The History of Spilled Ink
or
How on Some Nights I Stopped Talking and Wrote Something Down
or
How on Some Nights I Stopped Talking and Wrote Something Down
[Original Logo]
The
First Announcement
Write by the Rails is proud to
announce Spilled Ink: A Celebration of the written word
All are welcome to
listen or read!
When: On February 20,
2015 [Every Third Friday of the Month!]
Where: Ground Central
Station
Address: 9360 Main Street, Manassas, VA 20110
Phone: (571) 379-7285
Time: 7 to 9 p.m.
Cost: FREE but please have A
Drink before the War [Support our gracious host, Matt and his Coffee
Shop!]
Another step is taken in my marvelous and
mysterious quest of the written word!
Having
enjoyed my monthly treks to Deja Brew in Haymarket on the first Friday of the
month, I suggested having an Open Mic
Night mid county so that others can spread their wealth of words. This past
December I talked with the host of Deja Brew’s Open Mic Night, Robert Scott. As profoundly as Gandhi, he stated,
“It must be read. That’s why we do this.” For those of the 21st
century, think Yoda, “Read, it must
be. We do this; that is why.”
BRILLIANT! I thought of all the words
lying dormant in my laptop and suffocating in boxes; They must be freed!
With trepidation, I knelt before the queen
and offered the proposition. After much thought, Stacia clapped her hands and
decreed, “It must be done.”
So, I want you to join me for two glorious
hours celebrating the written word:
Good,
bad, indifferent; it really does not matter! What matters is that you are there.
Poetry
or prose; haiku to epic poetry; a memoir or glimpses from your secret novel --
Do not be afraid; bring forth and offer
your trinkets and treasures! Unlock the fiction from the locked box holding the
depths of your depravity! Nurture the nonfiction from an abundant garden
within, blooming with both roses and weeds!
We are not here to nitpick, but to hear as
some knit and others pick their favorite pieces. This is to be an outlet to
conquer fears, a sanctuary of respite and rejuvenation. So,
join us, young and old, for you just might enjoy yourself!
January
2015
[14
people]
John
Dutton
Garrett
Carlson
Victor
Rook (film technician)
Robert
Scott
Gary
Miller
Belinda
Miller
Carol
Covin
Alice
Mergler
Byron
Spence (Stonewall Jackson High School)
Megan
Hosteler
John
Cowgill (Photographer)
Paulette
Garner
Nick
Kelly – Brought an amp!
With a special
THANK YOU to Grounds Central Station [Matt and Zoe]!
1-16-15
After
the Spillage…
I just want to shout, THANK YOU, to those who
made last night a huge success:
The
Crew -
- Ground Central Station and Matt for allowing the use of his establishment in order to host the event.
- Victor “The Mortician” Rook for filming the event.
- Nick “It’s an 11” Kelly for his tenacity in finding a way to fix the faulty speaker.
The
Speakers -
- Garrett Carlson
- Robert Scott
- Carol Covin
- John Cowgill
- Bryon Spence
- Paulette Garner
- Dominika Domanska
Our
Guests -
- Gary Miller
- Alice Miller
- Megan Hostetler
- The Spence Family
My writing pilgrimage took off just a
little over a year ago, and I have been having an absolute blast ever since!
Last night was a milestone for me, and I just want to say, THANK YOU, to those who
have encouraged me during this past year:
- Nick Maneno, my writing professor, who inspired me and others to write.
- Alice Mergler, master teacher and mentor, for asking me to join the PWC Poet Laureate contest.
- Robert Scott, Current PWC Poet Laureate and master teacher, for hosting Poets' & Writers' Nights at Deja Brew in Haymarket. The inspiration behind Spilled Ink.
- Dan Verner for meeting me at Ground Central Station on a cold day in May and laughing at some of my work [the desired effect]. This little act made me want to continue writing and join Write by the Rails.
- All the Railers I met that first Saturday after school ended in June: Cindy Brookshire, Dan Verner, Belinda Miller, Gary Miller, Nick Kelly, Stacia Kelly, and Bobby “Kickin’ in the” Dorr. You made me feel accepted even after hearing all of my wacky ideas.
- My wife, Elise, for the encouragement, and my two kids, Jack and Brooke, for their endless ideas.
If
you would like to submit any of your work, I know Robert Scott would appreciate
it. 10,000 is a huge number!
****
Saturday, 4-30-16, Spilled Ink, Jr. [Rising Writers’ Workshop]
May 2016
December 2016
January 2017
February 2017
March 2017
4-22-17, Spilled Ink, Jr. [Rising Writers’ Workshop at Colgan High School]
****
July 2017
Robert Scott
February
2015
[10
people]
John
Dutton
Carol
Covin [with husband and brother]
Robert
Scott
Mike
Sensale
John
Cowgill
Kathy
Smaltz
Cathy
Hailey
Dan
Verner
Kathy Smaltz
Cathy Hailey
Dan Verner
John Cowgill
March 2015
[4
people]
John
Dutton
Dan
Verner
John
Cowgill
Bobby
“Kickin’ in the” Dorr
John
Dutton, Bobby Dorr, and Dan Verner [Photo by John Cowgill]
April
2015
*I
messed up! I forgot to take attendance.
May
2015
[4
people]
Robert
Scott – “15 Miles” and Chapter 1 of “Ashbury Park”
John
Cowgill – Short Story
Dan
Verner – Cat poem
John Dutton
Meme by Kathy Moya
June
2015
[10
people]
David
and Kathy Moya
Dan
Verner
Carol
Covin
Naomi
[Zebra]
Kathy
Smaltz
Colleen
LaMay
Rebecca
Miller
Abagail
Cocaran
John Dutton
Meme by Kathy Moya
Photo by John Cowgill
July
2015
*I
believe I was out of town this month, so this month may have been hosted by Dan
Verner
August
2015
[12
people]
David
and Kathy Moya
John
Cowgill
Dan
Verner
Carol
Covin
Belinda
and Gary Miller
Kathy
Smaltz
Colleen
LaMay
Abagail Cochran
John Dutton
Meme by Kathy Moya
HINT OF THE NIGHT: NY Times Learning Blog – USE
IT!
