A Talk On The Carousel

March 15, 2024

Narrator, Melissa, Benjamin, Jessie, Poe, Logan, Molly

Narrator: This (pause) is Melissa. She has just recently lost her beloved pet Golden Retriever,
Leo. Melissa slides her finger over the surface of the frame, remembering the way Leo would
bark happily whenever she prepared a treat for him. Melissa grieves for her loss day and night.
Then, one day, a loud knock echoes on the front porch.

[knock knock]

Narrator: Melissa approaches the door as a mail letter slides in through the door creaks, finding
its way softly onto Melissa’s hand. Attached to this letter is a one way ticket to the Land of
Healing. There is a golden seal at the bottom of the letter, reflecting as the light shines over it.

To whom this letter may land in,

We are writing to express our concern for your emotional health. We understand that you may be
experiencing something difficult, distressing, and frightening. We would love to invite you to the
Land of Healing to help you overcome these challenges. Hope to see you there!
Warmly,
The Society of Healers

[amusement park music plays]

Narrator: When Melissa lifts her head from the letter, she has already arrived in the Land of
Healing. A huge welcoming banner hinting that Melissa is at the right place. Confetti, laughter,
cotton candies, and colorful people filled the entire space.

Benjamin: Welcome, Melissa! I have been waiting for you.

Narrator: Benjamin tapped behind Melissa’s shoulder and brought her on a tour. As they
ventured through the playground, their first stop was at the carousel. Just as the music swelled
and the carousel began running, they overheard a conversation from an ornate horse sharing their
own tale of loss.

[chattering noises]

Jessie: I thought I was gonna faint when I heard about my adorable son’s medical condition!
Molly: I can definitely relate to your feelings. I lost my sister to a murderer, I know, it’s horrific!
It's been tough, but I wrote a memoir about her called 'Finding Susan.' It's like my only way of
dealing with the pain. Writing about it helps me sort through all the emotions and start to heal.

Poe: I am so sorry to hear that. I’ve actually done some research on writing about trauma and its
therapeutic possibilities.

Benjamin: Me too! Mind if we join your conversation? I am Ben, and this is Melissa. I devote
my studies in healing and composition teaching.

Jessie: Of course! I am Jessie, I study how trauma impacts students and faculties. What do y’all
think about the need for trauma-informed Writing Program Administrators (WPA)?

Poe: I believe that it’s really necessary for everyone's well-being. In fact, I studied this academic
course that was established during the COVID pandemic. It was all about how writing can help
us bounce back and respond to tough situations with resilience.

Melissa: Oh, I remember taking that course! It was a lifesaver during those quarantine days, with
all the uncertainty and fear. I took it along with a poetry class, and together, they really helped
me to become a strong writer and gave me confidence.

Logan: That reminds me! I studied the impact of high school poetry classes on students who
have bad schooling experience. It's amazing how creative writing can actually help students
break through their past traumas. It develops a sense of possibility as a group and as individuals.

Poe: Did you just say finding comfort in a group setting? BINGO! I am a big believer that
teamwork makes dreams work. The Pandemic course I studied is based on something called ‘The
Community-Based Entry Point’. It basically means that writers position themselves within the
larger community who suffer from the same experience. This allows writers to address traumatic
events in a more meaningful and empowering way.

Molly: Absolutely. I interviewed Pennebaker the other day—our big celebrity—and they told me
that “when people were given the opportunity to write about traumas, they wanted to do so.
Desperately, and beautifully.” (Molly)

Benjamin: That’s right. Writing allows people to heal most effectively when they can express
themselves without interruption or judgment. Speaking of which, Pennebaker actually pointed
out some setbacks of implementing trauma-informed practices. They are concerned that some
teachers might be hesitant to read emotional pieces, and the approach may encourage self-harm.
Logan: These are good considerations. I still believe that there are more benefits than harms.
The participants in my poetry class study felt that it’s essential to be given the opportunity to
express themselves authentically using their own words. Through poetry writing, they were able
to reimagine their struggles as a source of strength, and were able to internalize these skills to
face other life challenges.

[chattering noises]

Narrator: When the carousel stopped moving, the conversation still had not died down, but
Melissa and Benjamin had to leave. They hop off the carousel, leaving the other Scholars to
continue spinning on the carousel.

Melissa: Thank you for inviting me over to the Land of Healing. I think I know what to do now
to overcome my emotional challenges!

Benjamin: It was great to have you, and you are always welcome back whenever you lose track!

[wind chime noises]

Narrator: Years later, Melissa is in her room writing a letter. Melissa is now the one sending out
the invitation in looking for the next contributor to the conversation.

Additional Notes
The Land of Healing is where the conversation of topics takes place. In this story, Tayles Melissa
has joined the conversation of the “therapeutic possibility in academic writing” as a Scholar. Her
research, “Ways to Support Student Writers Affected by Trauma and Traumatic Stress”, focuses
on trauma-informed writing pedagogy in the classroom. It was largely influenced by the Scholars
she met in the Land of Healing, as she cited Benjamin and others.

References
Batzer, Benjamin (Summer 2016). "Healing Classrooms: Therapeutic Possibilities in Academic
Writing". Composition Forum. 34.
https://compositionforum.com/issue/34/healing-classrooms.php.\

Blackburn, Jessie (Fall 2022). "Writing Program Administration Embodied: Public-Facing

Performativity in Times of Trauma". Composition Forum. 50.
https://compositionforum.com/issue/50/wpa-embodied.php.
Edwards, Laurie; Poe, Mya (2021-07-15). "Writing and Responding to Trauma in a Time of
Pandemic". Prompt: A Journal of Academic Writing Assignments. 5 (2).
doi:10.31719/pjaw.v5i2.116. ISSN 2476-0943.

Manning, Logan (2016). "Rewriting Struggles as Strength: Young Adults' Reflections on the
Significance of Their High School Poetry Community". Research in the Teaching of
English. 50 (3): 288–308. ISSN 0034-527X.

Melissa, Tayles (Mar 2021). "Trauma-Informed Writing Pedagogy: Ways to Support Student
Writers Affected by Trauma and Traumatic Stress". Urbana. 48 (3) – via ProQuest.
https://www.proquest.com/docview/2526905410?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=t
rue&sourcetype=Scholarly%20Journals.

Hurley Moran, Molly (Fall 2013). "Writing and Healing from Trauma: An Interview with James
Pennebaker". Composition Forum. 28.
https://compositionforum.com/issue/28/pennebaker.php.