After writing poems for twenty-three years I decided to share
some with my old friend, Marjorie Spock, with whom I summered for twelve years on the Maine coast. Given her love of poetry and ability to warmly recite poems of Gerald Manley Hopkins, John Redwood Anderson, and others, I knew she would give an honest reading of my poetry. With warmest interest she mused over several poems for some days. When ready, her comments were helpful and encouraging. She felt it important to earth them, to leave a lightmark/footprint of change upon the earth through publishing and making them available for others to read. In 1999 I gathered the many scraps of paper and began working at the computer, arduously typing, reformatting, re-fonting on and off for a final count of ten years. During that time I shared poems with others who also encouraged me to carry-on to get it out there. I am deeply grateful for constructive comments from Marjorie Spock, Christie Barnes, Kim Smith and Emanuel Blosser; and for valuable remarks from Isobel Sayers, Owen deRis, Jaimen McMillan, Linda Heywood, Patti Hudson, Lois Lynch, Linda & Cliff Robitelle, Danielle Fox and Syd Kissinger. Many others have helped me along the way. Although your names are unlisted, I give thanks to you for caring to read my poems or for listening to them at Magdalenas Open Mic Poetry evenings in E. Lansing, MI. My loving husband, Emanuel Blosser, has been supportive in every way, and I remain forever full of loving gratitude. His on-going thoughtful considerations, suggestions and encouragements have helped me arrive at the printers with three poetry books and calendar illustrated with colorful pastel-chalks, ready for printing, WORDS FOR THE WORDLESS. Diane Robitelle September 2009 Diane C Robi @ aol. com