O Dolphin in the Deep: Poetry and Prose

By Ruth Yonan Iyengar

O Dolphin in the Deep focuses on the natural world, peace and social justice issues, family life and community. Youll read copies of the authors articles published in Florida Wildlife magazine and in local publications in Sanibel, Florida and Evanston, Illinois. Several of Iyengars writings were selected for public Reads on Sanibel Island. Some of her poems became lyrics to be enjoyed by children of all ages. The score of An Alligators a Creature to Fear, is also included.

You will laugh with the author in On Taking Ones Husband to the Doctor, and grieve with her in Silent Heroes The Living Wounded. Youll enjoy the authors poetry about her grandchildren in touching situations. Her excerpt , Dust in Your Shoes, from the manuscript in progress, Our Little Assyrian Girl, is previewed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jun 6, 2012
• ISBN: 9781475926118

Ruth Yonan Iyengar

Born in Chicago, Ruth Yonan Iyengar received her education at Park University in Missouri and Indiana University. Upon graduation she taught in the Park Ridge, Illinois School District. Following her teaching career, she was on the administrative staff of a homeless shelter in Evanston, Illinois. Iyengar has been active in theater as a performer and a playwright. The musical play, Mama, Mamee, a collaborative work, (see Acknowledgements for more information) received a professional reading at Theatre Building Chicago in 2003. She resides with her husband, Hal Iyengar, in Fort Myers, Florida and Burlington, Vermont. ([e-mail])

Book preview

Copyright © 2012 by Ruth Yonan Iyengar.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

iUniverse books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

iUniverse

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.iuniverse.com

1-800-Authors (1-800-288-4677)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4759-2610-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4759-2611-8 (ebk)

iUniverse rev. date: 05/24/2012

Contents

Acknowledgements

black.jpg WILDLIFE

O Dolphin in the Deep

black.jpg An Alligator’s a Creature to Fear*

An Alligator’s a Creature to Fear

Fish or Starve

I’m a Loggerhead

How much do we really care about wildlife?*

The Gull has a Mind of His Own

The Royal Terns are Holding Court

An Osprey Grand

Six Pelicans

Sanderlings

black.jpg FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Helen Yonan, Our Beloved Mother

Assyrian Feast Day

My Younger Brother, David, turns 60!

My All-knowing

Eleven-month-old Granddaughter, Lila

A Ribbon Round His Heart

The Girl with the Flappy Pants

Escorting Lila

Instructions for my Babysitter

On Taking One’s Husband to the Doctor

The Tooth Fairy was Broke

On Top of Scrag Mountain

Morgan—1940

Going My Way?

You’re Riding Shotgun, Ruth!

I Drink Too Much

A Friend No More

black.jpg PEACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

A Dish of Democracy

Who’s Guilty?

A Grandmother for Peace

Osama, I grieve

Silent Heroes—The Living Wounded

Waiting

hey, man—hey, woman

black.jpg POTPOURRI

Charley—Friday, August 13th

A Bed of Leaves

Ode to the Wood

BIG ARTS*, not small arts

One Day

The Friendly Who?

Don’t Try the Causeway

A Heart of Gold

Rollin’ down the Rails

A Woman Named Diane

Distancing

One Pair of African Eyes

Maasai Woman

The Pink Inner Tube and Bobbing Head

The Sanibel Stoop

An Evening with Tasha Tudor

black.jpg OUR LITTLE ASSYRIAN GIRL

Dust in Your Shoes

About the Photographer

For my family of loved ones

in

Florida, Maryland, Vermont, Washington,

Illinois and

India

Acknowledgements

My writing was greatly enhanced after moving to Sanibel Island, Florida for the winter season. I was fortunate to join Island Writers Group Two, one of five critiquing groups on the island. The members challenged me with their questions and thoughtful suggestions. I am indebted to the following individuals for their expertise and valuable insight: Betty Anholt, Hazel Barber, Don Brown, *Eleanor Brown, Jack Chappell, Mike Derechin, Carol Ehrlich, *Maria Farone, Bev Forslund, Joan Grindley, Dick Jacker, Jean Jensen, *Marilyn Koren, Mort Levy, Jeri Magg, Judy Maurer, Cecie Munkenbeck, Steve Oberbeck, Jennifer Parrish, Vivian Pyke, Sallie Rich, *Don Rothschild, Steve Ruediger, Di Saggau, and Dawn Schumann.

In the late 1980s I attended the Off Campus Writers Workshop (OCWW) in Winnetka, Illinois—a venue for writers from the North Shore of Chicago. Their monthly meetings, with programs led by professional writers, were very beneficial. My story, Assyrian Feast Day, was critiqued by Marcia Portnoy, one of the program speakers at OCWW.

Don Maurer, a dear friend, used Photoshop skillfully to perfect the resolution of the interior photos.

I collaborated with Judith Marinelli Godfrey on a musical with an Indian theme. Her contribution was extremely valuable. I wrote the book for Mama, Mamee, Godfrey composed the music and we were co-lyricists. Shubhendra Rao composed two Indian Classical Ragas.

I am also indebted to my brother, Dave Yonan, my sister, Esther Yonan Franz, and my sister-in-law, Nancy Block Yonan, for their help with some of the family stories. In the process of writing I could sense the spirit of my deceased brother, Sam, saying ‘Go for it, Ruth.’

My daughter, Sona, with her writing and communication skills, was extremely helpful with my prose. Her gift, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, gave me the impetus I needed to begin writing.