14
in other words
may10
2011
THE
INKWELL
By Lynn Berry
The warm sun is finally making its spotted
appearance this season, and being so sun-starved, I
seriously dread yet another drop of rain. However,
after reading local resident Steve Calhoun’s poem
below, I was reminded how the gray clouds and
the rain are so essential, not only to the nature
around us, but also to the nature within us. We too
experience our own cycles of gray clouds and rain
in our lives, in which adversity, like the rain, has
a purpose and a function. The hardships we walk
through have the potential to soften and awaken
new possibilities for understanding, acceptance,
courage, and hope. In moving through the difficult
times in our lives, we find the gifts of our character
and our growth. Living with the long season of
rain in Northwest Oregon, we learn that the sun
will eventually return to our lives.
Calhoun’s poem, “Rain,” sings an ancient
song of life: constant change and elemental rhythms
of time. Using images of the cycle of rain to its
eventual passage to the sea, Calhoun expresses an
awe for nature’s simple dramatic patterns, separating
us from our hurried lives, moving us to the march
of nature’s unending journey.
Rain
Gathering clouds, rolling thunder
An announcement of things to
come.
Life’s pace takes a change
Animals scurry, a place of
shelter to find.
A dewy mist fills the air
It kisses the earth with a sweet
caress
Enveloping every leaf and blade
of grass,
with its cool freshness
The lifeblood of all living things
From little brooks
to merging streams
an age old song is played
of water running over
rocks
It sings its song, to those who
hear
earth elements on the move.
Blending and making their way
Their journey to the sea they
seek.
At long last
Fresh water blends with the sea
Its journey to start yet anew
The circle of life is complete.
---------Steve Calhoun
---Writer’s Idea: Begin a poem with the first words,
“I am……” and continue creating your poem.
“You are not here merely to make a living. You
are here in order to enable the world to live more
amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of
hope and achievement” ------Woodrow Wilson.
---Writer’s Tip: Don’t have time to write?
Sometimes creativity comes through us in
“snippets” rather than lengthy composition. Write
during breakfast; write while waiting for an
appointment; write while drinking your coffee;
write instead of smoking that cigarette; get up 10
minutes early and write; stay up an extra 10 minutes
and write; write during a TV commercial; write
while your child is napping; write when the boss
isn’t looking; find the space to write everyday…you
get the idea, no excuses.
---Please send your original submissions to, (or
if you would like a copy of any of the published
poems in their entirety), InkwellVernonia@gmail.
com or by mail: PO Box 333 Vernonia, OR
97064. Please include your name and contact
information.
Write—Express—Expand.
Lynn Berry holds an M.A. in English, specializing in
feminist literature and literary criticism. She has spent
several years teaching Literature, Composition, Poetry,
Creative Writing, and Critical Thinking at various school
districts and colleges, and occasionally provides writing
workshops.
Vernonia Council Terminates
Contract continued from page 12
has been stressed or strained for quite some
time now. And from where I’m sitting it
just seems to be degrading as time goes on.
And that was the basis for my vote.”
Councilor Parrow spoke and
stated that he wanted the three Councilors
to know that Vernonia had state agencies
working with them through Bill Haack.
“It really boiled down to is these pieces
of paper about a police officer. We have
one very close personal friend who should
have never voted on anything. Another
Councilor who is very close to him. Talk
about conflict of interest. ”
Parrow closed his comments with
the following, “Vernonia—this was our
chance. And you three people blew that
chance.”
At a special Council meeting on
Terry’s
Gym
TRAIN LIKE A CHAMPION!
INBA World Champion Collin Moeller
works out at Terry’s Gym - You can too!
503-901-1705
16720 Noakes Rd. Vernonia
Friday May 6, 2011 at 1:00 PM, Council
could not agree on a plan to transition
and replace Haack until a permanent City
Administrator is hired. Councilor Hudson
suggested contacting the LOC to see if the
search process could be expedited, and also
suggested filling the temporarily position
with someone locally, mentioning as
possibilities Mayor Mitchell, City Recorder
Joanne Glass, Planning Commissioner
Dan Brown and citizen Jim Tierney. All
four of those people have been advocates
for hiring Haack as the permanent City
Administrator. Hudson also mentioned
that Consultant Jim Johnson could be
retained to assist the City part -time.
Mayor Mitchell suggested that
one of the Councilors could change their
vote to terminate Haack immediately
and they could terminate him on June
15, 2011; the required two weeks’ notice
would keep him in Vernonia until the end
of the month. That would allow Haack to
be responsible for any transition. Mitchell
suggested that the Ordinance that governs
the City Administrator ‘s authority could
be revised to limit Haack’s powers while
he finishes his work. No Councilor chose
to exercise this option.
According to sources, Haack
has already been offered a position
with Columbia County Emergency
Management, but said he could be available
to stay until June 30th if asked.
The decision was tabled and
another Special Meeting was scheduled
for 7:00 PM on Monday May 9, 2011,
following a Council Workshop with the
LOC at 6:00 PM to review potential
candidates for the permanent City
Administrator position.