It is a week after the historic election of Barack Obama. What a joy!!! But at the same time I am embarrassed for my country in that 4 states chose to go backwards in human relations. They chose to discriminate against LGBT people. Tune in to my podcast of the same name and hear me read my poem called “The Poem That Needs to be Written” about the science behind human sexuality, the politics of it and the immorality of denying rights to a whole group of humans.

Cynthia

Here we are again in October, the month that ends with the fear ritual, Halloween. Why do we require this ritual yearly? I think it is because we live in a scary world, an unpredictable world, a world of “others,” and we have to be taught as children that we can still survive in it, and even get rewarded for our assertiveness (i.e. candy treats.) If you go to my podcast of the same name you will hear me reading the poem, Visions and Visitors. I wrote it this past year about my childhood experiences in the month of October (mice in the walls etc.) And then I discuss fear and ghosts and all kinds of scary things. Enjoy the fall. Cynthia

Check out my podcast called, Poem for Obama and McCain, where I read my poem Please Use These Words for Children. It is time to change the direction of this country. Cynthia

 Come and visit me at the White Pine Arts Festival in Stillwater MN from the week of June 17th -22nd, and look up the festival on the web for its busy schedule. I’ll be conducting workshops and doing a reading at Belwin Nature Center on Sunday June 22, at 11 am, after which you can take a nature walk through the center. I have written a whole book full of poems since I was at the festival last year, and I read one of those poems on my current podcast called Forgive My Trespassing. Hope to see you there. Cynthia

I am deeply disappointed in the latest ELCA sexuality study. I have written a poem called “The Poem That Needs to be Written” and I read it on this month’s podcast (click podcast icon.) Cynthia

On my January podcast I read the poem “Frozen Ground” and discuss ways to think about what needs to be thawed in your own life. There is also a poetry prompt in the podcast. What will this year bring that will thaw long forgotten or neglected issues, projects, dreams? Click on the podcast at my home web page and you will hear it on your computer. Happy New Year to you all.

Cynthia Gustavson

It’s only the beginning of December and already the holiday has taken over everyone’s sanity. How do we manage the holiday to our own liking? Tune into my podcast (called Quiet Christmas) where I read a poem about my childhood Christmases and discuss how to keep the beauty in Christmas. Don’t let the world take away your magic, your spirit. Keep it alive. Blessing to you all, Cynthia

Is food a problem on Thanksgiving? Or is food the solution on Thanksgiving? Tune in to my podcast of the same name and hear me read “Comfort” a poem from my book Re-Versing the Numbers: A Poetry Workbook for Eating Disorders, about comfort foods. I discuss how they can be helpful and harmful, and then I talk about the holiday Thanksgiving, which is on its way soon, and how it can become a nightmare, if we let it. Hope the fall is cool, crisp and a comfort to you all. Cynthia

It is October and I have been to two funerals already. The days are shorter, the weather is cooler, and the issue of loss is closer at hand. Tune into my podcast, named Loss, to hear a discussion and poem about what loss means to us, and how our culture doesn’t acknowledge that we need time to recover from it. By the way, those who do not have e-pods (such as myself) can still hear the podcasts on their computer. So go to www.cynthiagustavson.com and click podcast, and listen. Enjoy the changing of the leaves, and the cool breezes. Cynthia