All of the Sirens will be Marching tomorrow. Some in DC, and some in our home states. People all over the world will march with us. (Will you?) To commemorate these marches, […]
Moving Forward with Poetry and Prose
Starting the Conversation: Speaking Out About Sexual Abuse
Recently the poet Annie Finch posted on her blog a piece called “Things I’ve Been Ashamed to Share About Being a Writer Until Now,” in which she gets specific about what men […]
After My Friend Phyllis Shows Me the New York Times Obituary Headline: ‘Lou Michaels, All-Purpose Player, Dies at 80, Missed Kicks in ’69 Super Bowl.’
by Rosemerry Trommer When I die, let them write about all the mistakes I’ve made. Let them mention in the headlines how many rejection letters I’ve received from The Sun. Let them say, […]
December: Confession
In high school I prided myself on knowing the best gossip, and later I became a journalist. The question I had to ask myself, when the time came to finally write a memoir, was how much to divulge.
“Being Female” by Eileen Myles
We (the Sirens) came across this piece by Eileen Myles recently. Yes, it may be 4 years old, but we wish it was 50 years old, or 100 years old–because it’s still […]
Note From a Dog’s “Mom”
When Susan Lilley asked me if I had anything to post on Mother’s Day, I thought about pieces I’ve written about having a miscarriage, having and being a stepmother, parenting my own daughter, […]
“The Descent of the Germanwings”– a poem
Download audio file (HammonsDescent.mp3) by Chera Hammons THE DESCENT OF THE GERMANWINGS Musicians know how to write silence, how to lay lines and measures across a white landscape, to show where music […]
Will the Real Cheryl Strayed Please Stand Up?
I watched as Cheryl went from person to person like a hummingbird gathering nectar, engaging people as though she were truly interested in them– and I’m sure she was. She told me that she asked so many questions of her mother’s friends and house guests when she was young that her mother gave her a limit of how many questions she could ask each person. What were the types of questions she asked? “Who do you love? Why do you love them?” All questions of the interior life. Imagine a five year-old engaging you in such a conversation.
Pura Vida, or Reflections on “The Good Life”
by Vanessa Blakeslee Since 2008, the year I originally wrote this essay as part of my application for the Gift of Freedom Award, the conversation about the challenges women writers face in […]
“When I Heard About the Gunman”
In light of last night’s shooting at my daughter’s school, this poem reminds me that despite the undertow of fear, peace reigns for us, and for that, I’m grateful. Be safe.“When I […]