Poetry and You
By Janet Morrissey
Do you remember the first time you heard Robert Frost’s poem, “The Road Not Taken”? Most likely it was in a school setting. On September 3, 2017, the L.A.Times had an article in the B section called, “Can Poetry Save Your Life,” by Jill Bialosky. She shares the effect this poem had on her life, and how a teacher brought the poem alive for her. Through Frost’s words and Miss Hudson’s reading, she realized there are many ways to look at your life. We have a choice. Our path in life can be worn but tended or overgrown, shaded and magical.
Excerpt from The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost:
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.
As we age, we might disregard the idea of trying to change our path. We tend to get set in our ways and become a bit complacent. Also, we tire easily and it might take too much effort, but for a moment, think of what a new path might look like for you. Is this where we look at that bucket list? Is there something you’ve always wanted to do but for a number of reasons have set it aside or quit?
Do you remember being introduced to a poem that became magical for you? I was about six years old and a friend of my mother’s came to visit. Dorothy Griffin had no children at the time and a bit eccentric, but she could recite “Little Orphant Annie” by James Whitcomb Riley from memory. I was enthralled. Her inflection was perfect, especially when she said,
“An’ the Gobble-uns ‘ll git you Ef you Don’t Watch Out!”
Just as Miss Hudson was not aware of how her reading of Frost’s poem affected Bialosky, Dorothy did not know that her reading was the beginning of my love of poetry.
Crones Counsel has poets who will be sharing their poetry at a workshop and we’re invited to attend by being a participant or a listener. See you soon.
Read the entire Robert Frost poem: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44272/the-road-not-taken
By Maggie Fenton
I , along with many of you, have been reeling at the news and pictures of devastation that have rocked our planet in the last few weeks. Even if we were not personally impacted by nature’s devastation, we probably have friends or family who were. There aren’t words that adequately describe the loss and suffering of so many.
The words of Ramona Adams have come to me again and again. This wise Crone, one of our treasured founders, no longer with us, knew a thing or two about loss. She told me that once you get your head around that everything, everything, EVERYTHING in this world is temporary, then you can really start to live. She told me that after great losses, you get up every morning and live that day and then, the next and the next.
This wisdom has come to me many times over the years as I’ve experienced my own losses, as each of us does. This is easy to contemplate in the comfortable surroundings of my little patch of heaven here on the berry farm but not so easy, I think, when there are 150 mph wind gusts or rumblings of the earth or fire or flood threatening to destroy your life or the lives of your loved ones. But then there’s this: this morning’s news featured a nun in full habit, the sun shining on her through the remaining trees, wielding a chain saw to clean up debris from Hurricane Irma. It seems even the storms are temporary.
Dear Ones: It is with great sadness that I must cancel my registration to
Crones Counsel in Salt Lake City. My husband is not very well and I cannot
leave him to take care of himself. I had hoped by this time he would be much
better and be independent, but such is not the case.
I shall miss all of you very much—-the story telling, the laughter that
only Crones can generate, the comaraderie, the soul searching that only
happens at Crones Counsel, and the very close and deep connection that we
share with each other. It has been my privilege to be the eldest of the
Elders , and each year the honoring of the Elders ceremony has been a
highlight of the Counsel.
This is the first summer in 30 years that I haven’t gone fly fishing, but
you can just imagine a fish story that I might be telling you. I had saved
one for this year. But you’ll just have to imagine the beautiful setting
along a wild River in Montana, no one around, a wild trout and I facing each
other In one more struggle that always has a twist. And think of me as you
dance to the beat of the drums—-uninhibited movement of the body, carefree
and relaxed, laughing and twisting as we join together to experience pure
joy with our release of tension.
The world is in turmoil; our leaders no longer know how to lead; but the
power of Crones is forever. To those of you that I know so well, my life is
richer for having shared some of our years. To those that I do not know, I
regret that time ran out and I feel deprived.
May this year’s Crones Counsel bring to each of you a strengthening of your
inner self and a renewal of the bond that ties us altogether. I shall be
with you in spirit and in fun! Have a wonderful time!
Alice Yee
98 years young!
Artisan’s Bazaar at Crones Counsel
Artisans needed!
Are you an artist, artisan or creator of wonderful things that other Crones might buy? Then you might want to check out this wonderful opportunity to sell your creations at the Artisan’s Bazaar at Crones Counsel in Salt Lake City. The Artisan’s Bazaar is open at designated times throughout the Gathering and features wonderful things like jewelry, pottery, drums, books and more! It is held in a secure room that is locked up at night and staffed by the artisans. One 2.5 X 6’ table is $50 and you can add a second one for only $35. If you have any questions about the Bazaar, please contact Marta Quest at rrandart12@gmail.com or 541-234-4383.
If you would like to submit an application to participate in the Artisan’s Bazaar, please use this link: https://www.cronescounsel.org/artisan-bazaar-application/
Utah Woman Deletes The Internet!
By Kaye C (Dissociated Press)
SALT LAKE CITY: Millions of frustrated calls rushed into Internet service providers this past Thursday as “The Information Superhighway” was reported Missing in Action for several days.
The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) traced the problem to a home in Utah where KC Chatterton resides. She was allegedly found “hysterical and crying,” police say.
“That much information flowing through the cable lines all at once generates a lot of heat,” says Doug Wernicke of the IETF told us. “We just followed the smell of burning fiber optics.”
“Apparently this elderly lady just deleted The Internet right off her desktop. Even after being warned, ‘are you sure you want to delete The Internet?, she persisted.”
Experts complain that this is a major problem with The Information Superhighway, perhaps even worse that animal pornography. ‘The Internet is a great cooperative work, built by millions of people. It is so unfortunate that it can be ruined by just one person. Thank God we were able to save it,” commented Chatterton’s neighbor.
The IETF was able to recover most of The Internet by opening up Chatterton’s Recycle Bin and dragging The Internet back onto the desktop. The rest was restored from the master backup copy kept on Zip Disk in the pentagon. Chatterton claims ignorance was the cause of her act. “I just didn’t know. I was trying to clean up my desktop and I deleted it. I just didn’t realize.”
Microsoft Corporation reports that they are currently working on a bug fix.
(Can you identify? I often feel like I know just enough about technology to get in trouble! – KC)