Haunting Hindukush (Satis Shroff)

HAUNTING HINDUKUSH (Satis Shroff, Freiburg-Kappel)

The King Who Was Expelled (Satis Shroff)

King Amanullah returned

Ecstatic,

From a tour to Europe

And the Near East.

He ordered the modernization

Of Afghanistan,

Along the lines

Of Kemal in Turkey.

His majesty said:

‘I want monogamy,

European clothing,

Abolition of women’s veils.’

The people rejoiced

In the streets of Kabul.

The Mullahs revolted.

The king was expelled.

That was 1928.

* * *

They Shot the King (Satis Shroff)

General Nadir Shah

Became the King of Afghanistan,

With a little help,

From his British friends.

He brought reforms.

They shot him in 1933.

* * *

Pakhtunistan Dreams (Satis Shroff)

Mohammed Zahir became

The next king of Afghanistan.

‘I have a dream

Of a Pakhtunistan,

A bigger country which can rule

The Pathans in Western Pakistan.

To the west of the river Indus.’

The Pakistanis weren’t amused,

And politely refused it.

* * *

THE HINDUKUSH (Satis Shroff)

It’s Volkstrauertag

Death through war,

Gewaltherrschaft,

Go through your mind.

It’s 2009,

Peace at last?

The victims of wars,

Memorials with mourning choirs,

Weeping war widows, orphans,

Wreaths and flowers for the dead.

The fire brigade stands at attention.

Uniforms,

Stiff humans

With eyes moving,

To take in the mourning.

In Freiburg-Kappel we sing

A Russian song,

To remember

The sons and husbands of Freiburg-Kappel

Who didn’t return.

Ninety years ago,

The Constitution of Weimar.

Germany’s Fundamental Laws,

Proclaimed sixty years ago.

The ugly Berlin wall

Fell twenty years ago.

The Second World War,

Began seventy years ago.

Alas, young Teutonic widows

Still cry today

In Germany,

For young husbands

Who died

And still die,

In the killing fields

Of the Hindukush,

There’s a war

In far off Afghanistan.

The grandfather died

For a totalitarian regime.

The grandson dies today

For a democratic idea.

We Germans train the police

In the Hindukush.

What happens when they run

Over to the Talibans?

Islam binds the people

In the Hindukush.

What have we to offer?

Is war capitulation,

Against the forces of evil?

People who are beaten, tortured

When their ethnicity

And genes differ,

When people with illness or disability,

Are meted injustice,

Stamped as ‘unworthy of life.’

There are those who faced

A firing squad,

When they defied

The rule of power,

Clutched to their beliefs,

Their pure conscience.

You can’t change the past.

What has happened,

Has happened.

Don’t close your eyes

To the hoary past,

Lest you be blind

To the present,

And the future.

It’s not the Third World,

Where ideologies,

Fundamentalists,

Terror

Find their breeding grounds.

Rightist ideology

Is still mushrooming,

In the streets of Berlin,

Vienna and Bern.

The ‘others’ are still

Being terrorized,

Beaten, stabbed and kicked

In broad daylight.

Freedom and forgiveness,

Within and without,

Where art thou?

He who searches

Finds hope,

Tolerance,

Empathy

And dignity,

For there are enough

Righteous, honest,

Spiritual people with integrity

Who care about others.

* * *

TWITTERS FROM THE BLACK FOREST (Satis Shroff)

The Talibans have persuaded

The Pathans, Pashtoons,

And other warring tribes,

To ignore their differences,

And unite to fight the infidels

From the West.

US citizens say:

‘America can’t afford

Obama’s Afghan war.

Hey Big Spender, Obama,

Thirty-five billion dollars

To blow up.

Don’t Americans

Need the money

Back home?

* * *

I’ll Bring You Back (Satis Shroff)

The faces of the rookie cadets

At Westpoint

Look tired.

’30 000 only’ says Obama,

‘Till May 2010,

And I’ll bring you back.’

The question is:

In a coffin

Or as a hero?

***

Understanding Afghanistan (Satis Shroff)

What happens

When Obama, Merkel

And the Nato have left Kabul?

It wasn’t America’s war anyway.

Is it the Nato’s future war?

Bin Laden’s at large.

The enemy is invisible.

Airstrikes kill

Only women and children.

Do we really understand

Afghanistan?

Or is it only

Our thought

Of what Afghanistan

Ought to be.

* * *

Under the Shadow of the Hindukush (Satis Shroff)

John Mc Cain wishes

To break the will

Of the Talibans.

That’s how wars are won,

From the Westpoint view

If you announce

When the troops will leave,

The Talis will just wait

And drink Darjeeling tea

Under the shadow

Of the Hindukush.

* * *

No Soldiers, Please (Satis Shroff)

Germany’s Guido Westerwelle,

Praised the decision to withdraw

From the Hindukush.

‘Police officers for Afghans

Is okay,’

Says Birgit Homburger FDP,

‘But no soldiers, please.’

* * *

Party Crashing In the White House (Satis Shroff)

You mean you can

Party crash

Right up to Obama

In the White House?

Mark Sullivan and his men

Were blended

By a charming blonde

Socialite.

