Dear Reader,
Tonight Word Raccoon and I had dinner with extended family. There, Zack’s girlfriend asked if I’d like to go to a poetry slam sometime – Yes and When, WR said.
But WR also said she’d only go if she is allowed to read a poem – she knows just the one that’s begging to be read. IDK if I’m allowed to share Z’s girlfriend’s name but her eyes got big and she said yes!
WR further asked if profanity is an issue (not something you expect to ask your son’s gf; we are not your typical mother, we fear), and she said not at all. WR is relieved. And now she’s warming up her poeticizing skills.
WR also practiced two songs tonight that she will be singing at an event tomorrow. It’s been a long time, but she’s ready. Mostly. Until the time comes.
Why can she read anything or lecture and be just fine, but singing is difficult to do without the nerves?
Tonight we signed our contract for the forthcoming “To My Grown Children” with The Listening Eye. It feels official now!
Also, a huge thanks to Merion West for publishing a poem that means a lot to me, “Lady Lazarus Worries Me.” I sat on the porch of my favorite cafe and said the thing that has bothered me for years: didn’t we know? (Okay, I wasn’t born yet, but how could they not know? Did they not read her poetry?)
Not trying to be morbid, but she had such a beautiful mind. I hate that we will never know now what she might have written if she hadn’t died so young.
Many, many things I want to say about the writing goodies I found when poking around yesterday and today from the “good ol’ days,” but I’m thinking that will have to wait a hot minute.
After having not submitted poetry for ten days (why does that feel so long?? it has been too long since too many things, WR complains), she submitted three poems to a contest today: “Necromancer: Pergo,” “A God’s Eye View,” and “I Have Asked Too Much.”
All are suitably strange to the current mood of WR.
A line from each:
From “Necromancer Duties: Pergo”
Words are powerful, you sonofabitch.
From “God’s Eye View”
My mind gagas
over the (bird’s) shadow
From “I Have Asked Too Much”
…we will pretend to be
spending time together.
Maybe WR has asked too much. But she will just keep asking. It’s who she is.