Update to Start the Year

Don’t pay the ransom, I’ve escaped!
Yes, it has been a long time since I’ve been here. Well, I have checked if you’ve left any comments, but time seemed to get away from me, and now it has been over a month.

Had a wonderful time holding babies and being with family during Christmas. Had a good trip back, and then the cold weather came and stayed with us for an eternity. Then it snowed, and I really don’t mean to whine, because others also got dumped on by the white stuff, but it’s my blog, and I can bellyache if I want to.

I was snowed in for three days, and finally I couldn’t stand it anymore, so one Sunday when they closed church, I called the Starbucks 30 miles away and asked if they were open, put the jeep in 4-wheel drive and headed to town.

Another project we had in January was the Christmas Bird Count. It’s great fun, but on the day we had it the temperature started at 10 and went to 27. No rain or snow though, and we had over 20 people counting in the circle. The final tally was 72 species and 3172 birds. Didn’t think it was a bad day until I read the report from my friend in Louisiana. It’s all about citizen science, and if you want to learn more, just visit the Audubon site. Next bird count is the Great Backyard Bird Count in February. Maybe we won’t freeze our behinds on that one.

Well, you can see that I didn’t mention any writing in that time period. I thought about that a lot, and that was ok, but I needed something to get me back to it, so last week I headed up to the John C. Campbell Folk School. The school is located in North Carolina, and I’ve been there three or four times now. The leader of the class was a poet from PA. His name is Gene Hirsch, and he is a wonderful person and writes some beautiful poetry. The class was small, with Gene, Sam, Rob, Sandy, Linda and myself. Most of them had been writing for years, so the discussions were concentrated on the role of form, title, and such. By the end of each day I was exhausted and totally happy. I asked for help with a number of poems I had been working on for a few years. I was happy with the comments, and after all, suggestions are just that, so you toss them over and see what the changes will do to your poem, use some, and get rid of the rest.

It was advanced week at the school, so the eating times were full of discussion about the classes. The blacksmiths were there, the potters, painters, bakers, jewelry makers and others. The class I spent time walking through was the book binding class. The instructor had some examples of books with wooden covers, and the students were building their own. They were just fantastic, ancient looking and I could just see them containing a poem or photos.

So friends, I’m back, looking at what I’ve written and what I want to share. I’ll be back in a few days with some notes from the school, and maybe something to share. My writer’s group is this week so I need to work on my talk for them and find something to read. I’ll be busy for a few days.

BTW, I’ve been thinking about doing some backpacking this year. My son wants me to do some of the AT, Appalachian Trail with him, and I want to do the 300 miles of the BMT, Benton Mackaye Trail. I have done some of the AT, but I was younger and prettier then haha. If I can get my old self out of a chair, maybe I can work both dreams out. I’ll keep you informed.

See you soon.

Robert

Happy Holidays!

I'm writing from the coffee shop this morning. The train is warming up across the street, and after the huge rains we've had over the last few days it is turning into a cloudy and hazy day here in the mountains.

The tourists are gathering in the coffee shop, waiting for friends and having their coffee before boarding the train, or heading up to the shops, to find that last minute Christmas gift.

So here we are, heading toward the huge holiday and the end of the year. Did all your wishes come true through the year? I hope so. I hope you were able to experience your heart's desire, that you were loved, and that you loved in return.

I pray that if you were not able to start that poem or novel you have been dreaming about for so long, that you will be able to make the time to do it next year. Remember, it you don't tell the stories they will fade away and be lost.

My wish for you is that you will be blest during this holiday season, and that you will be a blessing to someone. That you will smile, and that you will share a smile with someone. My greatest gift his season is to be surrounded by friends and loved ones. I’m going to put down my pen, and go and hold babies, and take a moment to thank God for what he has done for me.

Have a wonderful holiday season dear friends, and I’ll see you back on the porch in a few weeks.
My poem for today is from the same assignment I gave out last month. Use a line from a song or poem for a prompt. No reading this time because I’m updating from the coffee shop. Louise Gluck used this first line in one of her poems.

Remember the Days
Acknowledgements to Louise Gluck

Remember the days of our first happiness
when I sailed home,
hitchhiked over Hawks Nest
sea bag full of gifts from far places?

No clothes but those soiled by African soil.

All of our furniture hand-me-downs.
A Christmas tree we had to cut in half to make it fit.

How you worried that I would be disappointed
by your baby bump after being gone for so long,
and all I wanted to do was to hold you both.

Remember how quickly the years passed
and we had more than we needed
our kids had kids, and everything changed.

And now when the silence overtakes me
the one truth that I still know for sure
is that if I were coming from far places,
I'd come home to you,
in these the days of our happiness.

**********

Staying Warm

As you can see, we’ve had our first snow in the mountains. Another one is sweeping across the country. I hope you’re safe and warm where ever you are. I'm in and staying warm.

I’ve been fighting with my writing. I guess all writers have been through that kind of week or two. It’s all part of the process, but it is frustrating, and you do realize after the struggle has gone on for a few days that the thoughts are correct, and instead of ego you need to use some common sense. It’s not about the poetry.

Poetry and I have a love hate relationship. I’ve fought it, loved it, hated it, even divorced it for a few days, but not to worry we’ve reconciled and don’t need therapy or anything.

It’s about the mystery I’ve been working on. It seems to think I don’t need a location I thought was major to the plot, and some characters have strolled in, demanding attention. So, that’s what I’ve been doing, and I know you understand because you’ve been through those kinds of dilemma with your own writing. So, when I’m not around for a few days, I’m working, and that’s good. I haven’t heard from very many of you for some time. Hope all is well with you and you are putting pen to paper. Send me a note if you get a chance. Of course comments on my poem and suggestions are always welcome.

The poem I’m sharing with you today was prompted by an assignment I gave the Blue Ridge Poets and Writers for the meeting that’s coming up this month. We were to take a line from a song or poem and use it as a prompt for a small bit of prose or a poem. So, here’s my effort.

Michael Makes a List

He moves closer to his drink.
Pulls a fresh napkin from the pile
and whispers,

Even now I can make a list
cover this napkin from front to back
of what the protected don’t know.

1.
It’s not always the bad boys who skip school.
Sometimes the bruises are just too fresh.

2.
If you run away at Christmas
you wont even get a shirt.

3.
You can tell it’s Friday by the
smell of whisky in the kitchen
and the broken glass on the linoleum.

4.
It’s better to be cold on a bus
than warm at home.

5.
If you die tomorrow
most people would say
they knew it would happen.


© Robert W. Kimsey 2009