siki siki baba

this just makes me so excited!

a visit

Yesterday, I visited my former college campus.
It was a picturesque day, the dappled light filtering through the trees, large stones building ermerging from amongst the grassy hills. Memories lazily floated in my mind....triumphs, laughs and occasional regrets.
This past week Rosemont hosted a writer's retreat in conjunction with the literary journal, Philadelphia Stories. I was keen to attend the retreat, but other responsibilities claimed me. Fortunately I was able to squeeze this free lecture in by a very favorite poet of mine, Anne Kaier.
Anne was one of the associate editors of American Writing, A Magazine while I was an editorial assistant there with Alexandra Grilikhes the magazine's creator and editor.
This past November, I had seen Anne read at another venue in November with a very new little person, it was our first real outing. It was wonderful to see her read. She is arresting. & to hear her speak yesterday about her process, what poetry is like for her, where she is coming from...her humor....all were amazing. I related with her so much that my soul was just giggling the whole time. I think we share the same process. She didn't come out and say this, but I got the feeling that poetry just happens for her, which I really relate too. The visuals appear in my mind. It links things together and the language just comes. I loved her honesty. That was one of the things she spoke about yesterday, honesty. How truth is left to the poets, perhaps one of the reasons that doesn't make us very popular in the culture. She, in her words, is a confessional poet & I am very much in the same vane.

Since my visit to Rosemont yesterday, I have been visiting with ghosts. Alexandra, died, 6 years ago. Sandy Crimmins, a former associate editor with the a magazine, died almost a year ago. The two were my connection to Philadelphia and poetry. I was a naive student when I met the two. I remember feeling some of the time, that I just didn't get the conversation. After seeing Anne yesterday, hearing her moving work, thinking of myself and reflecting on what was said all those years ago, I am starting to get their meaning. Beginning to understand the depths of who they were as poets & women. Who I am becoming.
Its overwhelming, powerful....like waves behind my eyes.

In my search to provide some links to these amazing poets, I came across these from Robin's Bookstore in Philadelphia, Anne Kaier, reading Skull a poem for Alexandra
& poems by Alexandra. A poem by Sandy Crimmins.
These ghosts are reminding me of who I am, someone who rings herself out again & again...

Did I mention I made it to the Art Star Bazaar?

Celebration Candle
Originally uploaded by zavodk.

Yes, in my perpetual tardiness I think I may have failed to mention that I made it to the 2nd Annual Art Star Craft Bazaar last Sunday here in Hotdelphia (yes, I know we are no Hotlanta, but it accurately describes this fair city)
I do believe fun was had by a few....
I met and purchased a small object, this here celebration candle.
Saw some friends over at Erika Ebert's booth
& hung out with some lovelies who provided a video expose of our adventure...
fun was had by all & it was wonderful to see such creativity and inspiration all around.
Since the Bazaar was at Penn's Landing along the Delaware River we got to see a boat safety exhibition along the river complete with a helicopter dropping off two officers on a barge while it was moving....

The Bike Race, evidence that I am old

I have been pretty quite of late on this blog. I definitely didn't make it through the post a day in May....but I am still here....kicking it real...(I can't believe I just wrote that.) Its been a bit eventful around here, started back to work this past week, which was a bit unexpected. Its nice to be at work part time, but I miss my little. He has taken the growing this week leaps and bounds; sitting on his own, a new tooth and standing while holding on to something. He even called me "mama" He is just growing so fast & I am trying to enjoy each and ever moment. So mixed in with all that growing has been the start of a heatwave....we are in the midst of it. & this weekend was the annual Philadelphia Bike Race we live a block away from the route. The route that sits atop the infamous Wall The Bike Race here means throngs of drunken young people traipsing through the streets & this year especially they were minimally clothed. In my time away from Philly, I grew used few young people being around. In Maine, youngin's (18-25) left to stake there fortunes somewhere more promising & the ones who stayed, seemed to enjoy that the others left. Coming back here its a smorgasborg of bubbling drunken youth. Especially our town which is the Lenape indian word for "a place to drink" Welcome to Manayunk, Can I get you a drink? Check out this little slide or these party people.... This weekend is the neighborhoods peak of drinking. I used to be one of the revelers...& indeed I had fun. I was at the first Bike Race in 1985, a wee youngin' hanging out on the wall with my family, when virtually no one else was around. I contend that they were probably the Bike Race's first hardcore drinkers.... The Bike Race this year definitely brought home the reality that I am in my 30's with two small children. I had to slap on the sunscreen, hats for both the kids and could only stay out for a brief period of time, for it was too hot for the kids. & as for drinking....I will take a water please...
As a side note, its 11pm here & there are still drunken people wandering around. I just found a young couple on my stoop sucking face, they leapt up when I turned the light on! Geez, I just might very well be my grandmother!