€ฮฟฯ„ฮฑ ฯ„ฯƒฮฟฯ…ฮปฮฟฯฯ†ฮนฮฑ ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฮปฮฑฮนฮผฯŒ;

ฮœฮ‘ฮกฮ™ฮ‘: ฮ“ฯฯฮฝฮฑ ฮฝฮฑ ฮดฯ‰โ€ฆ

ฮ’ฮŸฮฅฮ›ฮ‘: ฮ ฮฌฯฮต ฮบฮฑฮน ฯ„ฮฟ ฯˆฮฑฮปฮฏฮดฮน ฮบฮน ฯŒ,ฯ„ฮน ฮตฮฏฮฝฮฑฮน ฮบฯŒฮฒฮต ฯ„ฮฟ. (ฮคฮทฯ‚ ฮดฮฏฮฝฮตฮน ฯ„ฮฟ ฯˆฮฑฮปฮฏฮดฮน ฮบฮฑฮน ฮบฮฟฮฝฯ„ฮฟฮบฮฑฮธฮฏฮถฮตฮน ฯ€ฮปฮฌฯ„ฮท ฯ€ฯฮฟฯ‚ ฯƒฯ„ฮท ฮœฮ‘ฮกฮ™ฮ‘).

ฮœฮ‘ฮกฮ™ฮ‘: ฮ“ฮนฮฑฯ„ฮฏ ฯ„ฮฑ โ€˜ฮบฮฟฯˆฮตฯ‚ ฮผฯŒฮฝฮท ฯƒฮฟฯ…;

ฮ’ฮŸฮฅฮ›ฮ‘: ฮ‘ฮฝ ฮตฮฏฯ‡ฮฑ ฮปฮตฯ†ฯ„ฮฌ ฮธฮฑ ฯ€ฮฎฮณฮฑฮนฮฝฮฑ ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฮบฮฟฮผฮผฯ‰ฯ„ฮฎฯฮนฮฟโ€ฆ ฮฑฮปฮปฮฌ ฯ€ฮฟฯ ฮปฮตฯ†ฯ„ฮฌโ€ฆ;

ฮœฮ‘ฮกฮ™ฮ‘: ฮœฮฑ ฯƒฮตฮนฯ‚ ฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฯ€ฮตฯฮฑฯƒฮผฮญฮฝฮท ฮฒฮดฮฟฮผฮฌฮดฮฑ ฮตฮฏฯ‡ฮฑฯ„ฮต ฮญฮฝฮฑ ฮผฮฌฯ„ฯƒฮฟโ€ฆ

ฮ’ฮŸฮฅฮ›ฮ‘: ฮ•ฮฏฯ‡ฮฑฮผฮต ฮฒฮปฮญฯ€ฮตฮนฯ‚, ฯ„ฯŽฯฮฑ ฮดฮตฮฝ ฮญฯ‡ฮฟฯ…ฮผฮต ฯ†ฯฮฌฮณฮบฮฟ.

ฮœฮ‘ฮกฮ™ฮ‘: ฮ•ฮฏฯƒฯ„ฮต ฯ„ฯฮตฮปฮฟฮฏ ฮบฮน ฮฟฮน ฮดฯ…ฮฟ ฯƒฮฑฯ‚โ€ฆ ฮฮฑ ฯ„ฮฟ ฮพฮญฯฮตฮนฯ‚!

ฮ’ฮŸฮฅฮ›ฮ‘: ฮ•ฮณฯŽ ฯ†ฯ„ฮฑฮฏฯ‰;โ€ฆ ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฮฌฮฝฯ„ฯฮฑ ฮผฮฟฯ… ฯ„ฮฑ ฯ‡ฮญฯฮนฮฑ ฮตฮฏฮฝฮฑฮน ฯ„ฯฯฯ€ฮนฮฑ ฮบฮฑฮน ฮดฮตฮฝ ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฯƒฯ„ฮญฮบฮตฮน ฮดฮตฮบฮฌฯฮฑ.

ฮœฮ‘ฮกฮ™ฮ‘: ฮฮฑฮน, ฮณฮนฮฑฯ„ฮฏ ฯ€ฮฑฯ‚ ฯ€ฮฏฯƒฯ‰ ฮตฯƒฯโ€ฆ ฮ”ฮตฮฝ ฮตฮฏฮดฮฑ ฯ€ฮฟฯ„ฮญ ฮฌฮผฮฑ ฯƒฮต ฯ„ฯฮฑฮฒฮฟฮปฮฟฮณฮฌ ฮณฮนฮฑ ฮณฮปฮญฮฝฯ„ฮนฮฑ ฮฝฮฑ ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฯ€ฮตฮนฯ‚ ฯŒฯ‡ฮนโ€ฆ

ฮ’ฮŸฮฅฮ›ฮ‘: ฮ“ฮนฮฑฯ„ฮฏ ฮฝฮฑ ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฯ€ฯ‰ ฯŒฯ‡ฮนโ€ฆ ฮฮญฮฟฮน ฮตฮฏฮผฮฑฯƒฯ„ฮต, ฮฝฮฑ ฮผฮท ฯ‡ฮฑฯฮฟฯฮผฮต ฮผฮนฮฑ ฯƒฯ„ฮฌฮปฮฑ;

(ฮŸ ฮ™ฮŸฮกฮ”ฮ‘ฮฮ—ฮฃ ฮบฮฑฯ„ฮตฮฒฮฑฮฏฮฝฮตฮน ฮฑฯ€’ ฯ„ฮฟ ฯ„ฮฑฯฮฑฯ„ฯƒฮฌฮบฮน ฮบฮฑฮน ฯ€ฮทฮณฮฑฮฏฮฝฮตฮน ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฮฒฮฌฮธฮฟฯ‚).

ฮœฮ‘ฮกฮ™ฮ‘: ฮ ฯฮญฯ€ฮตฮน ฮฝฮฑ ฮฒฮฌฮถฮตฯ„ฮต ฮบฮฌฯ„ฮน ฯƒฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮฌฮบฯฮทโ€ฆ

ฮ’ฮŸฮฅฮ›ฮ‘: ฮŒ,ฯ„ฮน ฮธฮญฮปฮตฮนฯ‚ ฮปฮตฯ‚. ฮ‘ฮฝ ฮตฮฏฯ‡ฮฑฮผฮต ฮบฮฌฯ„ฮน ฯ„ฮฑฯ‡ฯ„ฮนฮบฯŒ, ฯ„ฯŒฯ„ฮต ฮฝฮฑฮนโ€ฆ         ฮœโ€™ ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฯŒฯ‚ ฮผฮนฮฑ ฮฒฮดฮฟฮผฮฌฮดฮฑ ฮดฮฟฯ…ฮปฮตฯฮตฮน ฮบฮฑฮน ฮดฯ…ฮฟ ฮบฮฌฮธฮตฯ„ฮฑฮนโ€ฆ!