September
2015
[9
people]
John
Dutton
Colleen
LaMay*
Dan
Verner (Cats!)
Mike
Sensale
John
Cowgill
Amanda
Glines, Michelle Scott, and Melissa Scott (2 students from Stonewall Jackson HS
and mom)
Kathy
Smaltz (Hate poem)
*September 25th,
2015 - Our first transcontinental broadcast as Colleen LaMay listened
via Facetime from Oregon!
October
2015
*A
special THANK YOU to Tony Paras who is a regular listener and supporter of
Spilled Ink. Maybe he will read someday!
[12
people]
John
Dutton
Dan
Verner
David
Moya
Kathy
Moya
Amanda
Glines, Michelle Scott, and Melissa Scott
(students of Stonewall Jackson HS plus mom)
Robert
Scott
Mike
Sensale
John
Cowgill
Sarah
Brooks
Meme by Kathy Moya
[Our First Advertisement]
November
2015
[7
people]
John
Dutton
David
Moya
Kathy
Moya
Dan
Verner
John
Cowgill
Michael
Pincek (Poetry read by John Dutton)
One listener chose to remain anonymous
Meme by Kathy Moya
Spilled Ink, the day after Thanksgiving 2015.
Hosted by John Dutton. Featuring: Dan Verner, Tom
Basham, John Dutton,
& John Cowgill.
December
2015
NO SPILLED INK
DURING DECEMBER 2015 BECAUSE IT FELL ON CHRISTMAS DAY.
January
2016
January 22, 2016: Cancelled due to the Blizzard of
2016!
Moved to the 29th
INSPIRED FROM ONE OF MY
FAVORITE POEMS:
Do not stand in my classroom and weep
I am not there; I am shoveling snow and sleet.
I am a thousand snowflakes that blow,
I am the glints of frost on your car’s window,
I am the sun hidden from view,
I am the germs spreading the flu.
When you awaken in the morning's slush,
I am the ashamed superintendent’s blush
Upon seeing skidding busses in circled plight.
I am the outraged parents just after morning’s
light.
Do not stand in my classroom and cry,
I am not there; I am stuck in traffic and wondering,
“Why?”
~JOHN DUTTON
1-29-16
[5 people]
Gail Williams – Excerpt from
Book 2 of Dakota Trilogy [Alice]
John Cowgill – “Jane”
Faith and her mother, Amy
Stilwell
John Dutton
February 2016
[24 people]
Michelle and Melissa Scott
James Moore
Rayval Moore
Ted Bull
Sarah Ann Winn
Gail Williams
Carol Covin
Bill West [Beville
associate]
John Cowgill
Lubna Azmi
Murceler Kabin
Zaakie Fofana
Brynn Bears
Sophia Thompson
Destiny Frazier
Rachel Francis
Dennis Fargo
Colleen LaMay
Ellennita Hellmer
Dushawn Allen
Susan Sinclair
Dave Feser
John Dutton
A packed house at Grounds Central Station
March 2016
WE ARE RELOCATING TO A NEW VENUE NEXT MONTH!
I know the 29th is technically the 5th Friday;
however, that is what date Jirani Coffee House booked us so we are going
to go with it! Spilled Ink is now April 29th, 2016.
Sorry for any confusion!
[14 people]
Dan Verner
Deena Westenhofer
Peggy Sutherland
John Cowgill
Heather Stevens
Carol Covin
Gail Williams
Michelle Scott
Tayval Moore
James Moore
Garrett Carlson
Rachel Burger
Becks Dawson Sova (?)
John Dutton
(?) = Not sure on the
spelling
Photo of TAYVAL MOORE [?] by John Cowgill
Our last night at Grounds Central Station!
More pictures can be found on the FB pages of:
Write by the Rails or Spilled Ink
April 2016
OUR FIRST NIGHT AT THE NEW VENUE!
[12 people] Victor Rook,
Garrett Carlson, and Paulette Gardner listened
Robert Scott – “AA”
Michael Sensale –
“Bookstores”
Steve Curran – “Pain is
Timeless”
Alice Mergler – “Judging a
Dance Contest”
John Cowgill – “Mother
Goose”
Dan Verner – “R.S.V.P.s”
Gail Williams – Excerpt
from “Seeds of Graceton” [Book 1 of the Dakota trilogy]
Kathy Smaltz – “Near to
Happy” and “Living in This House”
Tom Basham – “Doubt”
Eric Whitescarver –
“Pictures and Promises”
Michaela Reilly – “Lamea”
[poem]
John Dutton
Saturday, 4-30-16, Spilled Ink, Jr. [Rising Writers’ Workshop]
[17 people]
John Dutton - “Homework Excuse”
Yeleni Lopez – “Van Gogh
trait writing”
Andie Martin – “Contacts
for Her Eyes”
Dashawn Allen – “Time Will
Tell” and “School Days”
Gabriela Morales – “The
Mistake” and “Hidden Deep Inside”
Rayval Moore – “Divorce”
Tyler Danzy – “66426”
Sergio Nolasco – “Goals”
Jasmine Kerns –
“Expressions”
Chris Appiah – “My New
Life”
Aubrey Venteicher-Shulman
– “Cold” [Her Tundra Adventure]J
Dioma Ogwara – “New Life”
September Craddock – “The
Color, Black”
Garrett Carlson (Teacher)
– “Depressed”
Will (Presenter) –
“Istanbul” Haiku poetry booklet
Madison Tempest – “The
Norelco 2600” (a phone for families during war)
Ashely from Golden Fleece Press, an online
literature mag – “A Blog post”
May 2016
[15 people]
Belinda and Gary Miller, Cathy and David Moya, and Carin Elliott listened
A Review by Dan Verner
We had a fantastic time at
Spilled Ink last night. I told John Dutton that the previous month's meeting,
which featured twelve writers and lasted two hours, was a tipping point for the
event. This time, I felt like we reached critical mass with fifteen writers
reading their work, taking two and a half hours! Whoo! Give it up for John Dutton who started Spilled Ink a couple of years ago
with three or four writers.