To me

It was like in Bonn,

Where an elderly German lady,

Dressed up like a Baroness,

Cut an excellent figure,

Till the chief of the Bonner police

Confided to me,

She was a commoner,

A pensioned lady,

Out for a tete´-a-tete´

With King Birendra

Of Nepal.

Where there’s a will

There seems to be

A way.

Ach, Helvetia you’ve Done it Again (Satis Shroff)

The Bairam celebrations

Are long over,

And Helvetia has caught

The Islamic world

By surprise.

The Swiss folk have dismissed

The minaret ‘missile’ issue.

Building churches are still forbidden

In many Muslim countries.

The Catholic Swiss have spoken

And won the day.

If more countries would listen to

And respect their own folk.

Ach, Helvetia,

You’ve done it again.

* * *

The Word of the Year (Satis Shroff)

Härtzen is the word of the year

In good olde Germany.

It means:

To be jobless,

Hanging around,

Loitering

Without much money

In your purse.

It comes from Hartz Four,

A program

For the jobless

And the poor.

But if a blonde German girl says:

‘You’re bam,’

Take it easy.

It means you’re cool.

In case you’re a banker

And someone calls you a ‘Bankster,’

It isn’t a compliment.

It implies

The speculative bank business

You’ve been doing.

A banker

Who’s a gangster.

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Geburtstagskind: Satis Shroff

Männergesangsverein Freiburg-Kappel

1. Tenor: Wolfgang Busse, Adolf Fressle, Heinz Hamburger, Rainer Keller
2. Tenor: Walter Fuß, Richard Linder, Satis Shroff, Klaus Sütterle, Herbert Tombreul

1. Bass: Frank Keller, Franz Lachmann, Andreas Schiessle, Franz Wißler, Ulrich Mauer
2. Bass: Werner Heise, Wolfgang Keller, Dirk Schneider, Michael Stotz.

* * *

Charmant bleib immer,

so wie du bist,

ganz gleich, wie alles um dich ist.

Du bist ein guter Mensch,

Hast immer ein offenes Herz,

Darum lieben wir dich so.

(Kurt & Waltraut, Freiburg)

* * *

Schön, dass es dich gibt

Geburtstag

Ist wie eine kleine Pause.

Du stehst da und staunst:

Einen Tag lang hält das Leben den Atem an

Und sagt:

Schön, dass es dich gibt (zitat von: Thomas Knodel)

(Gabi K., Tuttlingen)

* * *

Anita Tombreul, Creative Center House of Art, Ziegelmattenstrasse 14, Freiburg-Kappel

Lieber Satish,

zu Deinem Wiegenfest wollen wir Dir mit einem kreativen Wochenplan und der Farbe Rot eine kleine Freude machen.

Sonntag,

gehört der Farbe weiss,

Montag,

gehört der farbe Blau,

sie führt auf den Weg der inneren Freiheit.

Dienstag,

gehört der Farbe Rot,

sie führt auf dem Weg der tatkraft.

Mittwoch,

gehört der Farbe Gelb,

sie führt auf den Weg der geistigen Klarheit.

Donnerstag,

gehört der Farbe Orange,

sie führt auf den Weg des Reichtums.

Freitag,

gehört der Farbe Grün,

sie führt auf den Weg der Freundschaft.

Samstag,

gehört der Farbe Violett,

sie führt auf den Weg der Innenschau und

Grenzüberschreitung.(Anon)

Wir wünschen Dir Gesundheit, Lebensfreude, viel Liebe und vor allem Spaß bei den nächsten Schritten auf Deinem Lebensweg in Glück.

(Anita & Herbert, Ziegelmatten, Freiburg)

LIEDERKRANZ: A Wreath of Songs (Satis Shroff, Freiburg-Kappel)

A burly, baldy waiter shuffled by with a tray full of beer bottles and wine glasses for the delight of the guests at the festival hall in Freiburg-Kappel. Elderly members of the men’s choir called Liederkranz, which in English means a ‘wreath of songs’ and their elegantly dressed spouses were also there, short grey-hair neatly cut, wearing conservative jackets, gold necklaces and smiles, instead of frowns. After all, they were out to have a pleasant time and listen to their spouses singing songs from olde Germany.

We come across many folk songs (Volkslieder) that have been handed down verbally through the generations, and whose original composers are unknown, from the 16^th century onwards. Lieder have been mostly written by German poets. The folk songs have undergone a lot of adaptations with the passage of time. A hymn, for instance, is a sacral song used in the church and among the Hindus in India and Nepal the sacral songs have their origin in the vedic scriptures. In Germany we have a rich tradition of the soldier’s song (Soldatenlieder), the marching songs (Marschlieder), student songs (Studentenlieder), drinking songs (Trinklieder), love songs (Liebeslieder) and the wanderer’s song (Wanderlieder) to name a few.

In the German language the word ‘Lied’ also denotes poetry, for instance Schiller’s Lied von der Glocke (Song of the Bell) and a vocalised form for example Gustav Mahler’s Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth) which is based on six poems from The Chinese Flute by Hans Bethge.

