The Heart Speaks Loudest

Everything is in.
The poem for Iowa, the two poems for the contest. As to which poem I selected, it's a secret.

Inspiration found me today after I tutored my first graders. I was ready to jump at the keyboard but knew I had a million other things to do. Hopefully I will be able to write soon.

Now, onwards to scholarship applications and homework!

Three Things

Dear Readers,

First and foremost the deadline for the literary contest is this Friday, the 19th. I'd like to avoid another midnight submission like last time. (Hey an idea: I'll give up procrastination for lent! Why didn't I think of that sooner?)
Anyway, if you wanted to provide an input as to which poem should be selected, then please let me know by Thursday! That gives me time to edit it and make any necessary changes. Everyone is welcome, though I'm particularly counting on a few poetry experts for their opinion. But I understand completely if you're short on time and are unable to do so.
A quick thank you to those who have taken the time to scroll through my portfolio and make a suggestion!

Second item that pertains to writing would be tomorrow's event. I will be attending for the first time a creative writing club at the college. First creative writing club period. I am very excited to meet other writers and share my writing with them and gain further feedback so I can continue to grow as a writer. I'm kind of nervous, but I should be fine, after all I'm with people who like to write. What could be better?

Third: One of the colleges I'm looking at has a writer's dorm. In order to get in though you must provide a piece of your writing. One piece. Uno. Un. Ein. This is due March 1st which is not far away at all. I'd like to get it in soon too because they sent me an email already, wondering if I was going to submit an entry or not.
This is rather important because this single piece will represent me, my skills, and my creativity to see if I am worthy or not to room with other writers. Please note that this specific college is specially known for the writers they produce. The very Kurt Vonnegut taught their writer's workshop for graduates.
Again, I'm naturally drawn to Pascal however I can't keep relying on that poem because what one person may think could be very different from the other. So I'm asking for recommendations. L'arbre Feu is what my gut tells me because it expresses the plethora of emotions that shape me.
This isn't the college that I probably will attend. I'm very set on going to the University of Tulsa. But University of Iowa still has a strong pull on me because of it's writers program and it would allow for great networking. Even if I don't go there, I'm curious as to if I could compete and if they find me acceptable. This is also a self-test in a way to see the truth. If they accept me, then it would provide a comfort, a confirmation towards everything.

Please let me know as soon as possible.

Promised myself I would get in bed before ten.
Many thanks!
Bonne nuit.

One Step After Another

Today has been an incredible day. This week has been wonderful. I keep thinking this is a dream and I'm going to wake up soon, but after pinching myself numerous times I'm convinced this is really happening.

After school I rushed to my car and drove to the community college to speak with Ms. Abuisba, the primary person in charge of the contest and member of the English department at the college. I think she may be head of the department, but I don't know for sure. She gave me some forms to fill out for my submissions, some for the records and one for the play which will be entered into a larger scale literary contest.

Look:

As part of The League for Innovation's International Literary Competition, Florissant Valley holds its own annual contest in the genres of poetry, short stories, personal essays, and one-act plays. First place winners in Florissant Valley's competition will compete against winners from the other St. Louis Community College campuses for a first prize of $100. District winners will then be entered into the League for Innovation's international contest where the prizes are so much as $500 and winners are published in an annual anthology.


I'll be entering the Flo Valley contest. I'd like to think that I would go on to the next level, but I'm going to be realistic. International? The chances are slim. There are a million other writers out there who are just as talented and more so. But hey, I'm enjoying the ride while it lasts.

Futhermore, we discussed some upcoming events such as an awards night and poetry reading night (I nearly fell out of my seat when she brought them up). The dates are unknown at this point, but she'll be sending me the information as it comes to her. The poetry reading is a night where many writers come together (not sure if they are the writers accepted to be published?) and one at a time go up to the microphone and read their poetry, which I am definitely doing. Who knows what doors that could open? Who knows who will be there?
Maybe no one important, but it's worth going.

The literary journal will be published in late April. I'm not sure how much it will cost, but if anyone is interested in buying a copy, let me know and we can discuss it further.

As for the contest at Flo Valley, I'm allowed to submit three pieces. The play is going in because they believe it's creative and entertaining and would like to enter it. So that leaves me with two other pieces. The genres are poetry, personal essay, short story, and one-act play. Poetry has become my forte, therefore I think it best to enter two additional poems. I'm set on Pascal's Revolution since it won the contest here.
So I ask you, what the third entry should be?

