Friday, May 18, 2018

Special Feature--A Tribute to Editors, Inge Wesdijk--The Netherlands and Jack Horne--England

Dear Whispers’ Family,

It is an honor to work with my co-editors Inge Wesdijk (Daginne Aignend) and Jack Horne. The positive feedback I get from contributors that work with them is a joy. I proposed a short interview for readers and writers to get to know them a bit better.  It is a pleasure to share their thoughts with you.

Please take time to thank them as without their commitment to our online journal, Whispers would cease to be. Inge and Jack, you are talented and insightful writers and editors.  It is a gift to be able to work with you.

Blessings to all,

Karen O’Leary
Whispers’ Editor


Inge Wesdijk (Daginne Aignend)Whispers’ Poetry Editor—daginne@gmail.com


I live in a small village in the province Groningen which is situated North-East in the Netherlands. When I look out the window of my small apartment, I see the cows in the meadow. It's quiet and that's the way I like it. When I need some change of scenery, I stay with my friend for a while.


I started to write as a teenager to express my feelings, I had a diary and sometimes a poem popped up. I always liked it to play with language in a humorous way and wrote a lot of Dutch limericks which I sadly lost. About 6 years ago, I started to write in English. I felt I wanted to share my words and would reach a broader readership this way. At first, I wrote all rhymed poems about my feelings, but my poetry has evolved from describing the beauty of nature to more critical poems, all in free verse nowadays.  Sometimes I like to write special poetry forms but mostly it restricts my spontaneity because I have to think too much about syllables, subjects etc. My best poems are the spontaneous ones.


It has become a part of my life. When I don't write for a while I get restless as if something has to come out. Sure, I have these moments that I don't have the slightest idea what I should write about. The prompt that works for me is to take two sentences, each from different pages from a book as a basis for a poem. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack HorneWhispers’ Activity Feature Editor—jack-marcus@outlook.com

Where are you living?  Can you tell readers the assets of living in your current community?

I live in Plymouth, Devon (South West England).  Plymouth is famous for its Drake & Pilgrim Fathers/Mayflower connections, but I live about 5 miles from the sea. Where we live is fairly close to the moors. In fact, my current workplace is on the threshold of Dartmoor. From my bedroom window, I can see hundreds of trees in the nearby woods - I often sit here at my desk & enjoy happy memories of walking our dogs, Pads & Nero...many years ago. 

When did you start writing poetry and why?

As a youngster, I enjoyed writing limericks, but it wasn't until I was around 11 & fell in love for the first time (with a girl in my class at school) that I felt the need to write serious poetry. I poured out my feelings for her in my secret notebook but was too shy to ever let Suzanne read any of my ramblings. (Maybe that was just as well...) Years later, I realised that ladies usually respond very favourably to poetry & I wrote sonnets for several women, who had stolen my heart. I also found that poetry can be a catharsis & was helped enormously by writing poems during bad times of my life - my gran & dad died of cancer; my wife left me for someone whom she'd met on the internet; I eventually met another lady, but the relationship was very short-lived... Well, no one's life is all sunshine & no rain - as someone once said, we need rain to see rainbows - but some of those poems were the most powerful I've ever written. 

What drives your passion for writing poetry today?

Sometimes, my muse just doesn't want to work! At times like that, I read my favourite poems - Frost's, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”, Shakespeare's “Sonnet 29”, Wordsworth's “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”, Carol Ann Duffy's “Valentine”, Spike Milligan's “A Silly Poem” - & by the time I'm halfway through reading those, my muse is positively champing at the bit. (When I want to write prose, I always read Susan Hill's “The Woman in Black” & that has the same effect!) When my muse is active, I find I have ideas dancing round in my head & they won't rest - or let me rest - until I put them down on paper (or on the computer screen). I don't think I could live without writing!

38 comments:

  1. View from the window
    cows in the meadow of
    a small village
    and a welcoming quiet there
    for the mind;

    and a poet Inge,
    inspired---
    writes songs
    that elevate
    such natural images!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Sunil, I Love it!

      Best wishes,
      Inge

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  2. What a pleasure to read from Inge and Jack of their thoughts and feelings with the writing of poetry. I admire them for their work. And trust they both, as all of us,
    keep on writing with original and perhaps brilliant ideas.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Isha, I'm so happy you wrote about trust. We try to help and encourage poets as much as we can. It's a real joy!

      Best wishes,
      Inge

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  3. What wonderful biographies it is so lovely to learn more about Jack and Inge and their poetry journeys too. I am delighted they both like limericks as it is my favourite form of poetry, I have probably written over 300 which are posted elsewhere, one day I intend do a book of my witty words:-) Keep up the wonderful gift of words Inge and Jack, regards Jan x

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    Replies
    1. Dear Jan, funny we all three like to write limericks, I think that's a poetry form that really plays with words and with a lot of humor. Thanks for your nice comment

      Best wishes,
      Inge

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  4. Wonderful people from beautiful places with similar writing beginnings creating their own amazing journies with their individual styles to enchant the world...!
    Peace, Love and Blessings!
    🕊️♥️😇

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    Replies
    1. Ha James, I couldn't have said it better myself ☺ ... kidding ... Thank you for your kind comment.