I wanted to list the
readers from last night and say a little something about what they read. (I
might not have listed everything that was read or gotten some things wrong.
Please let me know if I did and I'll correct it. Thanks!)
Last night's readers were:
John
Dutton, kicking it off with some
incredibly funny poetry about SOL testing.
Dan Verner [You
did read, so do not forget to give yourself credit! J]
“Arlington Burial Poem” WOW!
“The Cats Are Going to
Spilled Ink”
“Blowing One’s Nose”
Garrett Carlson shared a nostalgic and humorous piece about memorable (and some
not so memorable) car trips that we've all taken.
Gail Williams read from her novel, "The Seeds of Grafton," a
detailed and sensitive portrait of nineteenth century life in a small town in
North Dakota.
Michael
Sensale followed up on his rap
from last time with another sterling performance with the help of some guy from
the audience. ; ^ )
Carol
Covin shared some whimsical and
touching letters and diary entries, mostly from her time in Paris when she was
in college.
Colleen
LaMay read a memoir, poignant
and humorous by turns, about a bully named Rosie and how Colleen's mother
rescued her from the bully.
Abby LaMay,
a high school junior, shared a poem called "The Perfect Horror Story
Setting," using imagery and effective word choice to create a dark mood.
Anna Burke,
also a high school junior, read "Parallel Lines," a poem with an
ingenious concept which used similes to great effect, resulting in a poignant
and heartfelt writing.
John
Cowgill offered a poem about some
of the writers in Write by the Rails using mono-rhyme (difficult to do), as
well as a well-imagined science fiction story about bullies.
Jan Rayl, a nurse for decades who is now teaching other
nurses, favored the group with her hilarious blog post, "Always Wear Clean
Underwear," revealing that nurses and doctors don't really care about
anything you're wearing: they're focused on treating you.
Judy Petruskie shared some sweet poetry filled with imagery about her
grandchildren. This was her first time sharing her poetry at an open mic, and I'm
glad that she plans to continue.
Gregg Komitsky read from an effective satirical screen play about
the artificial creation of a Messiah. Gregg and I taught about the same time at
Robinson High School in Fairfax.
Dominika
Domanska showed an understanding
about how many of us feel about taxes with her poem and also shared a
well-crafted poem by her daughter.
John Dutton topped off the evening
with an energetic and amusing reading of "My Editor, Alice Mergler."
If you're a writer, join us by going to writebytherails.org and signing up. If you want to hear some original
writing by local writers, come on out to Spilled Ink every fourth Friday at
Jirani Coffeehouse across the tracks from the train station in Manassas. Hope
to see everyone there next time!
A Reaction
Judy
Petruskie This evening at Jirani's
with "Spilled Ink" exceeded all my expectations. I am so glad that I
was motivated enough to join the group. The readings were inspiring, some
funny, some informing but all very interesting. I was even invited to read a
few short poems that I have written. I am looking forward to the next meeting
and will be able to read some of the mountains of words I have put on paper in
years past. ~posted on May 28th, 2016
Dan "CAT" Verner keeps a beat for Micheal Sensale
Photos by Jan Rayl
****
More pictures can be found on the FB pages of:
Write by the Rails or Spilled Ink
June
2016
[18
people]
Tony Parras, Christine Becker, and Katheryn Pruitt listened
Garrett
Carlson – “X-Box Frustration” and “Right Field”
Antonia
Kilday – “Unbound” and other poems
Carol
Covin – “How I Learned to Shoot”
Colleen
LaMay – “Am I in the Right Place?” (Driving with Abby, her daughter)
Cole
LaMay – “Na Dir” (Chapter 1 of Science Fiction novel)
Just
Aaron – “Soulless Poetry”
Michael
Sensale – “Trivia by the Book”
Sara
Brooks – “To the Boy Who Will Love Me” WOW!
Mark
Weaver – “Baseball 1869” (Chapter 1 of “I Love Baseball”)
Gail
Williams – Excerpt from “Seeds of Graceton”
Celia
Ho – “You” (poem)
Kathy
Smaltz – “Missing in Venice” and “Killer”
Judy
Petruskie – “Reflections of a Perfect Day”
John
Cowgill – “At This Very Time”
Lynne
Sosa – “The Phone in the Toilet”
Jan
Rayl – “Three Sides of the Stethoscope” WOW!
