ARCHIVE 2019 - the cherita

A N N O U N C E M E N T S A R C H I V E

23 December 2019

I would like to wish all our contributors, readers of the cherita and visitors to our website a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a safe and peaceful New Year.

All the best to you for 2020.

In light,

ai li

20 December 2019

a home for the wind
edition 3:8
edited by ai li

This edition of a home for the wind showcases 90 fine cherita and cherita terbalik from writers and poets who hail from UK, USA, Singapore, New Zealand, Lithuania, Canada, India, Australia, Pakistan and Germany.

a home for the wind is the eighth edition for our third year, and our first edition for 2020.

I have decided to launch this first edition of the cherita for 2020 a little earlier than expected to avoid any unnecessary delays that could have arisen with the busy festive season.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our contributors and readers who have tirelessly given so much of their support to continue storytelling via Cherita during 2019, and wish everyone a Happy, Healthy and prosperous New Year.

The Chinese New Year falls on Saturday 25 January 2020 and it will be the Year of the Rat. With this auspicious day looming, I’ve decided to also launch my new sixth cherita book – dream merchant to coincide with the New Year celebrations. This book will have 90 virgin Cherita. You can find more details for the book below.

I have edited a home for the wind as I have all the other editions of the cherita, to be experienced two ways. It can be read as one storybook but also as an anthology of individual poems. Two reading experiences within one book, filled with stories of Life, Love and Loss.

cherita terbalik continues to capture the imagination of poets and there are again fine examples in a home for the wind.

Featured Poets as they appear in this edition :-

Patricia Prime/ ai li/ Kath Abela Wilson/ Taura Scott/ Erika Wilk/ Larry Kimmel/ Jurate Norvaisiene/ Joanna Ashwell/ Peter Jastermsky/ Sigitas Tutlys/ Goda V. Bendoraitiene/ Pat Geyer/ Carol Purington/ Gregory Longenecker/ Myrto E. Angeloglou/ Jackie Chou/ Charles Harmon/ Peter Larsen/ Robert Horrobin/ James Won/ Debbie Strange/ Ruth Kay/ S.Radhamani/ Hazel Hall/ John Grey/ Isabella Kramer/ shane pruett/ Tim Callahan/ Robert Stewart/ Hifsa Ashraf/ James Haddad/ Pat Geyer/

EXAMPLE OF WORK for a home for the wind :

a camel train

endless
sand dunes

the bedouin
with
blue eyes

Myrto E. Angeloglou

The cherita lighthouse has been awarded to the following writers and poets in this edition for their timeless Cherita :-

Taura Scott/ Kath Abela Wilson/ Joanna Ashwell/ Pat Geyer/ Myrto E. Angeloglou/ Debbie Strange/

dream merchant
ai li’s sixth book
of Cherita

dream merchant
is my twenty ninth book and it belongs to my Poems for Inner Rooms series which are available in paperback and on kindle on Amazon. It is also my sixth book of Cherita.

This book of 90 virgin cherita poems belongs to a collection of life journals written as contemporary cherita, tanka and haiku. These are poems for inner rooms. They take poetry into the realm of spirit and are touched by zen, loss, joy, the surreal, temps perdu, the erotic, humour, truth, the everyday, and the sublime. All the six senses are here.

The book has been edited to be experienced two ways very much like the cherita. It can be read as a storybook and as an anthology of individual poems.

Here is a cherita example from the book:-

it’s raining

in singapore
just as i’m leaving

i will miss home soil
the smell of evening
come early

ai li

I have enjoyed the challenge of selecting and collating for this edition of the cherita and hope that you will find the cherita within worthy of a campfire gathering and the sharing of meaningful stories.

If this new edition strikes a chord with you, please feel free to review, comment on Amazon or give a feedback directly to me. Many thanks.

Wishing you all Happy Holidays and a safe and peaceful New Year.

ai li
editor

To purchase a print copy and/or a kindle book, please click on the cover below
N.B. There are no images in the print and kindle versions of the cherita..

14 December 2019

GENTLE REMINDER

I am now reading submissions for our February and March 2020 editions

#3:9 and #3:10 of the cherita

Closing dates for submissions are :

31 January 2020 for our February edition #3:9

and the

29 February 2020 for our March edition #3:10

1 December 2019

rush of wings
edition 3:7
edited by ai li

This edition of rush of wings showcases 90 fine cherita and cherita terbalik from writers and poets who hail from UK, USA, Singapore, New Zealand, Lithuania, Germany, Pakistan, India, Romania, and Ireland.

http://www.thecherita.com/rushofwings/

rush of wings is the seventh edition for our third year.

This December edition of the cherita propels us towards the close of 2019 with the festive season and holidays nearly upon us.

You will again find a number of strong collaborative Cherita within [as was in the previous edition], and fine solo Cherita along with pieces from two of my London students Myrto and Ruth who are from my ongoing Life Love and Loss with Cherita writing class. My writing class has produced strong Cherita from Ruth Ingram, Paula Song Sarmonpal, Mekhled Alzaza, Cherie Ghasemloo and now Myrto E. Angeloglou, Ruth Kay and Carmela Centro. I am in the second year of teaching Cherita, and look forward to discovering more natural storytellers who will surprise, perhaps even startle us with their very own authentic way of telling their stories within the pages of the cherita.

I have edited rush of wings as I have all the other editions of the cherita, to be experienced two ways. It can be read as one storybook but also as an anthology of individual poems. Two reading experiences within one book, filled with stories of Life, Love and Loss.

cherita terbalik continues to capture the imagination of poets and there are again fine examples in this edition.

Featured Poets as they appear in this edition :-

Joanna Ashwell/ ai li/ Patricia Prime/ Taura Scott/ Kath Abela Wilson/ Erika Wilk/ Larry Kimmel/ Peter Jastermsky/ Darius Rekis/ Pranas Vaicaitis/ wendy c. bialek/ Dainius Sobeckis/ Dovile Tribiciene/ Tim Callahan/ Jonathan Vos Post/ Pauli Dutton/ Gregory Longenecker/ Elva Lauter/ Pat Geyer/ James Haddad/ Isabella Kramer/ Hifsa Ashraf/ S. Radhamani/ Robert Stewart/ Ruth Kay/ Réka Nyitrai/ Maryalicia Post/ Carol Purington/ Jackie Chou/ Myrto E. Angeloglou/ Michael H. Brownstein/

EXAMPLE OF WORK:

If I forget

to buy a battery
for my watch

will I
be late
for eternity?

Carol Purington

The cherita lighthouse has been awarded to the following writers and poets in this edition for their timeless Cherita :-

Joanna Ashwell/ Kath Abela Wilson/ Taura Scott/ Tim Callahan/ Larry Kimmel/ Maryalicia Post/ Patricia Prime/ Jackie Chou/ Carol Purington/ Myrto E. Angeloglou/ Pat Geyer/

I have enjoyed the challenge of selecting and collating for this edition of the cherita and hope that you will find the Cherita within worthy of a campfire gathering and the sharing of meaningful stories.

If this new edition strikes a chord with you, please feel free to review, comment on Amazon or give a feedback directly to me. Many thanks.

Wishing you all Happy Holidays and a safe and peaceful New Year.

ai li
editor

To purchase a print copy and/or a kindle book, please click on the cover below
N.B. There are no images in the print and kindle versions of the cherita.

15 November 2019

a new cherita book by Larry Kimmel and Sheila Windsor

I am excited to announce the birth of light-borne rain – a new Cherita book from Larry Kimmel and Sheila Windsor from Stark Mountain Press [paperback 4.5 x 7 inches, 100 cherita, 11 illustrations and 115 pages]. I love the title, don’t you ?

These two poets, who are no strangers to the short form constellation of writers and poets, held the fort for Cherita while I was away for over ten years or so to pursue my other interests. I am more than grateful to both of them for their strong and loyal support in keeping storytelling, via Cherita, in the frontlines whilst fanning the campfire ablaze until my return.

