Poetry Train Monday - 92 - He Followed His Master

So far, I've introduced four characters from two of my works in progress by creating found poetry from reworked prose scenes. Continuing with this format, here is the main character from a fantasy story I started last summer at my writers' retreat.

You can read a prose excerpt about Scorpius HERE.



He Followed His Master



Fostering relatives' children was common practice among the nobility
The nurses treated Scorpius as they did the others
Some had beautiful mothers scooping up their darlings
Sometimes handsome fathers took their children out for the day


No one ever came for Scorpius

He never asked where his parents might be, didn't want to
Hear the words spoken, words to confirm the gut-gnawing truth
He learned to be a little lord - until the other boys
Transfered to their own Houses. Formal schooling began

No one sent for Scorpius

At last, as babies arrived, a whole new crop of children to the nursery
Scorpius watched a stately man, a man with a scar across one temple
Approach the head nurse. Scorpius saw him glance over. The man with
The scar strode slowly across the courtyard, his movements

Like a great predatory beast

Finally. It was happening. Someone really had come for him
Crouching down so his face was level with Scorpius'
The man looked deeply into his face. Scorpius stayed silent
Returned the gaze without flinching. Hard, piercing glance

Raked across Scorpius' soul

Bowing as he'd been taught. Returned his gaze as was proper
Between family members of the noble classes. The man's expression
Changed, darkened with disapproval. Scorpius dropped his gaze
Fear prickled his back. "I'm the falconer," the man said

"I have need of a boy."

"He's a very helpful young man," the head nurse said, proudly
"Very respectful." Scorpius noticed she stressed the qualities
Of a good servant. His heart seemed to weigh a hundred pounds
"I'll take him off your hands, then." The man rose to his feet

Turned expectantly toward Scorpius

"Come along," the man said, striding off the way he'd come
Scorpius looked up at the head nurse in a panic
Was she releasing him to serve that scarred man? One look
In her eyes and he saw that she was

A sob lodged itself in his throat

He would not give her the satisfaction. All his
Dreams of meeting his parents one day shattered in a
Blinding instant. Forcing his feet to move, Scorpius refused to
Let the nursemaids see how their silence at his fate

Pierced him to the quick

He followed the man who was to be his master
With a swirling mix of emotions. For the first time
In his young life, he would belong to someone
A part of him rejoiced. The other part


Remembered the scar
















- Julia Smith, 2009

Ride the Poetry Train!

My First Saturday Six Meme - Workspace

I found this meme over at Patrick's Place, which seemed a fun thing to do, especially as I didn't manage my Friday evening post. I had a migraine this week, didn't make it to work on Wednesday or Thursday, and making any kind of sense was simply asking too much of my brain, frankly.

So in the spirit of branching out, a la the Blog Improvement Project, here goes Patrick's Workspace Meme:

1. What kind of workspace would you most prefer: a desk out in the open with your co-workers, a cubicle that’s part of a maze of cubicles, a small office just large enough to give you a little privacy when you need it, or a grandiose office with a big city view?

Well, the grandiose office with the big city view is obvious - to say the least. First of all, it incorporates the word grandiose, which is one of those words that is a lot more revealing of the inner me than many would suspect.

As one who is an Urban Gal through and through, I can think of nothing sweeter.

What is my actual workspace situation?

My day job desk is a very-well-designed cubicle affair with low dividers and lots of space, which gives me full view of the large window. It uses beige and buttery-yellow colors which is very soothing to look at all day. My bulletin board sections are a light brown fabric which holds a mixture of work-related notes and my own family-and-friends pictures.

My home desk is a dark wooden former bank exec desk which my mom and Gram bought for me. At the moment it's set up in the living room, since the room I'd intended as an office quickly turned into a storage room. This way I can hang out with my husband while I blog and write, watch TV out of the corner of my eye and generally feel like I'm in the center of the action. Because I am. I look toward a wall with a Japanese samurai hanging, a framed illustration of old fashioned shoes that my cousin gave me, a gilt-framed mirror and a faux street sign that reads 'Easy Street'.

