The Exchange

When we return home from war, it's difficult to fit back into a society that has no clue what you have been through and what lies ahead of you for years to come. As we are all celebrating or just reminiscing on this Memorial Day, think about the exchange between a veteran and a civilian, write about it, and reflect upon it.

This is my first post here on the Warrior Writers Blog. I am writing this to ask if there is anyone out there who is willing to edit a manuscript (as I will be willing to do likewise).
I'm looking for someone to pick out glaring mistakes (for several novels)... Not 'workshopped' in any sense. So consider this a post for everyone to reach out to someone (with similar writing styles or themes—not necessarily me) to edit/copyedit their manuscript.

I hope that this will provide a proper channel for writers out there to polish their work.

I have some excerpts of some of my writing here. You can see them on the popular blog posts on the right of the page.

untitled

looking out into the night
I think of you
hiding under the same sky
seeking cover from mad men
hoping no one hears
your silent screams

I see my reflection

in a shard of broken glass
and I remember
you've seen me broken
you saw me break
hiding under the same sky
seeking cover from mad men
hoping someone hears
my silent screams


from: Life and Death in Translation

Children...

Children...

Some children smile,

Some children throw(bottles).

Some throw bottles...

with explosives...

did they know that...

were ready.

did they know that we think its better them than us?

Sorry...

I already know I’m here to survive.

Why do I need to be here only to survive?

Now I’m back, why is this, all I needed to feel?

Feel...

Relief...

Relief that I breathe.

Relief I’m breathing.

Trauma that I rock.

Back...

and,

Fourth.

In bed,

Through the night,

Sheets thrown about.

I hope this doesn’t last me throughout the rest of my life.

Inner Voices: Occupy Space

Hey everyone! I have created the second in a series of poetry shows in NYC. Check my FB page for details under Nicole Goodwin: Events (Inner Voices). Or hit me up for details at ngoodwin07@yahoo.com hope to see ya'll on Nov.19th! And remember "OCCUPY EVERYTHING!"

NEEDED: COPY EDITORS!

Hello Friends,

As you know, the Warrior Writers' third anthology will be released in a few weeks, so we'll need volunteers for copy editors to edit the work of our veterans!

The third anthology features the work of about 60 veterans from all branches of the military and all pockets of the United States. With the platform provided by Warrior Writers, these veterans have reflected on years of service to share their experiences with us. Our goal is to have the book published by Veterans' Day, so volunteer your time for the veterans who had the courage to share their military experiences with not only Warrior Writers, but others around the country who will read the book.

If you are interested, please email info@warriorwriters.org!


Your time is appreciated,

Warrior Writers - Philadelphia

Indoctrination

Warrior Writers Chicago is in week 3 of a 6-week residency at a local community art space called Mess Hall. The theme of this week's workshops is "indoctrination." During this workshop, facilitators ask veterans to reflect on their training in the military. What values did you learn to adopt? What changes did you undergo during training? What did you begin to believe that you hadn’t believed before training? How did your time away affect your life, family, community?

Here is mine:

Indoctrination

We did jumping jacks until we called them side-straddle hops.
We walked with ruck sacks on our backs until we called it humping.
We accepted punishment until we called it discipline.
We shouted cries for death until we called it singing.
We fired guns until we called them weapons.
We shot at plastic people until we called them “enemy.”
We studied myths until we called them realities.
We trained to oppress populations until we called it liberating them.
We said awful things about stomping babies until we called them jokes.
We did the wrong things until we called them right.
We instilled and lived in fear until we called it love.
We called it all something else until we believed it.