ฮœฮ‘ฮกฮ™ฮ‘: ฮšฮน ฮตฮฏฮฝฮฑฮน ฮฑฮฝฮฌฮณฮบฮท ฮฝฮฑ ฯ„ฮฑ ฯ„ฯฯŽฯ„ฮต ฮผฮฑฮถฮตฮผฮญฮฝฮฑ ฮบฮฑฮน ฮฝฮฑ ฯ€ฮตฮนฮฝฮฌฯ„ฮต ฯฯƒฯ„ฮตฯฮฑ;

ฮ’ฮŸฮฅฮ›ฮ‘: ฮ†ฮผฮฑ ฮบฮฑฮบฮฟฯ€ฮตฯฮฝฮฌฯ‚ ฮดฯ…ฮฟ ฮฒฮดฮฟฮผฮฌฮดฮตฯ‚ ฯฯƒฯ„ฮตฯฮฑ ฮธฮตฯ‚ ฮฝฮฑ ฮพฮตฯƒฮบฮฌฯƒฮตฮนฯ‚, ฯ†ฯ…ฯƒฮนฮบฯŒ ฮตฮฏฮฝฮฑฮน.

ฮœฮ‘ฮกฮ™ฮ‘: ฮ ฮฑฯโ€™ ฯ„ฮฟ ฯˆฮฑฮปฮฏฮดฮน, ฯƒฮฟฯ… ฯ„ฮฑ ฯƒฯ…ฮผฮผฮฌฮถฮตฯˆฮฑ.

ฮ’ฮŸฮฅฮ›ฮ‘: ฮฃ ฮตฯ…ฯ‡ฮฑฯฮนฯƒฯ„ฯŽ, ฮบฮฟฯฮบฮปฮฑ ฮผฮฟฯ…, ฮธฮตฯ‚ ฮฝฮฑ ฯƒฮฟฯ… ฮบฯŒฯˆฯ‰ ฮบฮฑฮน ฯ„ฮฑ ฮดฮนฮบฮฌ ฯƒฮฟฯ…;

ฮœฮ‘ฮกฮ™ฮ‘: ฮ”ฮตฮฝ ฮผฮฟฯ… ฯ‡ฯฮตฮนฮฌฮถฮตฯ„ฮฑฮนโ€ฆ

(ฮ‘ฯ€โ€™ ฯ„ฮฟ ฮดฯ‰ฮผฮฌฯ„ฮนฯŒ ฯ„ฮทฯ‚ ฮฒฮณฮฑฮฏฮฝฮตฮน ฮท ฮ‘ฮฮฮ•ฮคฮฉ, ฮตฮพฮฎฮฝฯ„ฮฑ ฯ‡ฯฮฟฮฝฯŽ. ฮžฮตฯƒฮบฮฟฮฝฮฏฮถฮตฮน ฮผโ€™ ฮญฮฝฮฑ ฯƒฮบฮฟฯ…ฯ€ฮฌฮบฮน ฮผฮนฮฑ ฯ€ฮฌฮฝฮนฮฝฮท ฮฒฮฑฮปฮฏฯ„ฯƒฮฑ ฮบฮฑฮน ฯ„ฯฮฑฮณฮฟฯ…ฮดฮฌ)

ฮ‘ฮฮฮ•ฮคฮฉ: ฮกฮฑฮผฯŒฮฝฮฑ, ฮธฯ…ฮผฮฎฯƒฮฟฯ… ฯ„ฯŽฯฮฑ ฯ„ฮฑ ฯ€ฮฑฮปฮนฮฌ

                     ฮกฮฑฮผฯŒฮฝฮฑ, ฮธฯ…ฮผฮฎฯƒฮฟฯ… ฯ€ฮฌฮปฮน ฯ„ฮฑ ฯ€ฮฑฮปฮนฮฌ

                     ฮกฮฑฮผฯŒฮฝฮฑโ€ฆ ฮกฮฑฮผฯŒฮฝฮฑ ฮธฯ…ฮผฮฎฯƒฮฟฯ… ฯ€ฮฌฮปฮน ฯ„ฮฑ ฯ€ฮฑฮปฮนฮฌ

                     ฮกฮฑฮผฯŒฮฝฮฑ, ฮธฯ…ฮผฮฎฯƒฮฟฯ… ฯ€ฮฑฮปฮนฮฌโ€ฆ

ฮœฮ‘ฮกฮ™ฮ‘: ฮ ฮฎฮณฮต ฯƒฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮคฯฮฌฯ€ฮตฮถฮฑ ฯ‡ฯ„ฮตฯ‚ ฮบฮน ฮญฯƒฯ„ฮตฮนฮปฮต ฯŒฮปฮฑ ฯ„ฮทฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฑ ฮปฮตฯ†ฯ„ฮฌ ฯƒฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮ‘ฮณฮณฮปฮฏฮฑโ€ฆ ฮžฮตฯ€ฮฑฯฮฑฮดฮนฮฌฯƒฯ„ฮทฮบฮต ฯ€ฮฌฮปฮน ฮท ฯ„ฯฮตฮปฯŒฮณฯฮนฮฑโ€ฆ

ฮ’ฮŸฮฅฮ›ฮ‘: ฮšฮฑฮน ฯ€ฯ‰ฯ‚ ฮธฮฑ ฯ€ฮฌฮตฮน ฯƒฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮ ฮฌฯฮฟโ€ฆ; ฮœฮต ฯ„ฮน ฮปฮตฯ†ฯ„ฮฌโ€ฆ;

ฮœฮ‘ฮกฮ™ฮ‘: ฮšฮฌฯ€ฮฟฮนฮฟฮฝฮต ฮธฮฑ โ€˜ฮฒฮฑฮปฮต ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฯ‡ฮญฯฮนโ€ฆ ฮฎ ฮธฮฑ ฯƒฮฎฮบฯ‰ฯƒฮต ฯ€ฮฌฮปฮน ฯ„ฮนฯ‚ ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฯ„ฮฌฮพฮตฮนฯ‚ ฯŒฮปฮฟฯ… ฯ„ฮฟฯ… ฯ‡ฯฯŒฮฝฮฟฯ…โ€ฆ

ฮ’ฮŸฮฅฮ›ฮ‘: (ฮฃฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮ‘ฮฮฮ•ฮคฮฉ). ฮฯƒฯ„ฮต ฮผฮฑฯ‚ ฯ†ฮตฯฮณฮตฮนฯ‚ ฮฑฯฯฮนฮฟ;

ฮ‘ฮฮฮ•ฮคฮฉ: ฮ˜ฮฑ ฯ†ฯฮณฯ‰ ฮฝฮฑ ฮผฮท ฯƒฮฑฯ‚ ฮตฮฝฮฟฯ‡ฮปฯŽโ€ฆ

ฮ’ฮŸฮฅฮ›ฮ‘: ฮˆฮปฮฑ ฯ„ฯŽฯฮฑ ฮผฮท ฯƒฮต ฯ€ฮฑฮฏฯฮฝฮตฮน ฯ„ฮฟ ฯ€ฮฑฯฮฌฯ€ฮฟฮฝฮฟโ€ฆ

ฮ‘ฮฮฮ•ฮคฮฉ: ฮ‘ฯ†ฮฟฯ ฮผฮนฮฑ ฮญฯฮทฮผฮท ฮณฯฮนฮฌ ฮณฯ…ฮฝฮฑฮฏฮบฮฑ ฮตฮณฯŽ, ฮผฮต ฯ„ฮฟ ฮญฮฝฮฑ ฯ€ฯŒฮดฮน ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฮปฮฌฮบฮบฮฟ, ฯƒฮฑฯ‚ ฮตฮฝฮฟฯ‡ฮปฯŽ ฯŒฮปฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฮตฮดฯŽ ฮผฮญฯƒฮฑ, ฯ†ฮตฯฮณฯ‰, ฮณฮนฮฑ ฮฝฮฑ ฮฒฯฮตฮฏฯ„ฮต ฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮทฯƒฯ…ฯ‡ฮฏฮฑ ฯƒฮฑฯ‚.

