Traveling through Life

There was a time when personal stories weren’t considered folktales. Many thought them not legendary enough or not universal enough to be told to anyone, anywhere. But, that archaic view has changed. Today these narratives are folktales because they have something to 'tell us' about the choices we all must make in one fashion or other about how to live our lives.

In classic folklore tradition, whether verbal, written, or audio/video recording, these stories reflect the personal style of the teller which can be humorous, melancholic, fearful or joyful. And they connect the dots between people in the teller's circle, including friends, colleagues, and family as well as members of the larger global community.

 

This is done with the use of  folklore motifs that include trickster lessons and the hero's journey often presented through archetypal figures, such as risk-takers, thieves, and lovers whose stories reflect time-honored values, such as honesty and courage.

The beauty of these attributes is that they can be updated to be relevant to modern audiences.

For example, in Oracle of Birds; Short Stories for the Fireside, a hybrid collection of poetry, family folktales (personal narratives), animal lore and more, by award winning writer Donna Faulkner (nee Miller), the motorcycle replaces former modes of transportation and becomes a common thread of 'travel' between the writer's past and her present; between herself and her parents, she and her partner.

The first mention of this motorized two-wheeler is in Rag Doll Rider. This creative non-fiction piece earned her 2nd place in Havik (2023). It opens with a remembering of a motorcycle accident she witnessed in youth. The incident appears again when she recalls her father's love of motorcycles and her mother's feelings about the topic. As an adult, Faulkner again uses this contemporary vehicle as a symbol of something she personally shares with another.  

Of the motorcycle, she says, "In the Oracle of Birds I’ve predominantly drawn inspiration from the natural world but have used motorcycles as a literary mechanism, a literal and metaphorical vehicle for navigating through adulthood."

The New Zealand writer whose work has also appeared in numerous publications, including Erbacce, Takahē: Hua/ Manu, The Typescript, Tarot Poetry New Zealand, and New Myths, goes on to note that such a symbol represents the idea of moving through life. "Journeying is universal. Nothing is stagnant. We are all going somewhere. Straddling freedom through surrender, motorcycles also lean comfortably into the archetypal of the horse and all it represents in the psyche. Reconciling the fragility of life whilst accepting the inevitability of death."

The motorcycle theme is also at the heart of Faulkner's poem, Riding Mountains. It is "a conceptual representation of freedom whilst the title alludes to the idea that we think we can conquer anything."

Admittedly, this poem about being present is one of her personal favorites. 

Rich with imagery and meaning, this work opens with Saturation, a stunning three liner that serves as both emotional release and a call to action:

sky knocks on parched ground
let me in. You need my tears
and I need to weep.

and includes other folkloric genres, such as animal lore, fables, and legends. In these she revisions  'The Fable of the Spider and the Housemate' as well as a poetic rendition of 'Baba Yaga', a Slavic forest dweller who can be both helpful or harmful.

About these choices, she explains, "The biggest breakthroughs occur when we explore dark places, look into the heart of what scares us. In writing ‘The Fable of the Housemate and the Spider’ I gathered together the threads of old myths to respin the old narrative and offer up an alternative take. I included the fable in this collection because it complemented the concept of interconnectivity - the overall theme that scaffolds this collection. I'd received a lot of feedback from readers that this fable had made them reconsider their feelings and attitudes towards spiders."

Her decision to conclude this body of work with Baba Yaga whom she describes as the personification of the Crone is because ""Sometimes maligned, often misunderstood, she is wise because she has learned to assimilate the lessons of the journey." 

Oracle of Birds; Short Stories for the Fireside offers the reader a personal  invitation to ride into the mountains with her where:

Valleys applaud 

the engines thrum.

Skirting roadsides 

waving lupins 

painted purple.

Riders taste

sweet 

blossom’s breath.

This well-put-together book, published by Written Tales (USA) is available in paperback & ebook at https://books2read.com/u/mdPYX5

 To learn more about Donna Faulkner: https://linktr.ee/donnafaulkner

 

Folk Heroine Writes Short Story Collection

For centuries people have been creating, sharing and enjoying folktales and other stories. That’s because they capture for us what is remarkable about every day life. These hold heroic and non-heroic moments up to the light for all to see. In this way they celebrate and affirm the values beliefs that a particular person or specific society holds dear. Here honesty and hard work are important and love and justice do matter.

Writer Mary Hitchcock Cone has done just that in this collection of stories. Moose Mash and Other Stories chronicles the everyday events and heroes who move among us often unnoticed. It takes the keen insights and literary talents of someone like Mary to bring these people, animals and special occasions to the forefront where we the readers get to say “Yes, there’s someone like that in my life.” or “I remember that period in our history.”

Without knowing it we find ourselves connected to one another because the topics Mary has chosen to write about, while very personal to her, are universal. Has anyone not known about an animal on the loose or not been touched in some way by war?

A long-time member of a writer’s group that was formed originally by students of Anne Lamott, Mary is considered to be a short story master with a close lens on human nature, perfect pitch, and a many octave range. Her colleagues note, “She can write about anything from any point of view — be it ghosts, moose, or men. When it was her turn to read, often protesting that she had nothing much to bring in, she amazed us week after week, year after year, with yet another gem she just happened to ‘find in a drawer’ .”

A particular favorite of mine is Home Front, a straight-forward narrative about being a Red Cross volunteer serving refreshments to young soldiers being shipped out from various San Francisco Bay Area ports to serve their country during World War II. Here is an excerpt:

Outside an unmarked truck pulled in quickly, and carts carrying spigoted canisters of hot cocoa and cold lemonade (no coffee this time), paper cups, and huge supplies of the ubiquitous doughnut.

Our supervisor appeared and gathered us together in a tight circle to hear her speak.

“These boys are going overseas. They are nervous, don’t know where they are going, concerned about what lies ahead for them, and wishing they were somewhere else. This makes some of them talkative, and others morose. There is a lot of tension.

“So keep your smiles coming. Be sweet, be friendly. Chat if you have time, but pretty much keep moving down the lines. Time is short and we want to reach all of them. Remember, you are the last females and the last bit of home they are going to see for a long time. But hear this. Ladies, don’t make promises.”

Mary’s vision and wit have served her well on her own journey as a writer’s folk heroine. During the course of her life which now spans more than 80 years, she had held onto her gift as a writer and has never given up pen and paper. She has persevered and her journey as a writer brings us all to this time and to this place.

What a remarkable way for she and her daughters to begin the new year!

The book is available on Amazon. More information about Moose Mash and Other Stories (release date: January 2012) and the author are available at www.moosemash.com.