COLLECTIVE BREATH – Episode 21

Week of Sunday, November 29th, 2020

Number of people attending Facebook (personal portion):

Number of people attending Zoom Meet (group portion):

Introduction:

I’m thankful for this new volume I picked up from my favorite bookstore, Sundance Books, here in Reno. ‘African American Poetry: 250 Years of Struggle & Song’

A line struck me in my reading and studies this week, from a Gloria C. Oden poem,

from page 345 of this volume…

“I valued you for what I took.

That burning in you bright

illumined our collision;

your phosphorescence still

must be reckoned with

when night

heretic with your memory

trespasses.”

Thankful to acknowledge that burning in each other, that resilience illuminated and shared

in a world being perpetually inspired and consumed.

I’m thankful for a world which cannot easily be explained simply within the realm of reductive materialism. Systems which have left us feeling more isolated, more disconnected, less purpose driven, more cut off from each other, and the natural world around us, must be fought against, if no where else but our minds.

I’m thankful for letting the mystery be. It is within that aspect of freedom and awe and gratitude I begin a short poetic series…

Thankful Series 1 of 4

A transcript of this segment and each subsequent session will be posted (for anyone interested) at http://www.sidewayseight.co which is my main outlet for personal poetry and photography: Sideways Eight Projects.

Hello fantastic people! My name is Jesse James Ziegler. I am the current Poet in Residence for the Bruka Theatre of the Sierra in Reno, Nevada. I am an active poet, special event MC, principle photographer, special event series host, and now weekly wellness writing workshop host in collaboration with Spoken Views Collective of which I am also a Board Member.

Thankful Series 2 of 4

This Weeks Writing Prompt:

This week’s Prompt : ‘Answer the question: What are you thankful for?’

I want for this podcast style personal portion to contain information about famous writers and their quotes as well as, futuristically speaking, local guests to this program who help everyone involved gain a diversity of perspective and positively impact our individual process.

Quote(s) of the Week:(7)

“For my part, I am almost contented just now, and very thankful. Gratitude is a divine emotion: it fills the heart, but not to bursting; it warms it, but not to fever.”

— Charlotte Brontë

“Keep your eyes open to your mercies. The man who forgets to be thankful has fallen asleep in life.”

— Robert Louis Stevenson

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Life’s under no obligation to give us what we expect. We take what we get and are thankful it’s no worse than it is.”

— Margaret Mitchell

“When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. And when life is bitter, say thank you and grow.”

— Shauna Niequist

“I never met a bitter person who was thankful. Or a thankful person who was bitter.”

— Nick Vujicic

“When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself.”

— Tecumseh

I’m hoping this sharing and vulnerability I’m demonstrating will encourage others who love creative writing as well to open up, by sharing from their innermost, related to the topic provided. I’m hoping we all gain perspective, compassion, hope, and discipline through such organized sharing.

Piece or Pieces of the Week: (6)

Thankful Series (4 parts)

Thankful I

Thankful II

*Thankful III Read before ‘For My People’

Thankful IV

Above listed series read across episode 21

Thankful Series 3 of 4

To Express Gratitude

‘For My People’

For further personal reading

To read and absorb the original inspiration

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/21850/for-my-people

“””Inspired by Margaret Walker’s poem  “For My People” and in partnership with the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and Project Curator Natasha Trethewey, people across the country provide a new stanza to the seminal poem, “For My People”.”””

https://www.pbs.org/american-portrait/prompt/25/for-my-people

60 Things to be thankful for

https://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/60-things-thankful-for-life.html

‘African American Poetry 250 years of struggle and song’

Kevin Young, Editor

A Library of America Anthology

page 371 ‘For my people’

https://www.sundancebookstore.com/

Next Week’s Writing Prompt:

Which will also be posted across Collective Breath and Bruka Theatre’s social media platforms: Respond to the phrase ‘Happy Birthday!’

Closing Sentiments and an Invitation

Thankful Series 4 of 4

That’s it for my personal portion. If this is where you get off this train of thought, because you checked in to listen, thank you for tuning in and absorbing. I appreciate your time and consideration. If you are here for the Weekly Wellness Writing Workshop group portion via Zoom Meeting, please transition to that application now using the link provided in the details/description section of the ‘Collective Breath’ Bruka Theatre Facebook Event Page. If you are interested in watching previous episodes of ‘Collective Breath’ The link is in the bio section of the Collective Breath Instagram page @biggestlittlecollectivebreath

Keep writing. Keep your heart open and your mind aware. Keep coming back for more. Keep going. Keep giving. Keep doing. Keep daring to believe in a better way of living. Keep loving and creating. Keep each other safe and sound. Keep it real, and keep the faith. I love you. Goodbye for now.

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