Sunday, September 17, 2017

Whispers’ Guest Editors--Inge Wesdijk (Daginne Aignend)--The Netherlands and Caryl Calsyn--The United States

Dear Whispers' Friends,

It is such a pleasure to share with you our first two guest activity/columnists in an effort to provide words that matter in a global outreach. This new version of Whispers gives us an international format for sharing the gift of words. I chose a poem previously published at Whispers in their honor.  I'm deeply grateful for their contributions.

I hope many of our past contributors will join us in this new view.  I wish all of you the best always. Keep you candles burning brightly!

Blessings,
Karen

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Inge Wesdijk (Daginne Aignend)--September 2017 Activity Editor

The old lady's wisdom

Morning dew, wandering through the city
A lonely passenger, trying to clear my head
Suddenly the invigorating scent of coffee
The appetizing aroma of fresh baked bread
A voice, inviting me friendly
Girl, why do you look so sad
Come over and sit down here with me
My coffee is the best you ever had
She smiles, the wrinkled old lady
When you are refreshed and well fed
You will expel your melancholy
And treasure every day's joy instead

Inge Wesdijk is a Dutch writer, poetess, and photographic artist who works under the pseudonym Daginne Aignend. She likes hard rock music and fantasy books. She is a vegetarian and spends a lot of time with her animals.

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Caryl Calsyn—September Columnist/Thoughts to Ponder

The Golden Door

Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses
yearning to be free, the retched refuse of your
teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-
tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door.
(as it appears on the Statue of Liberty, by Emma Lazarus)

I am an immigrant. You are an immigrant.
Whether coming to America in recent times
or many generations before, we all came from
other lands. Only a few are Native Americans.

There is an indignant underground and above
ground cry that we should allow no more
immigrants to touch this country’s shores.

Advocates propose that man's humanity to man end.

The tired, the poor, and tempest-tossed, if these
advocates have their way, would find the lamp
extinguished and a closed and locked Golden Door.

Caryl Calsyn is a retired interior designer and currently serves as the President of the Highland Lakes Writers’ Club.  She serves on history related boards and sings in a church choir and a chorale.  She is a widow and has two sons living, one deceased and feels blessed with grandchildren.  She loves writing poetry and still finds it amazing that 113 have been published at Whispers, Creative Inspirations, Westward Quarterly, The Storyteller, The Oak and other publications.

30 comments:

  1. Thank you so much, Inge and Caryl for sharing in the joy of our Whispers' journey and for making it possible to open the door to a new vision.

    Blessings,
    Karen

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    Replies
    1. Dear Karen,

      It is really a pleasure working with you on the new activity. It's a learning project but also a fun project for me. I hope we can continue to do some more Whispers activities in the future.

      Best wishes,
      Inge

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    2. Dear Inge,

      Working with you is a pleasure for me too. Each new experience gives us opportunities to learn--that keeps writing fresh for me.

      Blessings,
      Karen

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    3. As explained in my "Liberty" post I apologize for my delay in replying. I am blessed to be part of this writing family. Being asked to be a guest editor is such a honor. My best to Karen and Inge.

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  2. Inge and Caryl: Thank you so much for continuing with the journey of WHISPERS. I think many of us were sad thinking it had ended but no, not so, it will live on. Joy, joy.

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    1. Dear Isha,

      Together we can keep Whispers alive! I appreciate your enthusiasm and I love it to be a part of the 'restart' of Whispers,

      All the best,
      Inge

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    2. I greatly appreciate your thanks.

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  3. Dear Isha,

    Thank you for these kind words. Whispers will roll on for as long as it has purpose and meaning. Yes, Inge and Caryl have opened our journey in a new dawn. It is such a joy to work with writers like you.

    Blessings always,
    Karen

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  4. I'd like to express also my thanks to Inge and Caryl!

    Love,

    Gert

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Gert, really nice to meet you by email.

      Liebe grüße,
      Inge

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    2. Dear Gert,

      Glad you stopped by to share your thoughts. I see Inge has given you a little cultural flavor. Thanks, Inge for making me smile.

      Blessings to both of you,
      Karen

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    3. Thank you! it is always nice to be appreciated.
      Caryl

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  5. Welcome, Inge and Caryl, just waiting for more and more poetry to flow here!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for your kind words, Rick. I hope you will be submitting poetry for the activities in the future.

      Blessings,
      Karen

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  6. So lovely! Inge and Caryl, thank you for keeping this alive.

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    Replies
    1. Dear Joan,

      Thank you for your kind words. If you have any ideas, please let me know. Inge and Caryl have earned this celebration.

      Blessing,
      Karen

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  7. Thank you, Inge and Caryl, for lighting the candle of hope for Whispers. Also, I enjoyed both your poems. Best regards ... paul

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    1. Dear Paul,

      Thank you for letting your light shine at Whispers. I welcome any ideas you may have in moving our writing community forward.

      Blessings,
      Karen

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  8. I really enjoyed the poem by Inge, regarding elderly reasoning. That was rich in resolve.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Michael! We are a voice of many people--hoping that our light will help others in their challenges and bring them hope and peace.

      Blessings,
      Karen

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  9. Reading The Golden Door and The Old Lady's Wisdom was the perfect start for my day. Thank you, Inge and Caryl, for your energy and inspiration.

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    Replies
    1. Dear Molly,

      Thank you for your kind words. Glad you found these poems inspirational.

      Blessings,
      Karen

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  10. I love coffee Inge! How did you know. Your poem enticed my taste buds. Also Caryl, your thoughts on humanity shows us that everyone's purpose in life deserves to be embraced. Enjoyed both poems. Glenda

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    Replies
    1. Dear Glenda,

      Thank you for stopping by with your kind words on Inge and Caryl's poems. That you related to both of them gives our writing journal hope in sharing different views. I appreciate your thoughts.

      Blessings,
      Karen

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  11. I loved reading your wonderful poems, Inge and Caryl. Even more than that, I love that you have collaborated with our dear Karen to keep this Whispers journal alive. I was so sad thinking it had ended, almost like a family member passing away. But now not so and I am excited again to be a part of the Whispers community in the future. God bless you all.
    Sincerely,
    Charlene

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  12. Dear Charlene,

    You spell my thoughts on the future for our Whispers' journey. I wanted it to be a voice of many when it began--I'm happy to have Inge and Caryl begin the transition to a more global experience.
    It's about each of us sharing our talents so that we have different flavors for your writing community.

    Blessings,
    Karen

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