“The Dream” by ire’ne Lara Silva
Jun22

“The Dream” by ire’ne Lara Silva

The Dream is this: a balanced life—a happy, loving partner/family; a long, healthy life; abundant economic resources; a lengthy career filled with accomplishments and awards; acknowledged ‘mastery’ of your chosen art;  and a harmoniously serene mind and heart to enjoy it all. In reality, we are more likely fragmented and struggling—always spread too thin, always juggling more priorities than we can handle, always trying to carve out...

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“Virginia Woolf and a River,” by Florencia Ramirez
Jun22

“Virginia Woolf and a River,” by Florencia Ramirez

“A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write,” wrote Virginia Woolf. She described this as the “great problem.” Thirteen years ago, two women, within a canyon of red stone and brush, each with copies of Virginia Woolf’s book, “A Room of Her Own,” conspired to bring together a community of women writers (a room) and a vision to finance creative expression with literary awards (money). Two years ago, I entered the...

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“Beautiful Caves”
Jun21

“Beautiful Caves”

Kate Gale asks Gift of Freedom winner Diane Gilliam, “In a world where almost anyone would rather be involved in commerce or consumer culture or interaction with the screen, why poetry?  It’s not as active as football, not as immediate as mall shopping, not as intrusive as Facebook.  It is ancient and quiet, sitting on the side, waiting.  It is contemplative and has no place in our modern culture.  Or does it?  What is...

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“Two Edges”
Jun21

“Two Edges”

March 28, 2013 As I begin to feel my way toward speaking about Virginia Woolf, there’s a song that keeps coming through and since I’m a believer in anything that keeps trying to come through I’m going to let it in.  It’s a song by Joan Manuel Serrat based on a small poem titled “La saeta” by Antonio Machado.  It speaks to a traditional Andalusian song type, sung this time of year to the “Jesus de la agonia” in which the singer asks...

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