Category: poetry

Authors, Books, poetry, poets

Writers Conference as an Investment

Mona Alvarado Frazier

 

Stop with the excuses...
Stop with the excuses…

 

Several times I’ve heard the advice about attending writing conferences. I’d love to attend several in a year, but most people can only afford one every twelve months. 

This morning I’m on my way to LAX, with my writing sisters, to Seattle. The four of us will attend the Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference this week. AWP, with membership, had a good price and there’s a lot of bang for the buck. 

I’m thrilled to have a chance to hear Annie Proulx (Shipping News, Brokeback Mountain), Sherman Alexie (War Dances, Smoke Signals), Amy Tan, and Benjamin Alire Saenz among other authors.

A writers conference is an investment, so I plan to:

  • Meet new people, compare notes
  • Choose useful workshops
  • Curate content by posting, journaling so I have a record to go back to
  • Share the info with you on my Google+ site

During the day I’ll attend workshops, mainly on YA topics, and post some highlights on my Google+ profile.   I’m a volunteer at the ginormous Book Fair, helping at the AROHO (A Room of Her Own) table. 

In the evening there are many happy hours to attend and I’m hitting at least these: AROHO, Arte Publico, and poetry readings. 

If I can remember to multi-task, I’ll send out some tweets (#AWP 14), just for fun. My twitter feed and handle are on this blog.

See you here next week and I do hope you visit me on Google+ for workshop highlights and insights.

I do hope I remembered my umbrella and phone charger.

Space Needle-Seattle, Washington AWP Conference
Space Needle-Seattle, Washington AWP Conference

 

 

Dreams, Faith, Family, Hope, Love, poetry

Art As Poetry

Mona Alvarado Frazier
Amor A Todas Horas-Simon SIlva alvaradofrazier.com
Amor A Todas Horas-Simon SIlva alvaradofrazier.com

This painting, by Simon Silva, has been in my home for 15 years. I’ve passed by it hundreds of times. It wasn’t until last night that I sat down and recalled why I bought it in the first place.

The colors and curves caught my eye. As a mother of young children, the image spoke to a mother’s love, parenting, and family.

 But, it was the title “Amor A Todas Horas,” that caught my heart. 

All these years, the art piece has graced my home without me really looking at the details. Something I hadn’t noticed before caught my eye. There is a note on the small table next to the mother and child.

“Mi Amor para ti, es amor a todas horas.” 

“My Love for you, is a love for all time.”

From that one note, the art piece spoke to me in a different way. An entire scene played in my head. A poem surfaced:

Amor a Todas Horas

My love for you,

is a love for all time.

 

Remember this as the candle

casts shadows on the wall,

when the moon tests faith and 

you worry about an unknown fate.

 

And I will remember

the curve of your warmth,

your soft embrace,

against my dreams.

The glow of your love,

a blanket for our child,

a hope that warms

the both of us.

Wait for me 

when the moon rises

on your despair,

and sets on your sorrow.

Wait for me like the roses

beneath our window,

even when the petals fall,

and the bush grows thorny.

 

Remember this

my love,

through every sunrise,

and every sunset.

 

Mi amor para ti,

es amor a todas horas. ©

I’ll make it a point to go around my home and really listen to how the art speaks to me. I hope you do too.

For Simon Silva paintings please go to his site.