My Mother Taught Me Things

May 12, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

from: 108 Days of American Sentence – Day 9: Arms Wrap Around Me

I am surrounded, supported, and loved by strong, beautiful women.

Backworld slipping is not an option

May 12, 2019.Reading time 6 minutes.

“Creativity ignited a spark. In that moment, I saw that art is not peripheral, beauty is not optional, but a strategy for survival.” – Terry Tempest Williams

I walked away a long time ago so that I could find out who I am.

So much filling a room

April 20, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

We moved to a small room in an annex to the Poetry Project at St. Mark’s Church. Nada Gordon was teaching – I think we were free-writing, getting warmed up.

My marriage was a disaster and I did’t necessarily feel like feeling anything – so I focused on the room and the sounds and the imagery and the energy of nervous writers filling the space. I put a lot of pressure on writing to take the place of music.

I’m guessing this happened in 2004.

Five – Beyond the Order of Things

February 19, 2019.Reading time 4 minutes.

Tangent pulled from the middle of this free-write: Brunettes. I love dark boys, the dark hair, the dark skin, the pale eyes. I never thought I had a type, but looking back I see I have a thing for Mediterranean men. Darker men. I love curly hair and almond-shaped eyes. Light brown eyes, green eyes, blue eyes. Oh, but dark hair and lovely sharp features.