This new publication joins the growing number of recent Cherita books that have originated from Africa, India, Ireland, USA and the UK in the last year or so.

You’ll find more information below.

ai li
editor

Announcing light-borne rain (a two-voice cherita improvisation)
by Larry Kimmel and sheila windsor

light-borne rain is widely evocative and emotionally charged story-telling at its very finest. Kimmel and Windsor have crafted each stanza with imagery that tantalises the senses. The twists and turns of each cherita link and shift, and fully engage the reader. The resulting collaborations reflect the creative minds of these two fine poets. This collection is a grand achievement, which will inspire and reward with each successive reading.

Ron C. Moss
Former Secretary of The Australian Haiku Society and author of the new haiku collection, Broken Starfish

_______

Sheila Windsor and Larry Kimmel’s light-borne rain is an engaging cherita conversation between two accomplished writers who have mastered the art of juxtaposing their work. Readers will be entertained by this “jam session”, which features eclectic topics ranging from Pabst to Pinot Noir, Gregorian chant to Dylan, Sappho to Rimbaud, Monet to Dali, Pooh to Barbie, and everything in between!

Debbie Strange, award-winning cherita poet.

_______

If a lot of poetry comes across as studied and overworked, then light-borne rain, the new book of collaborative cherita by Larry Kimmel and Sheila Windsor will be a welcome relief. Allowing themselves no longer than 30 minutes to craft a response to the other’s piece, Larry and Sheila are at their buoyant best. These cherita exude wit and playfulness, as the poets’ use of an eclectic assortment of images make the results feel effortless. This is a book I’ll dip into frequently to savor the craft, as well as the partnership, between these two fine poets.

Peter Jastermsky, award-winning cherita poet.

EXAMPLES OF THE WORK

betrayed

a sea of ghostly thumbnails
laughing … laughing …

toward what grotesque end
this outré twist
of fate

Larry Kimmel

a church in Rouen

we teeter towards
the tipping point

your skin, mine,
as dusty webs
intone unfinished psalms

sheila windsor

Order Here
http://www.winfredpress.com/blog

1 November 2019

the storyteller
edition 3:6 of the cherita

This edition of the storyteller showcases 90 fine cherita and cherita terbalik from writers and poets who hail from UK, USA, Singapore, New Zealand, Israel, Lithuania, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Romania and Pakistan.

http://www.thecherita.com/thestoryteller/

the storyteller is the sixth edition for our third year.

You will find a number of strong collaborative cherita in this edition. For anyone new to the genre, a collaboration can be a quick and excellent way of foraying into the storytelling mode of Cherita with one or two fellow writers. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at what someone else’s sentence or sentences can trigger off in your subconscious, allowing a story to be born.

My special thanks go out to all the poets who participated in the collaborative pieces within this edition, and to all the writers and poets who contributed and helped make this another strong edition.

I have edited the storyteller as I have all the other editions of the cherita, to be experienced two ways. It can be read as one storybook but also as an anthology of individual poems. Two reading experiences within one book, filled with stories of Life, Love and Loss.

cherita terbalik continues to capture the imagination of poets and there are again fine examples in this edition.

Featured Poets as they appear in this edition :-

ai li/ Joanna Ashwell/ Kath Abela Wilson/ Tim Callahan/ Taura Scott/ Patricia Prime/ Joellyn Murphy/ James Haddad/ Jonathan Vos Post/ Myrto E. Angeloglou/ paula song sarmonpal/ Larry Kimmel/ wendy c. bialek/ Erika Wilk/ Zohar Teshartok/ Peter Larsen/ Jurate Norvaisiene/ Mindaugas Valiukas/ Jackie Chou/ Debbie Strange/ Jolanta Lukociene/ Peter Jastermsky/ Mary Gunn/ Isabella Kramer/ Gregory Longenecker/ Sharon Hawley/ Deborah P Kolodji/ Bon Callahan/ Elva Lauter/ Robert Horrobin/ Pauli Dutton/ Pat Geyer/ Réka Nyitrai/ Hifsa Ashraf/ James Won/ Vilija Visockiene/ Gvidas Latakas/

EXAMPLE OF WORK:

through the sunset rain

a rainbow crown
on the nearby hills

memories
of my mother’s voice
calling us home

Patricia Prime

The cherita lighthouse has been awarded to the following writers and poets in this edition for their timeless cherita :-

Joanna Ashwell/ Kath Abela Wilson/ Tim Callahan/ Patricia Prime/ Myrto E. Angeloglou/ Larry Kimmel/ Gregory Longenecker/ Jackie Chou/ Debbie Strange/ wendy c. bialek/

I have enjoyed the challenge of selecting and collating for this November edition of the cherita and hope that you will find the cherita within worthy of a campfire gathering and the sharing of meaningful stories.
If this new edition strikes a chord with you, please feel free to review, comment on Amazon or give a feedback directly to me. Many thanks.

ai li
editor
www.thecherita.com

24 October 2019 UPDATE

ONLY 7 DAYS LEFT FOR YOU TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS GREAT OFFER

FOR ALL USA CONTRIBUTORS AND READERS OF the cherita

Kindle Direct Publishing [FDP] has just informed me they will be retiring their Kindle Matchbook program on 31 October 2019.

For all contributors and readers of the cherita who have not yet purchased relevant editions of the journal but wish to do so, this may be a great opportunity for you to purchase current and earlier paperback and kindle versions at a very attractive price from Amazon before the program is retired.

More details from the link below :-

https://www.amazon.com/gp/digital/ep-landing-page

ai li
editor
www.thecherita.com

1 October 2019

in the night
edition 3:5 of the cherita

This edition of in the night showcases 90 fine cherita and cherita terbalik from writers and poets who hail from UK, USA, Singapore, New Zealand, Italy, India, Romania, Lithuania, Germany, Israel, and Ireland.

in the night is the fifth edition for our third year.

We are almost halfway into our third year of being with this new edition of the cherita. Several new names join us and share with us their stories.

It never fails to amaze and excite me when I receive submissions from new sources of storytelling.

After the launch of three books last month, this current launch is much more of a sedate affair for me which was very much what I needed after all that proof reading, fingers crossing and prayers from the previous launch of what was, in effect, 6 books [3 paperbacks and 3 kindle books].

I have edited in the night as I have all the other editions of the cherita, to be experienced two ways. It can be read as one storybook but also as an anthology of individual poems. Two reading experiences within one book, filled with stories of Life, Love and Loss.

cherita terbalik continues to capture the imagination of poets and there are again fine examples in this edition.

Featured Poets as they appear in this edition :-

Patricia Prime/ Andrew Riutta/ Michael H Lester/ Joanna Ashwell/ Bon Callahan/ Kath Abela Wilson/ James Haddad/ Peggy Castro/ ai li/ Taura Scott/ Gregory Longenecker/ paula song sarmonpal/ Matsukaze/ wendy c. Bialek/ Larry Kimmel/ Angela Giordano/ Neelam Dadhwal/ Réka Nyitrai/ Jackie Chou/ Robert Horrobin/ S.Radhamani/ Erika Wilk/ Peter Larsen/ Myrto Angeloglou/ Vytautas Dumcius/ Mindaugas Valiukas/ Peter Jastermsky/ Isabella Kramer/ Dainius Dirgela/ Zohar Teshartok/ Donaldas Kajokas/ Maryalicia Post/ Sharon Hawley/ Jonathan Vos Post/ James Won/

EXAMPLE OF WORK:

stepping up

to the window
to the light

i hear your voice
telling me
to fly

ai li

The cherita lighthouse has been awarded to the following writers and poets in this edition for their timeless cherita :-

Joanna Ashwell/ paula song sarmonpal/ wendy c. bialek/ Peter Jastermsky/ Isabella Kramer/ Zohar Teshartok/ Réka Nyitrai/ Erika Wilk/ Neelam Dadhwal/

I have posted a long paragraph on our Announcements page [see 28 September posting below] about the lack of acknowledgment for the cherita from a poet, for the re-printing of 11 cherita which had their first publication in 7 editions of the cherita.