A kiddy band played ‘Raindrops falling on my Head.’ Music without words. It was interesting to know that a lot of work is being done to motivate the youth in Kappel and get them busy with music and songs lest they become idle and loiter around. What is interesting is that a lot of German Moms and Dads take an active interest in the development of their children and make sure that the home-works are done and that the children have enough to do in their spare time by making them take part in music lessons, riding, soccer, fire-brigade, swimming lessons, karate and other activities. Unlike in Sweden, where the teachers take over the discipline pedagogy and parents don’t have to do or help their children with home-works, in Germany the educators expect the parents to help with the lessons. So if you have a migrant family with parents who are good in Arabic, Turkish or other language but not in German, it is pre-programmed that the child won’t make much headway at school and will end up as a hair-cutter, car-mechanic, doing the laundry of others or cleaning the floors of German hospitals. Extra tuition means investing extra money.

The children’s band played Glenn Miller’s ‘Moonlight serenade’ a wonderful song and melody for a fox-trot. Ah, what associations a melody conjours. You remember the university dances, gliding gracefully with your beautiful partner in tact with the music. When I hear Frank Sinatra’s version of ‘New York, New York’ I’m transported to an evening at the Piazza San Marco where I did a fox-trot with a charming masked lady who spoke German. You can’t help tethering a melody or song to a landscape or a person from your past, can you?

We began the evening with Manfred Bühler’s ‘Jubilate’ a great song to wake up the people, who might be already be lethargic due to a sumptuous dinner. The next song or Lied was ‘Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen’ composed by Michael Praetorius. We’d scrapped ‘Adeste fideles’ in lieu of ‘Adiemus’ composed by Karl Jenkins and sang it for the first time. I like the crescendo in the part ‘Anamana coole rawe…’You can experience this great feeling and notice your blood pressure going up, the released hormones surging in your blood stream. Ah, music knows no bounds. The audience goes with you as you transcend to new heights in the course of the Liederabend.

Our next song was ‘La le lu’ composed by Heino Gaze, which is actually a lullaby for the young and old. It is  an evergreen in the German-speaking world of South Tyrol, Switzerland, Austria and Germany, and you hear it quite a few times. By this time we had the smiling and applauding audience on our side. After that we chose to sing a song made popular by Reinhard May ‘Über den Wolken’, which means ‘Above the Clouds.’ The song gives you the Top Gun feeling with the sound of the jet starting, accelerating and taking off. The wind is blowing from the north-east and you’re on your starting tarmac 03, the jet shoots past leaving a thundering sound in your ears, the wet asphalt vibrates, the rain is like a veil, till your jet leaves the airstrip and heads for the skies. This song is a hit among the pilots of the Lufthansa and the Luftwaffe and, of course, among aviation fans.

After Reinhard Mey’s Lied we were unanimous and sang ‘I will follow him’ composed by J.W. Stole. We sang it with gusto in a very Badische German accent. It sounded like: I ‘laff’ him. Whoopie Goldberg would have got a kick out of it with her ‘Sister Act.’

We finished off the evening with a creamy song composed by the popular Austrian Udo Jürgens ‘Aber bitte mit Sahne.’ We had the otherwise conservative Kappeler audience raving with this song. The brass orchestra of the Musikverein Freiburg-Kappel then took over under the conductor of Manfred Preiss, a stiff, balded guy with a good command of his charges and in the initial phase he marched off with a Lied composed by John Williams ‘Concert March from 1941,’ followed by Jean Sibelius’ Finlandia Op.26, No.7, then Three Celtic Dances (Reel, Air, Jig) .It was wonderful music with excellent changes in rhythm and texture. The next was slections from ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ Jerry Bock’s ‘Anateva’ followed by Sven van Calster’s ‘Via Aurelia.’ In this music you could literally see and hear the sounds of horses cantering along the Italian countryside. The last song was Willy Fransen’s ‘Adios Havana’ with catchy a composition from Cuba that ended with a hot samba rhythm.

It’s always pleasant to fraternise with the locals from Kappel and the surrounding areas of Littenweiler, Buchenback, Stegen and the Dreisam Valley. You get to know a lot of people gradually. The Kappeler are a friendly people o speak the Badische dialect and that’s why they call me ‘Sadisch’ which I find rather symbadisch, which means sympathetic. Kappel has pleasant Black Forest surroundings where the brass-band plays the Heimat music, and the people from the local apothecary, bakery, the green grocery, the butchery, the locals who runs the taverns and inns with names like ‘Schutze’ and ‘the Lion’ and ‘Kreuz’ all come to have a drink or a chat in the Festhalle where events are staged.

The singers of the men’s choir Männergesangverein ‘Liederkranz’ Freiburg-Kappel (MGV) were still sitting erect in their chairs with their comrades or spouses. There were candles flickering on the tables with coloured metallic balls and pine leaves heralding that it was Christmastime. There were people  drinking apple or orange juices, sekt, beer, mineral water. Some were relishing their wurst, hot dogs with buns but all eyes were fixed towards the stage. The Männergesangsverein (MGV) bade farewell to its young conductor Felix Rosskopp who has decided to live in Offenburg where he’ll be working as a music teacher, and he received a picture book about lovely Kappel, an envelope with money and a painting of Kappel. He seemed delighted, and I couldn’t help adding that it had been a pleasure to sing under his guidance He’d brought his fiancee with him, a decent brunette who also liked music and aired her views.

Welcome to the Schwarzwald, the fair town of Kappel and the Männergesangsverein (MGV).

