Squills 7/31/24

1. FEATURED MEMBER INTERVIEW: ISBAH
2. POETRY WINDOWS: ‘THE SONNET-BALLAD’ BY GWENDOLYN BROOKS
3. POETRY AROUND THE WORLD: NEW ZEALAND
4. ICY'S READING LOG: JULY
5. SUMMER READS SUGGESTIONS
6. RPMO 2024
7. CAMP NANO 2024
8. SHAMELESS PLUGS
9. SUBSCRIBERS

FEATURED MEMBER INTERVIEW: ISBAHwritten by Liminality< PM: >

From the 28th of June to 11th of July, fellow Squills reporter @redcarnation (Isbah) was our FM. She joined YWS in November last year and since then has become an awesome presence on the site, participating in a variety of clubs and events, alongside writing thoughtful and detailed reviews. This month, we had the chance to chat with her about becoming FM, her experiences on YWS and her writing projects.


Isbah: Sure, I'd love to answer your questions



I: I saw it at midnight when I was half delirious from sleep, so I read it again to make sure my eyes weren't betraying me. And when it was confirmed that I was FM, I was thrilled. It meant a lot because even though I haven't been on YWS very long, I know that I love everything about it!



I: I loved the point system, and the clubs, and badges! The site can be confusing but its so fun to explore every single thing. I specially recommend the Shakespearean insults generator to every new member And the best thing about the site, the quotes at the bottom of the page!


I: I'm writing the first draft of a fantasy novel. It's not the greatest idea, but my main goal for this camp nano is to write without editing anything and to stick to one novel. I rarely manage more than two or three chapters of a novel before I get bored, but camp nano is keeping me accountable so I'm confident I'll finish this draft. And then it might even turn out to be something worth editing!

Apart from that , I have an idea for a romance novel. I'm currently working on the plot and the characters. I'll probably start writing the first draft after I'm finished with this one


I: I write to express the feelings which I don't feel comfortable talking about. I write because it makes me feel bold in a way I'm not. But most of all, I just find writing fun


I: I'd tell them Stephen King's first novel Carrie was rejected thirty times before it was published. Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games was rejected sixty times before it was published. Tolkien's The Hobbit was rejected fifty five times before it was published. Sylvia Plath's poetry was never appreciated during her lifetime.

Keep writing. No one can ever take that away from you.


I: Thank you


If you have yet to congratulate Isbah on FM, join us in doing so on her FM thread or on her wall!

POETRY WINDOWS: ‘THE SONNET-BALLAD’ BY GWENDOLYN BROOKS written by Liminality< PM: >

Content warning: ‘the sonnet-ballad’ deals with subjects of war, death and potential suicide or homicide. While not depicted or described graphically, these will be mentioned in the article.

Hello Squills readers! This month we read a rather sombre poem called ‘the sonnet-ballad’ by Gwendolyn Brooks. Please read the poem here before browsing the rest of the article.

Theme: War and Death

I’ll start off with a mixture of interpretation and observation. In the poem, the speaker laments their lover being sent off to war. The speaker seems to feel a sense of abandonment and maybe even betrayal at this. I say that because Brooks uses cheating in a relationship as a metaphor for the lover leaving to fight (and possibly die) in a war. Death is described as being “coquettish”. At war, the lover must “court” death. Normally, I think “courting death” as an idiom is applied to the situation where the person doing it actually has a choice to put their life at risk, but the lover here is repeatedly described as having no agency (at least at this point in the poem). He “would have to be” untrue and court death. So there is a sense of irony evoked by the use of this phrase. And the line “would have to be untrue” is repeated, drawing emphasis to it and suggesting a strong emotional reaction on behalf of the speaker.

Death is portrayed as having power. At first, this is seen in how the lover “would have to” court death. However, in the final lines, the lover “will be the one to stammer ‘Yes’”. This seems to imply the lover does have a choice in this imagined future, and yet they would choose Death because of the “beauty (of a sort)” that Death has. I feel like this could mean the lover dying, or it could mean the lover killing, or it could just mean a more abstract entering of Death into the lover’s life as though Death and War are corrupting forces.

Theme: Loss

The poem also deals with the experience of loss. The refrain “where is happiness?” implies that with the death of the lover, the speaker can no longer experience happiness. I think it’s a poignant line and the repetition at the end definitely leaves me with a sombre feeling.

Brooks uses physical and sensory imagery to convey these feelings of loss. The “heart-cup” is “empty”, comparing the feeling of loss to a physical item being empty and also the sensation of emptiness in the chest at once. The poem also subtly positions the lover as being physically away and ‘gone’, with spatial references like “won’t be coming back here any more” and the speaker asking “where” happiness is (as opposed to ‘when’, for example).

A note on form

The poem incorporates elements of both a sonnet and a ballad. Both Shakespearean sonnets and ballads rhyme the 2nd and 4th lines of a quatrain, and so does this poem.