My poetry can be read at
www.writerscafe.org/writers/seraphicdaffodil

Some poems are currently down, such as In Gold, due to the contest.
I thought L'arbre Feu may be a good match. However I am very iffy about how they would handle the French, but it's essential to the poem. I also would need to edit it because I forgot to make an important transition in it.
Thoughts?
If you think a better poem would do, let me know.
A few other poems I'm relatively proud of are Fireflies; Alpha Lyric Dance, a Calling; and A Writer's Littoral.
Thoughts and opinions of anyone and everyone are always welcome.

Really, I am in utter amazement. So many steps have been taken. I've come such a long way, and yet have a much longer path ahead of me. And the most exciting part is that I'll never know which way the road will turn. It's like riding a rollar coaster in the dark. You know you are on the ride. You know there's a track in front of you. You know that it will contain some surprises, but as to what, it remains a mystery. All you can do is sit, hang tight, and enjoy the ride. Oh and scream at the top of your lungs until your throat is sore the next day. Yep. I'm screaming. With joy. And not to mention adrenaline.

I guess we just all have to take one step after another, whether it's walking, running, or dancing.

Mahalo

Mahalo.
I discovered this word today, which means "thank you" in Hawaiian. And I believe it's the right way to begin this entry. I'd like to say mahalo to my fans, my friends, my peers, my teachers, my family, my muse, and above all, to God.

Several months ago I wanted to document my progress as a writer and so I signed up for a xanga account. I used xanga before but this time around, something feels different that pushes me away. Perhaps it's just the "new" look (I say new with quotations because the last time I had a xanga was in the 7th grade).
So I have transferred.

My purpose: to track my progress as a writer, as mentioned above.
A little more about me though.

My pen name is Alice Oiseau. And alas, the mask is coming down to reveal the identity my family and friends know me as: Ashley Byrd.
I've been writing since third grade. Ever since I won the Young Author's Award for writing a short story on friendship, I've had the desire to write. The years went by with short stories and miniature novels, and in eighth grade I took up poetry, which was absolutely horrendous. My first real poem that had potential was called Let me be your Willow. A good friend by the name of Tess Stortz helped me get started.
By the end of middle school I had completed my first novel, The Life of being a Teen (which was ridiculously awkward titling and poorly written, however the plot had some merit). I started high school and sophomore year was the year when things really kicked off.
I took a creative writing class which was wonderful to be able to sit down and write for at least an hour once a day. Sophomore year I joined an online writer's community called Booksie where I met many talented writers, many of which have become excellent friends. Booksie was one of the two catalysts for my major leap in writing. I learned how to review writing, properly, and learned how to take constructive criticism, and how to improve my writing. The second catalyst was a poet by the pseudonym of Punishment. He no doubt greatly influenced and impacted my writing and I am the poet I am today because of him and his help.
Fastforward to senior year.
I'm still in the process of writing a fantasy novel called Flight to Sryathindel (title subject to change) and am currently residing (writing-wise) in the community known as WritersCafe (WC). Over the summer before the school year I was chosen by the editorial staff at the America Library of Poetry to be published in Inspired, a book of very select cross selection of poetry featuring 2009's submissions. My poem Caged was published, though did not win the contest portion.

At the beginning of this new decade, I entered into another literary/poetry contest at the current community college I'm enrolled in. I submitted as much as I was allowed; 2 poems, 2 short stories, 2 essays, and a play. After having entered multiple contests in the past, primarily junior year of high school, I was determined to get something out of this. I was going to give it my all, and maybe, just maybe, all that hard work would pay off.

And it did.

My poem Pascal's Revolution was chosen as one of the winners in the poetry contest. Not just any winner, but the winner; first place.
In addition, two other pieces (a short story and play) were selected to be published with the poem in the literary journal Sycamore. Also, they would like to enter the play into another literary contest at a different community college.

When I received the news, my heart stopped. My friends, my readers, my fellow writers, listen and listen well: Never give up. I know what it's like to receive rejection, to try and try but only end up with discouragement in your empty hands, and most of all, to be told that your dream is foolish. But keep trying, keep writing, keep believing. One day victory will be yours, and you'll feel so accomplished, so proud, so happy. Then you'll come down from the top of the world, and settle back down to earth, and write some more.
Don't lose hope.
Spread your wings. And fly.

Welcome to a writer's littoral.