2. Is your desk at work more organized or less organized than your workspace at home?

My day job desk is less cluttered than my home desk. But both have my signature piles of stuff. At work I have a foot-tall pile of files to be scanned. This never goes down, since I would be out of a job if there was nothing for me to scan. It just gets replaced by the next day's pile. Here at home the piles are made up of CD's which I listen to while I'm working. The current pile contains:

The Sweet Escape - Gwen Stefani
Classic Cash - Johnny Cash
Play - Moby
Synchronicity - The Police
Petrushka / Apollo (ballet scores) by Stravinsky - Georgian Festival Orchestra / St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street soundtrack - Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jamie Campbell Bower, Jayne Wisener and Ed Sanders
Greatest Hits - Sergio Mendes & Brazil 66
Zenyatta Mondatta - The Police
The Phantom of the Opera film soundtrack - Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum, Patrick Wilson, Ciarán Hinds, Simon Callow and Miranda Richardson
Kill Bill Vol. 2 soundtrack - Shivaree, Ennio Morricone, Charlie Feathers, Lole Y Manuel, Luis Bacalov, Alan Reeves/Phil Steele/Philip Brigham, David Carradine & Uma Thurman, Johnny Cash, Malcolm McLaren, Chingon and Meiko Kaji
The Very Best of The Smiths - The Smiths
Fever - Kylie Minogue
Best of Bowie - David Bowie
The Very Best of The Doors - Jim Morrison and The Doors


















3. Which single office supply do you find that you use the most?

Staples. I have to pull apart documents to scan them, and afterwards staple them back together to put back in the file. I also handle mail as the main back-up, so I staple documents which later get passed back to me, the scanner, to pull apart. Good times.

4. You notice that a co-worker has taken one of your office supplies: a pair of scissors or a stapler, for example. You see that your name is on it when he opens his desk drawer. Shortly afterwards, he leaves for lunch. Do you retrieve your stuff or leave it there?

Luckily, in my office I would take it back, mention it to the person and we'd all laugh because we all lose our minds at various times. We tease each other mercilessly, but that's how it is here in Nova Scotia. The more fond people are of you, the more you get teased.

5. Take the quiz: What Office Supply Are You?


You Are a Post-it














You have a good memory. Your memory is so good, in fact, that it can be down right annoying at times.
You don't mean to nag, but you like to remind people what they're supposed to be doing.

You may be a bit of a pest, but you're awfully cute. So no one minds it all too much when you pop up.
You would make a good manger, salesperson or attorney. You can cram a lot of info into that head of yours.


6. Which of the following are you most likely to use the most at work: a cheap ballpoint, a felt-tip, a Sharpie marker, a dry erase marker, or a pencil?

A ballpoint pen. I often have to hand write a person's birth certificate information before I scan the photocopied document, because it will come through as a grey rectangle of gobbledygook.

Well, that was fun. I don't think I'll tag anyone, but feel free to play along if you so desire. Just make sure you link back to Patrick's Place.

Thursday Thirteen - 97 - 13 of My Favorite Celebrity Wedding Gowns

As I mentioned in an earlier post featuring my top ten gowns on the 2009 Oscars red carpet, I have a bit of a love affair with haute couture fashion.

The closest most people will get to wearing haute couture is on their wedding day. And I've been a fan of weddings since I was a girl. I love the major production that each family plunges into on behalf of the bride and groom. As someone who was in theatre and film during high school and university, I admire the efforts of regular folk who turn into costume designers, art directors and set decorators for the gala wedding event.

For today's Thursday Thirteen, here are thirteen gowns worn by high profile brides over the years that really take my breath away.


- 1

Michelle Robinson, lawyer - now the First Lady of the United States

She wore an A-line satin and taffeta gown.











Michelle and Barack Obama with their mothers

October 3rd 1992












- 2

Elizabeth Taylor, actress

She wore a white satin gown with seed pearl beading designed by MGM costume designer Helen Rose, along with a pearl tiara.









Elizabeth Taylor and Conrad Hilton

May 6th 1950


- 3

Avril Lavigne, singer, songwriter, actress and model








She wore an ivory tissue organza strapless gown designed by Vera Wang.



Avril and Deryck Whibley

July 15th 2006







- 4

Grace Kelly, actress

She wore a custom-designed gown by MGM designer Helen Rose, made of antique Valenciennes rose point lace, silk taffeta and tulle.








Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace of Monacco

April 18th 1956







- 5

Jacqueline Bouvier, 'Inquiring Camera Girl' for the Washington Times-Herald

She wore an ivory silk taffeta gown custom-designed by Ann Lowe of NYC, along with an heirloom lace veil from her grandmother.





Jacqueline and John Kennedy

September 12th 1953








- 6

Princess Margaret, second daughter of England's King George VI, younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II

She wore a silk organza gown custom-designed by Norman Hartnell.








Antony Armstrong-Jones and Princess Margaret

May 6th 1960






- 7

Trudy Styler, actress and producer

She wore a white satin gown embroidered with gold roses, custom-designed by Gianni Versace, along with a gold headpiece.






