Everything Writers Need | Writers of Kern
by Jennette Green
Jennette Green writes sweet romance with a touch of spice. She fell in love with writing when she was seven. As a teen, while traveling on a sailboat with her family in Central America, she filled notebooks with stories. Her books have received “Reader’s Favorite Hero,” “Reviewer’s Choice Award” and more. ‘Snowstorm’ was an international bestseller.
by Gary Evans
Enjoying January 2020 on Pismo Beach after letting Ruby run into the waves, the coolness of the saltwater gives me some relief of the cramps in my calves and my feet. It is beautiful with the sunset, and more so with my wife beside me. She is supportive, and she helped to lift me up several times after falling to my knees. I figure that it is God’s way of showing me that I have her strength as well as my own. I had to use the cane to help me rise, and the dog tried to assist by pulling me along; which reminds me that God will not only rise the tide but me as well while the sun goes down.
Gary Evans, DC, is a self-employed chiropractor, currently retired and disabled. He is the father of 3 daughters and has been married for 43 years. His first published piece is in Pathway to the Heart, WOK’s 2021 anthology. Gary is a member of Parkside Church and Writers of Kern.
by Carla Stanley
In your jewelry box I found 12 old watches, Watches that marked the years of your life. Each similar- Twisty metal band, small face, no numbers. Marking your time as a mother and wife. Always early for an event, Always ready for what would happen next. Events blending together, year after year. Each watch showing the passage of the seasons Rough edges smoothed. You adapted as we grew To a world that changed around you, Until children grown, husband gone You found yourself. At 89 you had new friends, New hobbies, new interests, in a new home. Even as your sight failed and Your arthritis hindered your movements, You adapted and enjoyed your new life. Large print books, brighter lights, a walker, A watch with a big face, big numbers, and a strap to buckle on every day. On that watch you marked the hours of your 97th year As your body wore down and gave up. You held on to every minute as I held on to your hand To help you through those last days as you helped me through my first days. Your watches sit in a jar Tangled with my watches. They are woven together, the memories of watches and time spent with you.
Carla Stanley is a retired Theater & English teacher. She is a Bakersfield native and spent 20 years as a military wife living in Oklahoma, Washington and Germany. She spends her time traveling with her husband (pre-COVID), writing, gardening, and walking her dog Sky.
by Annis Cassells
Overnight I became elderly Vulnerable Susceptible to the virus Killing young and old Mostly old At the supermarket Disinfectant Masks and gloves Out of stock Shelves marked toilet paper A bare-faced lie I scrawled my name in the dust on those forlorn surfaces Overnight I became expendable Because the economy Because the right to haircuts and beach bonfires Because beers at the pub Because seniors should just stay inside Because they’re gonna die anyway I don’t feel elderly I don’t feel expendable What I do feel Is ready to kick the unmasked who think their freedoms matter more than mine
Annis Cassells is a longtime member of Writers of Kern. Her poems have appeared in print and online journals. In 2019 Annis published her first poetry collection, You Can’t Have It All. She’s a contributor in the 2020 social justice anthology, ENOUGH “Say Their Names…”
by Anke Hodenpijl
Poor man flashbacks of his youth stretch from his nightmares, collapse into his hands, for all to see. Poor man the dander of his suffering sheds into the clamor of his decline. Befuddled words elope, like a murmuration of starlings darkening the sky. Poor man, my father, memories he struggles to smother, ooze into his final days.
Anke Hodenpijl believes the practice of writing brings her closer to life. Her work reflects on the intersections between immigration and assimilation, spirituality, family, racism, and sexuality. Her work is published in several anthologies and literary journals. She connects with other poets as a facilitator at the Art and Spirituality Center in Bakersfield and as a Critique Group leader with the Writers of Kern.