Thursday, April 22, 2010

Rebel Girl's Poetry Corner: "This is the field where grass joined hands"


In honor of Earth Day -

and National Poetry Month -

this poem by William Stafford:





At the Un-National Monument along the Canadian Border


This is the field where the battle did not happen,
where the unknown soldier did not die.
This is the field where grass joined hands,
where no monument stands,
and the only heroic thing is the sky.

Birds fly here without any sound,
unfolding their wings across the open.
No people killed—or were killed—on this ground
hallowed by neglect and an air so tame
that people celebrate it by forgetting its name.

*

For those literary hipsters making their way north this weekend for the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at UCLA, check out the ETC Stage on Saturday at 3 PM when National Public Radio's program DimeStories will present writers reading their three-minute stories.

Among those featured is IVC student Henry Pruette, a long-time member of Rebel Girl's WR 11 class (the fiction workshop. He'll be reading "Pound Cake," a short story he composed in last year's class. Rebel Girl is proud of Henry as this is quite a honor and he and his story are most deserving.

Rebel Girl and Red Emma and their little fella will be where they usually are - in the Santa Monica College Booth (#504), across from the Humanities building and right next to the Scientologists. Come by and say hi and get your free copy of the Santa Monica Review, SMC's literary journal which was recently featured in Best American Short Stories 2010, edited by Alice Sebold. This issue features, among others, another one of Rebel Girl's students, longtime IVC student Linda Purdy and her short story, "Waiting for the Light to Change."

Linda Purdy will be reading next Thursday at the UCI Bookstore at 5PM, as one of three featured readers. Rebel Girl is proud of her too, can't you tell?

Quite the accomplishments.

Lots to celebrate.

*

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your students' achievements!

That IS something: community college students asked to read their original work at two UCs -and the Festival of Books and NPR - pretty impressive.

I can understand why the administration finds it difficult to praise YOUR professional accomplishments - it's hard to praise our critics, even when they achieve something obviously praise-worthy.

But to ignore the accomplishments of students just becauSe they study with you? That's petty.

I'm sure they could compose some announcement that doesn't even mention your name:

"Two of IVC students, without any guidance from any instructor, were recently honored by being asked to read their original work at two venues: UCLA and UCI.

We are proud of these two students who have done so much without any help at all."

Anonymous said...

Nice poem.

I've enjoyed all the earth day programming this week in front of SSC.

Anonymous said...

I don't know how hard it is to praise your critics when they do something Right - look at how Roy has been praising Don Wagner for taking leadership on the Chancellorship issue.

It just takes someone who isn't so petty or scared.

Anonymous said...

Talented, sly, funny, beautiful and accomplished. Hmmm. I wonder why they don't like the Rebel Girl?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHNwKN5D-Co

Lyrics by Joe Hill

There are women of many descriptions
In this queer world as everyone knows
Some are living in beautiful mansions
And are wearing the finest of clothes.
There are blue-blooded queens and princesses
Who have charms made of diamonds and pearls.
But the only and Thorough-bred Lady
Is the Rebel Girl.
Chorus:
That's the Rebel Girl, that's the Rebel Girl,
To the working class she's a precious pearl.
She brings Courage, Pride and Joy
To the fighting Rebel Boy
We've had girls before, but we need some more
In the Industrial Workers of the World
For it's great to fight for Freedom
With a Rebel Girl.
Yes, her hands may be hardened from labor
And her dress may not be very fine.
But a heart in her bosom is beating
Warm and true to her class and her kind.
And the grafters in terror are trembling
When her spite and defiance she'll hurl.
For the only and Thorough-bred Lady
Is the Rebel Girl.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful poem. Thank you, Rebel Girl.

And congratulations on your story and your many other terrific accomplishments: as a writer, as a teacher, and as a really fine human being.

MAH

Roy's obituary in LA Times and Register: "we were lucky to have you while we did"

  This ran in the Sunday December 24, 2023 edition of the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register : July 14, 1955 - November 20, 2...