Susie Whelehan offered a session on May 3.
Susie has written for most of her life: from Christmas skits to a monthly humor column in her high school newspaper. During her thirty-three year career teaching children in Kindergarten to Grade Four she kept writing. Several of her scripts were produced for the award-winning children’s television program The Big Comfy Couch. Poetry and stories for young ones appeared in reading series books published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, MeadowBook Press, and Curriculum Plus.
Her poetry for adults has been published by Vox Benedictina, Hidden Brook Press, Novalis and The Windsor Review. One of her poems received First Place from the annual Canadian Church Press Awards and another was a finalist in CBC Canada Writes. Her essays have appeared in the Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail.
Since retiring from teaching, she has been able to devote much more time to writing and working as a Storyteller in schools. She has studied with Catherine Graham and Susan Glickman at the University of Toronto, and Richard Scrimger at the Humber School for Writers. She has delighted in Writing Retreats with Ellen Bass, Marie Howe, Maureen Buchanan Jones, Dorianne Laux, Molly Peacock, Sue Reynolds and Pat Schneider.
His Way by Mary Ella Magill
Coyote walks confidently on his way down the middle of the street.
He veers up Steve’s driveway when he senses
a car approaching from behind.
The car passes.
Coyote returns to the street
and continues on his way.
It is his way.
His ancestors walked these roads before they were roads.
His ancestors meandered up Steve’s driveway
long before Steve was born in another country an ocean away.
It is his way to walk, to live, to survive.
His ancestors taught him these skills long ago.
They knew the way.
Now, we watch Coyote walk down the street.
We sense our internecine tension.
Some say he is a threat, a trespasser.
I say we are a guest on his way.
You, I, own nothing.
Thank you for joining us for 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!