Christi Craig is a native Texan living in Wisconsin, working by day as a sign language interpreter and moonlighting as a writer, teacher, and editor. Her stories and essays have appeared online and in print, and she received an Honorable Mention in Glimmer Train's Family Matters Contest, 2010.
You can send comments or questions via her contact page.
Later that night, Jack came and sat next to Bull and asked if he could borrow the rabbit. Bull handed Edward over, and Jack sat with Edward upon his knee. He whispered in Edward’s ear. “Helen,” Jack said, “and Jack Junior and Taffy — she’s the baby. Those are my kids’ names. They are all in North Carolina. You ever been to North Carolina? It’s a pretty state. That’s where they are. Helen. Jack Junior. Taffy. You remember their names, okay, Malone?”
. . . .
Edward knew what it was like to say over and over again the names of those you had left behind. He knew what it was like to miss someone. And so he listened. And in his listening, his heart opened wide and then wider still.
We write to remember, we write to reflect. Fiction or non, your stories matter. Who will you honor on the page?
* DiCamillo, Kate; Ibatoulline, Bagram (2009-08-30). The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (p. 103). Candlewick Press. Kindle Edition.
Carved in clay but never fired, she raises more questions than her presence might answer.
I know the artist, the name scratched into the base: Betti jo–my mother. I know the studio where the woman came into being: 4101 York Street, the attic space turned art room. I know her approximate year: 1980.
What I don’t know:
Self-portrait or face of a stranger? Left unfired by intention or by resignation? A woman content or resolute? Perhaps both.
What I imagine:
A Sunday afternoon, bright and temperate–outside and in. Kids preoccupied in the yard; husband drawn into football downstairs. She’s been to church, served roast at lunch, cleared the dishes. Usually, it is now that she would nap, but today she slips into the art room and unwraps a cool piece of clay.
She throws it against the table once, twice–pauses, listens. A third time quick, then she readies her hands and the water. With her thumbs she massages the forehead into shape, slow and meticulous. As she smoothes out that space just above the eyebrows, the creases between her own release, her thoughts loosen. She breathes in, breathes out, the scent of clay like a balm. She forms the nose and the nostrils and scratches her own. The nose is too big, she is sure, but the way it turns up at the end makes her grin. The lips, she crafts smaller than her own and more relaxed in a way, and here she stops to consider. Laughter from her girls outside lifts like the wind, and their voices slip in under the sash, curl up and around her shoulders, tickle the back of her neck. Happy.
~
Patty Dann (The Butterfly Hours) says, “All good writing is a blend of memory and imagination,” and as I study the woman on my mantel, I know Dann is right. Artifacts form the base of our memories, but we are often left to fill in the gaps. We do this out of curiosity, out of necessity, out of love. Family Stories from the Attic (Hidden Timber Books, April 1, 2017) is an anthology full of such writing. Co-edited by Lisa Rivero and myself, these stories of exploration by twenty-two authors will inspire you to uncover your own family letters, diaries, photographs, and more, if only to reflect on the real and the imagined and–as always–the loved. Watch for information on pre-ordering and the book launch soon.
#CaringForCommunity is a new blog series that spotlights the work of writers, artists, or your next-door neighbors who, without being asked and without pay, carry the light in simple but meaningful ways. These are people giving back in order to lift others up. Real life examples of compassion, concern, and inspiration.
Today, Cristina M.R. Norcross shares about Random Acts of Poetry and Art Day, an annual event on February 20th, where the act of giving is in the giving of art.
Random Acts of Poetry and Art Day
February 20th, 2017
Join the Kindness Revolution!
~
“A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves.”
~Amelia Earhart
There exists within all of us the need to reach out to others with an open heart. When we are offered a kind word, a helping hand, a patient ear, or an unexpected gift, our first reaction is gratitude – there is a softening that occurs. Perhaps our second reaction could be to pay-it-forward?