I have enjoyed the challenge of selecting and collating for this October edition of the cherita and hope that you will find the cherita within worthy of a campfire gathering and the sharing of meaningful stories.

If this new edition strikes a chord with you, please feel free to review, comment on Amazon or give a feedback directly to me. Many thanks.

ai li
editor
www.thecherita.com

N.B.
Currently you receive ongoing news and updates from the 1-2-3 press [on and about the cherita and cherita]. If you feel that you no longer wish to receive these updates, please unsubscribe. Thank you.

28 September 2019

I discovered only a few days ago that 11 cherita which Larry Kimmel and I accepted from a US poet, and which were first published in earlier editions of the cherita have been re-published in a tanka journal recently without acknowledging their maiden publication in the cherita. [One of the eleven cherita had one line moved by the poet to make into a cherita terbalik, but nevertheless, it remains the same accepted cherita and storyline.]

These 11 cherita had their first publication in 7 editions of the cherita.

I found this lack of acknowledgement to be extremely rude and discourteous especially since this poet was also guilty of simultaneously submitting work before, despite our submission guidelines, and was caught out. I had no choice but to un-accept that particular cherita because it appeared in print in a another journal just before it was due to be published the same month in the cherita. This kind of behaviour is excusable in a novice but this poet has been writing short form for many, many years and should have known better.

Anyone who knows me well, know that I do not, as a rule, ‘rant’ but this goes beyond the pale.

My initial gut reaction to this inconsiderate behaviour was to name and shame her but I have decided to shelf that idea, at least, for now.

Larry and I are on the same page here and feel that the word apology is overdue in this case.

ai li

25 September 2019

AMENDED GENTLE REMINDER

I am now reading submissions for our October and November editions

#3:5 and #3:6 of the cherita

Closing dates for submissions are :

30 September 2019 for our October edition #3:5

and the

31 October 2019 for our November edition #3:6

I look forward to reading your cherita gems. Find the storyteller within and tell me your stories.

ai li

1 September 2019

wondering where
edition 3:4
the thirtieth edition of the cherita
edited by ai li

This edition of wondering where showcases 90 fine cherita and cherita terbalik from writers and poets who hail from UK, USA, Singapore, New Zealand, Canada, India, Poland, Trinidad, Ireland, Philippines, Italy, Romania and Germany.

wondering where is the fourth edition for our third year.

I am more than thrilled to announce the arrival of two new books from the 1-2-3 press, and one new book from the empty press with this mailshot.

Not only do we have the launch of wondering where – the September edition of the cherita, but, at last, I have been able to successfully migrate edition six [originally two volumes of Cherita], into paperback and kindle, and which are now available on Amazon.

Edition six was edited by Larry Kimmel before he sadly stepped down as my co-editor for personal reasons. He has been more than patient with me with regard to the migrating of edition six, for which I am more than grateful. Larry, my dear, you are truly a star.

Due to the two slim volumes of edition six, I have decided to incorporate their contents into one single volume of cherita. Some of you may remember that the two editions were entitled and so we danced and somewhere a carousel. The new title for edition six is come cherita. I hope the revised layout and design will pass muster with our contributors and readers. All contributors’ Cherita remain as before.

The third book which l launched, and which was mentioned above is my new fifth book of exclusively Cherita – the morning songs. I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of producing another book of cherita on the heels of the others. It gave my little grey cells a seriously good workout.

wondering where
edition 3:4 of the cherita

I have edited wondering where as I have all the other editions of the cherita, to be experienced two ways. It can be read as one storybook but also as an anthology of individual poems. Two reading experiences within one book, filled with stories of Life, Love and Loss.

cherita terbalik continues to capture the imagination of poets and there are again fine examples in this edition.

Featured Poets as they appear in this edition :-

Peter Jastermsky/ Patricia Prime/ Mark Gordon/ ai li/ Joanna Ashwell/ Michael H Lester/ Kath Abela Wilson/ Taura Scott/ Paweł Markiewicz/ paula song sarmonpal/ Larry Kimmel/ Debbie Strange/ Rachel M. McKee/ Muskaan Ahuja/ Myrto E. Angeloglou/ Gillena Cox/ wendy c. bialek/ Maryalicia Post/ Tim Callahan/ Maricris Cabrera/ Robert Horrobin/ Matsukaze/ David Palmer/ Andrew Riutta/ Gregory Longenecker/ Angela Giordano/ Isabella Kramer/ Réka Nyitrai/ Peter Larsen/

EXAMPLE OF WORK:

from a whisper

comes a dream
of many colours

a slant of wing
a moving shadow
pieces from a star

Joanna Ashwell

The cherita lighthouse has been awarded to the following writers and poets in this edition for their timeless cherita :-

Peter Jastermsky/ / Joanna Ashwell/ Patricia Prime/ Taura Scott/ Kath Abela Wilson/ Rachel M. McKee/ Muskaan Ahuja/ Maricris Cabrera/ Matsukaze/ Larry Kimmel/ Réka Nyitrai/ Debbie Strange/ paula song sarmonpal / Isabella Kramer/

come cherita
edition 6 of the cherita
edited by Larry Kimmel

This edition of come cherita showcases 90 fine cherita from writers and poets who hail from UK, USA, Singapore, UK, USA, Singapore, Ireland, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Trinidad, West Africa and India.

The featured Poets as they appeared in and so we danced, [the first volume] are :-

Anjela Villarreal Ratliff/ Kirsty Karkow/ Michael McClintock/ Peter Jastermsky/ Maryalicia Post/ Carol Raisfeld/ Larry Kimmel/ Carole McRury/ Alexis Rotella/ Carol Purington/ pamela a. babusci/ Caroline Skanne/ Madhuri Pillai/ Geoffrey Winch/ Elizabeth Alford/ Jennifer Hambrick/ Mark Gordon/ Marilyn Humbert/ John Tehan/ Patricia Prime/ Keitha Keyes/ Elizabeth Howard/ Pat Geyer/ Christine L. Villa/ Teresa Evangeline/ Lesley Anne Swanson/

EXAMPLE OF WORK from and so we danced :

starlight

we flirt
with ideas

rowing
this boat into
midnight

Caroline Skanne

The cherita lighthouse has been awarded to the following writers/poets in this edition for their timeless cherita :-

Maryalicia Post and Caroline Skanne

The featured Poets as they appeared in somewhere a carousel [the second volume] are :-

Teresa Evangeline/ Lesley Anne Swanson/ John Tehan/ Mark Gordon/ Caroline Skanne/ Samantha Sirimanne Hyde/ Gillena Cox/ Tracy Davidson/ Alegria Imperial/ Autumn Noelle Hall/ Alexis Rotella/ Larry Kimmel/ Keitha Keyes/ Carol Raisfeld/ Robin White/ Celestine Nudanu/ Patricia Prime/ Elizabeth Howard/ Samantha Sirimanne Hyde/ Stanford M. Forrester/ Michael H Lester/ Pat Geyer/ Alan Summers/ pamela a. babusci/ ai li/ Rajani Radhakrishnan/ Steve Strang/ Kath Abela Wilson/ Carol Purington/ Peter Jastermsky/

EXAMPLE OF WORK from somewhere a carousel :

midnight

stale tea bubbles
on the pushcart

the mist and I
stop
for a cup

Rajani Radhakrishnan

The cherita lighthouse has been awarded to the following writers/poets in this edition for their timeless cherita :-

John Tehan/ Mark Gordon/ ai li/ Peter Jastermsky/

Lastly, I am delighted to announce the September launch of my new book of Cherita – the morning songs.

the morning songs
ai li’s fifth book of exclusively cherita

This is my twenty eighth book and it belongs to my Poems for Inner Rooms series which are all available in paperback and on kindle on Amazon.

The book has been edited to be experienced two ways very much like the cherita. It can be read as a storybook and as an anthology of individual poems.

