Art Chowder January | February 2018, Issue 13 | Page 27

POET LISA CONGER
L
isa Conger has facilitated writing
classes through Spokane Community
Colleges ACT 2 program since 2000. Her
work has helped many Spokane seniors
find their voice. She facilitates the group
“Write from the Heart” for professional
caregivers at Sacred Heart Hospital.
Conger says, “I encourage the act of
writing and reflecting. I depend on my
own writing practice to process and
understand what I am both thinking and
feeling. Poetry can be both a window and
a door. It is a way to pay attention to the
outer world, and a way to process your
inner world. I think of myself as a poetry
ambassador. I encourage folks to pick up
an anthology of contemporary poetry and
read the poems, finding those that resonate
with you. If you like a particular poet,
go to the library and find a collection of
that poet’s work. Follow your own heart’s
inclination. Meander. See if a poem says
hello to you. Take a poem and write your
own response. Is there a line that strikes
you? Is there an image that evokes a
memory? Use the poem as a jumping
off place to explore your own world of
feelings. And remember, poems do not
have to rhyme!”
Bill Heaps reflected on Conger’s
facilitation, “The first 61 years of my life
produced but a single poem. In 2004,
I joined the “Write from the Heart”
poetry group created by Bill Greene
and Lisa Conger. Twice a month for the
last 13 years I have watched Lisa’s non-
judgmental encouragement give budding
and veteran poets the courage to take
the risk of writing and sharing poetry
with others. Her example and support
enabled me to write hundreds of poems,
many about personal medical issues,
with a dozen or so published in literary
journals and 25 included in my memoir,
The Rancid Walnut: An Ultrarunning
Psychologist’s Journey with Prostate
Cancer.”
By Karen Mobley
AT THE ROCKWOOD BAKERY A POEM
The blooming pink roses
lean over their fence
begging to be smelled
this mid-summer day,
as I walk past on my way
to the coffeehouse,
where on Tuesday afternoons
I have a latte, and write a poem.
The regulars are here:
the elderly couple,
(she, on oxygen)
who read novels and do crosswords
at their special spot
in front of the pastry case;
another couple, who play cribbage
and drink coffee
favor a small corner table
or a round one near the front door.
Various others come -
students at their laptops,
and young mothers trying to corral
their toddling troupes.
Cards shuffle as soft folk music underlies
conversations and the tap dance
of fingers on electronic devices.
The espresso machine hissing
and the call of orders over the counter
add to the ambiance
of friendliness and informality.
On the patio, pairs of people
sit on wrought iron chairs
while dogs beg with their hungry eyes
and little birds scavenge for crumbs. A poem
is a paper enchantment
performing
a certain magic
that can pierce the heart -
and soul -
to heal,
and make whole.
by Lisa Conger - October 1, 2016
Camp N-Sid-Sen, Idaho
Q.  How many poets does
it take to screw in a
light bulb?
A.  None. Part of the
beauty of poetry is its
willingness to embrace
the darkness, and of
course, in this brave move,
it generates its own light.
~Jonathan Young
Each of us want to belong
to a community
or a purpose,
and each of us yearn to be noticed
for our individual uniqueness
in our crazy and complex world.
And here at this coffeehouse crossroads
we come together in a great mix
savoring our drinks,
our dreams,
our companions,
and our lives.
by Lisa Conger -August 2, 2016
January | February 2018
27