I seriously thought I was going to post this earlier in the week. Ha! What was I thinking? I have managed to unpack (although I still haven't found my night guard mouthpiece, yipes!) I haven't washed clothes yet. I haven't grocery shopped yet. (So grateful for a patient husband and a daughter who brought shepherd's pie that lasted two nights!) I did teach five yoga classes and I think I've mostly caught up on my sleep.
First let me just say Poetry Camp was amazing. My ride from Seattle to Bellingham was with Janet Wong's husband, Glenn Schroeder and Louisiana poet, Brod Baggert. Both have lawyer backgrounds, so I stayed entertained in the back seat listening to these two. Of course, my Eastern Time Zone body was screaming three in the morning! When Brod asked who were my favorite dead poets, it took a minute to remember their names. Theodore Roethke, Christina Rosetti, Gerard Manley Hopkins. Ask me next week and I might come up with three different names.
I swiped this from Janet's Facebook page, so I have no idea who gets the photo credit. |
I love these two ladies, Irene Latham and Jeannine Atkins. |
Julie Larios led a writing workshop using Oulipo techniques for getting out of a writing rut. Basically it meant giving yourself specific constraints with the understanding that the constraints themselves force your brain to operate in a different way, letting the poem lead you. I was in a song-writing workshop earlier this summer where this same concept was the basis for creating a song.
Here's an example we actually worked on: Write a five line poem. The final vowel sound in each line must be a long a, e, i, o, and u.
How can she stay in this sun-deprived place?
She watches leaves on the elm sway in the breeze
and lifts her eyes to the graying sky,
weighing the distance she must go.
She spreads her wings and lifts toward blue.
A fun first draft that I wouldn't otherwise have written. Maybe it will go somewhere, maybe it won't. Maybe I'll salvage a phrase or two. Who knows?
If you read my post yesterday on friends, this should have gone on that post, but that didn't happen. On the way to dinner with April Halprin Wayland and Nancy Bo Flood, I wrapped my arm through April's and said, "Help me out here. I'm feeling a bit like a fraud after sitting in the room the all those amazing poets." She just patted my arm and said, "We all have our own level of fraudulence to deal with." Maybe it never goes away, that feeling that you're just pretending to be a poet. But there's nothing for it but to keep writing.
I don't remember her name. I wish I hadn't been so surprised that I forgot to ask about her school. She made my day.
I told Janet and Sylvia that on Friday I felt a little like an imposter in the middle of all these rock stars. By the end of Saturday, I felt a little like a rock star, too.
There's more, of course, but I'll save it for later.
Hi, Doraine, thanks so much for your lovely write up. It was so wonderful to meet you in person! I think EVERYONE felt a bit "I'm not worthy"-- I know I did-- but then swept along with all the poetry love. So glad you felt celebrated and validated-- me, too! LOVE the photo of the two of us together! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteSorry your trip home was a bit rugged-- hope things have settled down. If it's any consolation, I haven't done laundry yet either! :-) Who cares, right? Savoring the moments first!
Take care and stay well and I hope our paths cross again soon!
Thanks, Sylvia. Right. Who cares about the laundry? I am still basking in the glow of poetry camp.
DeleteYou are definitely a rock star, Dori!
ReplyDeleteYou're so sweet! Thanks.
DeleteWonderful to read your reactions, Doraine. Children's poets are the friendliest, most supportive of the bunch. Glad you enjoyed PC and got to meet online friends in person for the first time.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Children's poets are incredibly friendly and giving. Hope to meet you in person one day, Jama.
DeleteYou ARE a rock star, Dori. I had to chuckle a little when I read the part about you not expecting Janet to recognize you. I think I probably would have reacted the exact same way! It's kind of an odd thing, all these close relationships I've cultivated with people I've never met. I loved this recap, though, and hope to meet you, myself, one day.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Michelle. I am looking forward to meeting you one day. We aren't so far apart. You would think we could manage it!
DeleteI know you had a struggle getting home because of FB, but so glad you are home now & wrote this sweet piece. I've read a lot of them today, and while some repeat a few things, each one is unique, just like yours, Doraine. I always love the pictures, of course, but you have the best last line-beautiful!
ReplyDeleteYep. That trip home was quite the journey. But oh so worth it all!
DeleteSounds like an inspiring meeting of kindred spirits, supporting each other and sharing knowledge and passion. What a wonderful experience!
ReplyDeleteKindred spirits is right. It was a wonderful weekend.
DeleteOh, so much fun remembering the great weekend here and elsewhere -- but I love your ending so much -- sweet moment with dear Robyn, but waving with Sylvia at the end, claiming all we are. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteYes, ma'am. Seeing you was a highlight!
DeleteOh, so much fun remembering the great weekend here and elsewhere -- but I love your ending so much -- sweet moment with dear Robyn, but waving with Sylvia at the end, claiming all we are. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteForget to say-- swept away by your ending -- how much I also loved hearing you read "Our Blended Family." A chill ran through the hall.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jeannine. I was probably too self aware in that moment to notice any stillness except my own. Don't we love it when our words impact others? And yours so often impact me.
DeleteThanks for the nice sentiment, Doraine! There were a couple of things on my wishlist for the weekend and meeting you was one of them. So special! (I kicked myself for not hauling out the camera and getting someone to snap when we were together. So an event like this has to happen again.)
ReplyDeleteKicking in sync with you!
DeleteDori, thanks for your reflections!
ReplyDeleteDori, I know precisely what you mean about feeling like a fraud, and yet when we hobnob with those who are our models and inspirations, no matter how experienced we may be, we're humbled. Your line about drinking from a fire hose made me LOL! : )
ReplyDeleteI loved the fraud part. That made me smile. And drinking from a firehose...oh my. Such a magical experience. So good to meet you. I hope you don't mind that I borrowed the picture of us.
ReplyDeleteDoraine, I'm catching up too! It's late Tuesday afternoon and I'm scrolling through Poetry Friday contributions. What captures me in your post is the beauty of belonging....to a family that allows you to catch up and a community of poets that welcomed you to camp. What a lovely experience. More than ever, I want to see this happen on the east coast too!
ReplyDeleteYou absolutely rock, Doraine. Loved having some catch-up time. XO
ReplyDeleteI'll echo the "you rock" comments, Doraine, because you do ... really and truly. Thanks for the lively and honest post. We loved hosting Poetry Camp and experiencing the total joy that seeped into every aspect of the weekend. Hoping our paths cross again ...
ReplyDelete