About the Author:

Satis Shroff is a prolific writer and teaches Creative Writing at the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg. http://www.zfs.uni-freiburg.de/zfs/dozent/lehrbeauftragte4/index_html/#shroff.  He is a lecturer, poet and writer and the published author of five books: Im Schatten des Himalaya (book of poems in German), Through Nepalese Eyes (travelogue), Katmandu, Katmandu (poetry and prose anthology by Nepalese authors, edited by Satis Shroff), and two language books on the Nepalese language for DSE (Deutsche Stiftung für Entwicklungsdienst) & Horlemannverlag. He has written three feature articles in the Munich-based Nelles Verlag’s ‘Nepal’ on the Himalayan Kingdom’s Gurkhas, sacred mountains and Nepalese symbols and on Hinduism in ‘Nepal: Myths & Realities (Book Faith India) and his poem ‘Mental Molotovs’ was published in epd-Entwicklungsdienst (Frankfurt). His lyrical works have been published in literary poetry sites: Slow Trains, International Zeitschrift, World Poetry Society (WPS), New Writing North, Muses Review, The Megaphone, Pen Himalaya, Interpoetry. He is a member of “Writers of Peace,” poets, essayists, novelists (PEN), World Poetry Society (WPS) and The Asian Writer.

Satis Shroff is based in Freiburg (poems, fiction, non-fiction) and also writes on ecological, ethno-medical, culture-ethnological themes. He has studied Zoology and Botany  in Nepal, Medicine and Social Sciences in Germany and Creative Writing in Freiburg and the United Kingdom. He describes himself as a mediator between western and eastern cultures and sees his future as a writer and poet. Since literature is one of the most important means of cross-cultural learning, he is dedicated to promoting and creating awareness for Creative Writing and transcultural togetherness in his writings, and in preserving an attitude of Miteinander in this world. He lectures in Basle (Switzerland) and in Germany at the Academy for Medical Professions (University Klinikum Freiburg) and the Center for Key Qualifications (University of Freiburg, where he is a Lehrbeauftragter for Creative Writing  at the ZfS Uni Freiburg). Satis Shroff was awarded the German Academic Exchange Prize.

Copyright © 2009, Satis Shroff. You may republish this article online provided you keep the byline, the author’s note, and the active hyperlinks.

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When One Succeeds, We all Suceed

