Bronx Historical Society Presents the Kindness Session, a Poetry Writing Workshop

Bronx Historical Society is presenting "The Kindness Session," a poetry workshop on recognizing the difference between kindness and cruelty to channel that in our writing on November 18 at 6 PM till approximately 7:45. The Poetry Workshop takes place at the Poe Visitors Center, 2640 Grand Concourse, in the Bronx. Subways near the Visitors Center are the 4, B, and D train at the Kingsbridge stop.  Buses to the Center are Bx9, Bx22, Bx28, Bx38, and BxM4 (Express bus). The Poe Visitors Center is up the Hill from the Fordham Metro North train stop.

Led by area poets Elisabeth von Uhl and Anne Leighton, the Kindness Session will include sharing works from classic and contemporary including Edgar Allen Poe, Naomi Shihab Nye, Ross Gaye, Maya Angelou, as well as selected poems from attendees.

Once the attendees discuss poems, they’ll be encouraged to think of incidents where they recognize kindness from life experiences, friends and acquaintances, and how it affected their lives. From there, writers will be encouraged to create a first draft of poetry. Writers will read their poems, and be encouraged to revise a first draft by the first week of December.  We’ll have a Zoom get-together with feedback from each other. By Christmas we’ll have created the first part of an online anthology on blogspot, which poets will study, and make “final” corrections. The anthology will go live in 2025. Over the next few years, we’ll be adding more poems to the anthology from other workshops.

Elisabeth von Uhl earned an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College. Her work has been published in Lunch Ticket, The Cortland Review, SHIFT, cream city Review, The Watershed Review, and other journals and anthologies. She won a 2021 "Bronx Recognizes Its Own" Award, Her chapbook Ocean Sea, and was published by Finishing Line Press. She’s won scholarships and fellowships to Vermont College's Postgraduate Writing Conference, Prague Summer Writer's Seminar, and Greenwich Village Writing workshop. Visit www.elisabethvonuhl.com.

Anne Leighton appears on the Grammy-nominated album, Healthy Food for Thought: Good Enough to Eat, (Audio & Video Labs) reading her poem “Feed Your Parents Well.” She’s contributed to The Indie Collaborative, The Literary Parrot, Elephant Journal. Her poetry book The Leighton Explosion made enough of a profit to use her earnings to record an original song, “Got My Eye on You, Santa,” which found her a publishing deal with Sheer Music South Africa/Downtown Music, USA.  Visit workinggalrockandroll.blogspot.com.

For more information, please reach out to Elisabeth and/or Anne at e.vonuhl@gmail.com and LeightonMedia@aol.com. 

BCHS Home bronxhistoricalsociety.org

 

 

The New Normal By Anne Leighton

 It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.

-"1984" by George Orwell, 1949

There’s bad weird and good weird. Some bad weird folks have complained about me for a range of issues, including an obsession I have of making things happen. I’m a music publicist and love promoting some of the less popular recording artists. Traditional poets have put me down for feeling comfortable with rock-oriented and hip hop poets as well as off-the-wall writers from Dr. Seuss to Walt Whitman. I’ve believed in mending fences with people that are bullies. I like to dance at record release parties, even though some of my friends in the music community that’s unprofessional.  Through the years I’ve heard “abnormal” and synonyms used to describe me.

Recently I discovered large scale societal backing to boldly declare that “I’m normal, especially for me.” This includes having insight to set goals and solve challenges to make my part of the world a better place. 

Some of my skills fit needs for the Kamala Harris – Tim Walz campaign. The online get-togethers have been blowing my mind because some of the speakers share personal stories about ways they learned to make the world a nicer place.

I had a hard time in the Bronx trying to find leaders that care about me. Even females in my borough’s Democratic Party support bullying, and, actually, put down people asking for help.  I remember a female crossing guard that refused to help me, at age 60, cross the street. When I was a kid, there was a phrase, “Help the old lady cross the street!” I had to wait for a civilian to come by to ask her to hold my hand to get to the other side of a four-lane street.

Weird. Huh?