ฮ’ฮŸฮฅฮ›ฮ‘: ฮ• ฮบฮฑฮทฮผฮญฮฝฮท, ฮบฮน ฮตฯƒฯ ฯ€ฮนฮฑโ€ฆ ฮŒฮปฮฟฮน ฮตฮดฯŽ ฮผฮญฯƒฮฑ ฮถฮฟฯฮผฮตโ€ฆ ฮธฮฑ ฯ„ฯฯ‡ฮตฮน ฮบฮฑฮน ฮผฮนฮฑ ฯ€ฮฑฯฮตฮพฮฎฮณฮทฯƒฮท.

ฮ‘ฮฮฮ•ฮคฮฉ: ฮœฮนฮฑ ฯ€ฮฑฯฮตฮพฮฎฮณฮทฯƒฮท ฮบฮฑฮปฮฎ ฮบฮฑฮน ฮฌฮณฮนฮฑ. ฮœฮฑ ฯƒฮตฮนฯ‚ ฮฑฮนฯ‰ฮฝฮฏฯ‰ฯ‚ ฮบฮฑฮน ฯ„ฯ…ฮผฯ€ฮฑฮฝฮฏฯ‰ฯ‚ ฮผฮฟฯ… ฮบฮฟฯ€ฮฑฮฝฮฌฯ„ฮต ฯŒฯ„ฮน ฯƒฮฑฯ‚ ฮฑฮฝฮฑฮบฮฑฯ„ฮตฯฯ‰ ฯ„ฮฑ ฯƒฮบฯŽฯ„ฮนฮฑ. ฮฮฑฮน ฮฎ ฯŒฯ‡ฮน;

ฮœฮ‘ฮกฮ™ฮ‘: ฮ‘ฮฝ ฮตฮฏฯ€ฮฑฮผฮต ฮบฮฑฮน ฮผฮนฮฑ ฮบฮฟฯ…ฮฒฮญฮฝฯ„ฮฑ ฯ€ฮฑฯฮฑฯ€ฮฌฮฝฯ‰ ฮตฯƒฯ ฯ€ฮฌฮปฮน ฯ„ฮฟ โ€˜ฮดฮตฯƒฮตฯ‚ ฮบฯŒฮผฯ€ฮฟ;

ฮ‘ฮฮฮ•ฮคฮฉ: ฮ•ฮผฮตฮฏฯ‚ ฯƒฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮ‘ฮณฮณฮปฮฏฮฑ ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮฌ ฮดฮตฮฝ ฯ„ฮฑ โ€˜ฯ‡ฮฟฯ…ฮผฮต! ฮฆฮตฯฮณฯ‰ ฮบฮน ฮตฮณฯŽ, ฯ€ฮฌฯ‰ ฮฝฮฑ ฮบฮฌฯ„ฯƒฯ‰ ฯƒฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮ ฮฌฯฮฟ ฮญฮฝฮฑ ฯ‡ฯฮฟฮฝฮฌฮบฮน ฮฝฮฑ ฮพฮฑฮฝฮฑฯƒฮฌฮฝฯ‰ ฮบฮฑฮน ฮณฯ‰ ฮบฮฑฮน ฯƒฮตฮนฯ‚โ€ฆ ฮšฮน ฮฑ ฮดฮต ฮผฮต ฮพฮฑฮฝฮฑฮดฮตฮฏฯ„ฮต, ฯƒฯ…ฯ‡ฯ‰ฯฮญฯƒฯ„ฮต ฮผฮต, ฮบฮน ฮฟ ฮ˜ฮตฯŒฯ‚ ฮฝฮฑ ฯƒฮฑฯ‚ ฯƒฯ…ฯ‡ฯ‰ฯฮฌฮตฮนโ€ฆ (ฮจฮตฯ…ฯ„ฮฟฮบฮปฮฑฮฏฮตฮน).

ฮ’ฮŸฮฅฮ›ฮ‘: (ฮคฯฮญฯ‡ฮตฮน ฮบฮฟฮฝฯ„ฮฌ ฯ„ฮทฯ‚). ฮˆฮปฮฑ, ฮญฮปฮฑ ฯ„ฯŽฯฮฑ, ฮฌฯƒฮต ฯ„ฮนฯ‚ ฮบฮปฮฌฯˆฮตฯ‚. ฮ‘ฯ†ฮฟฯ ฯ„ฮฟ ฮพฮญฯฮตฮนฯ‚ ฯ€ฯŒฯƒฮฟ ฯƒฮต ฮฑฮณฮฑฯ€ฮฌฮผฮต!

ฮ‘ฮฮฮ•ฮคฮฉ: ฮฃฮฌฮผฮฑฯ„ฮน ฮตฮณฯŽ ฮดฮต ฯƒฮฑฯ‚ ฮฑฮณฮฑฯ€ฯŽโ€ฆ;

ฮœฮ‘ฮกฮ™ฮ‘: ฮœฯ€ฮฟฯฮฟฯฮผฮต ฮผฮตฮฏฯ‚ ฮฝฮฑ ฮถฮฎฯƒฮฟฯ…ฮผฮต ฯ‡ฯ‰ฯฮฏฯ‚ ฮตฯƒฮญฮฝฮฑ;

ฮ‘ฮฮฮ•ฮคฮฉ: ฮšฮฑฮน ฮผฮฎฯ€ฯ‰ฯ‚ ฮผฯ€ฮฟฯฯŽ ฮตฮณฯŽโ€ฆ;

ฮœฮ‘ฮกฮ™ฮ‘: (ฯ€ฮฌฮตฮน ฮบฮน ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮฎ ฮบฮฟฮฝฯ„ฮฌ ฯƒฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮ‘ฮฮฮ•ฮคฮฉ)โ€ฆ ฮˆฮปฮฑ ฮบฮฌฯ„ฯƒฮต ฮดฯ‰ ฮฝฮฑ, ฯ€ฮฑฯฮฑฯ€ฮฟฮฝฮนฮฌฯฮฑโ€ฆ ฮ”ฯŽฯƒฮต ฮผฮฟฯ… ฮฝฮฑ ฯƒฮฟฯ… ฮพฮตฯƒฮบฮฟฮฝฮฏฯƒฯ‰ ฮตฮณฯŽ ฯ„ฮท ฮฒฮฑฮปฮฏฯ„ฯƒฮฑ ฯƒฮฟฯ….