Here is an example from the book:-

the word hope

how seductive
when rain

is falling
in love
with grass

ai li

I have enjoyed the challenge of selecting and collating for this September edition of the cherita and hope that you will find the cherita within worthy of a campfire gathering and the sharing of meaningful stories.

If this new edition strikes a chord with you, please feel free to review, comment on Amazon or give a feedback directly to me. Many thanks.

ai li
editor
www.thecherita.com

N.B.
Currently you receive ongoing news and updates from the 1-2-3 press [on and about the cherita and cherita]. If you feel that you no longer wish to receive these updates, please unsubscribe. Thank you.

28 August 2019

Alexis Rotella, who I have known for over twenty years or more, has written to me about her new Tanka and Cherita book Dancing the Tarantella : Short Poems.

Our readers will be familiar with her published cherita in several editions of the cherita.

She sent me this short blurb and a link below for anyone who is interested in purchasing her book.

ai li

Dancing the Tarantella: Short Poems
by Alexis Rotella

Master storyteller in short-poem form, Alexis Rotella is a keen observer of what it’s like to be human. Her gift is seeing into the unseen, offering the reader insights through humor, dead-pan seriousness and everything in between. Rotella is known in poetry circles as the Tankaqueen because she is adept in writing five-line poems known as tanka as well as a new form, cherita. In this book you will be taken on an unforgettable journey – you will meet many characters and many circumstances that will make you laugh, wince and cry.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47283860-dancing-the-tarantella

23 August 2019

THE NUMBER OF OUR WEBSITE VISITORS
FROM 22 MAY 2019 – 23 AUGUST 2019
FROM THESE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES
IN THE ORDER OF VISIT FREQUENCY

USA, Ukraine, Canada, China, France, Germany, UK, Russian Federation, India, Netherlands, Australia, Poland, Italy, Thailand, Ireland, Romania, Singapore, Sweden, Greece, Indonesia, Brazil, Spain, Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia, Korea [the republic of], Pakistan, Finland, Czech Republic, Portugal, Philippines, Hungary, Lithuania, Chile, Slovakia, Turkey, Honduras, South Africa, Israel, Taiwan, Norway, Argentina, Egypt, Croatia, Bangladesh, Serbia, Belarus, Iran, Trinidad and Tobago, Iraq, Latvia, Mexico, Austria, Barbados, Kazakhstan, Bahrain, Peru, Bulgaria, Estonia, Kenya, Equador, Jamaica, Morocco, Cambodia, Paraguay, Macedonia [the former Yugoslav Republic of], Albania, Uruguay, Georgia, Tanzania, United Republic of, Nepal, Benin, Colombia, Brunei Darussalam, Nigeria, Guatemala, Malawi, Belgium, Liberia, New Zealand, Azerbaijan, Senegal

The list still blows me away.

14 August 2019

Please be aware that the remaining unmigrated edition of the cherita on our Flipbook Archive page is now in the process of been published in Paperback and Kindle on Amazon as originally planned.

Edition 6 of the cherita will soon be available to be purchased on Amazon in two formats.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Thanks.

ai li
editor

1 August 2019

coming home late
edition 3:3
the twenty ninth edition of the cherita
edited by ai li

This edition of coming home late showcases 90 fine cherita and cherita terbalik from writers and poets who hail from UK, USA, Singapore, New Zealand, Canada, Poland, India, Romania, Pakistan and Ireland.

http://www.thecherita.com/cominghomelate/

coming home late is the third edition for our third year.

There are two cherita in this edition from a new student of mine Myrto E. Angeloglou, who breezed into class one fine day with much positive energy, and immediately surprised me with her authentic poetic voice. These are her first efforts in this edition, and even though we did not have a campfire roaring in the room, I was quickly drawn into her very own private world of storytelling. And this is how it all begins . . .

For those of you who visit our website regularly or are visiting it for the first time but haven’t as yet submitted your stories, I encourage you not to hesitate, but to do so. For those of you a little uncertain with the genre, please be assured that I will guide you through your virgin efforts. I will be gentle with encouragement, and your stories via Cherita will begin to emerge with your very own unique voice. All our stories need to be written down, read and shared as Cherita. This process ultimately draws us all closer together, to celebrate our humanity via storytelling.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our cherita storytellers, for inviting us into their private world of heartfelt stories.

I have edited coming home late as I have all the other editions of the cherita to be experienced two ways. It can be read as one storybook but also as an anthology of individual poems. Two reading experiences within one book, filled with stories of Life, Love and Loss.

cherita terbalik continues to capture the imagination of poets and there are again fine examples in this edition.

Featured Poets as they appear in this edition :-

Larry Kimmel/ Peter Jastermsky/ Debbie Strange/ Patricia Prime/ Mark Gordon/ Paweł Markiewicz/ Joanna Ashwell/ Kath Abela Wilson/ ai li/ Taura Scott/ Michael H Lester/ Ron Scully/ Barun Saha/ Jonathan Vos Post/ wendy c. bialek/ Neha Talreja/ Réka Nyitrai/ paula song sarmonpal/ Tiffany Shaw-Diaz/ Joyce Futa/ Jackie Chou/ Hifsa Ashraf/ Mary Gunn/ Rachel M. McKee/ Muskaan Ahuja/ Myrto Angeloglou/ Joellyn Murphy/ Maryalicia Post/

EXAMPLE OF WORK:

we are tethered

to this earth
and to each other

our veins,
blue rhizomes searching
for light in the dark

Debbie Strange

The cherita lighthouse has been awarded to the following writers/poets in this edition for their timeless cherita :-

Larry Kimmel/ Debbie Strange/ Patricia Prime/ Joanna Ashwell/ wendy c. bialek/ Joyce Futa/ Jackie Chou/ Rachel M. McKee/ Myrto Angeloglou/ paula song sarmonpal/ Paweł Markiewicz/ Réka Nyitrai/ Kath Abela Wilson/ Taura Scott/ Peter Jastermsky/

I have enjoyed the challenge of selecting and collating for this edition and hope that you will find the cherita within worthy of a campfire gathering and the sharing of meaningful stories.

If this new edition strikes a chord with you, please feel free to review, comment on Amazon or give a feedback directly to me. Many thanks.

ai li
editor

To purchase a print copy and/or a kindle book, please click on the cover below
N.B. There are no images in the print and kindle versions of the cherita.

FOR USA ONLY

Please be aware that US buyers of the print versions of the cherita will be offered the kindle version for only $2.99, via the Amazon Matchbook program [only available in the USA].

Please also be aware that due to limitations in the Amazon publishing process, it may take several days after a book launch, for the Amazon Matchbook offer to appear. If you are in the USA, and have already purchased both print and kindle versions of the cherita, and did not receive this offer, please contact Amazon for a refund of the difference.

GENTLE REMINDER

Once we notify you that we have accepted your poems for publication, either in the online journal or print journal, please do not share or submit your work elsewhere until we have published your work, or the editor will withdraw your work from publication. We also ask that you refrain from republishing your work in any medium for 90 days from publication in the cherita: your storybook journal.Thanks.

17 July 2019

GENTLE REMINDER

I am now reading submissions for our August and September editions

#3:3 and #3:4 of the cherita

Closing dates for submissions are :-

31 July 2019 for our August edition #3:3

and the

31 August 2019 for our September edition #3:4.

I look forward to reading your cherita gems. Find the storyteller within and tell me your stories.

ai li

1 July 2019

a dream of sleep
edition 3:2
the twenty eighth edition of the cherita
edited by ai li

This edition of a dream of sleep showcases 90 fine cherita and cherita terbalik from writers and poets who hail from UK, USA, Singapore, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Romania, Poland and India.

http://www.thecherita.com/adreamofsleep/

a dream of sleep is the second edition for our third year.

We have in this edition cherita from a first time writer of the genre. Barun Saha tells me that he is not a professional poet nor a frequent writer, and that he only started writing cherita this year after reading examples on our website and elsewhere. I have encouraged him to stay with his own authentic voice when writing cherita and I look forward to hearing more of his stories.

