2010

Word Worth Volume X, 2010, Issues are available by clicking on the name of the month below. Adobe Reader is needed to access them. A free copy is available here>
Editorials	Arts	Columns
Burden of Knowledge—Graceann Macleod	January	Nomenclature—Helen Peppe
I've written previously that, because I do work as a copy-editor/proof-reader, typographical errors fairly leap off the page at me when I'm trying to read for enjoyment. This is a frustration and mars the pleasure I seek in the printed page. Thankfully, I'm not as well versed in other areas, so I am able to relax and let those experiences wash over me.	The Style-Rite Hair-O-Matic Model 500 by Philip K. Edwards	The last three kids out of nine were the only ones who got nicknames, except for...Sharon, who they sometimes called Shinky Bell just to irritate her. My mother, if angry, called me piss pot. My father would...even coin God damn nuisance .... If I had been a dog, I'd never have learned to come when called because I wouldn’t have known my name.
Love Child?—Not Hardly—Anna Seymour	February	The Rocks—Elizabeth Morana
As a result of the damage that stray pairing has done to individuals, families, societies, and even nations, human cultures have rules for unions. When the rules are broken and offspring result the children have been referred to as bastards and as being illegitimate. Recently, ... a number of sources refer to such a child as a “Love Child.” That label is far worse ...	Poetry by Jennifer Campbell	I went to see the flat rocks in the creek today. I went to feel them pressing into the earth beneath my boots, to smell their wet muddiness, to curve them in the palm of my hand, to crouch down and fling them across the surface of the water and watch them skip—five, six, even seven times—before they disappeared underneath the flowing current of Tannery Brook.
Civility: Endangered...—Graceann Macleod	March	Survivors of La Revolucion—Art Schwartz
The world is a busy place. It's difficult to navigate, especially lately. I realize that all of us have a great deal on our minds and numerous obligations to juggle. The disappointing trend I've encountered is that, in our rush to get to our next appointment or fulfill our most pressing responsibility, something crucial has been left by the wayside: common, basic courtesy.	Photography by Armin W. Helz	When the Fidelistas began coming out of the hills in 1957, I was living with Tamara, in the little room where she lived and worked, at Nilda's Salon, the finest brothel in Havana. Nilda's was given that high rating by a friendly taxi driver who had picked me up at the Hotel Nacional, where, on my first night in Havana, I had won 900 dollars at the blackjack tables in Wilbur Clark's casino. This street-wise...
Spring—Marien Helz	April	Presumed Innocent—Elaine Greensmith Jordan
“April is the cruelest month”—Not! Especially after the recent winter with snow up to our ears and localities blowing their budget on blowing snow, April with the promise of sunshine is more than welcome. NOAA promises us mostly sun for the first days of the month and that can’t help but bring the proverbial sigh of relief as we look for the flowers of Spring. We, therefore, offer a photographic ode to the vernal blossoms that have already been pushing up through diminishing piles of sooty snow.	Biography of a Thief Part I by Philip K. Edwards	Within a few months I learned of Sally’s death. My guess is she hoarded drugs and killed herself. The news toppled me, and I try to forget everything that happened, but when I wear the glittering earrings she persuaded me to buy, I remember. My friend walked with difficulty in those days. I had to match my pace to her slower one because she’d injured her back and never fully recovered. We would stroll down the main street of the pleasant San Diego neighborhood at our lunch hour—
Once Upon a Time With a Cat—Aurelia Carter	May	Grandma—Barbara DuBois
That’s how an ideal fairy tale would start, really. “Once upon a time, with a cat .…” And it would likewise end, that perfect story, “so they all lived happily ever after, with their cat.” If you have a cat you probably know what I mean. If you don’t, let me try to explain. Some people take coffee breaks; at the moment I work from home, and I take cat breaks. When I’ve finished part of a task or have hit some minor wall, I search out my cat—usually asleep on the couch—and rub his neck until he stretches ....	Biography of a Thief Part II by Philip K. Edwards	...Bobbie didn’t answer. She hated the smelly outhouse so much that she preferred to antagonize her grandma rather than to go out there, especially now that she was all dressed up for church. But Grandma was dressed up too and still had to clean up after the spoiled city child. Grandma was a good cleaner; to support herself and her invalid husband, she rushed down the mountain to the train station whenever the whistle warned. Her job was to sweep and clean the passenger cars when the train stopped at the town.