That my sweet love would have to be untrue.
Would have to be untrue.

Additionally, ballad stanzas have a pattern of 4 stresses in a line followed by 3 stresses. Although the full line here is still iambic (5 stresses total), the 3 stresses followed by the full stop seems to resemble or allude to the ballad structure.

However, unlike ‘the sonnet-ballad’, sonnets do not usually have a refrain at the start and end of the poem. I’m not sure if this is a feature of many ballads or if it is a choice Brooks made for this poem uniquely. To me, having a refrain does give the poem a more song-like quality.

This poem is part of a larger collection of interrelated poems, which I do hope to read someday. Maybe seeing it in context will give me more of an understanding of why the poem is called what it is called, or how the use of the forms might say something about the topic.

Now onto you!

What did you think of ‘the sonnet-ballad’? Let us know in the People’s Tab with the hashtag #PoetryWindows or tell me on my Author Page !

Sources

Spoiler

Academy of American Poets.
Patricia Fumerton, dir., English Broadside Ballad Archive (http://ebba.english.ucsb.edu).

POETRY AROUND THE WORLD: NEW ZEALANDwritten by EllieMae< PM: >

Good day, friends! Kia ora! This month, I am writing an extra special article! As some of you may know, one of my favorite hobbies is travelling, so I have decided to start a new series of Squills articles based on poetry I encounter in different places of the world, Poetry Around The World.

From July 10-22nd, I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Auckland, New Zealand and to participate in the World Choir Games, which were previously named the Choral Olympics. The last time I sang in the games, I was 13 years old and in South Africa and Namibia. Traveling with my choir is always fantastic, because I end up becoming so close with the other members and making so many fantastic memories. Since this was a choir trip, most of the poetry I will mention in this article are actually songs!

The Wellerman: A Sea Chanty That Connected Countries



To begin, there is a traditional New Zealand folksong called "The Wellerman". This song refers to an employee of the Sydney, Australia based Weller Brothers shipping company, which opened in 1833. They were a major supplier to New Zealand at the time. This song, a sea chanty, known for its catchy tune, was well known by my choir, as well as others! On one of our adventures, on the way home from the official awards ceremony, we sang this song in our bus with another choir. Here is an image of some of the marine area of Auckland, which reminds me of this song:



Misty Mountains: Connecting with the Beauty of New Zealand at Hobbiton



I had the fantastic opportunity to visit Hobbiton and go on a tour of the external set of the Lord of the Rings. When I was in South Africa, I went on a five day long safari that was lifechanging, because of its beauty. Well, I would have to say that Hobbiton was another one of those events. You can feel the poetry in everything you see. The entire drive there was gorgeous. The entire tour was very simple and easy to follow along with. My choir sand the song "Misty Mountains" from the movies.



One Voice: An Anthem That United 800 Voices



My choir had the wonderful opportunity to be included in the official 'mass choir' to sing at the closing ceremonies. 'One Voice' was a world choir games official anthem that we sang. Singing in a group that big, with hundreds of singers from all around the world- Canada, New Zealand, China, Nigeria, USA, Australia, Germany, and so many more- it was an experience unlike anything I had ever done before. Poetry is not just the words we write, but the words we feel and what we share with others. I am so grateful for the World Choir Games and the opportunity I have to see much beauty and feel so much love for all of my friends around the world. Can't wait until the next games!!



Stay tuned for future articles from my travels around the world! Mā te wā, see you next time!

ICY'S READING LOG: JULY written by IcyFlame< PM: >

You already know the drill by now, dear reader, but in case anyone is new or has forgotten: I set myself the challenge of reading 52 books over 2023. This year, I'm back with an even more challenging task: I'm going to read 60 books in 2024 (that's more than one a week!). I'm using our monthly Squills issue as a bit of accountability, but also to keep you all updated on the best (and worst) of the books I'm reading so far.

(As always, if you're looking to read these books, please make sure to check the ratings and trigger warnings if you need to).

In July, I knew I would slow down compared to previous months but didn't know I'd spend over half the month miserable and ill. It's been a lot. My brain has been too foggy to read, so it's a short summary for July! Both these reads are new releases though, so it was exciting to read books I'd been actively anticipating.

Books read this month: 2
Total book count: 46/60

1. The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley:
Lucy Foley is easily one of my favourite authors at the moment. The pace of these stories makes it so easy to read, and the way she makes you doubt the narrative of every character is superb. It did take me a while to get into this one initially but once I did I was hooked! The incorporation of folklore was such a perfect blend into the rest of the mystery and the jump around in timelines had me turning pages (not literally, because I read this on kindle) way into the night. 4.5 stars.

