Issue #33 - moni's top 10 - E-ZINE
The Poets Niche Official Weekly Newsletter
May 24, 1999
HAPPY MONDAY ALL!!!
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This week's issue
- BIRTHDAY WISHES and PRAYER REQUEST
- POETS NICHE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY and CONTEST
- POETRY YOU SAY/CONTEST
- THE PERFECT FATHER'S DAY GIFT WITH CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE POETS NICHE
- HIT THE FLOOR - THE POWER OF RACIAL STEREOTYPES
- MIDDLE PASSAGE MONUMENT UPDATE
- MORE GOOD NEWS FROM ANOTHER POETS NICHE MEMBER
- CHRISTIAN PICK UP LINES
- POEMS OF THE WEEK and COMMENTS FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY
- moni's Poem of the Week
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* Believing in the miracle of possibilities,
means hope and love never dies. *
moni (c) 1999
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1) BIRTHDAY WISHES - Sorry that this one slipped through the cracks. I
guess I need to pay my informants cash instead of chips (potato chips
that is). On Monday, May 17th, another Poets Niche member TURNED A YEAR
OLDER! Please join me in wishing our sister ROSE FORD, HAPPY (ALTHOUGH
BELATED) BIRTHDAY!!! But don't worry, because she certainly celebrated
in style. Rose said she had a lovely birthday -- presents, cards and
visitors. However, the best part of her birth/day came when her HUSBAND
COOKED DINNER for HER!! The menu included black-eyed peas, barbecued
chicken, cornbread and okra. TALK ABOUT SOUL FOOD COOKING AND FINGER
LICKING GOOD!! Hey Rose, DOES YOUR HUSBAND HAVE A SINGLE TWIN BROTHER?
Please feel free to send your BIRTHDAY WISHES to Rose at (ROSEFORM@aol.com).
For our GEMINI BROTHERS and SISTERS celebrating BIRTHDAYS from May 21
through June 20, I wish YOU the HAPPIEST of BIRTHDAYS and MAY ALL YOUR
WISHES COME TRUE!
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PRAYER REQUEST - Sue Christiansen has 4-year old twin girls, and one of
the twins has pneumonia. Sue has asked that we say an extra prayer for
her daughter, and add her to our Prayer Request List. May God wrap His
loving arms around your daughter and heal her body of ALL DISEASES!!
Please feel free to send your love and prayers to Sue and her daughter at
(sue@transaver.com).
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2) ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY and CONTEST - The POETS NICHE will celebrate its
ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY on June 22, 1999. WOW!!! WHO WOULD HAVE THUNK
IT!!! AND, we have MOCHA to thank for being the first person to inquire
about creating a Niche for poets and poetry lovers. The main ingredient
to our success is LOVE!!! The combination of very gifted poets sharing
their God given talents with one another and diverse cultures, is why we
are quickly becoming the most popular website on the internet.
In CELEBRATION of our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY, I thought a CONTEST would be
FUN!! Your assignment, should you choose to play along with another one
of moni's hair brain schemes, is to WRITE A POEM, of course!!
But....it's not your ordinary type of poem. Here are the RULES:
(a) Only Poets Niche members can participant.
(b) Write a poem, or a series of coherent sentences, using EACH LETTER
OF THE ALPHABET ONLY ONE TIME IN CONSECUTIVE ORDER. This means ONLY 26
WORDS and NO DUPLICATIONS. You don't have to start with A or end with Z.
If you start with F, your next word must start with the letter G and end
with the letter E. For example: (M)oni (N)ever (O)bviously
(P)lans...then ending with the letter (L)ove.
(c) For bonus points and to make things more interesting, TWO of the
WORDS MUST include the POETS NICHE (Not in consecutive order, however,
e.g., (M)ore (N)iches (O)f (P)oets...then ending with the letter (L)ove.
(d) ONE entry per MEMBER ONLY.
(e) Email your entry to "ME" ONLY at (moni@nichemarket.com). Your poem
and/or sentences MUST be contained in the BODY OF YOUR EMAIL. (NO
ATTACHMENTS will be ACCEPTED). Also, if your poem is emailed to your
group instead of ME, you will automatically be disqualified.
