Poetry on Block Island

An adventure that begins with a ferry ride has an element of magic built in. Visiting Block Island, 12 miles off the coast of Rhode Island (where I was born), is like time travel to 19th Century New England with its wraparound porches, old farmhouses, and meadows separated by stone walls. It's a cozy, friendly place.

This trip, I spent a long weekend at the Poetry Project, not far from town. Visiting poets included Mary Oliver, Coleman Barks, Richard Tillinghast, and Valzhyna Mort (who lives right in Alexandria!).

This particular weekend also featured activist visionary astrologer Caroline Casey who introduced us to the playful ways of coyote. We even shared a group howl.

Mary Oliver signed my copy of her new book of poems, Red Bird. Certainly a special moment for me as you can well imagine.

Participants (about 65 total) hailed from Georgia (Atlanta), Connecticut, New York City, Boston, Vermont, etc. To take your car to Block Island costs $93 roundtrip! So most people parked in Galilee, and ferried over on foot.

This was the sixth and final weekend of this year's project. We were busy all day and into the evening, walking from Payne's Harbor View Inn to Smuggler's Cove for special events or riding into town for readings. Meals were communal in a lovely dining room overlooking the fog and ponds.

On a sunny day we would have seen the ocean in the not to far distance. Block Island is only 3 miles around. So you can see the ocean from just about everywhere as long as it's not raining. On the sunny day I arrived, I drove to Mohegan Bluffs and made down and back up the 167 steps to the beach!

For more details, visit the project's Web site. Founder Lisa Starr and her hubby Champ are wonderful and energetic hosts as is their fine dog Brother. Thanks to their efforts, we all had a blast!

A Neice Turns 18

Something about a birthday, a special birthday. Like turning 18 for example. Can you remember what that felt like? Just a flicker in your mind?

Well, one of my neices turns 18 today, and she really has her life on track. A senior in a New England high school, she's in the school band, and she's interested in chemistry and forensics. Plus, she's a kind human being.

Marge Helgenberger move over! This teen is ready to make her mark on the world. She's smart, beautiful, and a young woman who knows what she wants.

It's serious stuff turning 18. Here's wishing her the best ever!

March

If April is the cruelest -- and also National Poetry Month -- I'd like to spend a few moments here at the end of March talking about March, the tumult, the madness, the suprise host of Eastertime.

It's not easy being the transition month from winter to spring. Even in the DC area, where our winters are nothing like my childhood winters in Rhode Island, spring arrives on howling winds and falling tree branches and dark clouds racing across the sky.

OK, maybe I'm exaggerating a little. It's a Poe moment for me -- black and ominous -- with that raven above the door watching, waiting for me to fall asleep with an unfinished oatmeal cookie on my tv tray.

My dog Scout stands by through all this. He's here right now waiting for his walk. We've got daffodils all over the yard, but it's cold this morning.

Why is this time of year colder than December? I'll never figure that one out. But off I go to follow Scout the length of Elm Street to the park. On the bench under the big oak tree, our favorite spot, the sun will warm us as always.

A Day by the Pool

The heat of the sun is not easy to remember when it's 24 degrees outside.

As I pull on my mittens and fuzzy psychedelic gnome hat, I barely make it to my car as the wind barrels up the street and pushes me into my neighbor's industrial-size recycling bins.

But I manage somehow to get in the car, turn up my new favorite music (Ozomatli), crank the heater to uberhigh, and skid down the hill toward the main street.

As unforgiving as an ice storm. As unexciting as a barn door. As slow as molasses in January. Yup. That's my environment, icicles and all.

So why is the title of this blog entry "A Day by the Pool"? Glad you asked. Here's a photo! Let's make the poem "Ode to Cabo."

Cabo in January - Part 1

My third trip to Cabo San Lucas at the tip of Baja California Sur sent me home with a tan and a smile and a glimpse of what a vacation in January really means.

But getting there was no fun at all. To start, I almost didn't make it out of town.

Thursday morning, January 17, I woke up to snowflakes falling and weather reports meandering back and forth from promises of six inches of snow to freezing rain to an ice sheet more dangerous than Antarctica in winter.

There was a chance that the road to the airport would be too dangerous to travel at 4 am the following morning.

Yes, I did say 4 am. My plane was scheduled to leave at 6 am. And international flights -- Baja is officially Mexico even though we say "California" -- take longer to negotiate.

Silly me to worry. The cab made it to the top of the street, we piled in to a toasty back seat, and we made it to National in plenty of time. But Delta's computers were down . . . ugh. At 4:45 am, there was a line like Friday night prime time waiting for check-in. Double ugh.

I should be calm and sure that all will be well, happy to stand in line quietly. Instead, I run up and down looking for a way to cut in line.

Meanwhile my pal Riggin is smiling kindly. She is laid back and mellow waiting with the patience of a biblical character behind the couple traveling to Lourdes with their growling rotweiller and their stinky old pug.

Poets, Writers Join in Birthday Festivities

My 60th birthday on January 5 brought together poets, writers, friends, and colleagues at the Writer's Center in Bethesda for a Saturday afternoon of diverse voices and good company.

Readers included Rose Solari, Bill O'Sullivan, Nan Fry, Cindy Lollar, Ginnie Hartman, Sarah Sorkin, Judith Witherow, Sue Lenaerts, Riggin Waugh, and Mary Beth Hatem. Poets from Rose's spring class at the Writer's Center included Ellen Cole, Laura Goldberg and Amani. And there were a few last minute surprises!

In the audience? About 60 people including my two children, Erin and Sean. They drove down from Philly for the event. And many of my friends from Frederick, MD, attended -- including Anne Garrett and Katherine Jones and Deb Gardner.

And there's much more to come! The image above is the invitation that went out to everyone . . . This was one of the most amazing days of my entire life!

January 5 Reading at the Writer's Center

I'm hosting a reading at the Writer's Center in Bethesda, Maryland, to celebrate my 60th birthday on January 5. The reading begins at 2 pm and cake and goodies follow.

Please attend and bring your friends!

The theme is epiphanies . . . not only because James Joyce made a big deal about them, but also because turning 60 is, well, the amazement of a lifetime. I'm sure I'll have some deep thought to share on the actual day. And if I don't, I'll have lots of friends around to launch me into my next decade.

Right now readers include (tentatively) Bill O'Sullivan, Ginnie Hartman, Riggin Waugh, and Judith Witherow, Cindy Lollar, Mary Beth Hatem, and of course me.

This is a celebration so the readings will be short (about 3 minutes each).