It is essential to familiarise yourself with the reading of as many cherita as you can lay your hands on to bring about your very own style of writing the genre.

I designed the original and official guidelines to be a broad church of styles to enable writer and poets to freefall into Cherita’s 6 lines of storytelling wonder. The scope and flexibility within Cherita and Cherita Terbalik is limitless.

I would like all newcomers to Cherita to know that I am always on the lookout for new cherita voices from all over the world, and one of the principal reasons for my ongoing Cherita teaching class in London, is to discover more UK voices as we seem to be so short of them in the cherita.

So all are welcome. Sharing our timeless and heartfelt stories can bring about a healing connection for many of us.

Thank you to all who participated in this edition and who have helped bring us all closer together through Cherita, and via the age old potent use of storytelling.

I have edited a dream of sleep as I have all the other editions of the cherita to be experienced two ways. It can be read as one storybook but also as an anthology of individual poems. Two reading experiences within one book, filled with stories of Life, Love and Loss.

cherita terbalik continues to capture the imagination of poets and there are again fine examples in this edition.

Featured Poets as they appear in this edition :-

Peter Jastermsky/ Larry Kimmel/ Pat Geyer/ Patricia Prime/ Mark Gordon/ Robert Horrobin/ Keitha Keyes/ Kath Abela Wilson/ Taura Scott/ Giddy Nielsen-Sweep/ Joanna Ashwell/ Paweł Markiewicz/ ai li/ paula song sarmonpal/ Réka Nyitrai / wendy c. bialek/ Michael H Lester/ Maryalicia Post/ Ron Scully/ Barun Saha/ Hazel Hall/

EXAMPLE OF WORK:

to write

as if
you could reach
into a chest

and squeeze
a heart

Larry Kimmel

The cherita lighthouse has been awarded to the following writers/poets in this edition for their timeless cherita :-

Patricia Prime/Mark Gordon/ Giddy Nielsen-Sweep/ Kath Abela Wilson/ Paweł Markiewicz/ Joanna Ashwell/ Maryalicia Post/ Taura Scott/ Ron Scully/ Réka Nyitrai/ wendy c. bialek/ Larry Kimmel/

I have enjoyed the challenge of selecting and collating for this edition and hope that you will find the cherita within worthy of a campfire gathering and the sharing of meaningful stories.

If this new edition strikes a chord with you, please feel free to review, comment on Amazon or give a feedback directly to me. Many thanks.

ai li
editor

To purchase a print copy and/or a kindle book, please click on the cover below
N.B. There are no images in the print and kindle versions of the cherita.

FOR USA ONLY

Please be aware that US buyers of the print versions of the cherita will be offered the kindle version for only $2.99, via the Amazon Matchbook program [only available in the USA].

GENTLE REMINDER

11 June 2019

GENTLE REMINDER

I am now reading submissions for our July and August editions

#3:2 and #3:3 of the cherita

Closing dates for submissions are :-

30 June 2019 for our July edition #3:2

and the

31 July 2019 for our August edition #3:3.

I look forward to reading your cherita gems. Find the storyteller within and tell me your stories.

ai li

1 June 2019

you bring me
edition 3:1 of the cherita
anniversary and the twenty seventh edition
edited by ai li

Welcome to the first edition of the third year of the cherita and Cherita’s 22nd birthday.

You have made this continuity possible by writing and submitting all your cherita gems for consideration.

This edition of you bring me showcases 90 fine cherita and cherita terbalik from writers and poets who hail from UK, USA, Singapore, New Zealand, Poland, Canada, Romania, Australia, Ireland and India.

http://www.thecherita.com/youbringme/

This anniversary edition, in my opinion, is full of promise for the longevity of Cherita. For those of you who are not new to the genre, you have demonstrated that Cherita allows a writer/poet to widen their style of writing Cherita by introducing new ways of re-telling their very own or heard stories. For those of you who are new to Cherita, I encourage you read up on as many examples of the genre you can get your hands on and experience what Cherita, with its 6 lines format and terbalik possibilities can bring to your writing experience.

While it is perfectly fine to write Cherita as diary or journal entries, if, however, you would like your writing efforts to be published in the cherita, I would advise you to discover or channel a new way of looking at the everyday, where all our Life, Love and Loss stories emanate from. If you can bring a subtle kind of lyricism and a hint of Oriental sensitivity into your Cherita offerings, these qualities will elevate your pieces with a timelessness that will make them stand out from the mundane. This quality of writing will further connect us all with their authentic and heartfelt sentiments of who we are as human beings, of the myriad of feelings, trials and tribulations we go through in our lives, despite our many differences.

Why not become the Cherita Wordsmith you were destined to be ?

I have edited you bring me as I have all the other editions of the cherita, to be experienced two ways. It can be read as one storybook but also as an anthology of individual poems. Two reading experiences within one book, filled with stories of Life, Love and Loss.

cherita terbalik continues to capture the imagination of poets and there are again fine examples in this edition.

Featured Poets as they appear in this edition :-

Kath Abela Wilson/ Patricia Prime/ ai li/ Peter Jastermsky/ Joanna Ashwell/ Pat Geyer/ Michael H Lester/ Paweł Markiewicz/ Larry Kimmel/ Michael Lee Johnson/ Mark Gordon/ Hazel Hall/ Taura Scott/ Robert Horrobin/ Geoffrey Winch/ Maryalicia Post/ Pravat Kumar Padhy/ Keitha Keyes/ paula song sarmonpal/ Jonathan Vos Post/ Giddy Nielsen-Sweep/ Joan Stern/ Joyce Futa/ Réka Nyitrai/ Mary Gunn/ Debbie Strange/

EXAMPLE OF WORK :

in darkness

the comet shower
a touch across space

the light trails
we miss
while we sleep

Joanna Ashwell

The cherita lighthouse has been awarded to the following writers/poets in this edition for their timeless cherita :-

Michael H Lester/ Michael Lee Johnson/ Patricia Prime/ Mark Gordon/ Hazel Hall/ Geoffrey Winch/ Joanna Ashwell/ paula song sarmonpal/ Robert Horrobin/ Réka Nyitrai/ Larry Kimmel/ Peter Jastermsky/

Being an anniversary month and to further celebrate Cherita’s special birthday, I have decided to launch two new books of mine – one with exclusively cherita, and the other with cherita, tanka and haiku.

finding the magic
ai li’s fourth book of exclusively cherita
and her seventh book which includes Cherita

This is my twenty sixth book and it belongs to my Poems for Inner Rooms series which are all available in paperback and on kindle on Amazon.

http://www.thecherita.com/ailis-bookshop/

Here is one example from finding the magic :-

burning the night

with sweet caramel
while you sleep

nothing moves
not even the breeze
of time

The book has been edited to be experienced two ways very much like the cherita. It can be read as a storybook and as an anthology of individual poems.

i remember a night
ai li’s first book of cherita, tanka and haiku
and her eighth book which includes Cherita

It is my twenty seventh book and it belongs to my Poems for Inner Rooms series which are all available in paperback and on kindle on Amazon.

http://www.thecherita.com/ailis-bookshop/

Here is one example from each of the three genres within i remember the night :-

in the backwoods

i sleep nude
and the owl

telling anyone
who can
hear him

love for sale
a discreet
red porchlight
the screen door
creaking dreams

pray you said but the fog returned

This book of 90 virgin cherita, tanka and haiku poems belongs to a collection of life journals written as contemporary cherita, tanka and haiku. These are poems for inner rooms. They take poetry into the realm of spirit and are touched by zen, loss, joy, the surreal, temps perdu, the erotic, humour, truth, the everyday, and the sublime. All the six senses are here.

The book has been edited to be experienced two ways very much like the cherita. It can be read as a storybook and as an anthology of individual poems.

These two new books above explore my ongoing search for true identity and self and why we should not be afraid to be our true selves. My cherita, tanka and haiku will take you on a healing journey with words, minimal in content, but overflowing with personal truths and the deepest of emotions. I write without armour.

