Vol. IV, No. 2, Fall 1990

Introducing

GUEST EDITOR, Julie Bloodworth


Some months back, as the publishers were anticipating the edition that would feature women, we decided the importance of that subject demanded the help of a woman editor. The choice was not difficult: Julie Bloodworth is an experienced writer, editor, and teacher, whose poem, "Inscriptions," was published in the first issue of OzarksWatch.

Julie lives at Reeds Spring, Missouri with husband Terry and sons Joshua and Gabriel. She teaches English at Reeds Spring Junior High school, and engages in many other activities as she describes in her article,"Superwoman's Last Adventure.''

Julie has solicited, selected, and edited most of the articles for this issue. Without her knowledge, however, the publishers have made a selection of their own: we are reprinting her poem, "inscriptions." We feel it is a fine piece of literature which expresses the essence of the relationships of women past and present found in the writing of this issue. We hope you agree.





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Inscriptions

Julie Bloodworth

These are the stones

of our mothers' grandmothers

who lay down

having borne thirteen children, and buried four;

having raised homes,

and lost them to fire and flood;

having ministered to the sick,

and been consumed by their diseases;

who lay down,

with raw hands across their breasts so their children

could plant stones upon them:

Devoted Daughter
Faithful Wife
Loving Mother

They were wise and noble, we were told.

They were beasts of burden, we cried.

And now, at the stones,

we seek the counsel

of our wise and noble

Sarahs and Kates and Ruths and Rebeccas

We will not shoulder

your ancient burdens,

but tell us, please,

What is to be written on our stones ?

[3]


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