Novelist Min Jin Lee (“Free Food for Millionaires,” “Pachinko”), who went to Bronx High School of Science, choked up as she told us at an online Women for Harris National Organizing meeting, "I was raised to believe that love conquers fear, that forgiveness is possible and that every person is my sister and brother, and we are sent to heal a broken world."

The Kamala Harris online community includes people who were confounded—for years--by mean behavior.  The speakers helped us strengthen our self-realizations that it’s always been “them (the people doing weird things)” not us. They instructed us to be of service not to be power hungry for the win: “Welcome our voters.” and “How do we talk to them? Listen. What do they care about?”  

The discussion about people’s “weird behavior” resonated with me.  There are people that I love that hurt those that are helping them; unfriendly actions make them –ultimately- hinder their own development.         

Harris and Walz attribute “weird” to people that want to look down on others, and run their lives or condemn them for wanting help for themselves or their families. It’s astonishing the amount of people that don’t want healing.  

I want to feel better; understanding that it’s “weird” behavior to put me down for speaking up for myself is melting half my trauma. Maybe more.  Now my tears are calming, grateful, and full of wonder.           

Kamala stated “We deserve a leader who understands that our differences do not divide us. They are an essential source of our strengths.” That’s motivation for a better America, and should be the normal way of life for all of us.    

20^th Century Indian Philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti said, “It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.”  

After Trump was elected in 2016, I worked hard to mend fences with people that had bullied me. I began speaking up louder to community politicians, and have continued this work.  If a person behaving “weird” to others was in a minority in a group I’m associated with, I turned to support groups for advice and comfort. Some responded with an encouraging phone call or email. Some didn’t. Each encounter with a potential supporter or detractor offered revelations that I use in new encounters in the weird and normal realms of my journeys.   

When I was in the fourth grade, our principal spoke about bullying on our school’s morning announcements program. I hope teachers can ask their students questions like, “Do you find if you use your energy in a mean way that it ultimately hurts you?”  Like frowning, it takes more energy to deliberately create problems for others. People have to make efforts to look for fault with others doing good things, which ends up destroying relationships. Plus, it wastes time when we could be improving our lives and doing positive things like cleaning cat litter….

In the writing work I do, I think using my talents to be the change I want to see is done by recognizing negativity when I express it and when it’s pushed at me, and seeing what I can do to turn it into a positive action. Now I let people know, “If you don't want me to call you ‘weird,’ stop being weird.”

Let’s create normal, and focus on the importance for kind behavior, while showing gratitude for it.

I feel healed, finally understanding that I only thought I wasn’t as good a person as my abusers.  Now I know I love this healing message that most of the time I’ve been normal.

  

 

You Feel Like We Do

My cats come to me

Come alive Kamala, Doug,

Elle and Joey

 

They do not have cats

the future first family

but we can have them

 

“Woof!” Wagged his tail, “hi!”

The Dogs and Doug Come Alive,

“We are still best friends!”

 

Ellie loves to dance

When I do my aerobics

She taps as I pass,

 

“Come by me, mommy”

Paws alive like my hands

I pause we both pet

 

 When Joey gets pets

his conscience prevents anger

and runs before bites

 

Joey knows what he wants

balancing his sanity

pleasing he and me.

 

The other side now

is mocking us fur lovers.

Who’s drama-making?

 

Kamala and Doug

who don’t have cats so we can

we can come alive.

-2024

The Anne LeightonInclusion Interview Show with Joe Deninzon of Stratosph...

My interview with Joe Deninzon of Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius and Kansas Fame premieres on the Anne Leighton Inclusion Interview Show, seen on YouTube on Saturday, August 31, at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT / and Sunday morning at 1 AM Amsterdam Time.

Invite to Poets for Harris Walz Online Get Together Sunday, September 1

Poets for Harris Walz are inviting the world to attend an online reading of poems inspired by Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz on Sunday, Sept. 1, 7-9 pm ET/ 4-6 pm PT/ midnight–2 am in the UK.