ฮ‘ฮฮฮ•ฮคฮฉ: ฮ†ฯƒฮต, ฮผฮท ฮปฮตฯฯŽฮฝฮตฮนฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฑ ฯ‡ฮตฯฮฌฮบฮนฮฑ ฯƒฮฟฯ…. ฮคฮทฮฝ ฮพฮตฯƒฮบฯŒฮฝฮนฯƒฮฑ, ฮผฮฌฯ„ฮนฮฑ ฮผฮฟฯ…โ€ฆ

ฮ’ฮŸฮฅฮ›ฮ‘: ฮ˜ฮฑ ฯƒฮฟฯ… ฮตฯ„ฮฟฮนฮผฮฌฯƒฮฟฯ…ฮผฮต ฮตฮผฮตฮฏฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฑ ฯ€ฯฮฌฮณฮผฮฑฯ„ฮฌ ฯƒฮฟฯ…โ€ฆ ฮ•ฯƒฯ ฮบฮฌฯ„ฯƒฮต ฮฝฮฑ ฮพฮตฮบฮฟฯ…ฯฮฑฯƒฯ„ฮตฮฏฯ‚โ€ฆ

ฮ‘ฮฮฮ•ฮคฮฉ: (ฮžฮตฯ‡ฮฝฮฌ ฯ„ฮตฮปฮตฮฏฯ‰ฯ‚ ฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮบฮปฮฌฯˆฮฑ)โ€ฆ ฮšฮฑฮปฮฌ, ฮฑฯ‚ ฮบฮฑฯ€ฮฝฮฏฯƒฯ‰ ฮญฮฝฮฑ ฯ„ฯƒฮนฮณฮฑฯฮฌฮบฮน. ฮŒฮผฯ‰ฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฑ ฯ€ฯฮฌฮผฮฑฯ„ฮฌ ฮผฮฟฯ… ฮธฮฑ ฯ„ฮฑ ฮฒฮฟฮปฮญฯˆฯ‰ ฮผฮฟฮฝฮฑฯ‡ฮฎ ฮผฮฟฯ…โ€ฆ ฮœโ€™ ฮฑฯฮญฯƒฮตฮน ฮฝฮฑ ฯ†ฯ„ฮนฮฌฯ‡ฮฝฯ‰ ฯ„ฮฑฮพฮนฮดฮนฮฌฯฮนฮบฮท ฮฒฮฑฮปฮฏฯ„ฯƒฮฑโ€ฆ ฯ„ฯฮตฮปฮฑฮฏฮฝฮฟฮผฮฑฮนโ€ฆ

ฮ’ฮŸฮฅฮ›ฮ‘: ฮ ฮฌฯฮต ฮบฮฑฮน ฯ„ฮฟ ฮผฮฑฮพฮนฮปฮฑฯฮฌฮบฮน ฮฝฮฑ โ€˜ฯƒฮฑฮน ฮผฮฑฮปฮฑฮบฮฌโ€ฆ


Live Virtual Group Session: 12PM EDT March 25th 2022

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this session!

For this session we took a close look at the painting Contemplation, 1937/1938 by Mark Rothko, posted below. 

Our prompt was: โ€œWrite about what comes from looking out a window.โ€

More details will be posted on this session, so check back again!

Participants are warmly encouraged to share what you wrote below (โ€œLeave a Replyโ€), to keep the conversation going here, bearing in mind that the blog of course is a public space where confidentiality is not assured.

Also, we would love to learn more about your experience of these sessions, so if youโ€™re able, please take the time to fill out a follow-up survey of one to two quick questions!

Please join us for our next session Monday March 28th at 6pm EDT,  with more times listed on our Live Virtual Group Sessions page.


Contemplation, 1937/1938 by Mark Rothko 

ยฉ 2022 National Gallery of Art 


Live Virtual Group Session: 6PM EDT March 21st 2022

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this session!

For this session we watched the music video Kingย byย Florence and the Machine, posted below.ย 

Our prompt was: โ€œI am noโ€ฆโ€

More details will be posted on this session, so check back again!

Participants are warmly encouraged to share what you wrote below (โ€œLeave a Replyโ€), to keep the conversation going here, bearing in mind that the blog of course is a public space where confidentiality is not assured.

Also, we would love to learn more about your experience of these sessions, so if youโ€™re able, please take the time to fill out a follow-up survey of one to two quick questions!

Please join us for our next sessionย Friday March 25th at 12pm EDT, ย with more times listed on ourย Live Virtual Group Sessionsย page.


Kingย byย Florence and the Machine 
 
We argue in the kitchen about whether to have children
About the world ending and the scale of my ambition
And how much is art really worth
The very thing youโ€™re best at
Is the thing that hurts the most
 
But you need your rotten heart
Your dazzling pain like diamond rings
You need to go to war to find material to sing
I am no mother, I am no bride, I am King
 
I need my golden crown of sorrow
My bloody sword to swing
My empty halls to echo with grand self-mythology
I am no mother, I am no bride, I am King
I am no mother, I am no bride, I am King
 
But a woman is a changeling
Always shifting shape
Just when you think you have it figured out
Something new begins to take
What strange claws are these
Scratching at my skin
I never knew my killer would be coming from within
I am no mother, I am no bride, I am King
I am no mother, I am no bride, I am King
 
I need my golden crown of sorrow
My bloody sword to swing
I need my empty halls to echo with grand self-mythology
Cos I am no mother, I am no bride, I am King
I am no mother, I am no bride, I am King
I am no mother, I am no bride, I am King
I am no mother, I am no bride, I am King
 
And I was never as good
as I always thought I was
But I knew how to dress it up
I was never satisfied, it never let me go
Just dragged me by my hair
and back on with the show

Live Virtual Group Session: 12PM EDT March 18th 2022

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this session!

For this session we read an excerpt fromย Speciesย byย Tishani Doshi, posted below.ย 

Our prompt was:ย โ€œWrite about a world difficult to imagine.โ€

More details will be posted on this session, so check back again!

Participants are warmly encouraged to share what you wrote below (โ€œLeave a Replyโ€), to keep the conversation going here, bearing in mind that the blog of course is a public space where confidentiality is not assured.

Also, we would love to learn more about your experience of these sessions, so if youโ€™re able, please take the time to fill out a follow-up survey of one to two quick questions!

Please join us for our next sessionย Monday March 21st at 6pm EDT, ย with more times listed on ourย Live Virtual Group Sessionsย page.


Speciesย byย Tishani Doshi


When it is time, we will herd into the bunker of the earth
to join the lost animals โ€“ pig-footed bandicoot, giant sea
snail, woolly mammoth. No sound of chainsaws, only
the soft swish swish of dead forests, pressing our heads
to the lakeโ€™s floor, a blanket of leaves to make fossils
of our femurs and last suppers. In a million years
they will find and restore us to jungles of kapok.
Their children will rally to stare at ancestors.
Neanderthals in caves with paintings of the gnu
period. Papa Homo erectus forever squatting over
the thrill of fire. Their bastard offspring with prairie-size
mandibles, stuttering over the beginnings of speech. And finally,
us โ€“ diminutive species of Homo, not so wise, with our weak necks
and robo lovers, our cobalt-speckled lungs. Will it be for them
as it was for us, impossible to imagine oceans where there are now
mountains? Will they recognise their own story in the feather-tailed
dinosaur, stepping out of a wave of extinction to tread over blooms
of algae, never once thinking about asteroids or microbial stew?
If we could communicate, would we admit that intergalactic
colonisation was never a sound plan? We should have learned
from the grass, humble in its abundance, offering food and shelter
wherever it spread. Instead, we stamped our feet like gods,
marvelling at the life we made, imagining all of it to be ours.