2. Reckless by Lauren Roberts:
I'm in two minds on this one. I read the first book at the beginning of June and loved it so much that this one fell a little short. The plot was long and windy and nothing really happened but it was kept going because of the characters Lauren Roberts had set up in the first book. If this was a standalone I wouldn't have had any time for it, but I was already invested so I kept on going. Honestly, this read like mediocre fan fiction. It wasn't bad, but I had such high expectations going in and they weren't met. 3 stars.

So there you have it, YWS, a round-up of my reads for July. I've got a few planned for next month, but as always I'm happy to take recommendations. I look forward to updating you in August!

SUMMER READS SUGGESTIONSwritten by redcarnation< PM: >

This year the summer has been hotter than ever. With school vacations underway, most of us have been hoping to indulge in more productive activities. Maybe you’re involved in summer camps and extra-curricular activities. Or maybe you’re like me, sitting at home and hoping to find something to do. Either way, summer vacations are the best time to binge read and here are some recommendations from me!

ARIEL
Author: Sylvia Plath
Genres: Poetry

I am terrified by this dark thing
That sleeps in me;
All day I feel its soft, feathery turnings, its malignity.

If you like depressing poetry, you’re in for a treat with this book. I personally love Plath’s style and the way she uses a wide range of metaphors to explore the same emotions from different perspectives.
TW: Some of the poetry deals with subjects of death and suicide


BRAVE NEW WORLD
Author: Aldous Huxley
Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Classic

But I don't want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin.

This was a thought-provoking and wonderful read about what the world would turn into if humans tried to eradicate happiness. This was the best book I’ve read all year.
TW: Some sexual content but nothing too explicit. I’d say the book is 13+


ONLY A MONSTER
Author: Vanessa Len
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

There wasn’t going to be a happy ending, she reminded herself. She was a monster and he was a hero. Everyone knew how that story ended.

Monsters exist. They can travel through time by stealing time from humans, shortening their lifespan. Little Joan always dreamt about becoming a superhero only to be told she’s a monster by her grandmother. What happens when Joan falls in love with the hero, Nick, who hunts down and kills monsters?


THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEENS
Author: Sean Covey
Genres: Non-fiction, Self-help, Psychology

We become what we repeatedly do.

This book takes the seven ground rules from the book “The seven habits of highly effective people” by Stephen Covey, and applies them to a teenagers life. I enjoyed this book more than Seven Habits of Highly Effective People ( because I’m a teen) with its conversational tone and sprinkling of jokes and comics. These book is easy to read, and very effective ( take it from someone who’s benefitted from it)


ENDLESS NIGHT
Author: Agatha Christie
Genres: Mystery

Some are born to sweet delight, Some are born to endless night.

Agatha Christie has a specific style that I’ve noticed. Unlike in Sherlock Holmes, her magic isn’t in the way the mystery is solved. Rather, it’s in the solution. When you’re reading one of her books, you just need to be ready for that big twist in the end. And this one was the best of them. I promise you won’t see this twist coming. The ending will punch you in the guts.


That’s it for now. I hope you read some (all!) of these books and enjoy them as much as I did. Hopefully it’ll be a happy and productive summer for you all!

RPMO 2024written by Spearmint< PM: >

You may have noticed the site has adopted a new look this month! It has a fancy new shimmer effect and waves rolling across the Roleplays tab, and the bottom of the quote gen has transformed into a blue ocean. This has all been done in honor of Roleplay Month 2024!



What is Roleplay Month?

Roleplay Month, or RPMo, is a month-long YWS event dedicated to celebrating roleplays. Roleplays are like collaborative stories; the dungeon master, or DM, often creates a world and/or a plot, and ywsers can create characters and write interactions that take place in that world. It's fun, a great way to bond with others, and a wonderful opportunity to improve your writing skills. RPMo typically takes place in July and is a time where every ywser is encouraged to try out joining roleplays or running ones of their own!

How was this year's RPMo?

This year, RPMo saw a lot of engagement from ywsers both new and old. Quite a few new roleplays were created, and people jumped into the excitement with shiny new characters! The most popular genre of RP was fantasy, although slice of life, sci-fi, and various other genres made an appearance as well. RP Crew also ran activities like hashtags, DM Dailies, the Checklist Challenge, RP Quests, write-ins, an Intro to RPing workshop, and more.

How can I participate?

If you joined roleplays, created roleplays, or did anything related to roleplays this month, be sure to claim your Checklist Challenges , DM Daily Bounties , and Roleplay Quests ! If you missed RPMo this year, you can check it out next year! Roleplays also run all year round in the Roleplay tab .

CAMP NANO 2024written by Spearmint< PM: >

While RPMo is often the major event of July, there's also a fun National Novel Writing Month (NaNo)-related event for all the novelists and prose-writers out there that runs at the same time! It's called Camp NaNo and is essentially a more chill version of NaNo.

What is Camp NaNo?

