Poet Carol McClintic

Meet the Poet

Carol McClintic

Carol McClintic has been a closet poet for many years. Most of her writing experience has been in the academic world of education as a co-author on 4 publications. As an educator herself, she spent thirty five years teaching in public schools from preschool through university extension, led numerous workshops, co-created a certificate program for conflict resolution, coordinated university and district grant programs, was an officer and active member in the teachers union, and co-facilitated workshops for educators in California and several other states while teaching and for another fifteen years after retiring.

Her love for nature, which began while growing up on the prairies of South Dakota, has been a touchstone throughout her life. When she moved to the mountains at Idyllwild, CA she found a community of creative and artistic people that nurtured and embraced her own efforts. She remains an active member of the community as a member of nonprofit boards, taking part in workshops, singing with Local Color, supporting the environment, social justice, diversity issues, and a variety of other endeavors.

She is the proud parent of a daughter, son, and daughter-in-law who enrich her life and continues to travel, to explore this experience called life, and to write.

Called Back to Remembering Who We Are

By Carol McClintic

This gift of being women,

Of the power that resides in all of us,

Away from the harshness that our modern world of supposed conveniences has created, Away from the demands on our time of family, work, job, community, or even our own self-imposed limitations,

Away to the wind blowing in the tree tops, its song accompanied by wind chimes and rustling leaves, Away to the earth that surrounds us, the rocks that bless us with their steadfastness, the soil that nurtures life,

Away to the dry stream beds once flowing with living waters lying now in fountain or bird bath, that sustains our very existence,

Away to the fire in our hearts and bellies that helps us reach out to be true to who we are.

Here we remember who we truly are, here we share from our depths and reach out to each other,

Here we dance and sing our song of sisterhood,

Here we awaken to what has been since women first came together... our need for each other.

Can we keep the truth that is inside us and hold it in our daily walk?

Oh my sisters, let us strive, nay prosper with this knowing!

Let us bear witness to what community can be,

Be worthy of being wise and wild and free women,

So that others can see, remember, and join us.

This gift of life, this unique expression of each of us is worth the challenge.

So walk on my sisters, walk on, and dance and sing for this place holds you in its arms and is forever carried with you.

Copyright 2017, Children of the Earth & Cosmos

Carol McClintic

A Conversation with Carol McClintic

TPS: What inspires you to create poetry?

CMC: It comes naturally to me as the best way to express myself whether about nature or social justice or any other situations that comes to mind. It is life itself and all that I experience that brings it out. I have writing about it for long time, just not letting others know that I was.

TPS: What is your daily spiritual practice for self-care?

CMC: I meditate first thing in morning before I begin my day. I journal, have my prayers, read uplifting affirmations and daily thoughts as well. This is all before I begin the day. During the day, when I feel I need to I meditate as well or whenever I feel the need. Giving thanks is part of this as I have great gratitude for my life and awareness.

TPS: How does spirituality inform your work?

CMC: It is part of everything I do and say. I find myself just immersed in it. I was taught early on to find my own path and follow it and it has kept me seeking truth my whole life. I have been fortunate to have an undying faith in a Higher Power.

TPS: Walk us through your process for creating a poem.

CMC: Usually there is some emotional reaction to something that brings on the need to write, but it can even be that the thought starts coming as wash dishes or feed the cat. I respond to the moment as I am inspired. Using Katya Williamson’s method of “writing faster than I think” has been a real support as I just let whatever needs to come out be expressed with no thought of editing or grammar (that comes later) and I let the words flow.

TPS: How was your life influenced by the 2020 pandemic? How has your work evolved?

CMC: It slowed me down and helped me appreciate each moment more. Brought peace and quiet and gave me more contemplation time. Though I lost some people who were near and dear because of it I was fortunate to not be affected by it health wise.

TPS: I know our readers would appreciate your insight about writing as a spiritual practice.

CMC: For me, because of being dyslexic, writing formally has always been a challenge. Coming from a “find your own path” background has given me a positive approach to life and has been reinforced by the path I have followed. My poetry expression is part of the freeing from convention and the sense that there is a higher power in charge and a universe that supports us. This means that when I accept the desire to express through writing that I am tapping into that spiritual journey. I respond by just letting the words come freely, no editing, no correcting, just letting it flow through me with whatever is calling (all the conventions can be dealt with later) and thus the mere fact of writing is a spiritual experience.

TPS: Who are your favorite poets?

CMC: It is hard to say since I have fifty or more books of poetry that I enjoy and with the internet, access to so many more. Probably my top three would be Ralph Waldo Emerson, Mary Oliver, and John O’Donahue.

TPS: You have recently returned from a wonderful trip, how does travel inspire your writing?

CMC: It was actually two trips: one to South Dakota for a family reunion and one to New Mexico and Colorado for writing. Because I stay in the moment whenever possible it just springs forth when I sit down and let it come...being open to what is and free to let my muse speak, means words just flow forth, and travel lets new experiences support the moments. So much to experience and see and enjoy as life opens opportunities wherever I find myself.

TPS: How have you developed your authentic, creative voice?

CMC: It was always there, but just undercover and seldom seen by anyone other than myself. But following Katya Williamson’s “writing faster than you can think” method has supported me staying in the moment and letting the words come. I have been writing poetry since I was young, but like I said earlier I learned to not share it as my dyslexia made it difficult for others to see what was behind the mistakes and miss spelling. Now I just let it speak from my heart and soul and it comes without effort.

TPS: Share with us the excitement of publishing your work.

CMC: I have been published since the mid 90s, but in the realm of academic writing for learning and teaching. It was always as a co-author with hours and hours of editing. When I finally put a book of poetry together with the help of my friends, Katya Williamson and Mary Morse, that opportunity to publish my own work was so exciting. I chose to have a small, independent publishing company from here in California that specializes in poetry publishing. My son, who is a firefighter and a graphic artist, designed the cover for the book. This in itself was an honor and beautiful. Katya and Mary and I put together the basic layout with poetry spread on my living room floor. Needless to say the first time I saw my book in print it made my heart jump with joy and gratitude. We took my book to Ireland (both Katya and I had ours published around the same time) on a writing workshop and it ended up in a museum for modern Irish writers in Dublin. There are no words to express how honored I was, or am, at this nor at the reception it has received from those who have enjoyed it. Just getting it out and in the ethers still seems amazing to me and I am thankful every day for the gift the Universe has given me to be able to write.