Sting and Trudie Styler

August 20th 1992







- 8

Catherine Zeta-Jones, Oscar-winning actress

She wore a white beaded duchess satin gown by Christian Lacroix, with a diamond tiara loaned from Fred Leighton.







Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas

November 18th 2000













- 9

Christine Baumgartner, German handbag designer

She wore an ivory custom-designed Monique Lhuillier gown with beaded veil.





















Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner

September 25th 2004


- 10

Victoria Adams, pop star, fashion icon, business woman and author

She wore a champagne custom-designed Vera Wang gown.






David and Victoria Beckham

July 4th 1999













- 11

Gwen Stefani, singer, songwriter and fashion designer

She wore an ivory and pink silk faille custom John Galliano gown.









Gavin Rossdale and Gwen Stefani

September 14th 2002













- 12

Sophie Gregoire, Canadian TV entertainment reporter and social activist



She wore an ecru gown with lace detailing by Montreal designer Nancy Wajsmann.







Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau and Justin Trudeau

May 28th 2005






- 13

Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, daughter of Princess Margaret and the Earl of Snowdon

She wore a white draped georgette custom-designed Jasper Conran gown with ruched bodice.



Daniel Chatto and Lady Sarah Chatto

July 14th 1994

Wordless Wednesday - 90

Through the Opera Glasses - 7 - Five No-Fail Inspirations When I Write

This past weekend I had three days off, and all to myself. It's not often I get such a luxury. And what did I do with those three days?

I wrote 4000 words of my English-gardener-transported-to-Van-Diemen's-Land story.

Since I 'cast' all of my characters, once I've got them settled in my mind, writing about the English gardener means having Ewan McGregor on the brain. I often turn to a file of photos I've got on my computer featuring my inspiration actors. Most of the time they're still shots from different films they've been in, with the actor caught up in an emotion that's central to the major scenes from my own story.

And watching scenes from the films themselves really helps. I 'download' the way the actor moves, the way he speaks - and my own character just takes off inside my mind.

Here's a little peek into my inspiration for the five stories I've got on the go. Not all at once, of course. They take turns.

















The first character who came to me was Guthrie Carmichael, a Scottish gamekeeper on an earl's estate in the 1820's. Once I felt I knew him well enough, I cast him as English actor Sean Bean.

My character has similar coloring to Sean Bean, but Guthrie has gray eyes instead of Sean Bean's blue ones. And I don't let the actor's English nationality get in the way of my character's Scottish background.

Here's a backstory poem I wrote from Guthrie's point of view. It really gets to the heart of his motivation:

Gold That Burns



The second character who came to me is Robbie Flynn, the English gardener in 1840's Cheltenham. I cast him as Scottish actor Ewan McGregor.

You see how I don't let the actor's nationality affect the way the character comes to me... English-actor-inspires-Scottish-gamekeeper, Scottish-actor-inspires-English-gardener.

In a bizarre bit of trivia, the estate where Guthrie the Sean-Bean-gamekeeper is employed is set near Crieff in Scotland. This was worked out before the gardener story came to me, before I started looking up info about Ewan McGregor. And yet Crieff is where Ewan McGregor hails from.

Here's a backstory poem from Robbie's point of view:

For Helen He Would Do It


The next character that came along was Jock MacKeigan, a highland clansman fighting the English in 1746. I cast Scottish actor Robert Carlyle for this character. First match of actor nationality to character background!

A very recent poem posted for last week's Poetry Train gives a glimpse into Jock's tough, fearless fighter:

Take One More With Him



















A magnificent character who came to me is the Dark Ages vampire, Peredur. By the time Peredur came to me, I already knew he would be 'played' by Gerard Butler. Peredur is Welsh, but Scottish Gerry will do fine. Just fine.

Although I didn't specify that this poem was from Peredur's point of view, I think I can share this secret with you now:

The Red Joy At Last


Last but emphatically not least is my latest arrival, Scorpius, chamberlain of Lady Elinor's keep. He appeared to me in the guise of English actor Richard Armitage. Scorpius is a paranormal/fantasy character, so Richard's English background is a total plus.


Here is Scorpius' backstory poem:

How Can I Ache For What I Never Had

Who are your favorite inspirations?

Poetry Train Monday - 91 - A Place to Start

This may be an entire year of found poetry for me - I'm having so much fun doing it. I've found quite a few poems in my prose fiction, and here is another one from my WIP about the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden, which took place in Scotland in April, 1746.

