Coffeeshop Writers Group - Good work by Marf, Donna, Linda, and Carlana

Donna wrote an excellent poem about being in a dark depression. I told her to submit it to the Bellevue Literary Review.

When I had bipolar, I'd get terrible depressions at least four times a year. For me, the best thing was to keep on working. Being a therapist was relatively easy except for the paperwork.

Martha, on the right, wrote a prose-poem - Angel of Mercy - about an amazing coincidence. She recommended the book series God Winks. I'll look at the link at blog's end and when I get up to eat more peanuts.

Martha's daughter Emily is a nurse in the ER at Abington Hospital. A woman's husband died in the ER and she passed out from shock.

Nurse Emily picked her up off the floor and stayed with her until the woman gained composure.

The other day Marf went to the deli at the Giant and the young widow was behind the counter. Her first day on the job since her husband died.

She stared at Martha a while and then it came to her: she thot she was nurse Emily.

Quite a poem, featuring ham, turkey and chicken salad.

Laffing Carly wrote a poem about her late sister, Joan.

I said to Linda, on the right, "Is this how you want people to see you?"

Well, she's in good company. Here's a foto of Carly's sister Joan, on the left, her husband Charley and her late mom.

Taken in Palm Springs, CA. The poem was so good we wanted her to expand it and include more details.

Carly also wrote a promising poem with the great title of "Has Fear Gained Your Trust?"

Martha also wrote about an experience at Calvary Church, at Bustleton and Philmont Ave.

At the age of 13, a shark bit off the arm of Bethany Hamilton. Now 20, she appeared at church as a witness to what faith can do to heal your mind of this shattering experience.


Back to surfing and giving talks about her survival, Bethany prefers not to wear a prosthetic arm



I told the group about my visit yesterday to Sister Vicki in Flourtown

Vicki has a love-hate relationship with her entire-leg prosthesis.

Speaking of coincidences, amazing that I visited Vicki only yesterday.

Linda is working on one of her sci-fic pieces which posits the question, What if you could live forever. In the dystopia of Linda's story, people are executed at their 30th birthday. Saves money.

Before she read, Linda said to me, Am I losing my touch, Ruthie?

No, I said. Every writer thinks the same thing. 

I read the first two pages of a story I'm writing about Hurricane Sandy last October at an unnamed shore point.