I have enjoyed the challenge of selecting and collating for this edition and hope that you will find the cherita within worthy of a campfire gathering and the sharing of meaningful stories.

If this new edition strikes a chord with you, please feel free to review, comment on Amazon or give a feedback directly to me. Many thanks.

ai li
editor

22 May 2019

OUR WEBSITE VISITORS OVER THE LAST YEAR
FROM 22 MAY 2018 – 22 MAY 2019
FROM THESE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES
IN THE ORDER OF VISIT FREQUENCY

USA, Canada, China, Ukraine, France, Germany, UK, Australia, India, Russian Federation, Netherlands, Ireland, Singapore, Italy, Poland, Republic of Korea, Brazil, Lithuania, Spain, Romania, Vietnam, Israel, Japan, Indonesia, Sweden, Turkey, Thailand, Malaysia, Denmark, Hong Kong, Norway, South Africa, Switzerland, Greece, Austria, Finland, Portugal, Pakistan, Phillipines, Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, Iran, Belarus, Latvia, Mexico, Taiwan, Slovakia, Ghana, Luxembourg, Croatia, Republic of Moldova, New Zealand, Serbia, Seychelles, United Arab Emirates, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Nigeria, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, Costa Rica, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Morocco, Kenya, Egypt, Cambodia, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, Algeria, Albania, Ecuador, Panama, Jamaica, Liberia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of, Estonia, Kyrgyzstan, Oman, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Togo, Mongolia, Peru, Azerbaijan, Tunisia, Malta, Angola, Palestine, State of, Honduras, Libya, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Macao, Mozambique, Qatar, Senegal, Nepal, Cameroon, Namibia, Armneia, Macedonia (the former Yugoslav Republic of), Congo (the Democratic Republic of the), Mauritius, Syrian Arab Republic, Bolivia, Plurinational State of, Mali, Lebanon, Dominican Republic, Virgin Islands (British), Guernsey, Rwanda, Côte d’Ivoire, Bahamas, Cape Verde, Jordan, Tanzania, United Republic of, Timor-Leste, Haiti, Martinique, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Suriname, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland and New Caledonia.

THE NUMBER OF COUNTRIES JUST BLOWS ME AWAY.

17 May 2019

GENTLE REMINDER

I am now reading submissions for our June and July editions

#3:1 and #3:2 of the cherita

Closing dates for submissions are

31 May 2019 for our June edition #3:1,
and the 30 June 2019 for our July edition #3:2.

The June edition will also celebrate Cherita’s 22nd birthday 1997 – 2019.

I look forward to reading your cherita gems. Find the storyteller within and tell me your stories.

ai li

1 May 2019

morning light
edition 2:12
the twenty sixth edition of the cherita
edited by ai li

Greetings from Kuala Lumpur.

I was in Singapore last week where I met up with an enthusiastic gentleman who was at my 7th January lecture at the Peranakan Museum. He enjoyed trying his hand at writing Cherita for the very first time and what transpired between us was a very informal and gratis cherita masterclass which ultimately proved poetically rewarding for both of us. Singapore has always been my mother’s spiritual home and I am more than thrilled to have been able to encourage a new Cherita voice to blossom. I would like to give Anderson my heartfelt thanks.

This edition of morning light showcases 90 fine cherita and cherita terbalik from writers and poets who hail from UK, USA, Singapore, New Zealand, Ireland, Trinidad, Poland, Romania and India.

morning light is the fifth edition for 2019. The next edition of the cherita will be an anniversary edition of Cherita celebrating its 22nd birthday [1997 – 2019].

As usual, I have donned my storyteller hat, took on the challenge of selecting and collating all your acceptances into one coherent story. Within that long and sometimes complex 90 cherita story are also all your varied stories, potent with your individual voices, gifting us with the bonus of more stories after the long story is read, to enable us to lose ourselves in their 6 lines.

I can never thank all of you enough for so generously sending in your cherita gems to be considered. Long may we tell and share our stories.

Please join me on the voyage to come. Let’s bring in another year of fine cherita to grace the cherita.

I have edited morning light as I have all the other editions of the cherita, to be experienced two ways. It can be read as one storybook but also as an anthology of individual poems. Two reading experiences within one book, filled with stories of Life, Love and Loss.

cherita terbalik continues to capture the imagination of poets and there are again fine examples in this edition.

Featured Poets as they appear in this edition :-

Joanna Ashwell/ Peter Jastermsky/ paula song sarmonpal/ Jimmy Pappas/ Richard Milton Grahn/ Patricia Prime/ ai li/ Larry Kimmel/ Gillena Cox/ Pat Geyer/ Michael H Lester/ Wendy C. Bialek/ Paweł Markiewicz/ Maryalicia Post/ Kath Abela Wilson/ Rachel B. Baxter/ Réka Nyitrai/ Robert Horrobin/ arvinder kaur/ Jackie Chou/ Michael Lee Johnson/ Sharon Hawley/ Taura Scott/ Pauli Dutton/ Peter Larsen/Tom Callahan/

EXAMPLE OF WORK :

one last goodbye

between us
a final hug and kiss

adrift now
I wander into the kitchen
to make tea

Patricia Prime

I have enjoyed the challenge of selecting and collating for this edition and hope that you will find the cherita within worthy of a campfire gathering and the sharing of meaningful stories.
If this new edition strikes a chord with you, please feel free to review, comment on Amazon or give a feedback directly to me. Many thanks.

4 April 2019

GENTLE REMINDER

I am now reading submissions for our May edition #2:12 of the cherita – closing date for submissions 30 May 2019 and also for our June edition #3:1 of the cherita, which will be the first edition for the start of our third year of being – closing date for submissions 31 May 2019.

This June edition will also celebrate Cherita’s 22nd birthday 1997 – 2019.

I look forward to reading your cherita gems. Tell me your stories. I’m all ears.

ai li

1 April 2019

a warm night
edition 2:11
the twenty fifth edition of the cherita
edited by ai li

This edition of a warm night showcases 90 fine cherita and cherita terbalik from writers and poets who hail from UK, USA, Singapore, New Zealand, Ireland, Poland, Canada, Trinidad and Portugal.

a warm night is the fourth edition for 2019. There is just one more edition to come before the cherita begins its third year of being, in June of this year.

I have included two cherita from one of my new students, Cherie Ghasemloo. She appears to be a natural storyteller and I look forward to seeing more of her cherita in the near future.

Your cherita and strong and supportive loyalty have made all these editions possible. the cherita has gone from strength to strength, and there are now 25 strong and timeless editions in the library of the cherita housing your collective stories on Life, Love and Loss.

I welcome all new storytellers who are waiting in the wings to join our other contributors. Your stories deserve to be heard.

I know that I often repeat my grateful thanks to all of you with each edition but I would like to assure you that I take nothing for granted. Your generous sharing of new stories via Cherita take us all on a deep journey of healing and help guide us all towards the light.

I have edited a warm night as I have all the other editions of the cherita, to be experienced two ways. It can be read as one storybook but also as an anthology of individual poems. Two reading experiences within one book, filled with stories of Life, Love and Loss.

cherita terbalik continues to capture the imagination of poets and there are again fine examples in this edition.

Featured Poets as they appear in this edition :-

Peter Jastermsky/ ai li/ Larry Kimmel/ paula song sarmonpal/ Gillena Cox/ Patricia Prime/ Kath Abela Wilson/ Richard Milton Grahn/ Jimmy Pappas/ Matsukaze/ Maryalicia Post/ Michael H Lester/ Paweł Markiewicz/ Carol Purington/ Joanna Ashwell/ Debbie Strange/ Robert Horrobin/ Pat Geyer/ Wendy C. Bialek/ jan oskar Hansen/ Robin White/ Cherie Ghasemloo/ Joan Stern/

EXAMPLE OF WORK :

the moon tonight

full and seamless
in the sky’s depths

hot enough
to sit outside
drinking in its beauty

Patricia Prime

UPDATE on
once upon a cherita . . . my lecture at the U3A, Belsize Park, London
on Wednesday 20 March 2019 by ai li, editor and publisher of the cherita

i make my way

to the lighthouse
but night

is already there
teaching you
to shine

ai li

a white butterfly
in my garden
many years ago
memory
giving it flowers

ai li

in every late night bar your perfume

ai li

These are three published examples of my short form poetry of the sixty three cherita, tanka and haiku that I shared with the U3A audience on the morning of 20 March. I tweaked my original Singapore lecture a little, to better suit a UK audience, and this version too, was very well received.

