May 2014 Envoy-065 Editor – Danielle Dinally – [email protected]The ENVOY The official newsletter of the CCLA I.S.S.N. - 1911-0693 May, 2014 Issue 065 Dear CCLA Members: It is wonderful to have The Envoy back in full swing again. Thank you Danielle Dinally for coming on board as Editor. She is a true Cuba-file with trips to Cuba under her belt and now, as is so common with Cuban travelers, has dear friends there. Her unique Cuban perspective will be valuable as editor. You can reach her at—[email protected]. She will need your support with your content for future issues. We hope you will send her your; poetry, prose, book reviews, trip reports, etc. CCLA Members’ Anthology: We are now collecting work for our next CCLA members’ anthology. See attached “Call For Submissions”. We now have Bruce Kauffman on board as editor. Thanks very much Bruce. The call for work will give you his email address. Please send him your work. CCLA 10th Anniversary Trip Reports and Poems/Prose: Send your Trip Reports with pics to the editor of The Envoy – Danielle. We are always happy to hear from the so-called non-writers that joined us on the trip – send us your memories. ALSO send your poems and prose for the Anniversary Chapter of the next CCLA members’ anthology – see attached info. One of the delights for me this winter was that my first grandchild was born while I was in Cuba. His name is Lionel. Here are two letter poems that were written while I was away. Here a Cuban hug. With much affection, Prez Tai / Grandpa Tai
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Colin Morton’s new book of poetry, Winds and Strings (BuschekBooks) includes some of his poems from Cuba. You can learn about it at his new website, www.colinmorton.ca. His wife Mary Lee Bragg has also published her poems, some also written in Cuba, in chapbook Winter Music, which won the Tree Chapbook Award in 2013. Gary Rasberry has been nominated for a SiriusXM Indie Award this year. Congratulations to Gary!!
Member Blogs:
We are now asking CCLA members for URL links to their poetry or prose blogs and websites if any. In the meantime here are a few below to pursue at your own leisure: - Cuba Blog - President Tai- http://cubablog.hiddenbrookpress.com/ - CCLA Member - Shane Joseph- www.shanejoseph.com/blog- themes include: 1) The Writing Life, its rewards and travails 2) Politics & Society (specifically exploring what does not work) 3) Business Life, its necessity and its incompleteness 4) Travel 5) Social Media, its opportunities and pitfalls 6) Life Stages. Shane’s blog is also syndicated with websites such as: www.blogcatalog.com , www.broowaha.com and www.northumberlandview.ca - CCLA Member - Chris Faiers- http://riffsandripplesfromzenrivergardens.blogspot.com/- - CCLA Member-Donna Allard - http://donnaallard.blogspot.com/ Donna’s book trailer can be viewed at http://canadian-poet-donna-allard.webnode.com/ We also encourage members to include URL links to their poetry readings, music and videos
Shivers of glass, a slow storm cutting corners, branches ripped out of touch a blurred voice on the radio each season sings its own name its passage wings overhead, occasional stars nipples of ice.
THE CITY DISAPPEARS (discovering David A. Balfour Park) K.V. Skene layer by layer as we step down, Yellow Creek rushes to spring- green maple, ash, elm, oak, willow that bends the sky, rainwet with wild flowers underfoot, mud puddles beneath bridges: fern, moss, knot of root, fallen branch to climb over tumble of rock, sudden skitters of squirrel, chipmunk, wingflutters of bird, and our potbellied pug goes wolf.
THE OLD MAN Maria Isabel Bifez Ostez - student of the University of Ciego De Ávila
Do you know who he is? See his worn, aged hands, dirty. Look over there, he is sitting on a small chair beside a bicycle I am sure you won’t like him but come and have a look anyway. He doesn’t smell very good. He has no house, no job, no food. He is hungry and has no plans, no future. He is an old man. I feel so sorry for him. What will happen to him?
THE FAIR Merle Hernandez Gonzalez - student of the University of Ciego De Ávila Wake up, wake up it’s Sunday, the day to go to the fair Yes! Family is ready This is not a pulguero in United States neither a Mexican Tianguis. You should come down to earth. This is a Cuban market “The Fair” the most popular event of the weekend. A few deals, prices like towers. Even soil is sold, a rip-off merchant playing with the scale. A vendor cries “The best yucca here. Two pineapples for 15 pesos” Hurry up, let’s go to Feria I like shopping.