So Much Depends ...

So much depends
upon

a blue wheel
barrow

filled with new
dirt

next to the blooming
azaleas.

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God, I hate yard work.

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Check out Afaa Michael Weaver's article on the Poetry Foundation's website. Another good read: Nin Andrews' piece for Superstition Review. It made me smile.

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My pile of unread poetry books is unwieldy. Trying to catch up, one poem at a time.

Current read: Blue Front by Martha Collins.

Confession Tuesday

I know. I know. It's Wednesday.



I've been trying to unwind and reconnect to my life since classes ended and the Mass Poetry Festival has passed. Spent the day with my daughter yesterday only to be sniping at each other day. What a difference a day makes. Still, I've value the time with my family, for better or for worse.

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This weekend I made a list of things I want to work on this summer. I like to keep my goals short but attainable, since my goals always carry lots of to-do's with them.

1.  Initiate The Summer of Fun. For the last few years, the kids and I have made a list of places we want to go and things we want to do during the summer. And even though I'll work in the summer, if I make a list, then we all have a chance to do a few things that we each would like to do. For instance, my son and I want to see at game at Fenway Park, while my daughter wants to go to a water park. Everybody wins.

2. Get in some exercise. Maybe, just maybe, I will take up tennis again.

3. Work on my poetry. This includes starting the Juno project while revising, sending out poems, and looking for other opportunities to get involved in the poetry community.

4. Dating. It's time.

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I've been invited to attend two writing retreats this summer. One is an opportunity I've wanted to do for years, the other came as a surprise. Both are fabulous. Unfortunately, I can't do both. Too much money and I don't think I have the time. Can't imagine spending two weeks away from the kids.

This is a good problem to have, I think.

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Since the Charles Rowell-Norton Anthology is out and gaining lots of attention, I realized I don't own an anthology of African American poetry. So Afaa Weaver recommended The Oxford Anthology of African-American Poetry.  Love how it's organized. A real find.

Saturday Confessions

I'm at my local Starbucks. They have remodeled; this is my first time here since the new open layout with big tables and couches. It looks nice, but I don't want to share my space, especially with the two chatty college students at the end of the table. Oh well, so be it. 

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This past week after the festival I've spent wrapping up grades for the semester. Have I rested post-festival? No, not really. But I did get to spend a little time with my parents before they went home to Virginia. It is quiet in the house without them. We miss them. 

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Haven't mentioned this yet but just before the festival, I was hired for a full-time, tenure track position at Salem State University. Great news, indeed. More to come.

After the festival, which, by all accounts was a HUGE success, and getting through the hiring process, I am trying to find my place in the world again. I'm feeling lost today. Trying to move with the drift. The kids are away with their dad until noon tomorrow, Mothers' Day. And as much as we need a break from each other, I miss them, too.

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Also just before the festival, I lost my jump drive, which had my most recent poems and info. Damn. Damn. Damn. 

Last year, my laptop was lost in an airport, the year before I had jump drive issues. Now, I am backed up on a new jump drive, as well as Dropbox and Google Docs. I think the universe was trying to tell me something but in my usual, hard-headed fashion I just wasn't listening. 

Still hope the jump drive shows up. Maybe it needed a vacation from me. 

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Losing the jump drive was not a total disaster (thanks, Elizabeth Bishop). I backed up six months ago, and because just about every document or poem I've written has a hard-copy or email trail, I have been able to piece together almost all of my work. So I'm taking this opportunity--yes, opportunity--to reconnect with my work. What do I have for a third manuscript? What am I doing with the Juno Larcom poems? I'm beginning to revise my drafts, sifting through the 18 or so poems I wrote for National Poetry Month.

As I continue to figure out what I want, it helps to work on the drafts. Brings a sort of order to my life that I've been craving. 

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Blog, I've missed you, too. Promise not to stay away so long.

Promposal w/Robert Pinsky

Robert Pinsky on The Colbert Report.

Confession Tuesday

Happy Confession Tuesday! It's a post-festival confession and I can barely type I'm so tired. So I'm giving you my top 10's moments, in no particular order.

1. This photo with Sharon Olds.
2. Sitting with Sharon, Terrance Hayes, and Eduardo C. Corral in the green room on Saturday night.
3. Singing happy birthday to Jill McDonough with 275 of her newest, closest friends.
4. Knowing that unlike last year, festival cofounder Michael Ansara got to see some of the festival.
5. Fewer mishaps, typos, and gaffes with our programming (woo hoo).
6. Listening to the Cinco de Mayo reading with Amanda Torres, John Murillo, and Martin Espada on Sunday.
7. Hearing all the praise about this group effort we call a festival--it never gets old.
8. Seeing the blue shirted volunteers smiling and happy.
9. Introducing Terrance Hayes to my parents.
10. Hanging out with Joseph O., Aimee Nez, and Marie-Elizabeth.
11. Working with a core group of friends and poets again. Couldn't do it without them.

OK, that's 11 top 10s. More to come in the next few days.

Confession Tuesday

I confess it’s Wednesday. 

I thought about writing a post around 11:45 p.m. but at that point I had gotten about six hours of sleep over two days and I needed to crash. And I did. And it felt good. Five hours of sleep and was woken up by alarm, which I never need. This is what happens festival week I’ll sleep again on May 6.

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In case you didn’t know, the Massachusetts Poetry Festival happens this weekend, May 3-5, and I have to say things are shaping up nicely. The weather looks rain-free all weekend. The team of people we have in place—some volunteer veterans and some newbies—have come together to handle any problem that comes up. And the small details—posters, programs, t-shirts, buttons, etc.—all look great. Not to mention the dynamic programming and caliber of poets participating all lend themselves to a really exciting three days.

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Did I mention Sharon Olds and Tracy K. Smith, our two most recent Pulitzer Prize winners, will be in Salem this weekend? That’s how we roll.

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The Calvary (a.k.a. my parents) arrive today to help take care of the kids.

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Here’s my article op-ed in the Salem News called, “Why Poetry, Why Now?”

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A shout out to the folks in Newburyport for hosting a fabulous festival this past weekend. The best part, for me, was hearing the work of Rafael Campo. Just lovely. Also enjoyed meeting Andre Dubus, and seeing Rhina Espaillat, Afaa Michael Weaver, Charles Coe, Dawne Shand and Kirun Kapur.

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I have good job news to share. Will save the news for a post next week. Yay!

Newburyport Literary Festival

I've been so busy with the Mass Poetry Festival that I forgot to mention I'm reading at the Newburyport Literary Festival. I've attended a few as an audience member, so I'm thrilled to be part of the lineup. They put on a nice fest.

Newburyport Literary Festival
April 26-27, downtown Newburyport

Poetry schedule:

8:30 – 10 a.m.: Coffee with the Poets: Reading by Powow River Poets members David Davis, Don Kimball, Michael Cantor & Rhina Espaillat
10 – 11 a.m.: January O'Neil & Rafael Campo
11– Noon: John Ridland & David Slavitt
1 – 2 p.m.: Afaa Michael Weaver & Freddy Frankel
2 – 3 p.m.: Mimi White & Charles Coe

Also reading at the festival are Junot Diaz and Andre Dubus III.

See the full schedule of events, including a map of the venues.

Hope to see you there!