Dear Wordlers,
It’s Saturday night, and the Montana State Speech and Debate Tournament is finished. Three of my speech girls broke into semi finals. That means they placed among the top 16 in their events in the state of Montana. We had four debaters make the stage by placing in the top 8 in the state. It was a good meet for us, and I am proud to be affiliated with our team. They are an amazing group of young people, who give me hope for the future of our species.
This week’s words come from “One Day You Wake Up,” by Ann Hunkins. You can find the poem in I Go to the Ruined Place, a compilation of poems written “in defense of global human rights.” One of the editors of the compilation is M. L. Smoker, a Montana poet. A member of the Assiniboine and Sioux tribes, Smoker is a poet in her own right. For an excellent read check out Smoker’s first book of poetry, Another Attempt at Rescue. A link to more information about both books is in the sidebar.
Preparing for the speech meet kept me away from many of your poems last week. Hopefully, I’ll make it to many pieces tomorrow. It tickles me to see that both Tilly Bud and Mr. Richard Walker came back to the Whirl in the same week. Welcome Back!
It’s nice to have a few newbies, too. Welcome.
Brenda
The Sunday Whirl 
I really liked this–got it done just before the next one posts, but at least I’m subscribed now! Many congratulations on your team’s performance! Very inspiring!
Thanks for the welcome. I’m a newbie, and I’m in –
Thanks to all of you great wordlers out there, for the well wishes and birthday wishes. It’s been a busy week, and I’m off now to read your poems, comments, etc. Life is good when it’s busy, but it keeps me away. You all make me feel great, and I’m glad you are here.
A bit of non-revisionist history for the day I came to be.
http://wojisme.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/february-3-1956-1042-a-m/
Wrote my poem this morning and posted. Brenda, thanks for the welcome back. I will return after work today to read others’ poems and leave comments.
Richard
Awesome words this week, as usual!
Very cool news about your debate team Brenda. And, thanks for the tip about this topic of poetry-writing – after years of writing anti-war and pro-peace poetry, a subtle shift to “in defense of global human rights” work might be just the topic for which I’ve been searching … loved these words also even tho’ I didn’t do a whole lot with them …my poem is here:
http://thepoet-tree-house.blogspot.com/2012/01/you-with-your-heart.html
This is the first I’ve seen this prompt. I’ll have to give it a try next week. You can check out mine too; I just posted the challenge today.
Yo, Brenda!
Got an acceptance this weekend. It was a poem I wrote to one of your wordles, back last May. Very literally, could not have done it without you. Thank you.
(you’ll have to imagine that in huge letters, maybe sparkling)
Yahoo!! Thank you for sharing this news, Barbara. Imagine the big ass smile on my face, right now! Congratulations.
Mon Jan 30, 2012 With thanks to Brenda and the Sunday Whirl
https://sundaywhirl.wordpress.com Wordie #41:
born, feet, fresh, froze, earth, serenity, flame, anguish, shocks, field, startles, permeable
The prequel? For those of you who have read the (what is turning out to be a) series so far…
Minerva
Daniel was the odd man out the eldest born son
And not yet married he wondered what shocks
Would reverberate through his family when he
Was to finally announce his engagement
He had always had an affinity towards the sea
Where the permeable waters met with the earth at the shore
As well as where in the fresh water springs would rise like magic
Disappearing just as quick in his uncles’ farm field
Daniel found that in times of personal anguish
Especially in nights when the pond froze over in winter
That his feet could carry him under the reflected flame of the sun
Tugged by the serenity of the moon’s face – he could find peace…
He was walking on such a night when he met her –
Her fresh voice singing hauntingly there near the willow
The sway of the empty branches caused the silent startles
Of the leafless branches and pine shadows on the water
Daniels was smitten with love at first sight
There sitting at the end of the short pier was a woman
He blinked as if in a dream watching her transform
Her lower half of a fish tail into pearl-silver legs…
He pledged to care for her as long as she would let him
And to his surprise she agreed then and there to marry
As soon as he picked her up to carry her back to his home
It seemed as if a multitude of history filled his brain…including her name…
JP/davh
(I haven’t yet figured out how to link. My name takes you to my small stones blog, and when I tried to put a link in a notice came up saying I had some misinformation…The other Mermaid poems can be found at:
http://julesgemsandstuff.blogspot.com )
Brenda – Happy birthday! I’m going to work on my wordie for my Daily Gatheriing daily piece. I have a few moments since my grandson just fell asleep… Thank you for gathering words for the whirl – I can always work my way backwards if I ever get stuck for what to write about. I’m going to write first and then read some other contributions. Thanks too to all the regulars and new additions (of which I guess I’m one!). Though I think I did do a wordie a while ago. Cheers all!
