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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.
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 ?
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