Saturday, January 30, 2016

Editor's Thoughts/Living Wings--By Karen O'Leary

Dear Whispers’ Friends,

January 15 marked the third Anniversary of our online journal/poetry community.  Contributors, this is a tribute to you.  You are the wings of Whispers!  Thank you to everyone that promotes our online journal in any way.  We started as a small seedling and have blossomed into an international journal with writers from each of six major continents.   

Words cannot express how grateful I am to work with so many talented writers.  Your encouragement of others is greatly appreciated.  It is that encouragement that inspires poets to keep on writing and all it costs is a few minutes of time.  I ask you to understand that some of the writers that contribute poetry cannot leave comments for one reason or another.  I asked them to keep sending poetry.  Our reader base is growing, too.  Everyone is vital to essence and lifeblood of Whispers.

If you have any thoughts to share, please use the comments section below or email me at karenoleary1956@gmail.com  I am excited about the year ahead and hope many more will follow.

With that, I would like to share the poem that started our journey—

Living Wings

whispers
carry music
like the song of the wind…
faithful voice of night wraps the heart
in love

Wishing you all of you a joy-filled writing journey.  Thank you all!!

Blessings,

Karen O’Leary
Whispers’ Editor

39 comments:

  1. Before the Light

    (after Karen O'Leary's Living Wings)

    feathers
    begin to stir
    in this dark hour...
    before the first hint of light, they're lifted
    by a whisper

    -Laura M Kaminski

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow Laura! This is amazing. Thankfully, we have you here with your gift of light. I really appreciate all your encouragement.

      Blessings,
      Karen

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    2. Soft, sweet & filled with love, thank you Ladies! Jim

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    3. Karen, this is just wonderful. I'm so very pleased to have found Whispers and been welcomed by all....have a blessed Sunday and new week and year ahead.

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    4. Karen,
      Being with you and this website for such a long time
      is so special. Thank you for submitting to and supporting my magazine. Thanks also to Peter Dome and the other poets already on this site who have done the same.
      Your friend,
      David Fox

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    5. Thank you, everyone, for your kind words. Your support and encouragement of others is the backbone of our journal.

      Blessings and best wishes,
      Karen

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    6. Karen,

      thank you for your thoughtful and continual encouragement of writing and writers...it is this kind of community that saves the world!
      Michele Leslie

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    7. Dear Michele,

      Thank you for these lovely words. I hope, together, we are making the world a better place. Hope things are going well for you.

      Blessings,
      Karen

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  2. Congratulations on the 3rd anniversary of Whispers, and best wishes for a creative future,angelee

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    Replies
    1. Dear Angelee,

      Thank you for your congrats and kind thoughts. It is great to have you a part of this journey.

      Blessings,
      Karen

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  3. Indeed, congratulations on the 3rd anniversary of Whispers. I am so glad to be a part of this wonderful community of caring and enlightened friends. Karen,I am so grateful you began this online community that has hosted such talented poets.
    Love, Charlene

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    Replies
    1. Dear Charlene,

      Those talented poets include you. Thank you for your ongoing encouragement, my friend.

      Blessings and best wishes,
      Karen

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  4. Dear Karen,
    Congratulations on the 3rd anniversary of Whispers. Being part of a loving community is what we all long for. Here there is encouragement, affirmation, and gratefulness. What a blessing you are to all of us.

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    Replies
    1. Dear Mary Jo,

      It is encouraging and talented people like you that make Whispers this encouraging community. I am so glad you are part of the journey. Thank you so much for these kind words.

      Blessings,
      Karen

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  5. May you, Karen O'Leary, drive us in the fourth year and in the years ahead with the same consciousness and love that you have highly demonstrated.

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    Replies
    1. Dear Edilson,

      Thank you for all your help as we journey into our fourth year. I appreciate all the encouragements you give me and others. Keep your light shining!

      Blessings,
      Karen

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  6. Dear Karen, It is a joy to read all the poems posted at Whispers each month although because of my eye problems I can't be online too long, I always try to leave as many comments as I am able to. I enjoyed your lovely poem and this site is a Poet's haven. Blessings for another successful year! Love and Aloha, Connie

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    Replies
    1. Dear Connie,

      What a joy to read your words today. Thank you so much for your kindness. You are such an encouraging voice here, at Whispers. It is each of us doing what we can that keeps our journal alive and growing. Keep your light shining, my friend.