Hi Brenda, I hear it’s your Birthday? Happy Birthday and many happy returns of the day! 🙂 Thank you for the words, I’ve enjoyed working with them. I always enjoy your Whirls.
As I will be traveling tomorrow, I put mine up today. Happy Wordling!
Lots of High School memories there: was on the debate team in Houston (I was not very good, but the program was huge), then moved to VA where there was no debate team; made state in oratory. Really not liking how long ago that was…
Ha! I know what you mean, Mark. Long long time ago, i can still remember how that music used to make me smile……….. 🙂 now I’m singing.
Great words again. Happy to be back. Here’s mine: http://whimsygizmo.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/dumb-found/
You must post these prompts at midnight on Saturday and everyone must stay up all night writing. I am a bit new here and am always surprised at how quickly people do their writing! Thanks again Brenda- and sounds like birthday greetings are in order and congrats with you team! Safe drive back.
Brenda sends us the cheat sheet via email. Teehee.
Thank you for your great comments this morning. I just woke up in Helena, and posted my piece. My husband and I are going to do a bit of exploring and then head for home. I’ll visit you later this afternoon, or maybe in the car on the way home with my iPhone. 🙂 Interesting world, eh?
Blogger still refuses to accept comments from me, so for all of you with Blogger blogs, I’m anonymous. I’ll try and remember to leave my name.
margo
Margo, thanks for sharing that you are anonymous. I had wondered. You didn’t leave your name. But Glad I know.
So irritating that you are having a problem, Margo. I will give you a better alternative than “Anonymous.”
If you don’t want to sign on as Anonymous….this is what you do:
You choose the option Name / URL (instead of Anonymous)
You write your name Margo Roby
and then you can also include your blog website (under URL), so people can come to your website through that link.
I think this is a better choice than Anonymous; and some Bloggers don’t allow ‘anonymous’ posts anyway.
Thank you, Mary. I am in 🙂
margo
Thank you, Brenda. Coming here on Sundays is like arriving at a coffee shop, where I know a group of friends is waiting and more will drop by.
Happy Birthdays and Congratulations.
Good luck to your team, Brenda! Thanks for posting despite all of the excitement in your life.
Just a little Happy Birthday, and a thank you.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Brenda!!! You have gone above and beyond this week. You are remarkable! Thank you for always making The Whirl happen, especially in the midst of this very busy weekend!
Good luck with the semi finals WTG YOU and the girls. Thanks for the prompt!!
Happy wordling wordlers 🙂
Brenda- I always look forward to Sunday Whirls. Thanks for all you do to inspire us!!
You must be feeling very proud of your students. How nice for them! Thanks for some interesting words today!
Congrats on the tournament! You must be proud, Brenda. Thanks for the words.
Pamela
http://rinklyrimes.blogspot.com/2012/01/history-repeats-itself.html
Thank you for a really inspiring list this weekend.
Go! Team! That’s something I can not manage–thinking and talking at the same time. I have enough trouble reading.
Thanks for the words.
😀 or as Jock says, put your brain in gear!
Thank you Brenda, and I hope everything went well for your team in the end.