(f) THREE WINNERS, and TWO honorable mentions will be selected. Winners
will be notified on June 21, 1999 in Issue #37 of moni's top 10 E-ZINE.
(g) Be careful to count your words (26 only), because the judges will be
counting too. A panel of judges will review all entries, and all
decisions by the judges are final.
(h) The DEADLINE for all submissions is by MIDNIGHT (CST) on Wednesday,
June 16, 1999. (NO EXCEPTIONS!!)
(i) All winning poems will be featured in POEMS OF THE WEEK 43 on June
21, 1999.
HERE'S WHAT YOU WILL WIN!!!!
FIRST PLACE: Upon publication, an autographed copy of "COME INTO OUR WHIRL".
SECOND PLACE: One year paid subscription of the Writer's Digest Magazine.
THIRD PLACE: To be a featured Poet of the Week (YOUR POEMS ONLY).
Let's put those thinking caps on because you only have 3 1/2 weeks to be
creative. If you have any questions, please email ME at
(moni@nichemarket.com).
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3) POETRY YOU SAY - Middfest International is seeking submissions of
poetry for an anthology from South African writers or writers with direct
South African experience. Middfest International's mission is to promote
international understanding through education and cultural exchange.
Each year a different country or region of the world is featured. South
Africa is the featured country for 1999. The project, "Voices of South
Africa: Literature from Oral Traditions to Truth and Reconciliations,"
will present the diversity of South Africa's history, culture and
languages, through its literature. To further this goal, Middfest
International will publish a short anthology of South African essays and
poems. Middfest will be exploring themes of oral traditions, literature
past and present from all the major language groups, literature of
protest, and post apartheid. Writers may wish to address these themes or
submit poems or essays on other subjects. Material may be new or
previously published.
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING POETRY:
1) Each entry may consist of 1-2 poems. No length is specified,
however, keep in mind that this will be a short anthology. (Per my
conversation with Bess, they are really looking for short poems because
of the size of the book).
2) The theme of each poem will concern some aspect of South Africa,
whether this be past, present, future, the country itself (i.e., nature,
cities, people, etc.)
3) Poems may be submitted in any of South Africa's 11 official
languages: Afrikaans, Sesotho, Setswana, Zulu, etc.
4) Each poem or essay writer should include his/her name and address, as
well as a brief biographical sketch. Some or all of the biography may be
published in the anthology.
5) Poems must be received by Middfest International by May 30, 1999
(extended to Poets Niche members only to June 4th).
6) Send your poem(s) to: Bess Miller, Middfest International Foundation,
One City Centre Plaza, Middletown, OH 45042. Website (www.middleton.com
middfest). Information about this anthology, however, is not on the
website.
Because time is of the essence, Bess has granted members of the Poet
Niche permission to submit their poem(s) and/or essay with the Submission
Form below (just cut and paste):
SUBMISSION FORM:
Name:___________________________________________________________________
Address:_________________________________________________________________
City: ________________________ State ________ Zip Code ______________
Day phone: ___________________ Evening _______________ Fax ____________
Titles of poem(s) submitted:
Biographical information:
Padmore, thank you for sharing this information with your fellow members.
GOOD LUCK POETS, and let us know if you were selected for this project!!!
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4) LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT FATHER'S DAY GIFT - Poets Niche member, Tina
Marie Clark, has the perfect Father's Day gift for YOU! She's making
Photo T-Shirts with a picture of your choice. She will provide the T
Shirt and you provide the picture. Tina will also write a Personalized
Poem, including all the names you want mentioned in the poem -- your
father's name, mom, children, and naturally, your name. This poem can
also be placed on a T-Shirt so DEAR OLD DAD can proudly wear it. Please
email Tina at (lryicist@bellsouth.net) for details on the cost of the T
Shirt.
BUT HERE'S THE GOOD PART -- for every T-Shirt ordered by a Poets Niche
member, Tina will CONTRIBUTE A PORTION OF THE PROFITS TO THE POETS
NICHE!! Just so you know, ALL CONTRIBUTIONS will go toward the production
costs of our anthology, "COME INTO OUR WHIRL". TINA, I am blown away by
your generosity and greatly appreciate your LOVE, SUPPORT and
CONTRIBUTION!!