      Blessings,
      Karen

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  7. If I'm not mistaken, Karen, you have artfully crafted a Cinquain. Love its message. Thank you.

    I join others in offering congratulations entering year number for of Whispers.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Michael! Yes, this is a cinquain,one of my favorite forms. I'm a short verse gal at heart. I appreciate all you do for our online journal.

      Blessings,
      Karen

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  8. keep chuggin' and huggin', Wonder Woman!

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    Replies
    1. Dear ayaz,

      Got a bit of a chuckle out of your comments. Not wonder woman--but I am gal from North Dakota trying to do her best. Thank you so much ayaz for your ongoing support and encouragement.

      Blessings,
      Karen

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  9. Congratulations! To everyone, in fact, who have been a part of Whispers, to me too!

    I am thankful for always receiving reminders from you, Karen, to submit for my turn of month; it is the most considerate thing you do to actually keep a track! I love the sense of liberation I feel when I write for Whispers because my words can flow freely without inhibition or worry of trying to impress with a certain kind of style that is a commonality with most venues.

    Thank you for offering that freedom!

    More power to Whispers, more growth, more popularity!

    Bestest wishes!

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    Replies
    1. Dear Sheikha,

      Thank you so much for your kind words. Within the guidelines, I want people to have artistic freedom so that we have different styles and other publications offer different opportunities. Makes reading a lot more fun. Thank you for all the encouragement you give me and others.

      Blessings,
      Karen

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  10. Replies
    1. I thank you, too, John. Without talented writers like you, Whispers would not be possible.

      Blessings,
      Karen

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  11. So many faithful voices combine,
    Superlative talent to intertwine,
    Simpatico stones, set into place,
    Back to back, turn, to interface,
    As I survey, things are just fine.

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    Replies
    1. Dear Michael,

      This poem is so beautiful as is the soul of the writer who penned this verse. "So many faithful voices"--is really what makes Whispers possible. Thank you so much for all your do for our writing community. I really appreciate your kindness, my friend.

      Blessings,
      Karen

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  12. Congratulations Karen :). It's wonderful being a part of whispers ! Keep growing !!

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    Replies
    1. Dear Ananya,

      I hope you will be a part of the growth of Whispers in the years ahead. Thank you so much for your kind words.

      Blessings,
      Karen

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  13. This poem lights up the world and touches within the place of eternal hope. Whispers travels out into the world and surrounds this earth in an embrace of poety. The message, and the lyricl way the message is expressed, truly resonates.

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  14. Dear Nila,

    Thank you so much, my friend. You are a part of the light that makes up this community. Your positive outlook is so inspiring to me and others. What a joy you are!

    Blessings,
    Karen

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  15. Dear Karen--Thank you so much for all of your hard work, late nights, inspiration and creativity. I've often wondered when you have time for your own writing! Thank you again for being here for me when I need the encouragement and thank you for being my 'writing buddy'. Luv Yu--Barbara

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    Replies
    1. Dear Barbara,

      Thank you so much for your lovely words. Sometimes my own writing takes a back seat to Whispers but that's all right. Writing is a shared experience for me. It is such a joy to work with so many wonderful writers like you. Glad you are part of our journey.

      Blessings,
      Karen

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  16. Dear Karen ~ Congratulations on your 3 year anniversary!! It has been a privilage and joy to be a part of the Whispers community. Wishing you continued success on your wonderful venture, best of luck in all you do. Cheers, Peggy

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    Replies
    1. Dear Peggy,

      What a joy to have you a part of this journey. Thank you for your kind words, my friend. Wishing you the best with Shemom!

      Blessings,
      Karen

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  17. Lovely and heartfelt! It's wonderful to be a part of "Whispers." Best wishes
    for continued success. . .

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  18. Dear Marlene,

    It is wonderful to have you a part of Whispers! It's people like you that make our online journal/poetry community possible.

    Blessings,
    Karen

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