Articles written by S.E. Ingraham

What is Helium

About me - S.E. Ingraham

Writer, poet, activist, volunteer - when not tilting at windmills, I enjoy reading my poetry aloud at both The Stroll of Poets (weekly at the Upper Crust) and at the Kasbar with the Raving Poets, and recently at a small teahouse, Steeps. Am the Edmonton coordinator

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Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Soldiers: 1 of 228
Why the Colour Yellow Makes Me Cry We had barely begun to tie the ribbons when she got the news. I noticed the car first, stealing like a grey ghost moving too slowly, stopping finally, across the street. Two senior officers unfolded themselves as if in concert, their faces serious, wearing what all of us identified as 'th... More..
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Insanity: 1 of 142
She's Lost Her Mind She was locked in; she hated that On the ward with the crazy people; she really hated that There seemed to be some dispute as to what to do with her She couldn't quite follow the theme of that For one whole dark night, she stood at the window Staring into the cheerless black , wondering where she'... More..
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: In memory of a loved one: 2 of 122
Dearest Dark Angel She had been searching for him everywhere, it seemed How odd then to see him on the wing of the dark angel Just there at the edge of the busy harbour With gulls wheeling round and noisy, scratching the sky, he was Set to be flown off for eternity if the angel's stance was any indication Her inno... More..
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Being a loser: 1 of 30
Welcome to the Jungle They found him behind a dumpster near the Mustard Seed Church Somebody had beaten the crap out of him, maybe more than one somebodies His handsome face, is unrecognizable, save for a tell-tale tear tattoo 'neath his right eye Blood has encrusted around his nose and mouth, and both eyes are swoll... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Adoption Is it possible to unconditionally love an adopted child?: 1 of 28
This is a subject that is so emotionally loaded for me personally, I hesitated to write about it. Then I decided that for that reason I alone, I could not afford to just vote 'Yes', I needed to speak to the topic. I am an adopted child. My own children are mine by birth but had I been unable to conceive I would have adopted, ... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Parenthood Fatherhood: How being a dad makes you a better person: 1 of 20
The words a father speaks to his children in the privacy of the home are not overheard at the time, but, as in whispering galleries, they will be clearly heard at the end and by posterity. Jean Paul Richter When I started to brainstorm ideas for this piece I went to my usual sources - the Internet, my own collection of books ... More..
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Am I crazy?: 2 of 31
The Dark Holds Sway It's late on the ward, and too quiet Not a good sign, for those used To the vagaries of this place Where preternatural calmness Suggests storm clouds gathering In the minds of those who come Here all too often or even those Who would be initiates this night... More..
Health & Fitness > Bipolar Disorder Can mothers diagnosed with bipolar disorder make good parents?: 3 of 46
My knee-jerk reaction to this question was that it couldn't possibly be for real. After all, what century are we living in? Then reality set in and I realized that the stigma that haunts those with mental illness is every bit as real today as it was ten, twenty even fifty years ago, for many people. What a sad commentary ... More..
Relationships & Family > Friendship Advice Is it better to have a large or small group of friends?: 6 of 91
I found myself wondering as I pondered this debate question what the difference between friends and acquaintances is, and when I looked up the definition in an on-line dictionary, I agreed that a friend, to me, is someone to whom I look with affection and trust, while an acquaintance is someone of whom I may have personal kno... More..
Arts & Humanities > Literature (Other) Should books have ratings like movies to warn parents about inappropriate content?: 6 of 74
When I consider the idea of books with ratings like movies, shades of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, occur to me, and the chill of censorship is in the air. Books should not have ratings like movies. Think about it, who decides where to draw the line, that is, what committee will be assembled to determine the ratings that wi... More..