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5) THE POWER OF RACIAL STEREOTYPES - HIT THE FLOOR (Author Unknown) - On
a recent weekend in Atlantic City, the woman related, she won a bucketful
of quarters at a slot machine. She then took a break from the slots for
dinner with her husband in the hotel dining room, but first she would
stash the quarters in her room. "I'll be right back and we'll go to
eat," she told her husband as she carried the coin-laden bucket towards
the elevator. As she was about to walk into the elevator she noticed two
men already aboard. Both were black. One of them was big...Very
big...An intimidating figure.
The woman froze. Her first thought was: These two are going to rob me.
Her next thought was: Don't be a bigot, they look like perfectly nice
gentlemen, even if one of them is awfully black. But racial stereotypes
are powerful, and fear immobilized her. She stood and stared at the two
men. She felt anxious, flustered, ashamed. She hoped they didn't read
her mind but knew they surely did; her hesitation about joining them on
the elevator was all too obvious. Her face burned. She couldn't just
stand there, so with a mighty effort of will she picked up one foot and
stepped forward and followed with the other foot and was soon on the
elevator.
Avoiding eye contact, she turned around stiffly and faced the elevator
doors as they closed. A second passed, and then another second, and then
another. The elevator didn't move. Panic consumed her. My God, she
thought, I'm trapped and about to be robbed! Her heart plummeted.
Perspiration poured from every pore. Then one of the men said, "Hit the
floor." Instinct told her: Do what they tell you. The bucket of
quarters flew upwards as she threw out her arms and collapsed on the
elevator carpet. A shower of coins rained down on her. Take my money
and spare me, she prayed. More seconds passed. She heard one of the men
say politely, "Ma'am, if you'll just tell us what floor you're going to,
we'll push the button."
The one who said it had a little trouble getting the words out. He was
trying mightily to hold in a belly laugh. She lifted her head and looked
up at the two men. They reached down to help her up. Confused, she
struggled to her feet. "When I told my man here to hit the floor," one of
the men, the average sized one, told her, "I meant that he should hit the
elevator button for our floor. I didn't mean for you to hit the floor,
Ma'am." He spoke genially. He bit his lip. It was obvious he was having
a hard time not laughing. She thought: My God, what a spectacle I've
made of myself. She was too humiliated to speak. She wanted to blurt out
an apology, but words failed her. How do you apologize to two perfectly
respectable gentlemen for behaving as though they were robbing you? She
didn't know.
The three of them gathered up the strewn quarters and refilled her
bucket. When the elevator arrived at her floor they insisted on walking
her to her room. She seemed a little unsteady on her feet, and they were
afraid she might not make it down the corridor. At her door they bid her
good evening. As she slipped into her room she could hear them laughing
while they walked back to the elevator. The woman brushed herself off.
She pulled herself together and went downstairs for dinner with her
husband. The next morning flowers were delivered to her room, a dozen
roses. Attached to each rose was a crisp one hundred dollar bill. A
card said: "Thanks for the best laugh we've had in years." It was
signed,
Eddie Murphy and Bodyguard
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6) MIDDLE PASSAGE MONUMENT UPDATE - Support of the Middle Passage
Monument Project continues to grow as people around the world share
information on this historic event with family, friends, and
acquaintances. Preliminary figures indicate that 2.5 to 3 million people
from across the United States and around the world will converge on
Manhattan between June 19 and July 3, 1999 in honor of the Middle Passage
Monument Project. The Homeward Bound Foundation encourages your
continued support of the Middle Passage Monument Project. Please
encourage your local newspapers, radio stations, and television stations
to support the Project. For a listing of scheduled events, please visit
the website at (http://www.middle passage.org).
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7) MORE GOOD NEWS from another Poets Niche member, JO ANN TAYLOR - For a
long time, I've been wanting to get a Memorial Quilt made for Operation
Angel, similar to the AIDS quilt where we just keep adding to it. I
would love to display it in our office and also take it with me on
speaking engagements, as well as display it here at our County Fair, for
National Pregnancy and Infant Awareness Loss month and during the
National Candlelighting Ceremony in December. Wouldn't it be great if we
could eventually travel with and let everyone in all the states see it?
