1983

August 1983

  • Contents

  • Contents

  • Feedback

  • Every Good Gift

    Robert D. Hales

  • Bach, Beethoven, and the Book of Mormon

    Mary Hasler Earl

  • The 1983 New Era Contest Winners: Reflections of Creativity

  • As Becometh Saints

    Brent Schindler

  • Jesus, My Savior

    Joel H. Johnson and Brent N. Jorgensen

  • I Knew They Cared

    Janet Fisher Blehm

  • Selected Photography, Art, and Poetry Winners: Reflections of Creativity

    • The Birthday Present

      Holly Ann Welker

    • Sunset Song

      Becky Jo Ward

    • Canned Speeches

      Denise Marie Belnap

    • On My Father’s 50th Birthday

      Holly Ann Welker

    • The Balloon

      Denise Marie Belnap

    • Fields

      Becky Jo Ward

    • Patience

      Holly Ann Welker

    • A Question Better Unanswered

      Jessica Goodfellow

    • The Taste of Love

      Kirsten Christensen

    • Rain Reverie

      Becky Jo Ward

    • Piano

      Elayne Wells

    • Night Crier

      Denise Marie Belnap

    • I Didn’t Know

      Shane Stewart

    • Feet

      Holly Ann Welker

    • Haiku

      Becky Jo Ward

    • Homecoming

      Becky Jo Ward

  • Road Show—How to Write a Winner

    Debbie Howell and Nancy Wudel

  • The Song of the Flute

    Richard M. Romney

  • The Visit

    Dayle King Searle

  • The Light Never Moves

    Spencer J. Condie

Canned Speeches
August 1983


“Canned Speeches,” New Era, Aug. 1983, 22

Canned Speeches

by Denise Marie Belnap

I wanted to say something

wonderful but the words

ran together like water-

colors in the rain and

turned muddy grey, the bright,

new thoughts that colored my

mind. So I opened a tin

can of stale talk

and smoothly blurted precooked

answers that faded in the air.