The typical goal of NaNo is to write 50,000 words in a month. However, goals for Camp NaNo can vary wildly, from writing 20,000 words to doing some plotting. As always, the aim of Camp NaNo is to enjoy yourself while thinking about a writing project or two. On YWS, Camp NaNo is great because fellow Camp NaNo'ers can cheer each other on!

How was this year's Camp NaNo?

This Camp NaNo, nineteen threads were created. Projects ranged from plotting to writing to worldbuilding. #NaNoTags and the Cover Contest added some flair to this month's Camp NaNo too. Feel free to check out the Camp NaNo forums to see everyone's amazing projects!

When is the next Camp NaNo?

Camp NaNo takes place each year in April and July. However, there's also NaNo happening this November! Hope to see you all there!

SHAMELESS PLUGS

written by SquillsBot < PM: >

We love to run articles and questions, but we also love to advertise for you. Let people know about your new blog, a poem or story you’re looking for reviews on, or a forum thread you’d like more traffic on through Squills’ Shameless Plugs. PM @SquillsBot with the exact formatting of your advertisement, contained in the following code.

Code: Select all

Title. Description of what you’re advertising. Your username with a tag!

No Shameless Plugs sent to us this month. This makes SquillsBot sad. Pretty please send us yours?

SUBSCRIBERS

written by SquillsBot < PM: >

Find enspoiler-ed a list of our subscribers!

Spoiler

@SquillsBot • @Carina • @Shady • @ArcticMonkey • @Hannah • @KingLucifer • @Caesar • @veeren • @megsug • @StoneHeart • @Skydreamer • @Love • @Aley • @Rydia • @Alpha • @skorlir • @KnightTeen • @crossroads • @neko • @Aquila90 • @DudeMcGuy • @kayfortnight • @Cole • @Blackwood • @manisha • @Rook • @Gardevite • @cgirl1118 • @KittyCatMeow • @Willard • @ChocoCookie • @carbonCore • @Auxiira • @Blues • @Paracosm • @Sparkle • @FireFox • @Dakushau • @wizkid515 • @yubbies21 • @PiesAreSquared • @FatCowsSis • @CelticaNoir• @BenFranks • @TimmyJake • @whitewolfpuppy • @WallFlower • @Magenta • @BrittanyNicole • @GoldFlame • @Messenger • @ThereseCricket • @TriSARAHtops • @Ventomology• @Evander • @WillowPaw1 • @Laure • @TakeThatYouFiend • @KaiTheGreater • @Cheetah • @NicoleBri • @Pompadour • @Zontafer • @Crimsona • @vluvswriting • @GreenTulip • @Audy • @EllaBliss • @eldEr • @Deanie • @lostthought • @CesareBorgia • @Omni • @Morrigan • @AfterTheStorm • @BrumalHunter • @Arcticus • @Wolfi • @Pamplemousse • @Sassafras • @gia2505 • @ExOmelas • @SkyeWalker • @Noelle • @elysian • @TinkerTwaggy • @kingofeli • @SpiritedWolfe • @malachitear • @GeeLyria • @AdmiralKat • @Clickduncake • @rainforest • @Seraphinaxx • @Pretzelstick • @WritingWolf • @EternalRain • @Tuesday • @Dragongirl • @JKHatt • @Lucia • @donizback • @Que • @BlueSunset • @artybirdy • @IncohesiveScribbles • @cleverclogs • @MLanders • @ClackFlip • @PickledChrissy • @racket • @Lorelie • @Gravity • @BluesClues • @hermione315 • @Steggy • @willachilles • @tintomara138 • @AmatuerWritings • @TheLittlePrince • @TheForgottenKing • @Shoneja123 • @Mageheart • @Mea • @klennon14 • @fandomsNmusic • @Meerkat • @HolographicLadybug • @Sevro • @DragonWriter22 • @RippleGylf • @amelie • @Morrigun • @Megrim • @Kazumi • @inktopus • @OreosAreLife • @Saruka • @rosette • @PastelSlushie • @Strident • @darklady • @Jashael • @TheBlueCat • @Mathy • @Lives4Christ24 • @manilla • @Danni88 • @Elinor • @fishsashimi • @TheWeirdoFromBeyond • @shaniac • @neptune •
@Storybraniac • @WritingPrincess • @Starve • @JosephHGeorge • @Amabilia • @Fantascifi66 • @paperforest • @alliyah • @Lib • @Dossereana • @atlast • @EverLight • @AlyTheBookworm • @mckaylaam • @JesseWrites • @lillianna • @IcyFlame • @writingbright • @RadDog13579 • @Euphory • @LUNARGIRL • @yosh • @momonster • @rida • @starbean • @ForeverYoung299 • @MailicedeNamedy • @RandomTalks • @QueenMadrose • @Phillauthet • @MC • @Zyria • @OrabellaAvenue • @Roxanne • @NadyaStatham • @Avian