Tyrell
Jordan – “Pain,” and “Glass,” and “Bees” (poems)
John Dutton
Meme by Kathy Moya
Photo of GARRETT CARLSON by John Cowgill
Photo of JAN RAYL by John Cowgill
Photo of MARK WEAVER by John Cowgill
Photo of ANTONIA "TONY" KILDAY by John Cowgill
Photo of TYRELL JORDAN by John Cowgill
****
More pictures can be found on the FB pages of:
Write by the Rails or Spilled Ink
July
2016
[11
people]
Dan Verner [Hosted]
Ron Nearhood
Gail Williams
Adam Cohan
Linda Force
Ann Atanasio
Carol Covin
John Cowgill
Artik [first time]
Michael Sensale
Tyrell Jordan
I may not have been there
in person I was in spirit:
Spilled Ink (written in Wichita, KS)
Scribbling scenes
of sensual sin while
Preparing pages of
plump paragraphs as
Ink will be spilled
once again
Lounging and
laughing while
Lusting after
language as if words were long, luscious legs
Everyone's eagerly
on edge awaiting
Dan Verner's
critically acclaimed critique
Intellectual prose
and poetry fill the
Night as readers
open their hearts
Knowing they are
safe to bare their souls
~John
Dutton
Covert Ops (written in Durango, CO)
It
was late in the school day
During
the doldrums of the month of May
My
eyes roved from the slit in Sheila's short skirt
Up
to her C-cup curves of her vintage Video game t-shirt
They
rested there and watched her bodacious bosoms bloom
"You
perv," she did blurt to indicate she did not approve
The
image was now engrained in my brain
As
my darkest desires caused me much pulsating pain
For
as the blood rushed to my head
All
I wanted was to be in my bed
Under
the darkest of night
To
be pitching a tent so terribly tight
I
hoped my playful plot would play out just right
Hoping
by my mother I would not be caught
Dad
could be easily fooled
Using
a bunch of Playboys and tools
I
would keep the door open for a cool draft
Then
I whispered, Minecraft
~John
Dutton
*Poem
inspired by Kathy Smaltz as we waited for her to receive her crown as PWC Poet Laureate
2016
When
Fast Times at Ridgemont High meets Citizen Cane
Photo of CAROL COVIN by John Cowgill
****
More pictures can be found on the FB pages of:
Write by the Rails or Spilled Ink
August
2016
[19
people]
Dan
Verner
Robert
Scott
Gail
Williams
Colleen
LaMay
Sara
Brooks
Katie
Goode
Bruce
Smith
Tyrell
Jordan
Artik
Ron
Nearhood
Carol
Covin
John
Cowgill
Kathy
Smaltz
Cathy
Hailey
Aaron
Alice
Mergler
Gabriel
Mahia
Michael
Sensale
John Dutton
Photo of CATHY HAILEY by John Cowgill
Photo of COLLEEN LAMAY by John Cowgill
Photo of MICHAEL SENSALE by John Cowgill
Photo of ROBERT SCOTT by John Cowgill
****
More pictures can be found on the FB pages of:
Write by the Rails or Spilled Ink
September
2016
[17
people]
Gail
Williams - Excerpt from her novel
Beverly
Bendekgey - “The Dagger Dripping Cold as Ice”
John
Cowgill - “Captain Zap”
Kathy
Smaltz
Cathy
Hailey
Aaron
- “Words on a Page”
Alice
Mergler - Memoir about her son
Lillie
Jacob - “If X Equals Me”
Jonna
Garvin - “Red and White”
Antonia
Kilday - Poems from her first book
Michael
Sensale - SLAM poetry
Mara
Mahan - Excerpt from her first book, “Wardbreaker”
Kylie
Bean - “The Feather Boy”
Lynne
Sosa - “The Phone”
Amanda
Miller – Three poems
E’loise
Wallace - “Mom was Right”
John Dutton
****
More pictures can be found on the FB pages of:
Write by the Rails or Spilled Ink
October
2016
[19
people]
Dan
Verner - “Cats Are Voting”
Nancy
Kyme - “North Dakota” [SNIRT = Snow + Dirt]
Gail
Williams - Excerpt from her novel (Character, Art Fletcher)
Beverly
Bendekgey - Halloween poems
Artik
- “The Tram”
Ron
Nearhood - “That Man” WOW!
Natalie
Potell - Poem inspired by Emerson
Cheryl
Harding - “A Breast”
Julia
Harding
Marirose
LaFollette - Prologue to her Steampunk novel
Carol
Covin - “Nipples”
John
Cowgill - “Lady on the Train Platform”
Bennie
Herron - Poem inspired by foster kids
Kathy
Smaltz - “Hot Air Balloon” [sestina poem]
Cathy
Hailey - Challenge poem accepted!
Gianny
Cruz - Nature poem
Solomon
Cordova
Saber
Fatnassi – “Conquering Fear and Failure”
John Dutton
*A
special “Thank You” to Atif Qarni who brought his wife to listen tonight.
Someday, maybe she will brave the stage! Daniel Foose also stopped to listen.
Photo of DANVERNER by John Cowgirl
Photo of KATHY SMALTZ by John Cowgirl
****
More pictures can be found on the FB pages of:
Write by the Rails or Spilled
Ink
November
2016
[9
people]
Chelsea
Wood - “You Are Imperfect and You Are Mine”
Bonnetta
Hubbard - “How to Flush Your Way Through Europe”
Artik
- “Dear Lovey”
Katie
Goode - “The Paper Not Graded”
John
Cowgill - “The History of Thanksgiving”
Gail
Williams - “Chapters for Book 2: Jones on Arlene Dalton”
Marirose
LaFollette - “The Kingdom of Colors” & Chapter 1 of novel
Ron
Nearhood - “Blackboards and Chalk”
John Dutton
JUST
READ ONE TIME AND YOU GO FROM,
“FIRST
TIME TO LONG TIME!”
Photos by John Cowgill
****
More pictures can be found on the FB pages of:
Write by the Rails or Spilled InkDecember 2016
[8
people]
Alice
Mergler -- “Finding Joy in the Journey”
Artik
-- “Big Ole’ Woman” and “I Wish for You”
Gail
Williams -- “Alice Delivers”
Michael
Sensale -- “Free” [One from his collection of poems in the style of George
Carlin]
John
Cowgill -- “Angel Train”
Ron
Nearhood -- “Blackboards and Chalk”
Tyrell
Jordan -- “Spiritual Orbs” [A excerpt from his novel found at Wattpad.com]
JD
– Several Poems of Christmas Rubbish
Six
people mentioned they were specifically here to listen, including David
and Kathy Moya.
Memes by Kathy Moya
****
More pictures can be found on the FB pages of:
Write by the Rails or Spilled InkJanuary 2017
Our two-year
anniversary!