Credit: Granta Magazine, Poetry, Granta 151, April 30th 2020

Live Virtual Group Session: 6PM EDT March 14th 2022

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this session!

For this session we read an excerpt fromย Sirensย byย Billy Collins, posted below.ย 

Our prompt was: “Write about a sound that prompted you to stop.”

More details will be posted on this session, so check back again!

Participants are warmly encouraged to share what you wrote below (โ€œLeave a Replyโ€), to keep the conversation going here, bearing in mind that the blog of course is a public space where confidentiality is not assured.

Also, we would love to learn more about your experience of these sessions, so if youโ€™re able, please take the time to fill out a follow-up survey of one to two quick questions!

Please join us for our next sessionย Friday March 18th at 12pm EDT, ย with more times listed on ourย Live Virtual Group Sessionsย page.


Sirensย byย Billy Collins

Not those women who lure sailors
onto a reef with their singing and their tresses,
but the screams of an ambulance
bearing the sick, the injured, and the dying
across the rational grid of the city.

We get so used to the sound
itโ€™s just another sharp in the cityโ€™s tune.
Yet itโ€™s one thing to stop on a sidewalk
with other pedestrians to watch one
flashing and speeding down an avenue

while a child on a corner covers her ears
and a shopkeeper appears in a doorway,
but another thing when one gets stuck
in traffic and seems to be crying for its mother
who has fled to another country.

Everyone keeps walking along then,
eyes cast downโ€”for after all,
thereโ€™s nothing we can do,
and today we are not the one peering
up at the face of an angel dressed in scrubs.

Some of us are late for appointments
a few blocks away, while others
have the day off and take their time
angling across a broad, leafy avenue
before being engulfed by the green of a park.

โ€œSirensโ€ by Billy Collins from The Rain in Portugal. ยฉ Random House, 2016.

ฮ–ฯ‰ฮฝฯ„ฮฑฮฝฮฎ ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮตฮดฯฮฏฮฑ ฮฑฯ†ฮทฮณฮทฮผฮฑฯ„ฮนฮบฮฎฯ‚ ฮนฮฑฯ„ฯฮนฮบฮฎฯ‚: ฮšฯ…ฯฮนฮฑฮบฮฎ 13 ฮœฮฑฯฯ„ฮฏฮฟฯ…, 7:30 ฮผ.ฮผ. ฮ•ฮ•ฮค

ฮฃฮฑฯ‚ ฮตฯ…ฯ‡ฮฑฯฮนฯƒฯ„ฮฟฯฮผฮต ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฯƒฯ…ฮผฮผฮตฯ„ฮตฮฏฯ‡ฮฑฯ„ฮต ฯƒฮต ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮฎฮฝ ฯ„ฮท ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮตฮดฯฮฏฮฑ.

ฮšฮตฮฏฮผฮตฮฝฮฟ: ฮœฮฑฯฮณฮฑฯฮฏฯ„ฮฑ ฮ›ฯ…ฮผฯ€ฮตฯฮฌฮบฮท,ย ฮคฮฑ ฮจฮฌฮธฮนฮฝฮฑ ฮšฮฑฯ€ฮญฮปฮฑย (1946).

ฮ˜ฮญฮผฮฑ: ฮ“ฯฮฌฯˆฯ„ฮต ฮณฮนฮฑ ฮญฮฝฮฑฮฝ ฮฌฮปฮปฮฟ ฮบฯŒฯƒฮผฮฟ

ฮฃฯฮฝฯ„ฮฟฮผฮฑ ฮธฮฑ ฮผฮฟฮนฯฮฑฯƒฯ„ฮฟฯฮผฮต ฯ€ฮตฯฮนฯƒฯƒฯŒฯ„ฮตฯฮตฯ‚ ฯ€ฮปฮทฯฮฟฯ†ฮฟฯฮฏฮตฯ‚ ฯƒฯ‡ฮตฯ„ฮนฮบฮฌ ฮผฮต ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮฎฮฝ ฯ„ฮท ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮตฮดฯฮฏฮฑ, ฮณฮน โ€˜ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฯŒ ฮตฯ€ฮนฯƒฯ„ฯฮญฯˆฯ„ฮต ฮพฮฑฮฝฮฌ.

ฮฃฮฑฯ‚ ฯ€ฯฮฟฯƒฮบฮฑฮปฮฟฯฮผฮต ฮฝฮฑ ฮผฮฟฮนฯฮฑฯƒฯ„ฮตฮฏฯ„ฮต ฯ„ฮฑ ฮณฯฮฑฯ€ฯ„ฮฌ ฯƒฮฑฯ‚ ฮผฮฑฮถฮฏ ฮผฮฑฯ‚ ฯ€ฮฑฯฮฑฮบฮฌฯ„ฯ‰.

ฮšฮฑฮปฮฟฯฮผฮต ฯŒฮปฮตฯ‚ ฮบฮฑฮน ฯŒฮปฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฯƒฯ…ฮผฮผฮตฯ„ฮตฮฏฯ‡ฮฑฯ„ฮต ฮฝฮฑ ฮผฮฟฮนฯฮฑฯƒฯ„ฮตฮฏฯ„ฮต ฯŒฯƒฮฑ ฮณฯฮฌฯˆฮฑฯ„ฮต ฮบฮฑฯ„ฮฌ ฯ„ฮท ฮดฮนฮฌฯฮบฮตฮนฮฑ ฯ„ฮทฯ‚ ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮตฮดฯฮฏฮฑฯ‚ ฮผฮฑฯ‚ ฯ€ฮฑฯฮฑฮบฮฌฯ„ฯ‰ (โ€œLeave a replyโ€) ฮบฮฑฮน ฮฝฮฑ ฮบฯฮฑฯ„ฮฎฯƒฮฟฯ…ฮผฮต ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮฎ ฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฯ„ฯŒฯƒฮฟ ฮตฮฝฮดฮนฮฑฯ†ฮญฯฮฟฯ…ฯƒฮฑ ฯƒฯ…ฮถฮฎฯ„ฮทฯƒฮฎ ฮผฮฑฯ‚ ฮถฯ‰ฮฝฯ„ฮฑฮฝฮฎ, ฯ…ฯ€ฮตฮฝฮธฯ…ฮผฮฏฮถฮฟฮฝฯ„ฮฌฯ‚ ฯƒฮฑฯ‚, ฮฒฮตฮฒฮฑฮฏฯ‰ฯ‚, ฯŒฯ„ฮน ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮฎ ฮตฮฏฮฝฮฑฮน ฮผฮนฮฑ ฮดฮทฮผฯŒฯƒฮนฮฑ ฯ€ฮปฮฑฯ„ฯ†ฯŒฯฮผฮฑ ฮบฮฑฮน ฮท ฯ€ฯฯŒฯƒฮฒฮฑฯƒฮท ฮฑฮฝฮฟฮนฯ‡ฯ„ฮฎ ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฮบฮฟฮนฮฝฯŒ.

