waiting for a spark

the winter has been long and dark
a lifetime of seclusion
moving glacier slow
yet so much faster than my thoughts

near-shadows crawl across the wall
mere gradients of gray
since there is no light

i sit, frozen,
waiting for a spark

The Poet

The poet opens his mouth
and words bloom.
Images dance off
his tongue
and plant themselves
in my imagination,
take me to places that
failed to exist
before,
where grace and grit
live side by side
and ideas grow.

Radio Intimacy

after talking about
murder
corruption
disaster and
hemoroid research
the radio announcer
wets his lips
I can hear it
an intimate sound
sexual even
and I wonder what
he looks like.

The Shield

Young man

Oblivious

Marches through the parking lot

Eyes glued to his

smart phone

Held before his face as a

Shield

Protector of his disconnection

With the

real world

Crucifix of the Martyrs

Written by

Susan Reetz (April 1, 2013)

Photo by Irene MacFarland

the path to the top winds

around the hill,

a red spiral belt

lungs burn in

desert air

each step slower than the last

plain white cross looks down

guiding the pilgrims

and keeping watch

over the martyrs

Time Flies

My oh my! Time sure does fly. I can't believe how long it's been since I've added a new post here. I suppose it's a good thing that work has kept me busy, but not good that I've been too busy to post and write my "non-client" work. I've been working hard to get back in the habit of writing just to exercise my creative muscles and will soon be back to posting items here on a regular basis. 'Till then, make every minute count!

Playing with Plays

Last year a client asked if I'd be interested in working with them on a new type of heath education event. Would I be interested in writing a series of short plays or skits that would give the audience important information about breast cancer screening and treatment? Oh, and could I make them funny? Well, I love a good challenge, so of course I said yes.

I got some background information from them, came up with a list of concepts (which they liked), and proceeded to panic. I write scripts for video projects on a regular basis, but it had been a long time since I'd written a play. I did what any self respecting student of words would do - I found a class.

I had planned to attend the Rhinelander School of the Arts, a summer program run through UW Madison, and they just happened to be offering a one week class on writing 10 minute plays. Halleluiah and pass the paper. I was saved!

The class turned out to be not only informative but fun. We read well written plays and shared our own work in the class. I got some great feedback on the first of my six plays, and I was off.

I had a blast concocting scenarios and characters, working in tandem, which conveyed important information about breast cancer screening, symptoms, and treatment. Other people who read the plays even laughed at the parts I had intended to be funny - no small relief.

The plays will be staged locally in about a month. (They came up with a cool logo for the event. Check it out! ) If the first show goes well, we'll take it on the road for one night performances at regional clinics. If that goes well, we may be looking at an annual event dealing with different women's health issues. How cool is that?

OK. Now. How do I make ovaries funny? THAT will be a challenge.