A bouquet of exquisite fresh exotic dark orchids was in the lecture room when I arrived for my presentation. I was extremely moved by this well-wishing gift. This more than generous gesture was from Maryalicia Post, a fine Cherita writer and poet and loyal contributor to the journal. I would like to thank her again, this time in print, for her kindness and thoughtfulness.

My heartfelt and grateful thanks also go out to everyone who attended, especially my London friends, who very kindly took time off from their busy schedules to be with me. I was very touched by their generous support and presence.

We all sat down together and tucked into a delicious lunch at our café after the lecture and had a whale of a time catching up on all our news.

I have enjoyed the challenge of selecting and collating for this edition and hope that you will find the cherita within worthy of a campfire gathering and the sharing of meaningful stories.
If this new edition strikes a chord with you, please feel free to review, comment on Amazon or give a feedback directly to me. Many thanks.

ai li
editor
www.thecherita.com

27 March 2019

GENTLE REMINDER

I am now reading submissions for our May edition #2:12 of the cherita – closing date for submissions 30 April 2019.

I look forward to reading your cherita gems. Tell me your stories. I’m all ears.

20 March 2019

UPDATE ON MY U3A LECTURE

I was absolutely delighted with the response I had from my lecture today at the U3A, and would like to thank my friends and everyone else who took the time to be with me today. My slightly revised lecture worked equally well which was a huge relief for me. I will be posting comments and a few images on our Lecture page in the coming days.

ai li

16 March 2019

once upon a cherita . . .
lecture at the U3A, Belsize Park, London
on Wednesday 20 March 2019
by ai li, editor and publisher of the cherita

As you may be aware, I will be reprising my Singapore lecture of once upon a cherita . . . at the U3A in Belsize Park, London on Wednesday 20 March 2019 from 11.35 – 12.35 am. This will be an hour long talk with a power point presentation of vintage archival family photographs and text, and concluding with Q & A from the floor.

This is a gentle reminder for anyone interested in attending this presentation and who are not members of U3A. Please will you get in touch with me at aili@thecherita.com as you will need me to sign you in at reception, and then accompany you through the building to the lecture room itself. I will email you all the info you need for the day when you write to me of your interest.

ai li

28 February 2019

leaves blown
edition 2:10
the twenty fourth edition of the cherita
edited by ai li

This edition of leaves blown showcases 90 fine cherita and cherita terbalik from writers and poets who hail from UK, USA, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, Romania, France, Poland and Canada.

leaves blown is the third edition for 2019. As we slowly go into Spring over here, the days promise longer hours and I have seen the first crocus and snowdrops around the corner from my home – which was such a treat. The promise of renewal is so potent this time of year with the return of bluer skies.

Thank you again for all your wonderful cherita which have helped make this edition another strong book of stories for the soul. I could not have done this without all your help. You have my heartfelt thanks for your strong and loyal support for the cherita.

I have edited leaves blown as I have all the other editions of the cherita, to be experienced two ways. It can be read as one storybook but also as an anthology of individual poems. Two reading experiences within one book, filled with stories of Life, Love and Loss.

cherita terbalik continues to capture the imagination of poets and there are again fine examples in this edition.

Featured Poets as they appear in this edition :-

Peter Jastermsky/ Patricia Prime/ ai li/ Joanna Ashwell/ paula song sarmonpal/ Ben Taylor/ Kath Abela Wilson/ Jimmy Pappas/ Richard Milton Grahn/ Matzukaze/ Maryalicia Post/ Michael H Lester/ Robert Horrobin/ Josette D’Orazio/ Réka Nyitrai/ Richard Dutton/ Sharon Hawley/ Joyce Futa/ Larry Kimmel/ Keiko Amano/ BG Callahan/ Keitha Keyes/ Paweł Markiewicz/ Carol Purington/ Debbie Strange/ Josette Michele D’Orazio/ Tim Callahan/ James Haddad/ Peggy Castro/ Liz Goetz/ Alicia Viguer-Espert/ Pauli Dutton/

EXAMPLE OF WORK:

awaiting Godot

a woman lost
in translation

only the rain
speaks her language
monosyllabic

Réka Nyitrai

once upon a cherita . . . lecture at the U3A, Belsize Park, London
on Wednesday 20 March 2019
by ai li, editor and publisher of the cherita

As you may be aware, I will be reprising my Singapore lecture of once upon a cherita . . . at the U3A in Belsize Park, London on Wednesday 20 March 2019 from 11.35 – 12.35 am.. This will be an hour long talk with a power point presentation of vintage archival family photographs and text, and concluding with Q & A from the floor.

For anyone interested in attending this presentation and who are not members of U3A, please get in touch with me as you will need me to sign you in at reception, and then accompany you through the building to the lecture room itself. I will email you all the info you need for the day when you write to me of your interest.

night rain
by ai li

the launch of ai li’s first book of cherita and haiku
which features 90 virgin Cherita and Haiku, with a one poem to a page format, and now available in paperback and on kindle on Amazon.

This is ai li’s twenty fifth book and her first book of cherita and haiku and belongs to her Poems for Inner Rooms series which are all available on Amazon.

http://www.thecherita.com/ailis-bookshop/

night rain explores the poet’s search for true identity and self and why we should not be afraid to be our true selves. ai li’s cherita and haiku will take you on a healing journey with words, minimal in content, but overflowing with personal truths and the deepest of emotions. She writes without armour.

One example from my new book :

waking up in the far east

where i was born
the light of generations

before me
coming down
like prayer

ai li

I have enjoyed the challenge of selecting and collating for this edition of the cherita and hope that you will find the cherita within worthy of a campfire gathering and the sharing of meaningful stories.

If this new edition strikes a chord with you, please feel free to review, comment on Amazon or give a feedback directly to me. Many thanks.

ai li
editor
www.thecherita.com

20 February 2019

once upon a cherita . . . lecture by ai li at the U3A on Wednesday 20 March 2019 at 11.35 am

I am reprising my once upon a cherita lecture on cherita and storytelling at the U3A, 213 Haverstock Hill, Belsize Park London NW3 4QP on Wednesday 20 March 2019 at 11.35 am. This presentation will be an hour long, accompanied by a power point presentation of vintage archival family photographs and text, and concluding with Q & A from the floor.

I was honoured as a Straits Chinese woman to have been invited to give a lecture at the prestigious Peranakan Museum in Singapore at the start of this year on 7 January 2019, where a large number of my late mother’s personal collection of fine kebayas, sarongs, and related accessories have found a permanent home. My talk was very well received and this prompted me to reprise my lecture in London.

https://www.peranakanmuseum.org.sg/whats-on/lectures/7jan2019_aili

My lecture in London will also take you into the timeless world of stories and storytelling with my personal Peranakan family stories, published cherita and other short poems.

You are all invited to step into the vanishing world of the Peranakans – the Straits Chinese of old Malaya and Singapore.

If you are interested in attending my lecture but are not a member of U3A, please can you let me know by email as you will need me to sign you in at reception, and then accompany you through the building to the lecture room 2.21 itself.

It would be great to see you on the day.

ai li

1 February 2019

the sound of water
edition 2:9, the twenty third edition of the cherita
edited by ai li

The Year of the Pig is almost upon us. Come 5th February and the Chinese New Year will hopefully usher in a year of good fortune and luck for all of us according to the elders.

It seems appropriate at this point in time for me to say a few lines about my recent once upon a cherita . . . Singapore lecture at the Peranakan Museum on Monday 7 January 2019.

