Laurel Karry offered a group on May 28.

Laurel is a freelance writer, writing tutor, AWA Affiliate, AWA-certified facilitator since 2014, and watercolour painter.  Her short stories have received awards through Writers’ Digest, Arts Flamborough, and Tickled by Thunder. One of her poems entitled, “Mindful, “is published in Open Minds Quarterly Literary Journal. The same poem is also published in the anthology, In New Light: The many paths of identity, struggle and mental illness.  One of Laurel’s postcard stories entitled, “Her Mother Calls Her Carol,” is published in Hamilton’s Literary Journal, Street. ”On The Line” is published online with CommuterLit.com. 

Laurel is an alumna of The Banff Centre (Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity). An honours’ graduate of English and French of McMaster University and Université d’ Aix-Marseille. Retired Secondary School Educator, and graduate of Althouse College, University of Western Ontario.

We thank Laurel for her leadership and the following writers for sharing their work with us!

Patience #2

by Kathy Tatsu

Patience, I prayed for it once.
The answer came masked.
My world suddenly changed,
not what I expected,
not at all what I asked.
I only needed a little more patience
to get me through this hectic life
Not every red light, empty gas gauge
And situations filled with strife.
No point complaining
Life is not all one sees.
I feel a calmer presence growing
with more time spent on my knees.
Is this the bigger picture
Patience is trying to paint?
Don’t stress about the future
it takes time to relate.
Patience takes perseverance
to be tolerant with life.
Patience is unhurried
And remains constant wrapped in love.

Ode to a Foot

by Laurel Karry

Under woollen wrap

from November to March

they endure the beating.

Stuffed into tight-toed pumps,

fur-lined mukluks, and

flat rubber wellies.

They are forever

silenced

from expressing their true love

of air, sunlight, and sound.

“You deserve so very much more,

for you are my rock, my

foundation, my forever on.

Without you I could

never be blessed

with visits to the gardens

of soothing lavender and mint,

to the soft, spongy courts of racquets and green balls

And LOVE.

Yes, even love can be found in exercise and in sport.

I could never be happy without

your reminiscent voice inside

the plastic flip flops that

seem to smack their lips

with every step, satisfied

with the day’s events as though

they were pistachio ice cream atop shortbread cakes.

But what your presence truly

means is the mutual respect

we have for one another.

You expect me to wrap you

securely and comfortably

no matter the occasion.

I must admit, I think

Only of myself at times.

Those fancy, strappy numbers

that are barely there create

lines, dents and sores on

your tender skin.

Or the times when I know

you are frozen solid and yet

I continue to remain outside

in the minus 40 degree

temperatures just to wait for

a friend to grab that last

roll of toilet paper from

Shoppers’ Drug Mart.

I do love you.

I really do.”

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Thank you for joining us to Write Around the World!

For the rest of the summer, watch our blog! We are sharing writing from AWA’s yearly marathon fundraiser, which happened this year all-online throughout the month of May.

We offer this series in appreciation for the incredible community of writers and workshop leaders that sustain us. If you’re inspired and would like to be part of the fundraiser, please donate!