[20
people]
Dan
Verner – Excerpt from his book, “Diamond Duty” and “Cats Losing Weight”
Carol
Covin – “Our 49th Anniversary”
John
Cowgill – “The Falcon” [Pre-Super Bowl Stories]
Jan
Rayl – “A Novel Approach to Aging”
Ron
Nearhood – Poetry
Daniel
Nearhood, age 7, -- “Red”
Gail
Williams – “Angels on the Mountain”
Aaron
– Lord Mammon
Robert
Scott – An excerpt from “Business Cards”
Natalie
Potell – Poetry: “Insect Dreams” and “The Defeat of Jesse James”
Chelsea
Wood – Poetry: “I Wish I Could Write Happy Poems” and “In My Dreams”
Klue
– “My Hands Begin to Bleed”
Kimberly
Ray – “In the Dead of Winter”
Judy
Petruskie – “The Snowman” and “Talking to God”
Susan
Beth Furst – “Irena” / “The Lily Pond” / “Point”
Cathy
Hailey – “Affordable Care Act or When I’m 65” / “Under the Sun”
Kaitlyn
Graham – “Burnout”
Paulette
Garner – “The Courage to Come Together”
Alice
Mergler – A plug for “In the Company of Laureates 2017”
John Dutton
Kathy Moya created an open community page for us on Facebook, Spilled Ink (Virginia)
Meme by Kathy Moya
Our Second Anniversary!
Bobby “Kickin’ in
the” Dorr, gone but not forgotten!
****
More pictures can be found on the FB pages of:
Write by the Rails or Spilled Ink
February 2017
[22 readers] Too many supporters to name
individually!
Ron Nearhood – Poems by Poe, E.E. Cummings,
and Tennyson
Beverly Ann Bendekgey – “Ditty, Ditty,
Bang, Bang”
Gail Williams – Selection from Book 2 of “North
Dakota” trilogy
Robert Scott – Excerpt from “E-mails from
Jennifer Cooper”
Sara Brooks – “Short”
Kathy Moya – “Weekend with Dad”
Autumn Gasper [and her fan club of four] –
“For You and Only You” (Colgan HS)
Lily G. – “My Best Friend” (Colgan HS)
Olivia Loper – “Surgery” (Colgan HS)
Andie Martin – “I Wasn’t Meant to be a
Poet” (Colgan HS) [FANTASTIC!]
Lynn Vassar – “Woman – A Contest Poem on
Feminism”
Tyrell Jordan – Excerpt from “The Hooded
Stranger” (OP HS)
Carol Covin – “Boy Brownies”
Jane H. Jones – Five American Haikus for
her mom
John Cowgill – “This is That Time”
Belinda Miller – Excerpt from “Centurion’s
Lance”
Judy Petruskie – “Choices” and an excerpt
from “Dave’s Search for Adventure”
Chelsea Wood – “The Exception” [WONDERFUL!]
Kimberly Ray – “The So-Called Life of a
Poet”
Justin Layne – “Self”
Artik – “Harm-No-Me” and “Battle Scars”
John Dutton – “The Family Notebook”
Meme by Kathy Moya
****
More pictures can be found on the FB pages of:
Write by the Rails or Spilled Ink
March 2017
Jirani’s
One-Year Anniversary proving “Art and coffee go together!”
[22 readers] Too many supporters to name
individually!
Nancy Kyme – “Peace Rules and Stillness”
& “The Rhythm”
Paulette Garner – “Interacting with a Fly”
John Cowgill – “Danielle” & “Melissa”
James Loper [Low-per] – “The Sandlot”
[Baseball memories]
Olivia Loper [Low-per] – “Stories before
Bed – I Love You to the Moon and Back”
Deloris Allotey [All-o-tey] – “Movement”
{Oh, the honesty!}
Aaron Scott – “Green Ruby” [Chapter one]
Andie Martin – “The R-Word” (Redskins)
& “Why Can’t You See?”
Daniel Nearhood {He turned 8 last
Saturday} – “Blue” & “Looking Up, Not Down"
Ron Nearhood – “The Grand Opening” &
“The Raft”
Judy Petruskie – “Childhood Memories from
the Corner of My Mind” & “Moving”
Artik – “The Legacy” & “Unspoken”
Belinda Miller – “Centurion’s Lance”
[Chapter five]
Kathy Moya – “An Introduction to Edgar
Allan Poe”
Carol Covin – “Tapioca” {She still hates
it to this day!}
Ken Moorman, Owner of Jirani – “You Are
Sitting in My Dream”
Jan Rayl – “I Want to Talk about Sports”
Aaron – “Why?” & “Love”
Tyrell Jordan – “The Hooded Stranger”
[Chapter four]
Joe Hughes – “Idols”
Gail Williams – Excerpt from Book Two of
the North Dakota Trilogy
*Book One is
titled: Seeds of Graceton!
John Dutton – “I Once Met a Thing from Space”
[Limerick]
Colgan
High School writers have become a staple at Spilled Ink!
[Joe Hughes, Andie
Martin, Aaron Scott, Deloris Allotey, and Olivia Loper]
Now,
if only their teacher, Garret Carlson, will attend!
Memes by Kathy Moya
****
More pictures can be found on the FB pages of:
Write by the Rails or Spilled Ink
April 2017
[28 readers] Many supporters
[Thank you for your patience tonight!]
Terrell Jordan [OPHS] - “Coincidence” and “Prom-posal”
Kimberly Ray - “Inspired by a Friend,” Flashes of Time,” and “Coincidence or Not?”
