Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Yeager Extols Using Imagination In Writing

Poetry.

Rhythmic. Lyrical. Rhyming. Metered. Musical.

This is what students in the Gurdon Adult Literacy Class learned during their class Wednesday, Sept. 6, as they were taught by guest instructor Kitty Yeager. Yeager, who has published a book of poetry entitled, "Tracks of a Unicorn," said her ability to write poetry is a God-given gift she discovered in the fourth grade.

Her teacher assigned the class to write a poem, and when Yeager turned hers in, the teacher lectured her about copying other people's work because the poem she turned in was better than normal for fourth grade level. She realized then she had a gift for poetry. Yeager said she still remembers the incident, and the poem was about flowers and springtime.

This strong episode in a young life led Yeager on the road to writing; a difficult, time-consuming craft which is both frustrating and rewarding.

She said the rest of her family does not write poetry, which she finds unusual.

"I like humorous things," she told the class of her preference for poetry. "I use it in poetry. I like to be clear in my writing, and make my poems like little stories." Yeager gave the class an example of humorous poetry with her reading of the poem "Demolition Derby," about a rather large woman's psychotic intent to fill her shopping cart as quickly as possible with no regard to the human life around her in the store. This poem used the same rhyming method and meter as "T'was the Night Before Christmas," what Yeager said is one of her favorite styles.

Yeager, who is no relation to the famous test pilot Chuck Yeager, also gave the class an example of her more serious poetry with an effort about an Indian brave whose squaw was dying. The story related in the poem was the brave was prepared to take his own life when his wife died so the two could remain united in death as they were in life.

The class was told of the different styles of poems, rhyming couplets, sonnets and quatrains. Yeager informed those who were present and working toward their general equivalency degrees (GEDs), she has won numerous awards for her work, which has been published in many different anthologies and poetry magazines.

"Imagination," she said, "is a wonderful thing. Use it."

During Yeager's readings, she told the class of a poem which won first prize in the Mid-South Poetry Contest in 1986 entitled "Cold Fingered Bride," which is a ghost story in the form of a poem. This effort was written in quatrains.

Her most published poem is "Sonnet to the South," written because of her love of the South and its people. The most difficult poem Yeager's ever written is about Mary Magdalene's feelings when Christ was Crucified. This poem, entitled, "The Fourth Crucifixion," she said, was done "with tears and emotion. It's my most beloved poem." She said this body of work, which was also read to the class, has been used several times by different churches for their Easter services.

She told the class the prizes she's won for her work range from $1 to $1,000. But, Yeager continued, she writes poetry for fun and to share it with others. "It's wonderful therapy," she said.

Yeager told the class not to overuse detail when writing poetry, but to keep their work simple, direct and to the point.

In talking about herself, Yeager said she prefers reading Emily Dickinson. "She's subtle," she said. "Her work appears to be simple, but it isn't. I like a lot of Arkansas poets and enjoy reading Victoria Holt novels, along with the Bible and inspirational literature."

While Yeager is best known as a poet, she has also won awards for articles she has written, along with short stories. "It's not my favorite thing," she said of articles and short stories. "It's harder and takes more time."

Yeager is a native of Clark County, graduated Arkadelphia High School and attended what was then Henderson State Teacher's College.

She and her husband, Beebe, have two children, Jack and Jill. Jack owns and operates a consulting firm in Washington, D.C., while Jill lives in New Orleans. Yeager has one grandson, Nicholas.

Yeager said she got involved in poetry contests after seeing an ad about the Poets Roundtable of Arkansas's contest and entered an illustrated poem she had. It didn't win, but a woman in Arkadelphia saw it and went to her with materials on writing poetry, giving her encouragement to keep writing.

"It helped a lot," she said, adding she attends poetry workshops whenever possible.

While Yeager has one book published, she has others on the back burner. "I've been fortunate," she said. "You need time and space to write. My husband is considerate and gives me the time and space I need."

When not busy with her active family life, Yeager enjoys ceramics and crafts. She said she used to enjoy sewing, but had to give it up because of constraints on her time. She also reads whenever possible, and encourages young people to read as well.

"Writing poetry," she said, "is like chasing a unicorn. You go down a lot of paths and never really catch it. The fun's in the chasing."