Poets for Harris Walz is the brainchild of Bronx friends Dona Elena Hatcher, Tina Jackson, Rhonda Lyles, and Anne Leighton. All four have had a range of relationships from friends that were unkind to others with what’s become known in healing circles as “weird behavior” (mean people).    

To RSVP for the event, fill out your information and submit at us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEvdeuupz0tH9UhfQ18xGtY_3EPUKYpgWiv#/registration .

We hope to know by Thursday, August 28, who will be our special guest readers. Our organizers are supportive, observant and passionate poets, who will also be reading. 

Please advise us if you’d like to be part of the open mic.

Dona Elena Hatcher is the owner of Take Flight Talent Workshops. She is the author of the poetry book, “Word Dances Poems on Pointe.” https://store.bookbaby.com/profile/WordDancesPoemsonPointe  Email: dramadona1@yahoo.com.

Tina Jackson  will be releasing her long-awaited poetry book, "Scars From An Addict" soon.  Her most recent book, “Love Don’t Hit” is a novel about a woman who is physically, mentally, and verbally abused by her man.   www.instagram.com/tinajackson7858/  Email: jacksontina578@gmail.com

Anne Leighton’s poetry book “The Leighton Explosion” is published by Soul Asylum Books, Canada.  She’s working on The Anne Leighton Inclusion Interview Show. workinggalrockandroll.blogspot.com.  Email: LeightonMedia@aol.com and Anne@AnneLeighton.com.

Rhonda Lyles is an Author, Entrepreneur, Mother, Grandmother, and Inspirational/Motivational Speaker.  Since publishing her first book, “My Thoughts” in April of 2015, she written 13 more books—most recently  “Loved Despite My Scars.” Email: lylesrhonda@yahoo.com

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Invite to Submit to Poets for Harris Walz Online Get Together by August 23

The Reading Takes Place Online Sunday, September 1

Poets for Harris Walz are inviting poets inspired by the candidates of Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz to join our online reading event. Poets for Harris Walz takes place on Sunday, Sept. 1, 7-9 pm ET/ 4-6 pm PT/ midnight–2 am in the UK.

Poets for Harris Walz is the brainchild of Bronx friends Dona Elena Hatcher, Tina Jackson, Rhonda Lyles, and Anne Leighton. All four have had a range of relationships from friends that were unkind to others with what’s become known in healing circles as “weird behavior” (mean people). We know there are others that have come out with poetry that can help move us all forward.

Twelve poets will be selected to read their poetry within a seven-minute performance time.  They will be chosen from submissions based on the relevance to our topic by the four curators of this event.   

All submission and contact information listed below:

*Poems should be attached as a word docx and in the body of one email including all contact info. 

*Poems should be single spaced and 12-point font, and titled. 

*Include a one or two sentence bio and recent career highlights.

*Deadline for submission is August 23 midnight ET/9 pm PT/ 5 AM 24 of August UK Time.

Curator Emails for Submissions: Dona Elena Hatcher dramadona1@yahoo.com, Tina Louise Jackson: jacksontina578@gmail.com, Anne Leighton: LeightonMedia@aol.com and Anne@AnneLeighton.com, Rhonda Lyles: lylesrhonda@yahoo.com

Poets own their writing and biographies, and acknowledge we will be posting their performances on YouTube, Facebook, and Linkedin. The video might be shared by others around the world.

If this event goes well, we’ll do more online events.

Dona Elena Hatcher is the owner of Take Flight Talent Workshops. She is the author of the poetry book, “Word Dances Poems on Pointe.” https://store.bookbaby.com/profile/WordDancesPoemsonPointe  Email: dramadona1@yahoo.com.

Tina Jackson  will be releasing her long-awaited poetry book, "Scars From An Addict" soon.  Her most recent book, “Love Don’t Hit” is a novel about a woman who is physically, mentally, and verbally abused by her man.   www.instagram.com/tinajackson7858/  Email: jacksontina578@gmail.com

Anne Leighton’s poetry book “The Leighton Explosion” is published by Soul Asylum Books, Canada.  She’s working on The Anne Leighton Inclusion Interview Show. WorkingGalRockandRoll.blogspot.com.  Email: LeightonMedia@aol.com and Anne@AnneLeighton.com.