Ben Potter - “Dinky and Sugar Babes – A Love Story”
John Cowgill - “Clyde the Glide” and “The Pilot”
Cathy Hailey - “The Potential of the Human Heart”
Belinda Miller - “Centurion’s Lance” [Chapter ten]
Natalie Potell - “My Father,” “The Hotel,” and “In Waiting”
Dan Leahy – “The River”
Kathy Smaltz – “Fireflies” and “How to Slay Holofernes” (Current PWC Poet Laureate)
Tina Nagy – “The Inheritance”
Joe DeCesare – “The Great Green Glow”
Ron Nearhood – “Oxygen,” The Grand Opening,” and “Reason”
Daniel Nearhood – “Red” and “Blue” (Our youngest artist, age 8) J
Kaitlyn Graham [WBHS] – “Madalynn”
Garrett “Kickball” Carlson [Teacher at Colgan HS] – “Facts about Owls”
Izzy Dallaire [Colgan HS] – “The Untitled Story”
Kassidy Delano [Colgan HS] – “Don’t”
Chelsea “Not a Student” Wood – “Love Poem, Ooooh!” and “You Are Perfect and You Are Mine”
Gabriela Morales [Colgan HS] – “Waves and Mold”
Madison “Edgy” Petty [Colgan HS] – “What Came Up from Below” and “This is Sparta”
Miriam “The Magic Touch” Elhadidi [Colgan HS] – “Paint What You See”
Sophia Elhadidi [Colgan HS] – “A Farm in Wisconsin”
Kayla White [Colgan HS] – “The Blacker the Berry”
Andie Martin [Colgan HS] – “Scrambled” and “Sonnet # I Don’t Even Know”
Olivia (Low-per) Loper [Colgan HS] – “Chimney Rock” and “Late Night Snacks”
Jim (Low-per) Loper – “Gone Fishing – A Baseball Story”
Gail Williams – “The Riskers”
John Dutton – “Blink. Blink. Blink. Blink.”
****
More pictures can be found on the FB pages of:
Write by the Rails or Spilled Ink
4-22-17, Spilled Ink, Jr. [Rising Writers’ Workshop at Colgan High School]
[20 Readers]
Rachel Washburg - “About Me”
Madison Petty - “Angst Against Formal
Education”
Gabriela Morales - “Questions”
Gabriela Morales and Sophia Elhadidi [Partner
Poetry] - “Beauty”
Miriam Elhadidi - “Paint What You See”
Sophia Elhadidi - “To My Grandma”
Lily Parker - “If I Could Give the Ocean”
Bryan Crowe - “Divided”
Deloris Allotey - “Disliked”
Dioma Ogwara - “You”
Joe Hughes - “Shaving”
Trisha Johnson - “Coffee”
Kayla White - “I Have Become the Sea”
L.J. - “December 7, 1941”
Sammi Meyer - “The Inevitable Disease”
Jennifer Prue - “The Accidental Anarchist”
Zaire Hall-Hamilton - “What I Meant to
Say”
Maria Lafollette [Teacher] - “Riptide”
Lynn Vassar - “Sick of It”
Hailey Pierce-Moystner - “I Can Make a
Difference”
Me “25 Minutes of Peace”
May 2017
[27 readers] Many supporters! Some were Cathy
Hailey, Erik and Joni Gallegos, and Andie Martin’s father.
Ron Nearhood – Chapter 1 of “The Automata”
Dan Verner – “Poetry is Not,” “Escalation,”
“Laundry,” and “Quieting of an Audience”
Penny Wilson [Colgan HS] – “The Longer You
Wait” [procrastination poem]
Andie Martin [Colgan HS] – “End of School”
and “Numbers”
Michael Sensale – “By the Numbers” and
“Grammar”
Kathy Smaltz – “If,” “Rules,” and “Rosary”
Judy Petruskie – “Sounds”
Alice Mergler – “Skin Cream: The Total
Effect” and “The Thorny Plant”
Ben Potter – “One for the Modern Man” and
“The Traveler”
Artik – “Ma Dear” and “Ma Dear #2”
Jordan Blake [Colgan HS] – “Life”
Just Aaron – “No Man’s Land”
Isabelle Dallaire [Colgan HS] – “How the
Earth Was Made”
Kayla White [Colgan HS] – “Don’t Think
About Tomorrow”
Tyrell Jordan [OPHS] – Chapter 7 of novel,
“Tyrell”
Trisha Johnson [Colgan HS] – “Coffee”
Gail Williams – Excerpt from “Graceton”
Trilogy (Wilmer trapped in snow)
Dan Leahy – “Alter Boy”
E'loise Wallace – Excerpt from “A Lesson
Learned” and “Nurse, Nurse”
Carol Covin – “Cancer Journey”
Aly Lemons [Colgan HS] – “Theatre”
Attira (A-tear-a) Perry [Colgan HS] –
“Change”
Zoe Johanna Pappas [Colgan HS] – “The
Alphabet”
Gabriela Perez [Colgan HS] – “Why Don’t
You”
Zakiyya Atamin [Colgan HS] – “What She
Taught Me”
Diamond Agyei (A-jay) [Colgan HS] – “Pearl
Black Mountain”
John Dutton – “SOL Derby
2017” and “SOL Testageddon 2017”
E'loise Wallace reads an excerpt from, "A Lesson to be Learned"
More pictures can be found on the FB pages of:
Write by the Rails or Spilled Ink
June 2017
[28 readers] Many supporters, including Cathy Hailey and Kathy Smaltz. It was a packed house!