      Best wishes,
      Inge

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  5. Karen,
    Thank you for letting us get to know our editors better. I have learned so much from both of them.
    David Fox

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    Replies
    1. Dear David,

      Thank you so much for the kind comment, I appreciate it.

      Best wishes,
      Inge

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    2. Dear David,

      It was my pleasure to showcase my talented co-editors. We make a great team! Thank you for your kind words.

      Blessings,
      Karen

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  6. Dear Karen,
    Inge & Jack were chosen very well. I think a lot of both of them. I was witnessing the fall of whispers. Them they joined you in you wonderful whispers on line journal. May God continue to bless you!
    Knight Writer

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    Replies
    1. Dear Knight Writer, Karen, Jack and me are so happy Whispers is back on track again. We all share the love for the written word as well all these wonderful poets, like yourself, willing to share their poetry with us.

      Best wishes,
      Inge

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  7. Two different influences but with the same results the desire to write. Enjoyed reading. Sara

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    Replies
    1. Dear Sara,

      Exactly, it's all about the joy to write and share the written word with each other
      Thanks for your kind comment.

      Best wishes,
      Inge

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  8. Had I not been fortunate to live out in the country, I would have been envious of your beautiful surroundings, Inge and Jack! Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, and for the sterling work you do for the Whispers community. Best regards // paul

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    Replies
    1. Dear Paul, I think the rural environment gives the peace of mind to write, nature all around you in this hectic society. Thanks for your nice comment

      Best wishes,
      Inge

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  9. It is really a great privilege to work with all of you. I am new to Whispers, but have found that Inge is a wonderful person to work with. I have not connected with Jack, but enjoyed his bio. Thank you Karen for connecting me with these fine people.

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    Replies
    1. Dear Dwight,

      Thank you so much for the compliment, I also like it to work with you and hope to receive some more of your work in the future.

      Best wishes,
      Inge

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  10. Thank you so much for these bios. You have put together a great team and it is such a pleasure getting to know them better. Each and every day Whispers gets to be a stronger 'family'. Thanks again, Karen. ...and thank you Jack & Inge!!!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Barbara, your words encourage me that we are on the right path with Whispers. It means much to me.

      Best wishes,
      Inge

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  11. What a wonderful idea to help us get to know these two talented people.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks dear Linda, your support is much appreciated.

      Best wishes,
      Inge

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  12. Enjoyed this post! Nice to know more about the editors and I sure thank them for the numerous contributions to Whispers! Thanks for sharing this Karen.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Peggy, also for your ongoing support for Whispers!
      Much appreciated.

      Best wishes,
      Inge

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  13. Many thanks to Karen & to everyone for these lovely comments. It truly is a pleasure to work with Karen & Inge, & our lovely poets.

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    Replies
    1. Dear Jack and Inge,

      What a pleasure to see the good response your interview is getting. You both are gifts in my life, allowing Whispers to keep publishing talented international writers.

      Love,
      Karen

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  14. So glad you both shared your writing history and helped to keep Whispers going. It is appreciated. I could relate to Inge's lost poetry since that happened to me. Also Jack's muse who quits sometimes.
    Caryl

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Caryl, for your kind comment! I really don't know what happened to my little notebook. Nowadays I save my poems on my computer with u back-up in Dropbox, in case of a computer crash.

      Best wishes,
      Inge

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  15. Very lovely to read both poets thoughts and words on poetry, writing and life... Thank you so much for sharing with us...

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Lynn, your comment is much appreciated.

      Best wishes,
      Inge

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  16. I've been lucky enough to work with both Inge and Jack. Ever a treat! Now, knowing more about them makes it that much better. Much appreciated Karen. It's always a privilege to submit my work to Whispers. Thank you to all.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Pat, I think it matters if we know each other a little better, the person behind the editor. My appreciation goes also out to Karen for interviewing us.

      Best wishes,
      Inge

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  17. Thank you, Mary Jo Balistreri, for your thoughts--

    Thank you both for posting your stories of where you live—what you see out the window which I really enjoyed, and of course the journey of your writing life. Thank you for your hard work and thank you, Karen, for coming up with this great idea.

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    Replies
    1. Dear Mary Jo,

      You are such an uplifting voice in the writing community. It was a pleasure to share some thoughts from Inge and Jack. They continue to keep Whispers alive. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, my friend.

      Love,
      Karen

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  18. Inge and Jack, you are both such wonderful and talented individuals. It is a joy having you both here at Whispers. Thank you for all you do for Whispers and the writing community. I enjoyed learning more about you and I hope that your literary journey continues to be bright and blessed!

    -MJ
    (www.creativeinspirationspp.blogspot.com)

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    Replies
    1. Dear Maurice,

      Thank you for your kind comment. Karen, Jack and I are happy that Whispers flourishes again.
      I appreciate your support.

      Best wishes,
      Inge

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  19. Whispers is a home away from home; a respite, a much needed relief and within this tranquil community are gracious and gifted editors who keep an eye out on their ever growing garden of word weavers who mesmerize each other as these editors do so with us. Greatness and encouragement elevates our passion for writing and thankfully we have Karen, Inge and Jack to continue inspiring us. Thank you so very VERY much for delighting us with this most insightful interview, so personable and richly flavored with mutual respect and similarities! Smashing!!

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