The Peranakan Museum is the major museum for the Straits Chinese, and not only does it explore the art and culture of Straits Chinese communities in South East Asia, but it houses one of the finest & most comprehensive public collections of Peranakan objects. Peranakan simply means ‘local born’ in Malay. The Peranakan Chinese are the offspring & descendants of traders from the southern ports of china such as Amoy [now Xiamen], who then settled & made their homes in the Dutch East Indies [now Indonesia] & the Straits Settlements of Malacca, Penang and Singapore. As early as the 14th century, these foreign traders married local women, likely to have been of Javanese, Balinese or Batak origin.

I am Straits Chinese or Peranakan as we call ourselves, from my mother’s side of the family and I was hugely honoured by the invitation for me to give a presentation at this prestigious museum where a large number of my late mother’s personal collection of fine kebayas, sarongs, and related accessories have found a permanent home.

Both my talk about Cherita and storytelling, and my power point presentation of vintage family photographs were very well received. The Curator graced the Ixora Room with her presence, and I was honoured by her attendance. There was also enthusiastic support from my close family and friends. The audience was intelligent and their collective enthusiasm helped inspire and spur me on. There was a Q & A at the end, interesting questions were asked and I tried my best to answer all of them. I have since had some early feedback which were also encouraging to say the least. I loved the overall experience, and was buoyed up by how much the poems resonated with the audience, and how storytelling will never lose its powerful appeal when written from the heart.

Depending on my work schedule, I may consider re-taping my presentation to share with all of you.

I will also be reprising my once upon a cherita lecture at the U3A at Belsize Park, London on Wednesday 20 March 2019 for those of you who may have missed my Far East talk. This will be an hour long followed by Q&A. Full details will be posted on our Announcements page closer to the date. For anyone interested in attending this presentation and who are not members of U3A, please get in touch with me as you will need me to sign you in at reception, and then accompany you through the building to the lecture room itself.

Thank you to everyone who very kindly sent encouraging good wishes to me prior and post lecture. I was more than grateful and was cushioned by all your positive energy.

under raintrees launched in Mumbai on Christmas Day 2018

Arvinder Kaur’s sensitive translation of a well selected group of my cherita into Hindi and Punjabi had its successful launch in Mumbai on 25 December 2018.

In Arvinder’s words :

‘I will be reading many of your cherita as examples. Some of them touch me to the core of my heart. . . . You must be in between your travels. Just wanted to share this wonderful news with you that ‘ under raintrees’ was released yesterday in Mumbai in front of an extremely receptive and warm audience. People marvelled at the immense possibilities of the genre and loved the entire concept. Will be sending a few pictures in another mail.’

Arvinder deserves all the accolades as she has worked tirelessly on under raintrees. I am indebted to her for introducing Cherita to an even wider audience of would-be storytellers with their own personal stories to hopefully share with all of us one day.

This edition of the sound of water showcases 90 fine cherita and cherita terbalik from writers and poets who hail from UK, USA, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, Canada, Lithuania, Ireland, Poland, India, Portugal and Sweden.

http://www.thecherita.com/thesoundofwater/

the sound of water is the second edition for 2019. I still find it hard to believe that the cherita is fast approaching its third year of being, come June of this year. Your collective stories and help have made the journal into a serious literary vehicle for cherita, continuing the storytelling tradition, and passing the telling of stories onto an even wider world audience. You have my heartfelt gratitude always for sharing all your cherita, and for your ongoing and continued support. It makes all the hard work rewarding and worthwhile.

We are not quite out of the Winter season over here just yet but already I am inspired to write about the forthcoming months of the promise of renewal to come. I hope you will too, and hopefully share your cherita gems as we go into a blossom scented Spring.

I have edited this edition as I have all the other editions of the cherita, to be experienced two ways. It can be read as one storybook but also as an anthology of individual poems. Two reading experiences within one book, filled with stories of Life, Love and Loss.

cherita terbalik continues to capture the imagination of poets and there are again fine examples in this edition.

Featured Poets as they appear in this edition :-

Christine L. Villa/ ai li/ Joanna Ashwell/ Tia Haynes/ Michael H Lester/ Patricia Prime/ Peter Jastermsky/ Kath Abela Wilson/ Madhuri Pillai/ paula song sarmonpal/ Autumn Noelle Hall/ B.S.Saroja/ Jack Priestnall/ Hifsa Ashraf/ Debbie Strange/ Wendy C. Bialek/ Paweł Markiewicz/ Maryalicia Post/ Jimmy Pappas/ Richard Milton Grahn / Robert Horrobin/ Matsukaze/ Ruth Ingram/ jan oskar hansen/ Marilyn Humbert/ Marcus Liljedahl/ Mark Gordon/ Ben Taylor/ Artűras Šilanskas/

EXAMPLE OF WORK:

at dusk

in touch
with my need

to disrobe
in
the monastery window

ai li

Wishing you all a great Year of the Pig and thank you again for all your strong and loyal support.

If this new edition strikes a chord with you, please feel free to review, comment on Amazon or give a feedback directly to me. Many thanks.

ai li
editor
www.thecherita.com

N.B.
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1 January 2019

whisper me free
edition 2:8, the twenty second edition of the cherita
edited by ai li

This edition of whisper me free showcases 90 fine cherita and cherita terbalik from writers and poets who hail from UK, USA, Singapore, Canada, Lithuania, France, Australia, New Zealand, India and Pakistan.

Some of you may have noticed that this edition was launched ahead of schedule on Amazon. As I knew I would be travelling during the festive period when I was supposed to be launching this edition, I decided it was prudent to err on the side of caution and go for an early launch instead.

whisper me free is the first edition for 2019. I will now be able to share the book with the audience on the evening of my lecture at the Peranakan Museum in Singapore on Monday 7 January 2019, because of its early launch. I will be taking along my personal copy.

Three of the new budding cherita poets – paula song sarmonpal, Ruth Ingram and Mekhled Alzaza, from my cherita writing course have their work featured in this edition. They have come to the genre cold, as it were, and I have had the great pleasure and honour of seeing them blossom in the shortest space of time which I find inspirational. They were eager to share their life stories and I was eager to hear them speak cherita. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for taking the plunge into cherita and surfacing with their 6 lines of wonder.

I have decided to not renew my subscription with the e-card company I have used for the last year, as I discovered that their new card designs were slow in appearing on their website which rather limited what I could share with you for 2019. I will be searching for a new e-card company, and if my search proves fruitful, will reinstate the greeting e-cards in my mailshot to all of you. My apologies.

cherita terbalik continues to capture the imagination of poets and there are again fine examples in this edition.

Featured Poets as they appear in this edition :-

Shoshanah Steinberg/ ai li/ Kath Abela Wilson/ Joanna Ashwell/ Tia Haynes/ Christine L. Villa/ James Haddad/ Elva Lauter/ Joanne Morcom/ Peter Jastermsky/ Patricia Prime/ Peter Larsen/ Geoffrey Winch/ Larry Kimmel/ Madhuri Pillai/ Ruth Ingram/ paula song sarmonpal/ Keitha Keyes/ Autumn Noelle Hall/ Samantha Sirimanne Hyde/ B.S.Saroja/ Artűras Šilanskas/ Jack Priestnall/ Ben Taylor/ Hifsa Ashraf/ Debbie Strange/ Mekhled Alzaza/ Maryalicia Post/ Paweł Markiewicz/ Wendy C. Bialek/ Robert Horrobin/ Michael H Lester/

EXAMPLE OF WORK:

child of my heart

how should i know you?
in your eyes

the archives of ancestry
the long forgotten
lives

paula song sarmonpal

I would like to wish all of you an exciting but safe 2019. Please keep writing your stories. Your cherita will inspire and help us all heal as we connect again around the campfire of all dreams.

If this new edition strikes a chord with you, please feel free to review, comment on Amazon or give a feedback directly to me. Many thanks.

ai li
editor
www.thecherita.com

GENTLE REMINDER