The Chiefland Poetry Group was founded by established author Sandy Fink to achieve the following goals:
1. To study, practice and share poetry.
2. To submit poetry for publication and competitive consideration.
3. To display our framed poems or books at home.
4. To encourage the love of poetry.
Although Sandy has moved and no longer attends our meetings, and we've changed our name to Suwannee River Poets, a few of us still remain dedicated to sharing our work with each other and practicing our craft.
Our meetings are currently held on the last Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the First Christian Church of Chiefland, FL, 6591 N. W. 140th St. Visitors and new members are always welcome. For additional info, email Ruth Nott.
We have published a second group anthology in 2009.
"Verse-atility" - the many poetic voices of the Chiefland, Florida Poet's Group, is the first collection of poetry written and published by its members.
This 73 page volume of beautifully crafted verse, written in a variety of poetic styles and forms, is available now at the very reasonable price of $7.95 plus $2.50 shipping and handling ($10.45 total).
You may purchase "Verse-atility" using PayPal, by mail, or from any Chiefland Poetry Group member. Click link on sidebar to the left.
Meet the authors:
Ruth Y. Nott - A native Floridian, Ruth has lived in Chiefland, FL since 1998. Ruth enjoys rhyming poetry, but likes to "play" with other poetic forms. Her work has been published in several anthologies and newsletters and her poem "Quilting Day to Day" appeared in the November 2002 issue of "Quilt World" magazine.
Marcie Foltz - born and raised in Ohio, after 25 years in school, I obtained an M.A. Ed. My only claim to publication came after graduation when I became the editor and distributor of a state newsletter for about two years. I already had about 15 years experience working in psychiatric hospitals when I moved to Texas, where I lived for the next 14 years, doing odd jobs and raising foster children. In 1993, I moved to Chiefland, FL where I worked and cared for my mother until her recent death. I am presently looking for employment.
KOKO - Mother, grandmother, daughter, wife, sister, and friend to all. It matters not whether anyone knows me, only that those who do know me remember me. I humbly present these writings.
AngelaWalker - My birth and other such sad events are well... I find irrelevant. I fear that my life is non-conforming and it is hard to accept anyone else's rules. It's not so much who I am or who i hae been but how I feel and through that you'll hear my voice. As children we are taught and molded like little figures with dreams and fantasies. How easily spirits can be broken in those years running in the dark. Sometimes we don't find outselves as whole pieces and that is fine as we are not perfect puzzles. God builds us as well as breakes us throughout the entirety of our lives. To us he adds character, strength and even humility. it is not as ugly as it seems. Each event in our lives enables us to walk away with a story to tell for ourselves as well as others. Whether it be poetry or a story or even a song. Your creativity has a life of its own, fact or fiction. My life has its own drift and the wind blows me in the direction it wants me to go.
Barbara Barker - was born in Alabama. She has lived most of her life in the southeast from Louisiana to Florida. She has been married and divorced twice. She has four children, two sons and two daughters. She has been self-employed since 1970 when she opened her first bar, "The Hustler", in Tarpon Springs, FL. In 1974 she came to Chiefland, FL where she owned and operated the "Sundowner Lounge". She has been "the Avon lady" since 1984. Since 1999 she works part time as a pilot-escort where she is known as "Ma Barker".
Thomas William Fumea - I was born in Cokeville, PA in 1944. In early childhood I moved to Dery, PA to live with my grandparents. The majority of my poetry has been inspired by my exposure to this diverse realm. A resident of Florida since 1966, I live in the small town of Chiefland, named by our ancestors. I hope to publish a book in the future titled "His Mind and Mine". I pray we have touched your heart in some small way.
Mary Wagers France - I was born of Appalachian parents who loved to tell stories of things that went bump in the night. Since I was the eldest of three, I would come home from school and tell my sibling stories and read poetry; uch smarter than I. The truth is, I love telling stories. Poetry is my way of sharing them with you.
Thomas Tuffin - Tom, a long-time resident of Chiefland, FL is one of God's children and whatever he writes is a reflection of God's gift to him.
Sonny London-Masters - Sunny is a Bronson, FL resident, a transplant from south Florida. She is a closet poet who decided to come out of hiding, finally. She is a pet lover, and a crooning pet groomer, as she describes it. Any old dog loves her and many young ones too. She is an active member of our workshop and a special gal we appreciate.