When one of us succeeds, we all succeed. I’ve always believed that. So I offer these links for writers in that spirit. Hopefully, you’ll find something of use here (Bruce Dobler) Creative Writing Tips SHROFF/DOBLER (Freiburg/ Iowa) SS 2010: Satis Shroff is a prolific writer and teaches Creative Writing at the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg. http://www.zfs.uni-freiburg.de/zfs/dozent/lehrbeauftragte4/index_html/#shroff.  He is a lecturer, poet and writer and the published author of five books: Im Schatten des Himalaya (book of poems in German), Through Nepalese Eyes (travelogue), Katmandu, Katmandu (poetry and prose anthology by Nepalese authors, edited by Satis Shroff), and two language books on the Nepalese language for DSE (Deutsche Stiftung für Entwicklungsdienst) & Horlemannverlag. He has written three feature articles in the Munich-based Nelles Verlag’s ‘Nepal’ on the Himalayan Kingdom’s Gurkhas, sacred mountains and Nepalese symbols and on Hinduism in ‘Nepal: Myths & Realities (Book Faith India) and his poem ‘Mental Molotovs’ was published in epd-Entwicklungsdienst (Frankfurt). His lyrical works have been published in literary poetry sites: Slow Trains, International Zeitschrift, World Poetry Society (WPS), New Writing North, Muses Review, The Megaphone, Pen Himalaya, Interpoetry. He is a member of “Writers of Peace,” poets, essayists, novelists (PEN), World Poetry Society (WPS) and The Asian Writer. Satis Shroff is based in Freiburg (poems, fiction, non-fiction) and also writes on ecological, ethno-medical, culture-ethnological themes. He has studied Zoology and Botany  in Nepal, Medicine and Social Sciences in Germany and Creative Writing in Freiburg and the United Kingdom. He describes himself as a mediator between western and eastern cultures and sees his future as a writer and poet. Since literature is one of the most important means of cross-cultural learning, he is dedicated to promoting and creating awareness for Creative Writing and transcultural togetherness in his writings, and in preserving an attitude of Miteinander in this world. He lectures in Basle (Switzerland) and in Germany at the Academy for Medical Professions (University Klinikum Freiburg) and the Center for Key Qualifications (University of Freiburg, where he is a Lehrbeauftragter for Creative Writing and Scientific English at the ZfS Uni Freiburg). Satis Shroff was awarded the German Academic Exchange Prize. Satis Shroff’s URLS: www.facebook.com/satis.shroff Flickr: Search for a person Flickr is almost certainly the best online photo management and sharing … Satis Shroff – Freiburg, Germany, Germany. 96 items | view his profile …www.flickr.com/search/people/?q=communicating&m=extras&page=11 www.worldsentinel.com/categories/world/France www.slowtrains.com/rave_on/rave_on.html www.star.cityes.org/…/the-official-catalogue-of-the-members-of-w.p.s.-19-july-2006-8-june-2008.html www.brooklynartproject.ning.com/…/satis–shroff-in-lyrik http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/67131 Im Schatten des Himalaya by Satis Shroff in Poetry Im Schatten des Himalaya by Satis Shroff: Themen der Geschichten und Gedichten sind u.a.: Kampf um Demokratie (My Nepal: Quo vadis? www.lulu.com/browse/book_view.php?fCID…5 www.satisshroff.wordpress.com/ethnomedical-therapy-2008-satis-shroff/ www.searchwarp.com/Author83824.htm www.jacketflap.com/profile.asp?member=Satis www.bookmarket.ning.com/profile/satisshroff www.ayjw.org/articles.php?id=911453 www.satisshroff.wordpress.com www.americanchronicle.com/articles/51877 www.booksie.com/poetry/…/nepal-blues-(satis–shroff) www.authorsden.com/visit/viewPoetry.asp?… www.boloji.com/places/0039.htm www.gurkhas.com/ShowArticle.aspx?ID=187 www.ayjw.org/articles.php?id=942415 www.interpoetry.com/satisshroff19.html www.sonog.com/viewwriting.php www.asianamericanpoetry.com/show_poem.php?…Satis_Shroff3e016vkamq www.thepeopleslounge.ning.com/profile/SatisShroff www.musesreview.org/html/main.php?g2… www.voicesnet.mobi/mobidisplayonedoc.asp?.. www.satisshroff-zeitgeist.blogspot.com/2008/05/blog-post.html What Satis Shroff has said about Bruce Dobler University of Iowa): Bruce is a great writer who motivates and moves you to the core, and it is a pleasure and honour to talk with him. He has devoted his life to Creative Writing like no other author I know. He’s my teacher and I bless the day I met him. He’s the one who got me writing poems and short stories. I’d been writing articles in the foothills of the Himalayas as a student of Zoology and Botany but it was Bruce who inspired me to write and submit like no one else has done. I think it’s not enough to be a teacher or lecturer at a college or university after acquiring academic credentials and rest on one’s laurels. There are so many complacent MA and PhD holders in Literature but how many of ‘em really actually write books? Bruce Dobler does it and pushes you to your utmost. He inspires, motivates and drives you to carry on writing. Like I told you, a great guy and writer. You must meet him and talk with him. An enriching experience. Please look up Bruce Dobler for more tips on Creative Writing themes, sites, authors, courses etc. What  others have said about the author: „Die Schilderungen von Satis Shroff in ‘Through Nepalese Eyes’ sind faszinierend und geben uns die Möglichkeit, unsere Welt mit neuen Augen zu sehen.“ (Alice Grünfelder von Unionsverlag / Limmat Verlag, Zürich). Satis Shroff  writes with intelligence, wit and grace. (Bruce Dobler, Associate Professor in Creative Writing MFA, University of Iowa). ‘Satis Shroff writes political poetry, about the war in Nepal, the sad fate of the Nepalese people, the emergence of neo-fascism in Germany. His bicultural perspective makes his poems rich, full of awe and at the same time heartbreakingly sad. I writing ‘home,’ he not only returns to his country of origin time and again, he also carries the fate of his people to readers in the West, and his task of writing thus is also a very important one in political terms. His true gift is to invent Nepalese metaphors and make them accessible to the West through his poetry.’ (Sandra Sigel, Writer, Germany). ‘Brilliant, I enjoyed your poems thoroughly. I can hear the underlying German and Nepali thoughts within your English language. The strictness of the German form mixed with the vividness of your Nepalese mother tongue. An interesting mix. Nepal is a jewel on the Earth’s surface, her majesty and charm should be protected, and yet exposed with dignity through words. You do your country justice and I find your bicultural understanding so unique and a marvel to read.’ Reviewed by Heide Poudel in WritersDen.com 6/4/2007. ‘The manner in which Satis Shroff writes takes the reader right along with him. Extremely vivid and just enough and the irony of the music. Beautiful prosaic thought and astounding writing. ‘Your muscles flex, the nerves flatter, the heart gallops, As you feel how puny you are, Among all those incessant and powerful waves.’ “Satis Shroff’s writing is refined – pure undistilled.” (Susan Marie, www.Gather.com) “I was extremely delighted with Satis Shroff’s work. Many people write poetry for years and never obtain the level of artistry that is present in his work. He is an elite poet with an undying passion for poetry.” Nigel Hillary, Publisher, Poetry Division – Noble House U.K. Copyright © 2009, Satis Shroff (Freiburg)/ Bruce Dobler (Iowa). You may republish this article online provided you keep the byline, the authors’ note, and the active hyperlinks. Communication Module: Creative Writing: Poems, Short-stories, Microstories Lecturer: Satish Shroff, B. Sc (Zoology, Botany), Dipl. Social Sciences, Creative Writing (UK), writer, poet, journalist (The American Chronicle and its affiliated 21 newspapers, USA) and artist. Max. students: 20 ECTS Points: 4 (100 working hours) Ziel: The aim of this course is to develop and improve language creativity in English, learn successful writing habits, work on one’s creative impulse, learn basic writing techniques, and develop an idea factory, improve writing skills and try different genres. Whether it’s poetry, short-stories, microstories, fiction or non-fiction, you have to learn the precise use of language and that’s where Creative Writing comes in. If you’ve always wanted to write an anthology or a book, then join us in an atmosphere of mutual respect, tolerance, cooperation and fun in writing. Creative Writing leads to the critical appreciation of literary works and through it you learn to be a critical writer and a demanding reader. It offers a challenge to the mythology of a writer as a ‘genius.’ The idea of a Creative Writing course, seminar or workshop is nothing new, for writers and poets have in the past such as Lord Byron and Mary Shelley and her husband PB Shelley and Goethe and Schiller have always worked together. It was Ezra Pound who advised TS Eliot to rewrite The Waste Land. I like George Bernard Shaw’s advice: ‘If you do not write for publication, there is little point to writing at all.’ At the end of the course you will get the opportunity to have your submissions (poems, microstories,  short-stories printed in an anthology in the internet, if and when, you give your consent (www.zfs.uni-freiburg.de/studium/creativewriting). I think it’s fun to share your creative works. Inhalt: Every student has to write when he or she studies at the university. In this course we do the basics of writing techniques which can be used for poetry, fiction, non-fiction and short-story and microstory writing. 1. Microstories 2. A Cross-pollination of Forms (Imagery, Inspiration, Poetry) 3. The Interview 4. How to gather stories: Notebooks, Journals, Mining Memory 5. Variety in Your Writing 6.Fiction Techniques in Non-fiction Scientific Writing 7. Dialogue and Plot 8. Writing the Short Story Zu erbringende Leistungen: Active participation throughout the course, writing classwork and homework submissions, writing exercises during the extended weekend courses, Hausarbeit at the end of the course (10 pages). Bemerkungen: Law students are exempted from acquiring performance credits. Knowledge of English literature welcome but not a necessity. Students from all faculties are welcome. Termine: Fr.  11. Juni 10     16:00 – 19:00 Uhr Sa. 12. Juni 10     10 :00 – 17 :30 Uhr Fr.   02 Juli 10      16 :00 – 19 :00 Uhr Sa.  03.Juli 10      10 :00 – 17 :30 Uhr Ort : Uni Freiburg Belegung: ab………………über http://www.zfs.unifreiburg.de/studium/creativewriting A. Thematische Einordnung und spezifische Inhalte der Veranstaltung Every student has to write when he or she studies at the university. In this course we do the basics of writing techniques which can be used for poetry, microstory, short-story (fiction, non-fiction) writing. 1. Microstories 2. A Cross-pollination of Forms (Imagery, Inspiration, Poetry) 3. The Interview 4. How to gather stories: Notebooks, Journals, Mining Memory 5. Variety in Your Writing 6.Fiction Techniques in Non-fiction Scientific Writing 7. Dialogue and Plot 8. Writing the Short Story B. Zentrale Lernziele der Veranstaltung: The central aim of this course is to learn the writing techniques mentioned in the course and as a result, the students should be able to attain a certain amount of proficiency in writing poems, lyrics and texts on their own. Cognitive learning goals: The students learn that writing is a craft, not an art, and write by forming sentences in their minds, adjusting, writing and discovering how to turn the drab (things in life) into the jewel. The students should learn to set a goal (time management) of publishing their verses or prose either on the internet (www.Lulu.com,www.booksie.com(as PDF)  or www.zfs.uni-freiburg.de/studium/creativewriting), as a book or both. The publication helps a student to become a specialist in the field of his or her choice. Affective learning goals: The students will learn to make the precise use of language through text-revisions, and learn to be critical about texts, learn to edit and improve not only their own texts but also those of other writers. To be emotionally attached to words and to use the appropriate words in the best way, for words conjure images, vivid pictures—whether in poetic scenes or in describing an aesthetic product.  That’s what we learn in this course, making use of our cognitive learning goals. What do I expect from you? The desire to develop yourself and be willing to try different genres in creative writing and take your writing further. The ability to work with concentration. The ability to reflect over the themes that we’ve discussed or treated. Flexibility and a fair amount of working under duress (deadlines of budding and professional authors). C. Aufgaben und Leistungen, die die Studierenden erbringen Students are allowed to bring in work in progress Students should make a presentation Project (book, anthology or Hausarbeit (academic dissertation, short-story, a collection of poems or microstories or both) Arbeitsaufwand for students  ca. 100 hours. Method and Competence: The lectures will be combined and activated with methods that have the aim to get more out of a theme through brainstorming, group-puzzle and the use of writing templates (eg. software) and take your writing forward. We’ll be using different learn methods and social forms like writing on your own, sharing your work with a group and presenting it in a peer-plenum to acquire useful feedback. We’ll be experimenting with stream of consciousness and the interior monologue to enhance your powers of observation and description by starting a Creative Writing diary till the end of the course and beyond. Oscar Wilde said: ‘I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.’ We’ll find appropriate triggers to gain access to our memories. We’ll be using the autogenic exercise to go back to your past as though you’re as a child on film. You will learn how to make your characters lead their inner lives. You will learn to train your writer’s ear to transform actual speech into carefully crafted dialogue. You’ll learn to flesh out your story by creating a portfolio for each character. You will understand how much there is to know about a character that you’ve created. Social Competence: This course will enable and encourage you to learn in a team Develop the ability  to communicate with others and your readers Show willingness to co-operate with others by reading and commenting on texts of other writers. The will to solve a conflict when it appears in the writing class. The ability to get into the thoughts of the other writers and examine their viewpoint by exchanging texts. The desire to come to an agreement, compromise and look for a mutual solution. D. Basisliteratur Allen, R.: Literatur in 5 Minuten. Ein Schnellkurs. Zweitausendeins Frankfurt. 2002. Bernays. A., Painter, P. : What if? Harper Collins Publishers. New York. 1990. Millner, C.: Write From the Start. Simon and Schuster. 