Rhonda Lyles is an Author, Entrepreneur, Mother, Grandmother, and Inspirational/Motivational Speaker.  Since publishing her first book, “My Thoughts” in April of 2015, she written 13 more books—most recently  “Loved Despite My Scars.” Email: lylesrhonda@yahoo.com

 

Newsletter 16 The Anne Leighton Inclusion

Poetry newsletter August 2024  

Since my last newsletter in 2022, I’ve journeyed from the depths of sadness for delusional love that never was! This trip help me learn—by observing and categorizing misguided hate—the actions from people that look down on you--from where ever I am, not them. 

As a noun, Hate is a manifestation of people’s actions and thoughts. As a verb, Hate is action.

Another manifestation is our writing.

I’m on a Love Conquers All path to create an infrastructure that includes The Anne Leighton Inclusion Interview Show and time to write.  

The Main hub of my writing work is my poetry website-- workinggalrockandroll.blogspot.com. The latest is a celebration of my Mom’s 100^th birthday which I finished writing for her Feb. 18 birthday, two days later at Art-in-the-Basin. I posted “Happy 100th Birthday, Mom (Dedicated to Halin Pryves Leighton)” on Sunday because of Kamala Harris. (She had some healing energy on this journey, classifying deliberately mean behavior as “weird,” but not in a creative sense manifested by artists. The poem salutes some of my ancestry including roots from India….  The last verse blew my mind--it was about my cats and not having children.

Also here at workinggalrockandroll.blogspot.com is a link to my first interview for the Leighton Inclusion. The third entry is with Tina Jackson, a former neighbor from the Bronx. Over the past ten years we’ve egged each other away from abuse. She released her first novel, "Love Don't Hit," and has been promoting herself in ways I need to learn! Now she’s working on a poetry book.

I’m creating poetry workshops inspired by Emily Dickinson—to understand the difference between kindness and cruelty. Tina will join me in some big workshops, and talk about getting out of abusive situations.

We like the idea of connecting with people that live love as opposed to those that are mean. Here's a link from a show one of my artists, Val Kinzler created as a series of “We the She” concerts in New York City.

Val had me write a poem, “We The She.” That segment starts about 39 minutes in; the poem tells my story of shaming a friend after an unsuccessful hookup with a rock star I was in love with back then. She gave him hell for not interacting with fans, and back then I told her she shouldn’t have stood up to the guy like that, 'cause I wanted him to like me next time we met if we ever talk…. Like he's gonna actually remember me!

I could’ve lost a friendship with someone that went to bat for me as opposed to someone that didn't like me.  

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NPv0c4GPss&t=2605s

Words are important, and we need to understand them for what they are. There’s so much about “Inclusion” being a negative word lately.  "Inclusion" means "Everyone needs a lift, and someone thinks you're worth it. It's belonging with people that care about you. 

Send the elevator down!

Let me make one thing perfectly clear. AnneLeightonInclusion is who I am. It’s become as much of my brand as my exuberant poetry book, "The Anne Leighton Explosion."

I Need Your Help For My New Poem—in progress.  In fact, let’s call it, “In Progress”!!!!!

I fight City Hall and want to see change. Whether it does or doesn't, I have to be the change I want to see, because that's what I want in the world. That kind of recovery helps me slow down to observe, and recognize “mean” and kindness.  

Just because I’m a writer, that doesn't mean I'm diplomatic. I've been blunt and humorous-in-an-outspoken way to every one of them.   

Give me some advice on diplomacy and I’ll work on it and turn it into a poem. 

One more link: If you have access to Facebook, please listen to my Art-in-the-Basin reading. Most of the poems were written after The Leighton Explosion, so I'm still at it. There's also a reading of the poem about my Mom on her 100th Birthday. 

www.facebook.com/artinthebasin/videos/931976168342958

Thank you for reading and checking out my work. I love encouragement like that. Hoping you have a cool summer!