What...me brag? Shy reclusive Charlotte? :) Well, my two biggest claims to fame are my silly cartoon poem that was published several years ago by Aboriginal SF magazine. And just this month, a letter I wrote was published in Dana Reeve's (wife of Christopher) new book, Care Packages: letters to Christopher Reeve". They even read it on the Today show. :) (Of course I never watch the Today show, so I missed it.)

Wow, would you be so kind or would you be able to post that here?

Post what here?

The letter.

Oh. Sure. But it's rather lengthy.

This is the letter published in Dana Reeve's book and read at the end of The Today Show last friday. Posted here at Terry's request. -CB Dear Mr. Reeve, I know that you have received hundreds of letters since your accident, and that it is possible you will not even see this one. And yet, I need to write it. Like everyone who has heard the news, I am so saddened, and so worried for you. I am also angry! I don't think I am articulate enough to fully explain the reason for my anger, but it is no less powerful an emotion. There can be no logic to a universe that will allow such a thing to happen to you. You are needed! You have touched so many lives with your craft, with your dignity, and your personal integrity. You must fight, Mr. Reeve! Fight against the capricious fates who have disabled you. Please don't let them win this one. They win so damn many! How selfish my ranting sounds. And I admit it: I selfishly want you to live. I need to know that They haven't taken yet another star from my heavens. I need you to live and find new ways of touching us with your gentle integrity. I'm sure you will have read this common complaint in many of the letters that now surround you: I feel so helpless. I know that you are in the capable hands of the finest medical staff, surrounded by friends and loved ones. I know that if you need a drink of water, there is someone there to give it to you. I know there is someone there to hold your hand and keep reminding you that you are loved and valued. Someone will read to you if you ask. Someone will scratch the itch on your forehead. Someone will understand why you are frightened. I can offer you none of these things, but please know that I would give them without question if such a thing were possible. All I can do is sit here on the other side of the continent and pray to gods I don't much care for, and beg them to be content with the harm they have done your body and to leave the rest of you, the best of you, alone. This I will do with every conscious breath. A fan is such an insignificant, invisible thing. The relationship between an artist and his fan is of necessity a one-sided one. The artist gives, the fan takes. I have taken your gift for years, and not once have I taken the time to thank you for it. It doesn't matter whether or not you would have ever seen such a thank-you, or whether you ever needed to hear it. It matters that I never took the time. I do so now. Thank you for being who you are, for bringing beauty into my life, and for bringing balance to the often shallow and ugly industry you work for. Please live. Sincerely, Charlotte Bridges Redlands, California 1 June 95

Thanks for sharing that!

ohoh, charlotte's published and read on tv!! we got ourselves a reeeaaaal celebrity!

May I post for a Springizen who is not able to at the moment - John Burnett He posted this in News - Media appearances Two of my poems (both lighter pieces...) have just been web published in _Poetry_Now_ e-zine. Let me say for the record (since Marcia thinks I should) that the first one is a parody of Walt Whitman (who was gay). I wrote it with what if he were writing poetry now in mind. It does not reflect my own sexuality. OK, enough for disclaimer...here's the URL: http://www.poetrynow.org/Volume%20II%20poetry.htm

Since Charlotte mentioned a letter...and it is about as close to being published as I am ever going to get...I wrote a lengthy lauditory letter to Radio Australia International in thanks for their superb Olympics coverage of the last summer games. Imagine my surprise when they did their "Letterbox" show the following Sunday. They read my name and where I lived and then read my letter. Aloud! For the entire world to hear. I'll never know if anyone else but me heard it, but I was thrilled!

woohoo!

That is sooo cool, Marcia! Do you still have the letter? Can we see it?

I will hunt through my floppies for it, but it was in the old computer which was stolen...If I can find it, I shall post it here. It is some experience to hear your own name announced over the radio then your words spoken by another (in this case, an Australian gentleman). Did you get the same reaction, Charlotte? It was totally mind-blowing and the hairy chest pounder was having a snit so he did not hear it, either...Just me and whomever in space intercepts it at some future date...! Tres cool, indeed!

I missed my moment of glory, altogether. Dateline NBC called to get my permission to read the letter and said it would be on their Monday night show, November 1. So I had about a hundred people scheduling their time to watch it and then they never read my letter. :) And then Friday morning a collegue asked me if I happened to catch the Today show. And of course, I had not. He said they read my letter at the end of the show, and Dana referred to me not by name, but as "Chris's angry fan". He said she said it with a smile. I tried to get a tape of the program from NBC, but they cost $150 for a 5-minute segment. I'm not that anxious to have it! :)

Bummer!!! That is terrible. It was just by the merest happenstance that I caught mine being read. It was sent via email and I had no idea when/if anyone would get to see it. I imagined many hands culling letters before they get to the guys who do the actual reading, so I figured it would be months...or weeks. It was the following Sunday, as it happened. (I am sitting here grinning foolishly just thinking about it.) I am sorry you did not have the same thrill of hearing someone famous read your name. It was inexcusable the way they referred to you. So much for network TV USA...=P

I was not offended. I *was* Chris's angry fan. The whole reason I wrote the letter in the first place was that I had all this anger and nobody to direct it to and no outlet for my rage. Writing the letter wasn't enough, however. Perhaps because I did not allow much of my anger to seep into the letter. A couple of days after I mailed the letter, I wrote a poem and I let all my anger go there, and then I felt better.

Might we see the poem???? (hope...hope...)

Well, of course. I feel like I'm hogging the stage here, though! Crimson Casino I rage against sadistic gods as if it were my body they have shattered. Wrath engulfs my heart, and all that dwells therein. Concern and grief, respect and love remain, but cower in a corner to avoid this caustic crimson color-killing fog. This anger should be his who lies inert; but he is taxed with more important things--- like learning how to breathe unhelped, and how to reconcile his dreams and plans with this reality---and with remembering that bright impalpable aspect, still safe and whole, that properly defines and holds his being. But still, fury must be felt! Its healing fire must seek and cauterize the damage that such senseless harm inflicts upon a soul. But rage is not for him: such virulent emotions such as this are luxuries he can't afford until his spirit stands to guard against their heat. So I will rant on his behalf: I'll stand and fling my incandescant ire aloft to nameless earless eyeless heartless gods; I'll raise my fevered fists and howl toward that heav'n where dicing deities reside. And when I fall exhausted to my knees, I'll roll a pair of prayers: Let him live. Please. 2 jun 95

Charlotte - this is pure Tennyson! Fantastic!

Fantastic, Indeed! Thanks, Charlotte. You were a fan of the finest sort. Did he ever receive a copy of the poem? If so, what was his reaction?

I was advised not to send it to him so soon after his accident because it had such a harsh tone. So, about 3 years later, I enclosed a copy when I returned my signed permission form to Dana. I have no idea what his reaction was, or even if he has read it. He's a tad busy these days. :)

i missed something. who is this for? christopher reeves? (i guess that because of the line "learning how to breathe unhelped" and the dana permission slip). the poem is very powerful and dignigied, i must say. usually anger is so out of control but you use it wonderfully in this piece.

Wolfie, I posted this at someone's request following a discussion above. Yes, I wrote it for Christopher Reeve the day after I heard of his injury. And thank you.

I asked...especially since it IS the Poetry Conference and all that...*grin*

no, i didn't mean about it being posted here! i just didn't know who it was about.

Ah...see what happens when you work on a web page all day and it finally gets up and I can color fonts but cannot get any graphics or wallpaper onto it....I get lost!