ฮ˜ฮฑ ฮธฮญฮปฮฑฮผฮต ฮฝฮฑ ฮผฮฌฮธฮฟฯ…ฮผฮต ฯ€ฮตฯฮนฯƒฯƒฯŒฯ„ฮตฯฮฑ  ฮณฮนฮฑ ฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮตฮผฯ€ฮตฮนฯฮฏฮฑ ฯƒฮฑฯ‚ ฮผฮต ฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฮญฯ‚ ฯ„ฮนฯ‚ ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮตฮดฯฮฏฮตฯ‚. ฮ‘ฮฝ ฯ„ฮฟ ฮตฯ€ฮนฮธฯ…ฮผฮตฮฏฯ„ฮต, ฯ€ฮฑฯฮฑฮบฮฑฮปฮฟฯฮผฮต ฮฑฯ†ฮนฮตฯฯŽฯƒฯ„ฮต ฮปฮฏฮณฮฟ ฯ‡ฯฯŒฮฝฮฟ ฯƒฮต ฮผฮนฮฑ ฯƒฯฮฝฯ„ฮฟฮผฮท ฮญฯฮตฯ…ฮฝฮฑ ฮดฯฮฟ ฮตฯฯ‰ฯ„ฮฎฯƒฮตฯ‰ฮฝ!

ฮ‘ฮบฮฟฮปฮฟฯ…ฮธฮฎฯƒฯ„ฮต ฯ„ฮฟฮฝ ฯƒฯฮฝฮดฮตฯƒฮผฮฟ:ย https://tinyurl.com/nmedg-survey


ฮœฮฑฯฮณฮฑฯฮฏฯ„ฮฑ ฮ›ฯ…ฮผฯ€ฮตฯฮฌฮบฮท, ฮคฮฑ ฯˆฮฌฮธฮนฮฝฮฑ ฮบฮฑฯ€ฮญฮปฮฑ [1946] ฮ•ฮบฮดฯŒฯƒฮตฮนฯ‚ ฮšฮฑฯƒฯ„ฮฑฮฝฮนฯŽฯ„ฮท 2001.

ฮคฮฑ ฮผฮตฯƒฮทฮผฮญฯฮนฮฑ ฮดฮตฮฝ ฮพฮฌฯ€ฮปฯ‰ฮฝฮฑ, ฮฎฯ„ฮฑฮฝ ฮผฮนฮฑ ฯƒฯ…ฮฝฮฎฮธฮตฮนฮฑ ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฮผฮฟฯ… โ€™ฯ‡ฮต ฮผฮตฮฏฮฝฮตฮน ฮฑฯ€ฯŒ ฮผฮนฮบฯฮฎ, ฯŒฯ„ฮฑฮฝ ฮฝฯŒฮผฮนฮถฮฑ ฯŒฯ„ฮน ฯ„ฮฟ ฮฝฮฑ ฮผฮทฮฝ ฮพฮฑฯ€ฮปฯŽฮฝฮตฮน ฮบฮฑฮฝฮตฮฏฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฟ ฮผฮตฯƒฮทฮผฮญฯฮน ฮตฮฏฮฝฮฑฮน ฯ€ฯฮฌฮพฮท ฮตฯ€ฮฑฮฝฮฑฯƒฯ„ฮฑฯ„ฮนฮบฮฎ, ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฮดฮตฮฏฯ‡ฮฝฮตฮน ฮธฮญฮปฮทฯƒฮท ฮบฮฑฮน ฯˆฯ…ฯ‡ฮฎ ฮฑฮฝฮตฮพฮฌฯฯ„ฮทฯ„ฮท. ฮ‘ฮฝฮญฮฒฮฑฮนฮฝฮฑ ฮปฮฟฮนฯ€ฯŒฮฝ ฯƒฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮบฮฑฯฯ…ฮดฮนฮฌ ฮบฮน ฮตฮบฮตฮฏ ฮญฯ†ฯ„ฮนฮฑฯ‡ฮฝฮฑ ฮปฮฟฯ…ฮปฮฟฯ…ฮดฮญฮฝฮนฮฑ ฮดฮฑฯ‡ฯ„ฯ…ฮปฮฏฮดฮนฮฑ ฮบฮฑฮน ฮฒฯฮฑฯ‡ฮนฯŒฮปฮนฮฑ ฮฑฯ€ฯŒ ฮฑฮปฮฟฮณฯŒฯ„ฯฮนฯ‡ฮฑ. ฮˆฯ€ฮตฮนฯ„ฮฑ ฯ„ฮฑ ฯ†ฮฟฯฮฟฯฯƒฮฑ ฮบฮฑฮน ฯ€ฯฮฟฯƒฯ€ฮฑฮธฮฟฯฯƒฮฑ ฮฝฮฑ ฮดฯ‰ ฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮตฮนฮบฯŒฮฝฮฑ ฮผฮฟฯ… ฯƒฯ„ฮฑ ฮฝฮตฯฮฌ ฯ„ฮทฯ‚ ฯƒฯ„ฮญฯฮฝฮฑฯ‚. ฮœฮฑ ฯ€ฮฟฯ„ฮญ ฮดฮตฮฝ ฯ„ฮฟ ฮบฮฑฯ„ฯŒฯฮธฯ‰ฮฝฮฑ, ฮณฮนฮฑฯ„ฮฏ ฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฯŽฯฮฑ ฮตฯ„ฮฟฯฯ„ฮท ฮฟ ฮฎฮปฮนฮฟฯ‚ ฮญฯ€ฮตฯ†ฯ„ฮต ฮบฮฑฯ„ฮฑฯ€ฮฌฮฝฯ‰ ฯ„ฮทฯ‚ ฮบฮน ฮญฮบฮฑฮฝฮต ฯ„ฮฟ ฮฝฮตฯฯŒ ฮฝฮฑ ฮณฯ…ฮฑฮปฮฏฮถฮตฮน ฯƒฮฑฮฝ ฮญฮฝฮฑ ฮบฮฟฮผฮผฮฌฯ„ฮน ฮบฮฑฯ…ฯ„ฯŒ ฮผฮฌฮปฮฑฮผฮฑ ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฯƒฮฟฯ… ฯ„ฯฯ†ฮปฯ‰ฮฝฮต ฯ„ฮฑ ฮผฮฌฯ„ฮนฮฑ.

