The Writer's WordShop

Terrance Oberst was the overseer of last night's hour long poetry reading. Terrance, a published poet, facilitated all participants reading from selected works.

Below, is Silence by Terrance. All poetry listed in this blogsite is copyrighted by the poet. For reprints, please contact the poet.

Silence
Terrance Oberst

We tell time by the sun,
squabble when the moon ascends.
If we could we would worship
the massive revolutions
of the stars,
we would wish again and again
to be loved or at least
touched by a flicker
of compassion.

I remember that my lover
has been gone for three days.
I know she has returned
from her hegira
wiser and kinder
from her communion
with the cauldron
of nature.
And I tremble
from her observation
that the darkness
underlying the forest
will see no light,
but within its presence is also
the unlit, burning bush
of the cosmos.

Jill Arias speaks in front of an attentive crowd. Jill added background music, low and melodic, to her poetry reading.

Brain on Fire
Annie Arias (nom de plume of Jill Arias)

the ultrasound of the normal brain
sliced left and right, front and back
mocks the brain with the candy-coated shell
orange and red M&M’s melt in your brain
not in your hand

what a relief to have confirmed
what I always knew
something not quite right
with the way I think
compared to others

the harder I think, the harder I fall
embarrassed I shut down
and take a back seat
to watch Lazarus’ sisters
Mary and Martha bonding in my brain
the laid back lobe tells the frontal
don’t count on me
cuing Martha who heats up, talks incessantly
compensating for her lazy sister
“hey,” Martha cries, “hey, hey! Don’t you care?
I’m working alone here!”

I care
I feel the fire in my forehead
frustration flaring behind flesh and bone
like the flame of an Olympic torch
handed off from one lofty idea to another
until finally the crowd applauds as one
and the real game begins.

Cynthia Heier is a long-time member of the WordShop. Her work also appears in Celebrate, a poetry anthology published by the University of Nebraska-Omaha Program on Women and Aging in 2007.

Ken Langness, a WordShop poet, graduated from UNL in the spring of 2006. Ken has published one poem and a story in Laurus, a university magazine.

Poetry Reading Tonight

Don't forget to come to the art space at the Loft at the Mill to enjoy the poetry reading between 6 pm and 7 pm.

Sarah Hayes' "Shriek" is a print, measuring 19" x 22".

This is a mixed media artwork by Jeff Randall. Untitled, it is 16" x 20".

Jeff Randall's "Untitled" is a pen and ink art piece. It is 16" x 20".

"Grandpa's House" is a pen and ink drawing by Dave Benes. It measures 16" x 14".

Visitors enjoy the artwork.

A view of Open Studio artwork.

"Global Warming" is a Lisa Wellnitz watercolor, measuring 18" x 24".

Sarah Hayes' "Robots" print measures 14 1/2" x 13".

Jason Buckner's "The Saint of Caveat Empty" is a mixed media piece. It measures 11" x 13".

Artist Leaf has created "Mary" out of pastel. It measures 13" x 17".

Artist SMT has created "Untitled" in oil. It measures 22" x 24".

Ronda Schrader's pen and ink entitled "Project #81". It measures 20 1/2" x 16".

Brion Poloncic's "Stop the Elephant" is in pen and ink. It measures 43" x 30".

Below is a magnified area of "Stop the Elephant."

Meet the Artist

Meet artist Dave Benes. The piece he is holding, "Abominable Snowman," is 29 1/2" x 19 1/2" and is a mixed media.

Dave was also interviewed today by Lincoln channel 8 news.

Artist Leaf has created a mixed media piece entitled "Mother Earth Overseeing the Demons Burning in Hell".

It measures approximately 4 feet by 8 feet.

"The Italian Wedding" is mixed media by Leaf. It measures 23" x 30".

Artwork by the Open Studio artists.

Carol Kayton's "Springtime in Tulsa". Acrylic and framed, it measures 27" x 22". It is not for sale.

The top piece is entitled "Schizophrenic" by Brion Poloncic. It is pen, ink and marker and is not for sale. It measures 97" x 42".

Below are two pieces by Mike Kula in oil. The first, 49" x 33" is Hormel Park and the second, 41" x 33" is entitled "Schizophrenic".

A section of Brion Poloncic's "Schizophrenic".

Excerpts from sections of the artwork:

"Demonomania: Any disease with the word demon attached to it can't be great."

"3-05-08: I wish I could cry but I'm afraid the atavan takes my emotions and hides them. I feel like a cry and I want to cry. If there were a nice day for a cry I don't see why today wouldn't be a good day."

Nigel Magor's work "Butterfly Man" in oil is admired by a gallery visitor.

The painting measures 48" x 59".

Open Studio artist Janelle Bruce's "Door's Open" is 22" x 12" in oil.

Janelle's work can also be seen on the postcard sent to patrons for this gallery showing.

In mixed media, this piece by Zuhair Kammouna is entitled "Lovers at Dusk". It measures 21" x 17".

Open Studio artist Lisa Wellnitz' "Hot Lips" is in watercolors. It measures 26" x 31 1/2".

Artist Nigel Magor's "Other Worldly" in mixed media measures 25 1/2" x 19 1/2".

Nigel Magor's "Untitled" in acrylic measures 16 1/2" x 18".

Georgia Birch's "Four Seasons" is painted in oil. It measures 16" x 20".

Open Studio artists work in a variety of mediums.

Artist Mike Kula's "Nude with Flowers" in oil.

This piece measures 25 1/2" x 33 1/2".

"Pearls and Shells" is 22" x 12" by Open Studio artist Deborah Saxon. The media is paper cutting.

This is Open Studio artist Ronda Schrader's first excursion into color, entitled "Color #101". It is pen and ink color measuring 28" x 12".

Ronda Schrader's "Project #100" in pen and ink. It is 28" x 12".

A viewing of art on display at an exhibit in Lincoln in May 08.

An OpenStudio artist with her work at a recent exhibit in May 08.

This is a pen and ink drawing by Dave Benes. It measures 9" x 12 ".

This piece is in private collection.

This is an acrylic painting on cardboard by artist Darren Lewis.

11 3/4 by 11 3/4, "Vulture" resides with a private collector.

"Sunset" is by artist VGH. Created in oil, it is 8 x 8. It resides in private collection.

Measuring 32" x 40", this piece is done in oils by Mike Kula.

Untitled, it resides in private collection.

This is an acrylic painting by artist Darren Lewis. It measures 12" by 16".

Titled "Unsafe at Any Speed", this painting resides with a private collector.

Measuring 32" x 40", this piece is done in oils by Mike Kula.

Untitled, it resides in private collection.

Measuring 32" x 40", this piece is done in oils by Mike Kula.

Framed in wood and untitled, it resides in private collection.