Image by Vika Wendish
Dear writers, readers and friends,
Another issue of Visual Verse is upon us. It has been a cruel and trying month for many around the globe. Our hearts go out especially to the people of Afghanistan who have endured unimaginable anguish. I often think about how those in such circumstances process their trauma and a recent conversation with a group of artist friends reminded me that a person’s own creativity – however it manifests – can be such a powerful part of that process. The act of writing, drawing or making brings us back to ourselves and in that moment we are safe. It is my hope that Visual Verse provides this space for everyone, everywhere.
Now, I have a feeling that some of you will be cursing me for this image selection. As beautiful as it is, it makes for a challenging writing prompt. That’s why I love it. And that’s why I chose it. This prompt, by artist Victoria (Vika) Wendish (https://www.instagram.com/vikawendish/) is designed to cause friction and make you work. How you all respond to this image cannot be predicted and thus we are on tenterhooks as we await your words.
Our featured writers this month have exceeded our expectations in terms of showing us the possibilities with this image. First up, we learn the art of balancing with Farhana Shaikh (https://twitter.com/farhanashaikh) , a writer and publisher born in Leicester. Farhana is the editor of The Asian Writer (https://theasianwriter.co.uk/) and she manages small independent press, Dahlia Books (http://www.dahliapublishing.co.uk/) , who we hope to collaborate with in the future. Be sure to follow her on Twitter (https://twitter.com/farhanashaikh) where she talks about all things books and publishing.
On page two, we’re excited to highlight the work of Michelle Davey (https://twitter.com/cockneybloggirl) , a poet, radio presenter and primary school teacher from East London. Michelle is a mother of three children and an advocate for autism awareness. She co-hosts the podcast Let’s Talk Autism (https://www.letstalkautism.co.uk/) as well as blogging about life as The Cockney in the Countryside (https://cockneyinthecountryside.com/) . Michelle has graced us with many wonderful pieces over the years and we love her original take on this month’s image.
And on page three we present a beautiful, fading poem by Wes Viola (https://linktr.ee/wesviola) , another regular contributor to Visual Verse whose writing has impressed us. Wes Viola is the pen name of Wes White, who was the Bard of Glastonbury (http://ynyswitrin.org.uk/) in 2015/16. His recent projects include the Way to Zed (https://www.camberwellarts.org.uk/caf20-fringe/the-way-to-zed-by-wes-white) , a poem cycle and tarot deck inspired by the letters of the alphabet, and Wedding Ritual (http://theweddingritual.blogspot.com/) , a series of artist profiles in which reflection on creative growth, tributes to other creatives and downright filth are all encouraged. If you are a writer or artist featured in Visual Verse and would like to be profiled on Wedding Ritual, you can contact Wes at theweddingritual@gmail.com (mailto:theweddingritual@gmail.com) to express your interest.
So, it’s over to you. As always, we are looking for fresh, innovative, experimental writing between 50-500 words, in response to this image. Challenge yourself. Push your boundaries. Go beyond the literal. Write within an hour to conjure thoughts and ideas you didn’t know were in you. Submission close midnight (UK time) on 15th September.
The image is the starting point, the rest is up to you.
Kristen
with Lucie, Isabel and the VV Team
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