1992 Stein, S.: Write pro fiction. Das Erfolgsprogramm für Schriftsteller. Zweitausendeins Frankfurt. 2002. Truss, Lynne.: Eats, Shoots & Leaves. Gotham Books. 2004 www.dobler’s dozen * * * Please look below for more interesting information on writers’ resources, prizes, sites, authors etc. Look up Bruce Dobler for more tips on Creative Writing themes * * * PRIZES: Major new international literary prize announced: English PEN is delighted to learn of the launch of a major new international literary prize – the Man Booker International Prize.  Awarded once every two years to a living author who has published fiction either originally in English or whose work is generally available in translation in the English language, the prize will highlight one writer’s continued creativity, development and overall contribution to fiction on the world stage. It is good news for the Writers in Translation programme – as well as the reading public – that literature in English translation will be eligible for consideration in what promises to be a very high-profile prize. PRIZES/Wettbewerb/Competitions: info@bosch-stiftung.de kulturamt@heidelberg.de wissenschaftsministerium@mwk-bw.de Evang.Buchpreis: dveb@dveb.info gedok@gedok.de mail@lcb.de (Lyrik-Debut-Preis) verein.exil@utanet.at (schreiben zwis. Den Kulturen-Preis) kuenstlergilde@t-online.de (Lyrikpreis) Literaturförderung Baden-Württ: akademie@solitude.s.schuttle.de info@schriftsteller-in-bawue.de ·                                             2007 Fish International Poetry Prize – A Fish poetry writing contest – [ Diese Seite übersetzen ] “Is there no room for poetry in such a thing as this?” And of course, there had to be. So last year we introduced the Fish International Poetry Prize, …http://www.fishpublishing.com/2007-fish-international–poetry-prize.php – 17k – Im Cache – The winner of the inaugural Fish International Poetry Prize is Richard Rudd with The Siren Lovers. Richard is from Totnes, Devon in England. … http://www.fishpublishing.com/2006-fish-international–poetry-prize.php – 25k – Im Cache – Ähnliche Seiten [ Weitere Ergebnisse von www.fishpublishing.com ] The web site of the Plough Poetry Prize, an annual open poetry competition, and the Plough Arts Centre’s Open Mike and Poetry Nights. http://www.theploughprize.co.uk/ – 13k – Im Cache – Ähnliche Seiten ·                                             lyrikline [Links] Magazine for international poetry in english translations. … The most important Poetry Prize in the English speaking part of Canada. … http://www.lyrikline.org/index.php?id=70&L=1 – 39k – Im Cache – Ähnliche Seiten ·                                             Nimrod International Literary Journal : Awards – [ Diese Seite übersetzen ] The editors of Nimrod International Journal are delighted to announce the winners, … Nimrod/Hardman Awards: The Pablo Neruda Prize in Poetry … http://www.utulsa.edu/nimrod/awards.html – 36k – Im Cache – Ähnliche Seiten ·                                             openPR.de – Pressemitteilung – extremnews.com – Oswald LeWinter … Pressemitteilung von extremnews com Oswald LeWinter erhält den Khalil Gibran International Poetry Prize Die in 1979 vom ehemaligen libanesischen … http://www.openpr.de/news/131829/Oswald-LeWinter-erhaelt-den-Khalil-Gibran-International–Poetry-Prize.html – 64k – Im Cache – Ähnliche Seiten ·                                             Strokestown International Poetry Festival – [ Diese Seite übersetzen ] His first visit to Strokestown was as one of the judges of the Strokestown International Poetry Prize in 2003. He liked it so much he keeps coming back. … http://www.strokestownpoetry.org/ – 26k – Im Cache – Ähnliche Seiten ·                                             The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry: Winners Press Release – [ Diese Seite übersetzen ] Judge Karen Solie announced the International winner and John Burnside announced the Canadian winner of the 2007 Griffin Poetry Prize. … http://www.griffinpoetryprize.com/awards_winners.php – 19k – Im Cache – Ähnliche Seiten ·                                             The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry: Shortlist 2005 … – [ Diese Seite übersetzen ] GRIFFIN POETRY PRIZE 2005. International Winner. Click here to purchase Selected Poems: 1963-2003, by Charles Simic. Book: Selected Poems: 1963-2003 … http://www.griffinpoetryprize.com/shortlist_2005.php?t=7 – 21k – Im Cache – Ähnliche Seiten ·                                             The Arvon Foundation – Creative writing courses, taught by … – [ Diese Seite übersetzen ] The winners of this year’s Arvon International Poetry Competition have been announced. The winning poets are: Farrer & Co First Prize £5000 … http://www.arvonfoundation.org/pages/content/index.asp?PageID=22 – 26k – Im Cache – Ähnliche Seiten COURSES: Arvon Foundation: Residential courses taught by professional authors like Philip Pullman, Ali Smith and Andrew Motion at centres in Devon, Yorkshire, Shropshire and Inverness-shire. The courses are open to all and grants are available for people in financial need. Satis Shroff is a prolific writer and teaches Creative Writing at the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg (Germany). http://www.zfs.uni-freiburg.de/zfs/dozent/lehrbeauftragte4/index_html/#shroff. British Council: Literature & Creative Writing :The British Council’s online guide to creative courses and summer schools in the UK. Script Factory: Workshops and course information for people who want to be professional scripwriters. trAce: Original new media writing, creative online courses, articles and a broad range of resources from Nottingham Trent University. Courses * * * Please read my articles: www.facebook.com/satis.shroff “Please read my articles: http://www.americanchronicle.com/authors/view/168 “. www.worldsentinel.com/categories/world/France www.slowtrains.com/rave_on/rave_on.html www.star.cityes.org/…/the-official-catalogue-of-the-members-of-w.p.s.-19-july-2006-8-june-2008.html www.brooklynartproject.ning.com/…/satis–shroff-in-lyrik www. publishedauthors.ning.com/profiles/blog/list?user Please read my articles  www.americanchronicle.com/articles/67131 Im Schatten des Himalaya by Satis Shroff in Poetry: Im Schatten des Himalaya by Satis Shroff: Themen der Geschichten und Gedichten sind ua: Kampf um Demokratie (My Nepal: Quo vadis? www.lulu.com/browse/book_view.php?fCID…5 www.satisshroff.wordpress.com/ethnomedical-therapy-2008-satis-shroff/ www.searchwarp.com/Author83824.htm www.jacketflap.com/profile.asp?member=Satis www.bookmarket.ning.com/profile/satisshroff www.ayjw.org/articles.php?id=911453 www.satisshroff.wordpress.com www.americanchronicle.com/articles/51877 www.booksie.com/poetry/…/nepal-blues-(satis–shroff) www.authorsden.com/visit/viewPoetry.asp?… www.boloji.com/places/0039.htm www.gurkhas.com/ShowArticle.aspx?ID=187 www.ayjw.org/articles.php?id=942415 www.interpoetry.com/satisshroff19.html www.sonog.com/viewwriting.php www.asianamericanpoetry.com/show_poem.php?…Satis_Shroff3e016vkamq www.thepeopleslounge.ning.com/profile/SatisShroff www.musesreview.org/html/main.php?g2… www.voicesnet.mobi/mobidisplayonedoc.asp?.. www.satisshroff-zeitgeist.blogspot.com/2008/05/blog-post.html Satis Shroff with Swiss geologist Toni Hagen at a Freiburger pub … – [ Diese Seite übersetzen ]Satis Shroff with Swiss geologist Toni Hagen at a Freiburger pub. www.flickr.com/photos/28329074@N02/2645811732/