In 2012, the idea for Random Acts of Poetry and Art Day (RAPA) started with the brainstorm of leaving behind a “feel good” message for someone else to mysteriously find. I was in an Office Max store and decided to test out a roller ball pen by writing a mini poem on the scratch paper provided. With these words, I was hoping to encourage the next pen tester:
“And if your wandering spirit should falter, know that you are constantly being guided on your path. Follow your own star.”
At first, I felt a bit mischievous, but then I felt inspired. I took a photo of my scribblings and sent it to a few artist and writer friends with the question, “Do you think we could do something here, by spreading good vibes?” The response I received was an enthusiastic, YES, even before we knew how to bring people together.
NYC maps & bands by Sonya S. Sinha
We created a Facebook page, with a simple summary of our RAPA Day movement, some sample photos of gifts, and some encouragement for others to take part.
2017 will mark our 6-year anniversary. We have had public school students participate, local arts councils, and writing groups. We have had artists and poets from across the United States, Canada, and Europe participate. With each year, our numbers grow, and we hope that this continues!
Chapbooks by Gary C. Busha as giveaways.
For those who are new to RAPA Day, some ideas from past years include: leaving behind free poetry cards at coffee houses, cafés and libraries; giving away mini works of art / handmade jewelry / pottery / knitted scarves or hats; and donating art prints and poetry books to non-profit organizations.
For our first year, my sons had the day off from school, so they helped me cut up strips of paper with quotes by Rumi, Hafiz, and Dr. Seuss. We would leave them on tables, benches, and even inside library books on shelves (shh, don’t tell our local librarian). I think the Dr. Seuss quote was their favorite:
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
~ Dr. Seuss, The Lorax
I wouldn’t be able to spread the word about Random Acts of Poetry and Art Day without the help of my wonderfully talented team of organizers, which includes visual artists: Sonya S. Sinha (New York) and Jennifer S. J. Peña (New Jersey). Each year, we ring the bell of hope, in celebration of the art of giving. It is our goal to encourage and inspire others to give back through the arts. We have an opportunity to connect people through kindness and generosity. We also have an opportunity to remind people of the essence of being human – to give and receive from the heart.
PS! We are giving away bundles of 10 postcards (pictured below), per request, until we run out. Artists and writers can request a bundle by sending a message to the Random Acts of Poetry and Art group page on Facebook.
~
Cristina M. R. Norcross is the founding editor of the online poetry journal, Blue Heron Review, and lives in Wisconsin with her husband and their two sons. She is the author of 7 poetry collections, and her works appear in print and online. Cristina was one of the co-editors of the project, One Vision: a Fusion of Art & Poetry in Lake Country (2009-11). She is currently one of the co-founders of Random Acts of Poetry and Art Day and is a regular contributor to the Art Ambush Project. Visit her website for more information.
Do you have a #CaringForCommunity story to share? Contact me.
Later that night, Jack came and sat next to Bull and asked if he could borrow the rabbit. Bull handed Edward over, and Jack sat with Edward upon his knee. He whispered in Edward’s ear. “Helen,” Jack said, “and Jack Junior and Taffy — she’s the baby. Those are my kids’ names. They are all in North Carolina. You ever been to North Carolina? It’s a pretty state. That’s where they are. Helen. Jack Junior. Taffy. You remember their names, okay, Malone?”
There exists within all of us the need to reach out to others with an open heart. When we are offered a kind word, a helping hand, a patient ear, or an unexpected gift, our first reaction is gratitude – there is a softening that occurs. Perhaps our second reaction could be to pay-it-forward?
I wouldn’t be able to spread the word about Random Acts of Poetry and Art Day without the help of my wonderfully talented team of organizers, which includes visual artists: Sonya S. Sinha (New York) and Jennifer S. J. Peña (New Jersey). Each year, we ring the bell of hope, in celebration of the art of giving. It is our goal to encourage and inspire others to give back through the arts. We have an opportunity to connect people through kindness and generosity. We also have an opportunity to remind people of the essence of being human – to give and receive from the heart.
Cristina M. R. Norcross is the founding editor of the online poetry journal,