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From My Bookshelf: A DOOR WITH A VOICE by Katie Manning

by Erika Dreifus on
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A-Door-with-a-Voice-CoverI’ve become acquainted with Katie Manning and her work via the Poetry Has Value project, where we’re both contributing bloggers. And that is how I learned about her new poetry chapbook. Titled A Door with a Voice and published by Agape Publications/Sundress Publications, this work comprises 16 poems. (And you can download it at no cost!)

Before you reach the poems, you find this artist’s statement: “I am tired of people taking language from the Bible out of context and using it as a weapon against other people, so I started taking language from the Bible out of context and using it to create art. My process was to use the last chapter from one book of the Bible as a word bank for each poem. This is either the most heretical or the most reverent thing I’ve ever written.”

This approach piqued my interest for a couple of reasons. (more…)

Midweek Notes from a Practicing Writer

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

Elie Wiesel (1928-2016)

Have spent a lot of time these past several days thinking of Elie Wiesel, who died Saturday at the age of 87.

ElieWiesel

I was in his presence three times: first, attending a 1986 lecture of his following the Nobel prize announcement; next, at a much smaller event, a lunch during my senior year of college (shortly after I’d written a paper that quoted frequently from his book From the Kingdom of Memory); and finally, just a few years ago at a New York City fundraiser (again, a large event). I’ve read much (but not enough) of his work. And over these past several days, I’ve been reading many of the tributes. (more…)

Midweek Notes from a Practicing Writer

by Erika Dreifus on
3

the-blue-card-logoBlue Card on My Mind

An article in Saturday’s New York Times titled “Holocaust Survivors’ Needs Become Acute With Age” (that’s the title in my print newspaper; online, the headline reads, “As Holocaust Becomes More Distant, Survivors’ Needs Intensify”) seemed acutely well-timed to me, for a couple of reasons.

First, we’re approaching Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, which (according to the Hebrew calendar), will be observed next week. And second, I’ve recently sent in my Q1 donation, based on sales of Quiet Americans, to The Blue Card. I’ve spoken before about why I remain committed to sharing portions of sale proceeds with The Blue Card, but this is an appropriate time of year to give the organization another shoutout for the essential work that it does.

Also in My Thoughts (more…)