http://www.english.pitt.edu/people/faculty/dobler/publications.html – 10k – Cached – Similar pages

Please look up Bruce Dobler for more tips on Creative Writing themes, sites, authors, courses etc.

On the road with Rip Van Winkle

By Bruce Dobler. It sounded too good to be true — I was going on the road with Dow … Bruce Dobler teaches writing at the University of Pittsburgh. … http://www.post-gazette.com/books/reviews/20031228doblerp4.asp – 17k – Cached – Similar pages

Bruce Dobler – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In 1969-1970, Dobler was the first “writer-in-residence” at Philips Exeter Academy. Later he taught English Literature and Writing at Windham College, … en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Dobler – 15k – Cached – Similar pages

Explore the Works of Bruce Dobler

Explore the Works of Bruce Dobler. Explore the Works of Bruce Dobler. Self: Bruce Dobler. Stone Reader (2002). 1. Where’s My Stuff? … http://www.amazon.com/gp/imdb/actor/nm1328644 – 32k – Cached – Similar pages

0316189154: Icepick: A novel about life and death in a maximum …

Bruce Dobler. Bookseller: Spotlight Books/Virginia Social Ventures … Dobler, Bruce. Bookseller: D and C Books (formerly D and D Books ) … http://www.abebooks.com/sm-search-0316189154-icepick-a-novel-about-life-and-death-in-a–is!0316189154.html – 79k – Cached – Similar pages

BFI | Film & TV Database | DOBLER, Bruce

DOBLER, Bruce · Filmography · Related events. Database Links … DOBLER, Bruce. Date of birth: Unknown. Activities. Cast (1). Biography Author … ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/1120246 – 10k – Cached – Similar pages

WRITERS LINKS

Where are the best all-around WRITERS’ websites?

Writer’s Digest

http://www.writersdigest.com/

Preditors and Editors

http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/

Writers Resources (from dictionary.com)

http://www.dictionary.com/Dir/Arts/Writers_Resources/

The Write News

http://writenews.com/

Writing World.com

http://www.writing-world.com/

Writing.com

http://www.writing.com/

The Writer’s Almanac (Garrison Keillor)

http://almanac.mpr.org/

Burry Man Writers Center

http://www.burryman.com/

The Book Browser: A Guide for Avid Readers

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/subjects/subjects.asp?
sourceid=40234846&userid=Mo5ovfh9kI&cds2Pid=1655

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American Chronicle | Liederkranz: A Wreath of Songs

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via American Chronicle | Liederkranz: A Wreath of Songs.

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