      ฮคฮญฯ„ฮฟฮนฮฑ ฯƒฯ„ฮฟฮปฮฏฮดฮนฮฑ ฮญฮบฮฑฮฝฮฑ ฮบฮฑฮน ฮณฮนฮฑ ฯ„ฮนฯ‚ ฮฑฮดฮตฯฯ†ฮญฯ‚ ฮผฮฟฯ…. ฮœฮฟฯ… ฮบฮฑฮบฮฟฯ†ฮฑฮนฮฝฯŒฯ„ฮฑฮฝ ฯŒฮผฯ‰ฯ‚ ฯƒฮฑฮฝ ฯ„ฮฑ โ€™ฮฒฮปฮตฯ€ฮฑ ฯ€ฮฌฮฝฯ‰ ฯ„ฮฟฯ…ฯ‚. ฮŒฯ‡ฮน ฮฑฯ€ฯŒ ฮถฮฎฮปฮนฮฑ, ฮผฮฑ ฮฎฯ„ฮฑฮฝ ฯƒฮฑฮฝ ฮฝฮฑ ฮผฮทฮฝ ฯ„โ€™ ฮฑฮณฮฑฯ€ฮฟฯฯƒฮฑฮฝ ฮฑฯฮบฮตฯ„ฮฌ, ฯƒฮฑฮฝ ฮฝฮฑ ฮผฮทฮฝ ฯ„โ€™ ฮฌฮพฮนฮถฮฑฮฝ, ฯƒฮฑฮฝ ฮฝฮฑ โ€™ฯ‡ฮฑฮฝ ฯ„ฮท ฮฒฮตฮฒฮฑฮนฯŒฯ„ฮทฯ„ฮฑ ฯ€ฯ‰ฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฑ ฮดฮฑฯ‡ฯ„ฯ…ฮปฮฏฮดฮนฮฑ ฮธฮฑ ฮผฮฑฯฮฑฮฏฮฝฮฟฮฝฯ„ฮฑฮฝ, ฮบฮน ฮญฯ„ฯƒฮน ฮผฮฑฯฮฑฮฏฮฝฮฟฮฝฯ„ฮฑฮฝ ฯ€ฯฮนฮฝ ฮฑฯ€โ€™ ฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฯŽฯฮฑ ฯ„ฮฟฯ…ฯ‚, ฯ€ฯŽฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฑ ฮฒฯฮฑฯ‡ฮนฯŒฮปฮนฮฑ ฮดฮตฮฝ ฮฎฯ„ฮฑฮฝ ฯ€ฮฑฯฮฌ ฮฑฮปฮฟฮณฯŒฯ„ฯฮนฯ‡ฮฑ, ฮบฮน ฮญฯ„ฯƒฮน ฯ„ฮฑ ฮบฮฌฮฝฮฑฮฝ ฮฑฮปฮฟฮณฯŒฯ„ฯฮนฯ‡ฮตฯ‚, ฮบฮฑฮน ฮผฮฌฮปฮนฯƒฯ„ฮฑ ฮฑฯ€’ ฯ„ฮนฯ‚ ฮฟฯ…ฯฮญฯ‚ ฯ„ฯ‰ฮฝ ฮฑฮปฯŒฮณฯ‰ฮฝ ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฮบฮนฮฝฮนฮฟฯฮฝฯ„ฮฑฮน ฯ€ฮญฯฮฑ ฮดฯŽฮธฮต ฮณฮนฮฑ ฮฝฮฑ ฮดฮนฯŽฯ‡ฮฝฮฟฯ…ฮฝ ฯ„ฮนฯ‚ ฮผฯฮณฮตฯ‚ ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฯ€ฮฑฮฝ ฮฝฮฑ ฯ„ฯƒฮนฮผฯ€ฮฎฯƒฮฟฯ…ฮฝ ฯ„ฮฑ ฮบฮฑฯ€ฮฟฯฮปฮนฮฑ ฯ„ฮฟฯ…ฯ‚.

      ฮŒฯ„ฮฑฮฝ ฮท ฮฑฮฝฯ„ฮทฮปฮนฮฌ ฮผฮฟฯ… ฮฒฮฌฯฮฑฮนฮฝฮต ฯ„ฮฑ ฮฒฮปฮญฯ†ฮฑฯฮฑ ฮบฮฑฮน ฯ„ฮฑ ฮผฮญฮปฮท ฮผฮฟฯ… ฮบฯŒฮฒฮฟฮฝฯ„ฮฑฮฝ ฯƒฮฑฮฝ ฮฝฮฑ โ€™ฯ‡ฮฑ ฯ€ฮนฮตฮน ฮณฮปฯ…ฮบฯŒ ฮบฯฮฑฯƒฮฏ, ฯ€ฮฎฮณฮฑฮนฮฝฮฑ ฯƒฯ„ฮฟฮฝ ฮฑฯ‡ฯ…ฯฯŽฮฝฮฑ, ฯŒฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฮญฮฒฯฮนฯƒฮบฮฑ ฯ„ฮท ฯƒฮนฯ‰ฯ€ฮฎ ฯ„ฮท ฮณฮตฮผฮฌฯ„ฮท ฯƒฮบฮนฮฌ ฮบฮฑฮน ฮผฯ…ฯฯ‰ฮดฮนฮฌ ฯƒฮฑฮฝฮฟฯ. ฮ ฯฯŒฯƒฯ‰ฯ€ฮฑ ฮบฮฑฮน ฯ„ฮฑฮพฮฏฮดฮนฮฑ ฮณฮญฮผฮนฮถฮฑฮฝ ฯ„ฮท ฮผฮฟฮฝฮฑฮพฮนฮฌ ฮผฮฟฯ… ฮตฮบฮตฮฏ, ฯ‡ฯฯŽฮผฮฑฯ„ฮฑ ฯƒฮต ฮบฮฟฯฮดฮญฮปฮตฯ‚ ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฮฑฮฝฮญฮผฮนฮถฮฑฮฝ, ฮธฮฌฮปฮฑฯƒฯƒฮตฯ‚ ฯ€ฮฟฯฯ„ฮฟฮบฮฑฮปฮนฮญฯ‚, ฮฟ ฮ“ฮบฮนฮฟฯฮปฮนฮฒฮตฯ ฯƒฯ„ฮท ฯ‡ฯŽฯฮฑ ฯ„ฯ‰ฮฝ ฮงฮปฮนฮผฮนฮฝฯ„ฯฮฎฮดฯ‰ฮฝ, ฮฟ ฮŸฮดฯ…ฯƒฯƒฮญฮฑฯ‚ ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฮฝฮทฯƒฮฏ ฯ„ฮทฯ‚ ฮšฮฑฮปฯ…ฯˆฯŽฯ‚ ฮบฮฑฮน ฯ„ฮทฯ‚ ฮšฮฏฯฮบฮทฯ‚. ฮ‰ฯ„ฮฑฮฝฮต ฮบฮฑฮบฮนฮฌ ฮณฯ…ฮฝฮฑฮฏฮบฮฑ ฮท ฮšฮฏฯฮบฮท, ฮฌฮปฮปฮฑฮถฮต ฯ„ฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฮฑฮฝฮธฯฯŽฯ€ฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฯƒฮต ฮณฮฟฯ…ฯฮฟฯฮฝฮนฮฑ. ฮŒฮผฯ‰ฯ‚ ฮตฮฏฯ‡ฮต ฯ„ฮท ฮดฯฮฝฮฑฮผฮท ฮฝฮฑ ฯ„ฮฟ ฮบฮฌฮฝฮตฮน. ฮ˜ฮฑ โ€™ฯ‡ฮฑ ฮบฮน ฮตฮณฯŽ ฮฌฯฮฑฮณฮต, ฮฑฯฮณฯŒฯ„ฮตฯฮฑ, ฮผฮนฮฑ ฮบฮฌฯ€ฮฟฮนฮฑ ฮดฯฮฝฮฑฮผฮท; ฮŒฯ‡ฮน ฮฒฮญฮฒฮฑฮนฮฑ ฮณฮนฮฑ ฮฝโ€™ ฮฑฮปฮปฮฌฮถฯ‰ ฯ„ฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฮฑฮฝฮธฯฯŽฯ€ฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฯƒฮต ฮณฮฟฯ…ฯฮฟฯฮฝฮนฮฑ, ฮฑฮปฮปฮฌ ฮญฯ„ฯƒฮน… ฮคฮฟ ฮบฮฟฯฮผฮฏ ฮผฮฟฯ… ฮฒฮฑฮธฮฟฯฮปฯ‰ฮฝฮต ฯ€ฮนฮฟ ฮฒฮฑฮธฮนฮฌ ฮผฮญฯƒฮฑ ฯƒฯ„โ€™ ฮฌฯ‡ฯ…ฯฮฟ, ฯ„ฮฟ ฮบฮตฯ†ฮฌฮปฮน ฮผฮฟฯ… ฮญฮณฮตฯฮฝฮต ฯ€ฯฮฟฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฑ ฮบฮฌฯ„ฯ‰ยท ฮผโ€™ ฮญฯ€ฮฑฮนฯฮฝฮต ฮญฮฝฮฑฯ‚ ฮปฮนฮณฯŒฮปฮตฯ€ฯ„ฮฟฯ‚ ฯฯ€ฮฝฮฟฯ‚ ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฮดฮตฮฝ ฯ„ฮฟฮฝ ฮผฮฟฮปฮฟฮณฮฟฯฯƒฮฑ ฯƒฮต ฮบฮฑฮฝฮญฮฝฮฑฮฝ. ฮ‰ฯ„ฮฑฮฝ ฮณฮปฯ…ฮบฯŒฯ‚ – ฮบฮฑฮน ฯƒฯ„ฮฟ ฮพฯฯ€ฮฝฮทฮผฮฑ ฯƒฮฑฮฝ ฮฝฮฑ ฮณฯฯฮนฮถฮฑ ฮฑฯ€’ ฮฌฮปฮปฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฮบฯŒฯƒฮผฮฟฯ…ฯ‚. ฮ‘ฮปฮปฮฌ ฮฟ ฮบฮฌฮผฯ€ฮฟฯ‚ ฮณฮตฮปฮฟฯฯƒฮต, ฮบฮฑฮน ฯ„ฮฑ ฯƒฯ„ฮฑฯ†ฯฮปฮนฮฑ ฮบฯฮญฮผฮฟฮฝฯ„ฮฑฮฝ ฮฑฯ€’ ฯ„ฮทฮฝ ฮบฮปฮทฮผฮฑฯ„ฮฑฯฮนฮฌ ฯŽฯฮนฮผฮฑ, ฮบฮฑฮน ฯ„ฮฟ ฯ‡ฮญฯฮน ฮผฮฟฯ… ฯ€ฮฎฮณฮฑฮนฮฝฮต ฮฝฮฑ ฯ„ฮฑ ฮบฯŒฯˆฮตฮน, ฯ„ฮฟ ฯƒฯ„ฯŒฮผฮฑ ฮผฮฟฯ… ฮฝฮฑ ฯ„ฮฑ ฮณฮตฯ…ฯ„ฮตฮฏ, ฮบฮน ฮญฮปฮตฮณฮฑ ฮผฮญฯƒฮฑ ฮผฮฟฯ… ฯŒฯ„ฮน ฮฑฯ€’ ฯŒฮปฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฯ„ฮฟฯ…ฯ‚ ฮบฯŒฯƒฮผฮฟฯ…ฯ‚, ฮฑฯ€’ ฯŒฮปฮฑ ฯ„’ ฮฑฯƒฯ„ฮญฯฮนฮฑ ฯ€ฮฟฯ… ฮตฮฏฮฝฮฑฮน ฮบฯŒฯƒฮผฮฟฮน, ฮฏฯƒฯ‰ฯ‚ ฮท ฮณฮท ฮฝฮฑ ‘ฯ„ฮฑฮฝ ฮท ฯ‰ฯฮฑฮนฯŒฯ„ฮตฯฮท.


