Feeding
the Muse
Kavanaugh
is setting for
Green River poetry retreat
Local
poetry group supports
budding, experience writers
By
Helen E. McKinney
Contributing Writer
CRESTWOOD, Ky. (November 2010) Anna Lucas
first retreat experience with the Green River Writers Inc. was
in 2004 and she has participated in almost every one that has been offered
since then. Writers helping other writers is what the literary
group is all about.
The moment I walked in the room at the first retreat, I felt that
I belonged there, said Lucas. The first person she met was Mary
ODell, president and founder of the Green River Writers Inc. She
is a warm, open-armed woman and a wonderful writer and mentor.
|
Wallace
|
Lucas, who writes poetry and a few short stores from time
to time, has been published in The Heartland Review, The National Catholic
Reporter, The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature and Right Hand
Pointing.
Lucas has gained valuable experience from the Green River Writers. We
encourage each other and learn from each other, she said. Theres
no rigid agenda at any of the retreats. I especially enjoy the critiquing
sessions. Lucas was co-chair of the 2010 Green River Writers writing
contest.
The Green River Writers is a not-for-profit founded in 1984 to support
writers through education, promotion and fellowship.
Lucas will be one of many writers taking part in the upcoming Green
River Writers Poetry Retreat held Nov. 4-7 at Kavanaugh Life Enrichment
Center in Crestwood, Ky. Novice and seasoned writers are welcome to
attend.
We value the involvement of every participant, beginning writers
as well as the well-published, said ODell. You never
know who will have the answer to your question, the ability to fill
your needs.
The Green River Writers have been conducting retreats for the past 25
years. Four annual retreats are held: a poetry retreat in November,
a prose retreat in March, and two additional retreats in January and
July.
I have participated in this retreat numerous times and keep returning
because of the outstanding critiquing I receive on my work, as well
as the support and friendship of other writers, said Middletown,
Ky., resident Georgia Wallace. Wallace became acquainted with ODell
about 22 years ago at a writers conference in Eastern Kentucky.
We have been friends and colleagues ever since.
Wallace mainly writes poetry and describes her style as revolving
around the universe of family and place, a close up picture of the past
and present. Many of the retreat participants are well-published
poets, Wallace said, but there are just as many who are not.
As an active member of the Green River writers for 23 years, I
try to attend all of the annual retreats, Wallace said, as well
as other local and region workshop weekends. I am eagerly looking
forward to participating in this years poetry retreat and the
giving over of my days and nights solely to writing and reading poetry,
to participating in group writing and critiquing sessions, and welcoming
returning participants again and to meeting new participants.
Wallace said her writing would not be at the level it is today without
the feedback and support of this great group of writers. For me, the
annual Poetry Retreat always turns out to be a weekend of harvest and
thanksgiving.
Monthly prose meetings for the Green River Writers are held the second
Sunday of each month from 2:30-5:30 p.m. at ODells home.
Poetry meetings are held the first Saturday of each month beginning
at 6:30 p.m. at homes of volunteer hosts. Due to the Poetry Retreat,
the next poetry meeting will be held on Nov. 13.
For more information, visit www.GreenRiverWriters.org
or contact Mary ODell at (502) 245-4902.
Back to November 2010
Articles.