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In the time of coronavirus

A collection of stories submitted by the public on their experience of living through the time of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The coronavirus pandemic has changed our lives. Globally the scale of human suffering as a consequence of Covid-19 has been very great. Everywhere people are now reflecting on what this major and previously unimaginable global crisis means for us, as individuals, living in the 21st century. This forum offers a space for writers to reflect on their experience in Aotearoa and to consider questions such as: What might we need to remember and preserve? What has been my experience, my observations, how might my priorities have shifted, in a good way, as a result of the lockdowns? If you would like to contribute to the re-collective effort through any of the following life writing formats — journalling, nature writing, memoir, commentary, poetry, notes on work in progress during lockdown… — please make initial contact through my contact page. Next prepare a page of A4 writing, starting in the present moment and moving where you need to into the recent past and forwards from that point, with a title, brief bio, photo (optional) and your contribution will be added to the repository of important writings flowering in this space.

"We are here; we are human beings; this is how we lived. Let it be known, the earth passed before us. Our details are important."
Natalie Goldberg, Writing down the Bones (1986)

The Fruits of Lockdown by Julie Ryan

17/2/2022

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Julie Ryan has written one poetry collection, Last of the Halcyon Days,  (Steele Roberts, 2014) and her father's story, Beekeeping in Xanadu (2005). She started decorating the quilt with huge monarch butterflies for her husband, Frank who died in 2017. The red quilt is fading before it is finished but she owes it a few more appliqué patches. It is still collecting strange fruit.  

The Fruits of Lockdown
 
I crocheted a pineapple in the first,
knitted a watermelon in the second
Pink wool was scarce but Jianying
unravelled the collar of a jacket.
Joan told me over the telephone
to make the pips from holes
 
Inspecting after Lockdown, Joan
said the quilt wasn’t finished. So
Jo gave me a silver tree with pears
and grey leaves for the blueberries,
also a bush monkey with a red baby.
That took me back to a school poster.
 
Meant to restart the world after War
it showed cocoa trees with fruit, red
yellow, purple and green-striped - like
two tamarillo trees behind the garage
at Mount Albert, mingling - and I’m ready
with a project for the next Lockdown.
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Writing Memoir
Defining Memoir
The Participatory Model
Tips on Writing and Posting a Story
​From Writing Course to Book Publication
Your Writing Space
​Writing on a Theme
Reviews of Memoir
Writers Stories
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Events
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Copyright © 2017 Deborah Shepard
  • Home
  • Books
    • The Writing Life >
      • Reviews & Interviews
    • Giving Yourself to Life
    • Her Life's Work
    • Translucence
    • Between The Lives
    • Reframing Women
    • Tributes
    • Personal Writings >
      • Lockdown Journal
      • Travel Journal
      • Elegy for a friend
      • Christchurch - Post Quakes
      • On a residency
      • Deborah’s Love Letter to the Women’s Bookshop
      • Deborah's Q & A With Unity Books
  • Writing Memoir
    • Defining Memoir
    • The Participatory Model
    • Tips on Writing and Posting a Story
    • The Value of a Writing Class
    • From writing course to book publication
    • Your Writing Space
    • Writing on a Theme >
      • Window
      • Surviving a Crisis
    • Reviews of Memoir
  • Writers' stories
    • Covid-19 Stories
    • Writing Guidelines
  • Events
  • About
    • Testimonials
    • Media
  • What People Say
  • Contact