When Is A Genital “Nick” OK?—Rita Banerji	June	How I Broke My Arm and...—Barbara DuBois
When I heard the recent May announcement by the American Association of Pediatrics (AAP), to take a neutral stand on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and allow doctors to do a genital “nick” on little girls, I remembered the girl I will call “Lily. “ She was a Hmong-American girl and one of my best friends when I was in college. Lily came across as a cheerful and carefree person, but it was only when I got to know her closely...	Defense Against the Thunder by Arthur Swartz	Memorial Day weekend was dreary. Not only were there persistent showers, but all the drains had stopped up. This was the second year we'd had this in May, so it looked as if we'd have to do away with our lovely old cottonwood tree. We kept thinking the rain might stop for a set or two of tennis, but the puddles on the court were discouraging. By Monday evening, we felt so housebound that we went to play with broom and squeegee as well as rackets. We had played only ten minutes when the sprinkles began again.
Student A—Sean Flury	July & August	Confessions of a Reluctant ...—Marie O'Donnell
Student A, one of 76.6 million in the United States, doesn’t know very much. Student A is mostly ignored and Student A does not benefit from oversight. In the past few years, education has taken a backseat in Washington. With state budgets in the deep red and an ever expanding federal deficit, talk has turned from educational initiatives to funding cuts. ... but America’s statistics are eye-opening. The Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), a Paris-based economic development organization...	Poetry by Robert Coats	It all started off so innocently. I never set out to become a resident of the “Potterverse,” the world of everything Harry Potter-related. I definitely never expected to become a devoted fan (called “Fangirls”) of the snarky Potions’ Master, Severus Snape. I’m a mature woman, with grandchildren, even — which was the excuse I used to read the first “kid’s” book about the boy wizard and his adventures. The last thing I expected was to become someone who gets as thrilled ...
Meeting Charlie Poole—Aurelia Carter	September & October	Shocking Reality—Joshua DeMont
Of course, my story is practically a cliché. It seems that everyone who likes Charlie Poole has what feels to be a deeply personal connection not only to his music, but to Poole himself: he has changed the trajectory of musicians’ careers, inspired revivals, stimulated historical & cultural scholarship, motivated the continual reissuing of his recordings—and, not least of all, spurred the Charlie Poole Music Festival in his hometown of Eden, North Carolina.	Pictures of the Charlie Poole Music Festival	What should have been a routine traffic stop ended with the Tasering of a 72 year old great grandmother. She was pulled over by Travis County (TX) Constable Richard McCain, who felt it necessary and justified to Taser Kathryn Winkfein for refusing to sign a speeding ticket and her use of profanity. The incident was caught on police dash-cam, and soon electrified the nation as she was shown screaming in pain on major media outlets and the internet.
Looking Forward—M H Perry	November & December	Game Change—Marien Helz
Word Worth^® is now more than a decade old, and we have completed our tenth volume. We have reached and published people from overseas whom we would have never known about were it not for their interest in us and in ideas and the arts. We have seen the careers of people we first published soar in terms of promotions, opportunities, and worldwide reputation. Many literary magazines publish a ...	Poetry Contest Awards	As a result of catapultic advances in technology, the 2008 presidential campaign was surely the most followed and obsessed over race in history. The internet be came nearly addictive to voters, and candidates had an unprecedented tool for connecting to their constituency. It would seem that there would be little left to learn about inside details, yet Game Change can draw you right back...