Editor's Corner
By
Mary E. Adair
September 2003
The month with the soft sibilant sounding name.
The weather, however, is only sometimes soft and comfortable. The summer heat hangs on in Texas and other southern states of the USA, with the threat of thunderstorms and even of hurricanes. We had some welcome rainfall to help cool our way back home on Labor Day, and though it was light, it did temper the heat. And home again has that wonderful sound to it that awakens all the emotions that makes you homesick when you aren't there.
When it comes to writing, we could sum it up by saying that September is apt to be when we wear our heart on our sleeve, or instead strive to hide our true feelings from that certain someone who by their very proximity have drawn our attention and perhaps reluctant affection. At least, that is what most of our poets tell us this month.
John I. Blair muses on with reflections of the nature around us with its oft near-hidden lessons with "Jungle," "Tlaloc," "Black-bellied Whistling Tree Ducks," and "Winter Frost." Noreen M. Bailey's irony shows up with her poem "Grass Meanies" telling it like it is these days. John D. Strain reminds all of us what our writing and our words do in "Lead On." From the romantic expectations of John I. Blair expressed in his "Rose Bouquet," and Susan with "I Wander the Halls.." right through the disappointment of Peter Tonge's "What Love Is Not" our poets echo those feelings we each have at one time or another.
Mother love (of various kinds) pops up in Sam Vaknin's "A Hundred Children," Sheila Keith's "Key to My Heart," Clara Blair's "The Big Bay Window," and Rochelle Hope Mehr's "Saccharin." While Bruce Clifford speaks of eternal love in "The Sun Touching The Sea," and his other poems, "Face of Deception," and "So Wake Up" exhort one to do better in loving, be it personal, or unconditional, M. Jay Mansfield's poetry spans the highs and lows with "From Conception" to "Depressed." Bitterness also is voiced in "Stitchwork" by Mansfield, and is somewhat mirrored in the "string rhyme" by Judith Alexander, "Afternoon Delight," and Peter Tonge's social conscience in "I Heard Her Crying." Noreen M. Bailey sings a poignant, bittersweet refrain in "Weaving Soulmates."
Bailey's insight seems sharpened this month, as she also shares her deep caring respect for Bob Hope, (see the article "Memories of Hope") touching on what many of us more or less took for granted concerning that public figure. The other article is by Sam Vaknin and continues the study series on Christian/Islamic history, "The Fifth Horseman."
A few of our columnists stepped up to the plate to bring us their individual styles of commentary (what would we do without them) so you will find the following in this issue:
"Consider This" by LC Van Savage
"Cookin' With Leo" by Leo C. Helmer
"Good Morning Mom" by Miles C. Flynn
"Stellar Notions" by Pete Miller
"Thinking Out Loud" by Gerard Meister
The month should find most of us with time to read, dwell on our thoughts, and turn ourselves to creative endeavors. A good place to start is right here with Pencil Stubs Online. We invite your feedback for our authors, and we earnestly suggest that you send your own literary compositions to be shown in the ezine. Try it!
See you next month!
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