#poem, #prose, POETS & WRITERS Series: Pat Alderman

Today I introduce to you a very good friend on WordPress and a brilliant poet, writer, and wine connoisseur, whose witty verses and humorous posts have brightened my Sunday mornings for quite some time.

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Pat Alderman from Virginia is a retired librarian and aspiring blogger.

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PAT IN HER OWN WORDS

1) Who are your major literary/artistic references?

I like the Impressionists in art, baroque and Rock and Roll in music, and historical fiction (of almost any genre). I prefer a good plot or fascinating characters rather than the classics. Book Clubs are useful to read the type of authors you probably would not pick for yourself.

2) What makes you a writer? What do you like to write about? What is your plan for the next five years?

For me writing is as natural as breathing– scribo ergo sum (I write therefore I am). I like to write essays, poems, short travel or historical pieces. I got back into poetry because I found that writing a poem helped me get my point across in much fewer words than the standard 500 word essay. I can’t write music, but I do make up some mean song parodies. I used to have to give myself permission to write either for school or for work. I took a number of writing classes of various types both while working and after retiring. The last class I took was on blogging. That gave me a reason to write regularly and I have been blogging since 2017. I have a quick wit and a snarky sense of humor which has a selective audience. Although I would love to be published somewhere other than in my blog, I have not put the discipline in to make that happen by either a traditional publisher or self-publishing.

3) Do you write about your life, your feelings/emotions, yourself?

I do so selectively. If something intrigues me or annoys me I will usually write about that. I have found that those whimsical thoughts either about the human condition, problems with technology, libraries/books, donkeys or nature or wine-inspired topics, usually generate the most comments. There are a few bloggers, such as Francisco, who I feel I know at some level so that we can exchange comments on selective topics below the most superficial levels. I have been known to be wrong about that a few times with other bloggers…

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PAT’S WITTY DIALOGUES

If Stupid is

As stupid does

Are you stupid

Just because?

Dedicated to the noon time people at the carwash who are incapable of getting out of their own way.

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PAT’S POETRY

FERAL WIND

The playful breeze

tossed birds into the air

to soar with the currents

swoop with the downdrafts

gliding and pirouetting

between the cliffs of the cove

and the point

where the sea cave channeled

waves through the jutting land.

Pelicans,

resembling vintage airplanes,

tried to land with

wings out stretched like flaps

feet down

extended landing gear.

As the sun set

the feral wind pounced without warning,

clawing at tablecloths set up for dinner

on the outdoor patio

gas heaters no match for its cold fury.

Cloth napkins played

keep away with the waiters

who scurried from the restaurant

when they heard the sounds of

tinkling glass breaking and

tumbling silverware clanking.

Pedestrians shrank deeper into their hoodies

as the wind roared

pushing them up the hill faster

beneath the cormorants,

webbed feet locked,

on the swaying branches

of the pine trees.

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We hope you have enjoyed this edition of the POETS & WRITERS SERIES which will appear several times during the week for a limited time.

AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE FEATURED AS ONE OF OUR PROTAGONISTS ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS REPLY WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS AND WE WILL SEND YOU THE INFORMATION. THIS SERIES IS OPEN TO ARTISTS, WRITERS, POETS AND EVERYONE ENGAGED IN THE FINE ARTS.

CHEERS