Amy Bayne – “Slipping Stitches”
Ron Nearhood – Two chapters from “Automata”
Jim and Olivia Loper – “The Throw Down”
Gail Williams – “Eat Your Food” and “Two Screams in the Night”
Carol Covin – “Marriage Tips”
Angela Renee – “Beauty Queen”
Alice Mergler – Plugging the “In the Company of Laureates”
Dan Verner – “Receiving the Mail” and “Argument from Sugarhower”
Dan Leahy – “Virus”
Zach Tamer – “The Hoppity Koose,” “Fleeting Moments,” and “Love in the Hills”
Andie “Cherokee” Martin – “Andie’s Mostly Vanilla Sundae”
D. W. Martin – “Piscean Commutes” [A.K.A. – “My Car and I”]
Susan “Haiku” Beth Furst – “57,” “Empty Bucket,” and “Daddy’s Best Intention”
June Forte – “Barely There, My Hair” and “Blind Date”
Garrett Carlson – “This is Professional Wrestling: The PWG”
Michael Sensale: Chapter 1 of “Axe to Grind”
Ben Potter – “The Self-Conversing Mind” and “Answers You Cannot Grasp”
Tina Nagy – “Like Father, Like Daughter”
Victoria Umoru – “Many People, One Nation”
William Uanserume – “Closure”
Artik – “Big Ol’ Woman” and “Hooked”
Keith Munroe – “Rivalry”
Steve Konrad – “Seven Up Town,” “Stop,” and “Robbers”
Darby Smith – “The Bristow Area”
Jan Rayl – “Just a Nurse”
Shanise “Shay” Terry – “Strong Black Man”
Tyrell Jordan – “Bees” and a synopsis of the novel, “S.T.U.D.”
John Dutton – “Community Pool, 2017”
****
More pictures can be found on the FB pages of:
Write by the Rails or Spilled Ink
Summerfest
at Tackett’s Mill,
A Special Daytime Edition of Spilled Ink
The works of twelve writers were read:
Carol Covin –
“Teeth” and “Marriage Compatibility”
Cathy Hailey –
“Under the Sun”
Alice Mergler –
“Churning Ice Cream” and two memoirs of her father
Kimberly Ray –
“Little Babies”
Graciela Hernandez
[Marsteller Middle School] – “We Got That”
Rosemarie
Fitzsimmons – “Hard Drive Not Found”
Nancy Kyme – She
read Robert Scott’s “Fast Food
Napkin”
Kathy Smaltz – She
read Zan Hailey’s “Round Yellow
House”
Hatley Wood [Woodbridge
High School] – “I Loved You by the Light of Alien Spaceships” and “Caballito”
Kathy Smaltz –
“Hercules, A Hero of All Times Takes Hippolyte’s Belt,”
“Italian Birdsong for Joy”
“Another View of Icarus”
John Dutton – “I Taught My
Cat to Clean My Room,” “Black,” “If You Only See the Score,” “Armadillo Lost her Pillow,” and its
sequel, “The Extraction”
****
More pictures can be found on the FB pages of:
Write by the Rails or Spilled Ink
July 2017
[26 readers] Many supporters, including Greg
Komitsky, Bikal Paudel, and Angela Renee.
Michael Sensale – “Infinite Probability,”
“Unremarkable,” and “Grammar”
John Cowgill – “Jane on the Train,”
“Flowers,” and “Oh, Zenia. Oh, So Sweet”
Just Aaron – “Antithesis of Genesis”
Aiyana Manns (7 years-old) “Cupcakes and
Rainbows”
Keith Munroe – “Made Without Purpose” and
“Love is a Stupid Word”
Tom Basham – “Something Going On” and “The
Bottom”
Jim and Olivia Loper [Low per] – “Service
Dog”
Alice Mergler – “Messing with Masefield”
Dan Verner – “School Daze” and “The Cats
are Tired of Summer”
June Forte – (Haiku) “Pantry Baked” and
“The Old Dog and I”
Judy Petruskie – “Time to Move On”
Victoria Umoru – “Clouds in the Sun”
William U – “Lost Thought,” “One Day,” and
“Season Overbear”
Forrest George – “Vegetable,” “Ephemeral,”
and “Beige”
Andie Martin – “First Blood Drive”
Dave Martin – “Photographs and Fathers,”
and “Something that Rhymes”
Chelsea Wood – “Who Am I?” and “I Can’t
Breathe”
Graciela Hernandez – “Elements: Air,
Water, Fire, and Earth”
Ben Potter – “The Sheep” and “Many
Thoughts”
Kelly Nichols – “Subtle at First” and
“Writing While Frustrated”
Natalie Potell – “A Man on His Way to
Work,” “War is an Ugly Thing,” and “Isabelle”
Ruth Matthews – “We Had a Piano”
Jan Rayl – “Illness Asks”
John Donley – “Stuff,” “Sometimes,” and
“Too Fast, Too Slow”
Steve Konrad – “Not a Virgin,” “French
Ballet,” “Sundown” and “Gone to Church”
John Dutton – “Saving Sarah Mayrah”
****
More pictures can be found on the FB pages of:
Write by the Rails or Spilled Ink
August 2017
[24 readers] Many supporters, including
Artik, Ben Potter, and Angela Renee.
Paulette Garner – “The Courage to Come
Together”
Cathy Hailey – “Ardea Herodias”
Alice Mergler – Plugs two events: Arts Alive and In the Company of Laureates
Nayomi* - “Homage to Amy Whitehouse,”
“They Shook the Goldfish in the Plastic Baggie Too Hard,” and “White Cigarette
Lighters”
Antonia “Tony” Kilday – “A Cup of Tea and
Me,” “Where the Rainbow Ends,” and “Same Old Clothes”
Steve Konrad – “The Cry of the Whippoorwill,”
Societal Oncology,” and “Doobie or Not Doobie?”
Ruth Mathews – “Reading Survival”
Keith Munroe – “The Liberty of Thoughts,”
and “Inevitable”
Wills D. One – “Clear,” “Illusion,” and
“One on One”
Graciela Hernandez – “Choosing at a
Coffeehouse” and “We are Cowards for Hiking”
Dave Martin – “David Dances Before the
Lord,” and “Strands of Thick Black Hairs”
Andie Martin – “Walt Disney World”
Michael Sensale – “Topsy Turvy” and
“Summer’s Gone”
John Dunley – “Standing Watch,” “Stay with
Me,” “Regina’s Garden,” “America First”
Dan Leahy – “The Death of President
Kennedy”
Joseph Leo Hickey – “Happy and Sad at the
Same Time” [First Time!]