Last week I turned a scene from my story into a bit of an epic Naisaiku Challenge. This week I'm introducing Emma, the daughter of a clan chief who will cross paths with Jock, the narrator of last week's poem, a little later in my WIP. You can read some prose excerpts HERE.





















A Place to Start


“Soldiers! Run! Go to the hills!”
Emma looked up from her stitching
Thomas ran toward the house from Nairn road
Mother quickly made the sign of the cross

Emma raced down the back stairs
“We must fly from here, now!”
“But the pies, Miss-”
A dozen of them moved into the trees

Then she heard it - a low rumble
A shout. Emma tried
But she glanced over her shoulder
Red-coated soldiers swarmed

Hens and pigs turned out
Horses tried to avoid the hands
Cattle dogs barked angrily
Washstand hurled from third-floor window

“Saints preserve us,” Enid said.
“Keep moving!” Thomas called.
Emma turned from the ruin of her home
The English had won the day

Her father, clan chief of MacBean
Did he lay broken on the field?
Her brothers...fiance...
Emma refused to hear the crackle of flames behind her

What of the oil portrait
Charred and blackened now?
Her brother Murray stared with eyes
Haunted by second guesses

“Come, Murray,” she coaxed.
She turned to look with him
Black smoke rose lazily from barn roof
Animals wandered past silver and crystal glinting in the grass

The rest lay twisted in death
“Murray MacBean,” she said. “You mustn’t
Stand here while your women are going alone
Into the hills.”

Murray looked at her, swallowing hard.
So dejected he’d been, left behind at fifteen.
Look after the manor house, while the other men
Fought for the Stuarts

“You may be the only MacBean left
To us. Be sure that your women and servants
Get safely away. Come, now.” Emma
Began walking, slowly so he would follow

Murray turned wordlessly
Scanning the trees
He strode quickly up the low slope
Emma peered hard between trunks and branches

Searching the gloom for a flash of red
This forest, the scene of countless
Family outings filled with basket lunches and games
How sinister it now seemed

Enid’s pies. The English had devoured them by now.
It was cold out here without a shawl
Her slippered feet wet in the April afternoon
Was she walking toward safety here in the hills

Or merely putting off the inevitable?
Would tonight be the night she would
Dwell in the house of the Lord?
And was it wrong to wish with all of her heart

She might see her Douglas once more?
“Come, Emma!” Murray called.
She ran, trying not to think. More important things now.
Staying alive was a place to start.

- Julia Smith, 2009

Don't forget to Ride the Poetry Train!

The Common Tea Bag and Its Uncommon Usefulness in First Aid

What the...? Have you stumbled upon the wrong blog?

Same blog, more change-ups. For the Blog Improvement Project, Kim suggested mixing up our usual fare. One of the things on the list was a How-To post.

Today I had the incredible pleasure of having an earned day off from work. How I love that concept. For just an extra half hour of work per day, you get an entire day off, every three weeks. Love it.

I got a good writing day in, which included some internet research on methods to treat cuts that my little laundry maid Helen would use in 1840's Van Diemen's Land. I settled upon tea, as it fit seamlessly with the preceding scene where three characters have a rather surreal tea party.

And I realized all the information I just gathered would make a fabulous post for my Blog Improvement Project. Et voila!

The Common Tea Bag and Its Uncommon Usefulness in First Aid















For the purposes of first aid, tea refers to black tea. This is the tea made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis. This includes:

Orange pekoe
Earl Grey
English breakfast
Irish breakfast
Darjeeling
Ceylon
Assam

Other teas will not work for the purposes of first aid. Teas that will not work include herbal teas and African red bush tea. The tea must be from the tea plant (Camellia sinensis.)












Black tea contains tannin, which acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. It encourages constriction of blood vessels and shrinks swollen tissue.



When my husband had two teeth out this past summer, the bleeding wouldn't stop well past the time described on the sheet with which he was sent home. A call to the dentist had us reaching for a wet tea bag, which he used as a compress. The bleeding finally stopped.



Tea bags are light and flat, very easy to pack into a first aid kit or backpack. In the wild, it can be used dry if necessary but wet is preferred. The blood itself will wet the tea bag, ultimately. Hot water will be impossible in an emergency - cold will work perfectly.

If your dog or cat is bleeding, the tea bag compress is a godsend. It's hard to get an animal to lay quietly when its instinct is to lick the bleeding spot. The tea bag will speed the process of stopping the bleeding.

For swollen, itchy, puffy eyes, place a wet tea bag over each eye for several minutes. This will reduce inflammation, pain and itching.

Wet tea bag compresses are good for bruising and swelling.