Sandy Fink - has been a freelance writer, humorist, columnist and creator of children's puzzles. Her poetry has appeared in small press, literary magazines, and anthologies with national and international circulation. "Key Images", her book of poetry, illustrations and calligraphy about the Florida Keys , was published in 1992. "Prayers with a Smile I, II, III, and IV", "Circles", and "Mosaics, a Haiku Collection" are scheduled for release in 2004. She lives with her husband, two dogs and six cats outside Chiefland, FL, in a wild wooded place she humorously describes as a "land of rednecks and rattlesnakes, alligators, and bugs with jaws on both ends." And, she says, she used to know the difference.
Channels of Verse - The many poetic voices of the Suwannee River Poets, is the second collection of poetry written and published by its members.
This 126 page volume of beautifully crafted verse, written in a variety of poetic styles and forms, is available now at the very reasonable price of $9.95 plus $2.50 shipping and handling ($12.45 total).
You may purchase Channels of Verse using PayPal, by mail, or from any Chiefland Poetry Group member. Click link on sidebar to the left.
Additional Authors
(not listed above)
Nadine Lewis: Playwright, Poet, Lyricist. Her performing and writing talents have led Nadine in many directions in the field of music. She started as a church soloist and had her own program “My Mother’s Songs” on station WKAT in Miami and, as a freshman at Miami University, she had a program “Four Debs and Their Dates” on station WIOD.
At the same time, Vivian Yeiser Laramore, then Poet
Laureate of Florida, selected a group of “Deans” poems for her column in The Miami Daily News.
Later her tours and summer theatre work included Oliver, Sound of Music, How to Succeed, and My Fair Lady. On Broadway she appeared in Kurt Weil’s Johnny Johnson in the role of the Goddess of Liberty. Nadine happily remembers that audition since Lottie Lenya kissed her on the cheek and said, “This is the voice I’ve been waiting for!” She has appeared in Man of La Mancha as the housekeeper, as the sister-in-law in Mata Han, and as Sister Margarita in Sound of Music. After that Broadway show closed, she played the role of The Mother Abbess in many companies all over the country.
The writing half of her career includes having works published in over a dozen anthologies of American Poets as well as supplying book and lyrics for the TV musical special, Three Wishes for Christmas for which Joseph Klein wrote the music. She wrote the libretto for the operas Perjury and The Oracle, music by Lor Crane.
Many of her poems have received awards: “Summer Afternoon in Maine,” “Lilacs,” “Sonnet of Self Realization,” and “Robin Woman” to name a few.
Her pop songs have been recorded by artists ranging from The Lettermen to Barbara Parkins. Nadine herself has recorded three singles for Riverside Jazz
Records and has written and recorded two children’s albums for their Wonderland series. The Magic Mountain, an anti-drug show, book and lyrics by Nadine and music by Lor Crane, was produced as a full scale musical by the University of Syracuse and the musical Atlantic City U.S.A. was premiered and played for several weeks at Phoenix Little Theatre as their pick of the best new musical of the year with lyrics by Nadine, music by Lor Crane and book by Ren Glasser.
Nadine is a member of A.S.C.A.P, Actor’s Equity, International Society of Poets, Florida State Poets Association, Poets of the Palm Beaches, and Suwannee River Poets.
Linda Sides: Born in Deland, Florida in the early 50s I was a young child when my love for words began with a small poem my sister would read to me. I began writing poetry in the mid 60s for it was my way of expressing what I was going through in my life. In 1990, I received an "Award of Merit" for "A Memory." In 1991, I received Golden Poet of the year for "Doesn't Matter" both published by World of Poetry of Sacramento, California. Presently, I'm working on "The Kopers, One American Family Survival to the Present".
Gloria Webb Sutton: Gloria Webb Sutton is a native Floridian, born in 1928 in Lake Wales, Florida. Her parents were pioneer residents of Lake Stearns, Florida (later named Lake Placid). Gloria grew up on a farm on the edge of the Everglades, 10 miles S. E. of Lake Placid (her hometown). After graduating she was secretary to the school principal for three years. She married in 1950 and had three children.
Gloria has worked with Girl Scouts, Right to Life, and Another Way and, at present, continues to support Right to Life by sewing for the local Pregnancy Center. She is a charter member of Springhouse Quilters Guild of Trenton, Florida. She is a seven year volunteer for Haven Hospice of Chiefland, Florida and is active in several group ministries in her church.
Gloria wrote her first poem at age 11 while in fifth grade, the second as a sophomore in 1943, and in 1959 wrote her third. After moving to Chiefland, Florida in 1991, she started writing poetry, concentrating on putting her childhood memories into verse and joined the Suwannee River Poets in 2008.
All poems in this section are copyright by Gloria Sutton and all rights reserved to the author.
Not everyone saves their earliest work. They have a way of slipping away through the years never to be seen again. Gloria is especially lucky that she still has her first three which are the first ones in her section.
