This was Boston, Massachusetts,1973. I was young and energetic and interested in everything. This was me on my own for the first time, my first big city, my first apartment, roommates, new job. My first drug dealing boyfriend. He was no small time dealer, He dealt cocaine in the great big department size bags. He enjoyed spending money and he spent it on me; dinners, dresses, jewelry. It was fun, flattering and glamorous. One night he threw a party, the kind with fabulous ice sculptures, tuxedoed waiters, delicious canapes, good scotch and good drugs. Me in a long white evening gown.

The party was winding down towards dawn. I was telling a story that I can’t even remember. Suddenly he came from behind, grabbed me and stuck a gun to my head.

“Shut the fuck up.” He said.

But I was in the middle of a story and didn’t shut the fuck up. I kept telling it. As I was finishing the story, I felt the cold metal at my head. Real gun. Real gun at my head. Minutes went by. He pushed me away and I kept going. Didn’t look back and never saw him again.

You might think I’d change my behavior but I didn’t. Not in the least. Random men, random alcohol, random drugs. No learning.

It takes time for a story to revel itself. I tell it haltingly. Gradually it organizes itself. Now it’s decades later and I think about it, but not as a turning point in my life. The experience gets thrown into a file of experiences. The time I got sick from eating too much and threw up on a friend’s new shoes. The time I got lost hiking in the mountains. The countless times I was at the wrong place at the wrong time, the right place at the right time.

Sometimes, in a moment, an experience explains itself. It’s an epiphany. Now I know what the experience of having a gun held to my head means to me.

Scheherazade

Scheherazade, she of the Thousand and One Arabian Nights, is a mysterious woman. She seems to come out of Persia in the seventh or eighth century. Her story begins with a king, Shahyar. He was disillusioned with women and marriage after his wife’s infidelity. He takes to marrying a virgin every night and beheading her in the morning. Until… enter Scheherazade. She knows what she is doing. She puts her life on the line. One night she marries King Shahyar and starts to tell a story. At daybreak the story is not over. The king must wait and he keeps waiting, for one thousand and one nights as Scheherazade keeps the stories coming. In the end it must be a comedy, because he doesn’t kill her, he marries her for real.

That’s what we do, we humans. We tell stories. I had a gun to my head but I was telling a story. The gun was not the story at all, but surviving was. I continue to tell stories. That’s why my book has the title, Very Short Stories. They have a beginning, a middle, an end. They just happen to be in poetic form. I hope you enjoy my stories. All sorrows can be borne if you put them into a story or tell a story about them. Isak Dinesen.

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Artist Judi Lightfield's Poetry Collection "Very Short Stories" Continues to Captivate Readers

Judi Lightfield, an artist and poet, continues to enchant readers with her poetry collection, "Very Short Stories." This anthology, which showcases Lightfield's distinctive voice, offers a collection of witty, sincere, and thought-provoking poems that take readers on a journey through both the mundane and the extraordinary.

"Very Short Stories" is a masterful compilation of Judi Lightfield's best poetry. Each poem is crafted with the precision and depth of a well-told story, complete with a beginning, middle, and end. Lightfield's poems meander along scenic byways, ultimately leading readers to unexpected and intriguing destinations. With subjects ranging from dogs and the weather to mental health, words, and humor, this collection is a delightful exploration of life's myriad experiences. Her journey has been shaped by her diverse experiences and passions. Initially trained in Environmental Design, Lightfield holds a Bachelor of Science in Fine Art and a Master of Arts in Education from Regis University. Her career at the Denver Art Museum exposed her to a wide array of influences, from contemporary and Western to Asian art. Lightfield has taught art at various colleges, universities, and art centers, earning numerous awards and showcasing her work in many galleries and collections.

Lightfield's foray into poetry began after her diagnosis with bipolar I disorder, manic. This transformative period in her life fueled her creativity, leading to the creation of "Very Short Stories." Lightfield's work is driven by the belief that the choices made in the midst of chaos shape the final piece, reflecting a Zen-like approach to both art and life.

Lightfield's inspiration for "Very Short Stories" stemmed from a deep hunger for quirky poetry that resonated with her friends and potential new readers. "All my friends love it. So I did it for my friends. And new readers," Lightfield explains.

"Life is a puzzle. You have all the pieces but lack the front cover. So you start with the edges and work your way in. At the end you see the whole picture. It’s fun to do." Through her poetry, Lightfield invites readers to embrace the journey of piecing together life's puzzle, finding joy and meaning in the process.