Live Virtual Group Session: 12PM EST March 11th 2022

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this session!

For this session we read an excerpt fromย How to Bloom in Dark Placesย byย Warsan Shire, posted below.ย 

Our prompt was to begin your writing with โ€œWe will…โ€ orย โ€œWe pledge…โ€

More details will be posted on this session, so check back again!

Participants are warmly encouraged to share what you wrote below (โ€œLeave a Replyโ€), to keep the conversation going here, bearing in mind that the blog of course is a public space where confidentiality is not assured.

Also, we would love to learn more about your experience of these sessions, so if youโ€™re able, please take the time to fill out a follow-up survey of one to two quick questions!

Please join us for our next sessionย Monday March 14th atย 6pm EDT, ย with more times listed on ourย Live Virtual Group Sessionsย page.


How to Bloom in Dark Placesย byย Warsan Shire

How many arms do I need to grow to
fight off what scares me?
How many legs to leave?
How many dreams until mother tells
me how to escape this place?
Mother has given me a message.
I must tell the girls, so they can
memorise it too.
If I ever forget, they will remind
Me.

I read to them the words as my mother said them.
We pledge allegiance to our bodies,
We pledge allegiance to fortifying our
girlhood.
We pledge allegiance to water,
to itโ€™s dutiful scarcity,
we do not bow to thirst and the shadow it
casts over our lives.
We will be our own mothers,
We will be the big sisters we never had,
We will be the fathers we almost had
We will fortify our own walls,
We will protect the vulnerable,
We will protect ourselves,
so, we will protect each other.

Live Virtual Group Session: 6PM EST March 7th 2022

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this session!

For this session we read an excerpt fromย City of Incurable Womenย byย Maud Casey, posted below.ย 

Our prompt was a choice between: โ€œWrite about a portrait that you’ve seen.โ€ OR “Write about an escape.”

More details will be posted on this session, so check back again!

Participants are warmly encouraged to share what you wrote below (โ€œLeave a Replyโ€), to keep the conversation going here, bearing in mind that the blog of course is a public space where confidentiality is not assured.

Also, we would love to learn more about your experience of these sessions, so if youโ€™re able, please take the time to fill out a follow-up survey of one to two quick questions!

Please join us for our next sessionย Friday March 11th atย 12pm EST, ย with more times listed on ourย Live Virtual Group Sessionsย page.


Casey, Maud. City of Incurable Women. 2022. New York: Bellevue Literary Press.

You emerge reluctantly on the photographic plate.

Your hair parted in the middle; long lumpy braids punctuated by thin-ribboned bows. A third bow perches on top of your head, an afterthought. Your flat mouth. Your crumpled chin. One eyebrow interrupted, as if you shaved a line through it to stop its progress. Earrings dangle from your small ears; once, someone thought it was a good idea to adorn you. In this first photograph, you donโ€™t yet know they have a name for your pain or that the stages of hysteria are called, collectively, the passionate attitudes. With great effort, you summon a body for the photographer.

You werenโ€™t the photogenic one. That was Augustine. Still, there is the fortuitous coincidence of your godliness and your hometown of Loudun, famous for its demonic possessions. In particular, Joan of the Angels, mother superior of the Ursuline Order, to whom Saint Joseph appeared after a final rough exorcism. That you walked the same earth as Joan of the Angels is useful; you hear the promise it holds in the way the doctors discuss the she who is you. Serpentine sentences laced with optimism wound into science. With your birth in Loudun, the doctors make sense of your life; with that detail your life becomes a story with a beginning, a middle, and, somewhere up ahead, an end.

In the photograph, you look sideways out of a face a paler white than your blouse, which looks more like a billowy straitjacket, but that comes later. You may not have been the pretty one, but soon you will be known as the escape artist of the city of incurable women; it was said you could rip a straitjacket to pieces with your teeth.