I would love to have everyone participate in this. I know you're like me
and you're all very busy. But I sure hope you'll take time to do this
for me. I'd like for you to do a different square for each baby you've
lost. You may put on it whatever you choose. You could paint on it,
embroider, cross-stitch, do a heat transfer, etc. If you have a picture
of your baby/babies, you could get a copy made and there is a transfer
medium for putting photographs on fabric. There are also permanent
fabric pens if you wanted to write a poem or something to your baby. As
creative as you all are, I'm excited to see what each of you will come up
with.
Each square needs to be a 6 inch unfinished piece. All of the pieces
will be put together and quilted by volunteers. You may use any color
fabric, but cotton would probably work best. You might even have some
piece of clothing from your baby that you'd like to use. You might want
to make extra squares and start a quilt in your town. Please also invite
any family member or friend who lost a baby to join us so that they can
participate in the making of this Memorial Quilt.
When you've finished your square(s), please email me at (ofm@mtnhome.com)
for my mailing address. The DEADLINE for sending in your 6 inch
unfinished square is July 31, 1999. I want to thank each of you in
advance for participating in this project. I love you all and hope that
you are in the healing process.
Thanks Jo Ann, and please keep us updated on this WONDERFUL PROJECT!!!
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8) CHRISTIAN PICK UP LINES - unknown author (sent in by LeNora Devine) -
a) Nice Bible!
b) Do you need help carrying your Bible? It looks heavy.
c) Christians don't shake hands, Christians gotta hug.
d) Did it hurt when you fell from Heaven?
e) Is it a sin that you stole my heart?
f) Would you happen to know a Christian woman that I could love with all
my heart and wait on hand and foot?
g) Excuse me, I believe one of your ribs belongs to me.
h) What? Friends listen to Amazing Grace in the dark.
i) We have to hold hands when we pray so the circle won't be broken.
j) God has used you to teach me what true love really is.
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9) POEMS OF THE WEEK - The season of spring is shaping up to be pretty
interesting. Folks are praying and asking for blessings that they are
not caught up in love's dilemma -- never to speak his name or hear the
sound of her voice. This week's FEATURED POETS are:
NEVER SPEAK HIS NAME by L. K. "Rose" Ford - ROSEFORMS@aol.com
SOUND OF YOUR VOICE by Ghada El Kurd - alankash@hotmail.com
THE SEASON OF SPRING by Marilyn Marshall - MBeeHoney@aol.com
LOVE'S DILEMMA by Sue Christiansen - sue@transaver.com
BLESS ME by Cephus Pierce III - cpierce@poloralphlauren.com
MY PRAYER by Angela Singletary - asingletary@bcbs-ga.com
You can read for yourself these thought provoking poems in POEMS OF THE
WEEK 39 at (www.nichemarket.com).
COMMENTS FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY - If you haven't already done so, you
have two more days to comment on Padmore's poem, "IF YOU MEET ME"
(www.nichemarket.com). bams will be back and the Peanut Gallery will
have a new poem posted on Wednesday, May 26, 1999. CHECK IT OUT BECAUSE
IT COULD BE YOUR POEM!!!
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10) Below is moni's Poem of the Week. Your comments are always welcomed
and greatly appreciated.
HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!
moni
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REFLECTIONS THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS
I wake up at five not quite revived. I focus on the ceiling fan
and figure out my daily plan.
I roll out of bed, scratch my head, and stumble to the bathroom
to begin my daily groom.
Reflections through the looking glass, oh what do I see, but the
someone I used to be looking back at me.
I dress in my coat of armor, prepared to mask the truth. I walk
the walk, talk the talk, and rattle off the lies.
I'm a cunning leopard changing my spots not sure if it can stop.
I'm not out of control. I just do as I'm told.
Oh looking glass, looking glass, tell me what do you see?
I see a fraud who deserves no applause. All the carnage you left
in such a haste, now you want me to believe it was all a mistake.
Don't turn away in disgust. It's only you, You mistrust.
Remember, you'll never be free until Your reflection sees...Me!
Monica Blache (c)
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