CMW Community

Hello Mennonite writers,
As a Mennonite composer, I recently led a conference Sound in the Land – Music and the Environment at Conrad Grebel/University of Waterloo for which we sought and performed environmentally-themed music by Mennonite composers. But now I am now planning to create a new work featuring words of Mennonite writers speaking about the earth, for the upcoming Mennonite/s Writing in Fresno. I would like to invite you to send me anything you have written which speaks about the earth and your relationship to, observations of, sense of connection with the earth. It is my belief that our fore bearers lived much more connectedly with the earth than do many of us, with all their gardening, farming, and tilling of the land. But I also believe we have some of that care for the earth within us, yet today. So I would like to hear what you say about the earth. The piece I an envisioning will have a soundscape of natural and human sounds as well as some live music, but will mostly feature spoken word -- your words about the earth.

I am looking for writings that speak of your sense of 'urgency' about and/or love for the earth. These could observations of a natural area you visit, love, believe in, or comments about your gardening, wilderness adventuring, birding, time spent in nature. The format could be:
• already-written or newly written poetry or prose
• short-short stories about a grandmother, mother, father, or other relative who lived 'close to the earth'
• narratives pertaining to yourself or family members, regarding the earth
• stream-of-consciousness words or ideas free of formal grammar or syntax

Even if your work is published, I'd still need you to email me the text via regular email text, pdf, or word files, rather than refer me to a printed volume I may not have, or which may be difficult to find.

I would need to hear from you by no later than November 15 in order to create this piece for the Fresno Mennonite/s Writing Conference. I'll stay in touch with you, and should I be able to use your work, I will fully credit you. Let me know if you have any questions. I look forward to hearing from you!

cheers,
Carol

Carol Ann Weaver <caweaver@uwaterloo.ca>
Professor Emerita of Music
Conrad Grebel University College, University of Waterloo
Home address: 132 Avondale Ave.
Waterloo, ON N2L 2C3 Canada