Angie Carrera – “Trouble” [First Time!]
Mary Rook – “An Angry Poem” [First Time!]
Kimberly Ray – “Calming Mechanism” and “I
Got a Gig”
Forrest George – “We Built a Bridge”
E’loise Wallace – “Searching for My Lost
Star,” “Mom Was Right!” and “Mr. Keenan in the [School] House”
John Cowgill – “Meet Me at the Water Park”
and “The Phantom One”
Gail Williams – “Scarred for Life: Why I
Don’t Ride Motorcycles or Sit on Bar Stools”
John Dutton – The beginning of “Armadillo
and the Bee”
*[I messed up her name previously. I
spelled it: Naomi. SORRY!]
Photo of NAYOMI by John Cowgill
Photo of PAULETTE GARNER by John Cowgill
Photo of JOHN DUTTON by John Cowgill
[I am sporting the "Recovery Beard."]
****
More pictures can be found on the FB pages of:
Write by the Rails or Spilled Ink
NEW LOGO
Created by Artist, Erin Mergler
September 2017
9-17-17
ARTS ALIVE - Special POET LAUREATE CIRCLE
Edition
[24 readers] Many supporters!
John Cowgill – “Jane on the Train,”
Zenia,” and “Limerick of Ladies”
Nayomi “Zebra” Aracelli – “Ode to Amy
Winehouse”
Antonia “Toni” Kilday – “Little Spider”
and “Where the Rainbow Ends”
Paulette Garner – “Time Out” and
“Questions for Dr. King”
Cathy Hailey – “Arcadia” and “Poets
Laureate”
Michael Sensale – Infinite Improvability,”
“By the Numbers” and “Grammar”
Angela Lyons – “How I Feel About My
People”
Alice Mergler – “Ode to My Honda Element”
and “Power of the Pen”
Kathy Smaltz – “Hercules, A Hero of All
Times Takes Hippolyte’s Belt,”
David Martin – “Eka-Ika-Khan” and “Moment
in the Sun”
Andie Martin – “The Beauty Within”
Victoria Umoru – “Many People, One Nation”
John Donley – “Sometimes” and “Reciprocal”
Tom Basham – “Arts Alive,” “Who Are You?”
and “Angel, WOW!”
Jan Rayl – “Illness Asks” and “I AM the
Nurse”
Dan Verner – “Escalation,” “Manassas
Singers,” and “The Dishwasher”
Dan Leahy – “The Death of Kennedy”
Nancy Kyme – “Idaho,” “North Dakota,” and
“Indiana”
David Dickson – Poems from “Call in the Air”
E’loise Wallace – “Mom was Right” and
Chapter 1 of “A Lesson Learned”
Terraya Lewis – “Eight Shots”
Joe DeCeasare – “On This Day”
Robert Scott – “16,000 Miles – A Runner’s
Reflection”
Me – “Do Not Go Gently in to Those New
Jeans” and “The Poet Not Chosen”
*Our venue was incredible! [See below]
Alice Mergler and Kathy Smaltz In the Company
of Laureates TV interview! WATCH ALL OF IT. THEY ARE IN THE SECOND HALF
OF THE PROGRAM.
9-22-17
TONIGHT
WAS FILLED WITH PASSION AND EMOTION!
[28 readers] Many supporters!
RUTH MATTHEWS goes first in
October.
Alice Mergler – “The Power of the Pen –
Donation Edition”
Ken Hailey – “Fifth Amendment Boy”
Jan Rayl – “Slap the Screen Door” and
“Inspired by Ethics”
Keith Munroe – “For the Old Man Who Found
Me When I Was Lost,” “Faith,” and
“A Girl Met When I Was Young”
Wills D. Uan – “My Thoughts” and “My Hard
Work”
Joey “Family Friendly” Hickey – Poems from
the book, “Live My Life Remix”
Artik – “A Personal E-mail” and “Me”
Steve Konrad – “Label,” “Property,”
“Public Service Announcement,” and “Bar Wrangled Banner”
Robert Scott – “16,000 Miles – A Runner’s
Reflection”
John Donley – “Recyclical,” “Itchy Bitchy
Sniper: A Cursory Crime,” and “Down the Up Ladder”
Cathy Hailey – “Dancing in Circles”
Andie Martin – “Only Inner Beauty” and
“Stop Spreading Hate”
David Martin – “Hot August Night” and “A
Cat is Like a Tree”
Paulette Garner – “My Food Memory”
Michael Sensale – “Drawing the Lines” and
“Free”
Nali – “Restless,” “Star Well,” and “They
Cannot Conquer Forever”
Ron Nearhood – “Almost Persuaded,” “The
Grace of the Fire,” and “The Grand Opening”
Beverly Bendekgey – “On Social Norms” [A
poem in the form of a play]
Nick Hale – “I Want to be the Guy” and
“Confessions on a Couch”
Adria – “Lullabies” and “Powder Keg
Potential”
Anna Bledsoe – “Statistical Probability,”
“Rollers at the Table,” and “Longevity, What Lasts?”
Carol Covin – “A James Bond Martini”
Christiana Kilday – “The Monster” and
“Dedicated to Mom”
Antonia “Toni” Kilday – “Scream,” “Mother
or Monster,” and “Pardon Me”
Kimberly Ray – “The Elephant Mom,” “Clichés
for Life,” and “Am I Privileged?”
June Forte – “The Agony of Norman Kaplan”
John Cowgill – “The Vanishing Experience
in Four Parts”
Me – “Billy Pug’s Worst Day”
Me – “Billy Pug’s Worst Day”
****
More pictures can be found on the FB pages of:
Write by the Rails or Spilled Ink
Realizing that this is getting too long, I have now broken in down into specific years!
Realizing that this is getting too long, I have now broken in down into specific years!
