December 15: Mountains Part, Poetry Reading, Making a Difference

And then occasionally the mountains part.  The tree with the lights in it appears, the mockingbird falls, and time unfurls across space like an oriflamme.  Now, we rejoice . .

I love this little passage about rejoicing--how Dillard describes the moment.  The mountains parting.  The tree blazing.  The mockingbird falling.  Time unfurling.  Think Moses at the burning bush.  That's what comes to my mind.

This evening, I gave a poetry reading at out local library.  My bandmates were there and sang some Christmas carols and a little Leonard Cohen.  There were cookies and hot chocolate.  And also me, reading some of my Christmas poems and a Christmas essay.  Plus, I got in a few plugs for myself for Poet Laureate of the U. P.  There was a substantial audience, and everybody seemed to enjoy themselves.  Rejoicing all 'round.

I think I got a few votes out of the event, too, and I didn't even have to promise to build a wall around the Upper Peninsula.  After the reading, I had a couple drinks with some friends.  We talked about movies and politics and literature.  And we talked about the necessity of poetry at this time.  The country needs truth tellers, and that is exactly what poets do.

I told my friend to whom I was speaking that, if I become Poet Laureate, I want to spend the two years supporting charitable causes that are important to me.  He said, "That's where the rubber hits the pavement."  I agree.

Poetry can make a difference.

Please vote for Saint Marty (Martin Achatz):

Voting for Poet Laureate of the U. P.