Mary Weatherup offered sessions on May 21 & 27.
Mary Weatherup is a writer and an AWA certified workshop facilitator currently living in San Diego. She has a master’s degree in English Literature and worked for many years as a professional writing tutor at the Villanova University Writing Center outside of Philadelphia.
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Daily Affirmation
by Lara Bridger
I am not waiting for permission from my father.
I am not waiting for a sunnier day or a perkier butt.
I am not waiting for the moment to be right.
I am writing.
I am not waiting for hot coffee.
I am not even waiting for a good idea.
I am not waiting to live the life
that will make me interesting enough to write.
I am writing.
I am not waiting for applause.
I am not waiting for a writing priest
to baptize me with holy ink.
I am not waiting to get so drunk
I can’t even find my inhibitions.
I am not waiting to get a tattoo that says Courage
to give me enough courage to be courageous.
I am naked and jumping in.
I am writing.
I am not waiting to die.
I am already dying.
I can’t wait for what’s wrong to somehow feel right.
That’s what the writing is for.
That’s what the writing is for.
That’s what the writing is for.
I am not waiting to write,
I am writing.
Streaking
by Hannah Smith
I am from an adventurous streak
A temporary tattoo on my tits
Island hopping off the coast of Belize, San Pedro to Caye Caulker
6 months in Mooloolaba with Paul the professional athlete, living his dream, allowing mine
to siphon and slip away
1 month in Costa Rica teaching English and drinking boxed wine for the first time
6 more months in Cronulla, a beachside paradise one hour from Sydney
alone but trying so hard not to be
I am from Greyhound buses shuttling my body and heart between Manhattan and Boston
commuting for sex
turned to love
turned to loss
I am from scrambling up Bear Peak
hands, toes, and knees clinging, curling around the boulders
following Jesse to the pinnacle,
following Jesse anywhere
I dog the footsteps of men
Confusing adventure with dependency
Confusing partnership with sacrifice
For the first time I am the leader, and I am pointing the compass home
to the plot of land
where I was sown
where I sprouted
where remnants of my roots remain despite my history of ripping and running.
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!