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From the Mail
Ray and Annie Mae Albert haven’t done much traveling this year, except to attend the LBT Pilgrimage in No. Carolina of the Lone Scouts to the Memory Lodge; he reports the attendance has grown less, perhaps because of more regional meetings of Elbeetians and they are getting older and ranks thinner. In October a family get-together at their home brought all 17 of them home. Ray says he may get back to printing this winter.
The holidays are Worth Parrish’s busiest time of year. Mary Y. reports; he is militarily retired, but the past 12 years has been working for the Navy Retail Exchange at the Naval Training Center. Beginning after Thanksgiving he was on a 6-day week, every night thru Christmas; and after New Year’s comes inventory time. “With so many retired people, Active Duty (Navy) and recruits in training the Center is really a ‘City’ within the City of Orlando.”
Gloria San Agustin was looking forward to having her two boys home for Christmas; they are both going to school in Manila and doing well, but do not get to come home as often as they’d like as the plane fare is staggering. After going thru a period of ill health which had her friends worrying, it is heartening to have the latest news which indicates everything is cleared up and she is feeling good again.
Irene VanDame was bitten by the flu bug in early Sept. and reports one virus infection after another since then; but I doubt she will have a flu shot this year as last year the reaction was worse than the flu. Sept. was also when there were heavy rains leading to a big flood; October was also rainy and brought more floods (that weather may have been the cause of her flu and virus infections); for the first time since I’ve lived in Virginia we’ve had drought, so we could have used Toledo’s excess down here.
Georga Dishner is another who has been on the ailing list, but reports she is improving but still has to go slow.
Doris Breighner wrote that she was planning to be with the families in Illinois over the Holidays, and I hope the weather wasn’t as harsh as it sounded on TV.
Lenore Hughes was asked by the El Paso County Historical Society if she would let them sell her book, Holy Adobe; I do not know if they have a Museum and want to sell it to make money as she was very casual in mentioning this whereas I’d be thrilled!
A note from Joseph Ford dated Dec. 15th reported that he’d been in a hospital the past few months, but he was to be transferred to a VA Hospital the next day; he also was troubled with a broken finger and said he’s planning to practice using his left hand more, as he is nearly helpless when he hasn’t the use of his right hand.
He commented “being a long time member I have had the pleasure of watching a lot of writers grow. UAP is getting some pretty good ones, and some of the new ones are good. I wish I was still in the publishing field maybe I could open a few doors.”
My Friend
by Claire Reilly
Ocotillo, CA 92259
I have a friend so dear to me,
So cherished and loved,
So brave – so strong in courage;
So determined to succeed
In her chosen field –
She is a writer,
When her words appear in print,
They cry aloud, they ring –
They soar and sing!
They play upon the heart strings
As these have never been touched before.
The words are chosen
From deep within her mind,
Her soul, and spirit;
They command respect,
They comfort and soothe,
Uplift and inspire.
I am one who appreciates her worth –
I want to climb upon the housetops NOW
And shout aloud her name,
Merry, Merry, MERRY!
To My Youngest Daughter on Her Seventeenth Birthday
by Julie Odel
Columbus, Ohio 43213
You were born for me to love,
Your eyes held wondrous secrets,
Accepting love with regal grace
You charmed one and all.
Your dimpled cheek, your impish grin
Spun golden threads ‘round my heart.
Why did you grow sad
When you learned of greed, distrust, hate?
You didn’t know of such things,
Of love that wasn’t returned.
But I love you, my chosen one,
My golden child; fly and soar,
The world is yours to take.
I love you – I must let you go.
The Jeans Age
by Flora McKinney Hefti
Pasadena, CA 91101
Brenna feeds her child with a small jar of baby food in one hand and a spoon in the other as she sits in our big chair. Left foot on right knee with the baby sitting in the cradle. Supported on all sides.
They are going home on the train and I can see there will be no problem when feeding time comes. One small child can change the situation, but young people today cope with all their problems and make no fuss about unimportant things. Life goes on with less commotion, and maybe they are right for cutting down on the comfortable stuff we thought so vital when a new baby arrived.
* * * *
Respond (‘through Christian Living’) is a nice bi-monthly, $4.50 year (Shelbourne, VT 05482) which lists as Contr-editors UAP members Lenore Hughes, Rosanne K. Pierce, Merry Harris and Ruby Quillman, as well as three former UAP members; the first three and two of the latter had fine material in the December issue.
Lois R. Oakes commented on the tribute card to Troah Campbell; his “was a lovely poem. Sad to lose such a good poet,” and mentioned how many older folks are writing such good poetry; and notice, please, that we have young ones coming along!
I apologize for not passing on the information she supplied on Haiku and Senryu: Haiku is a nature poem or picture; Senryu tells of people, feelings, or reactions.
Our newest member, Jeff A. Prickett, Batavia, OH 45103, has his own print shop (5 presses, 4 are hand-fed) and collects letterpress antiques.
New member, Denver Stull, was recruited by Mrs. Nelllie Knuth, who read his poem in Sunshine Magazine, “Old What’s His Name?” which he said brought other letters including one from the Indiana Historical Society requesting reprint rights.
He’s promised to supply material to us via Dorothy Craig, but what pleases what Mary Yarberry Parrish refers to as my “romantic soul” is that his book, A Bit of This and a Bit of That is dedicated to his wife, Erika, and it ends “She is my inspiration, my partner and my life.”
Mildred A. Rose finds her critical faculties tested by the poems in the bundles; she says some are trite and sentimental but others are really strong statements. She’s been a teacher – taught for almost 30 years and is now retired and teaches Saturdays at the Regina Public Library. These people are so easy to instruct, she says, for each one is there because of some private need to write. Many of these go on to publish stories and poems. One such is Norma Dillon, and Joan Hamilton is also a friend of hers, as well as Lucy Ellen Eaton.
Lucy is the greatest saleswoman living, she says. “Outfitted with a bag of books, she pays her way by car (hubby driving) by selling her books. I wish I had that kind of drive. I have three books, Esor Derdlim, my name backward, and Second Storey, both $2 and The Fuchsia Tree, a collection of haiku, but sell only if people ask for them. I have sold over 300 of the first, 200 of second, and 300 of The Fuchsia Tree, mainly thru people seeing them in book stores.”
UAP is a great organization, says Lucile Roseberry. Lucy Ellen Eaton encouraged her for almost two years before she joined “… and right away I knew what I had been missing. I have most of Lucy’s fine books.”
Genevieve Amstutz wrote that she is dropping out because of other obligations and interests. In Sept. she returned from a visit to Yellowstone with over 200 slides and marvelous experiences. In October she went with her parents to the Smokies and added more slides. She is interested in local history and has had short articles printed in a local magazine and hopes eventually to do a book on the Bellefontaine Road which passes near where she lives; laid out in 1831 in Ohio from Springfield and N.W. and in 1832 in Indiana ending at White Pigeon, MI. Part of it was an old Indian Trail and if any of our members have knowledge of it, I am sure Genevieve would love to hear.
Literary Newsette
Circulated for the United Amateur Press
Willametta Keffer, Shady Acre, Roanoke, Va. 24014
Assisted by Martin B. Keffer, Printer and Encourager