January 20: MLK Day, Poetry Workshop, "Web" Dip

Happy Martin Luther King Day.

Yes, I had to work today.  I was at the medical office at 5 a.m., sitting at my desk, shuffling papers, answering e-mails, figuring out what tasks I needed to complete.  However, I didn't have to teach at the university this afternoon, so I've had a good chunk of the day to prepare for my poetry workshop.

I have to admit that I find myself more than a little anxious about teaching poetry writing to a group of people.  It's not that I doubt my abilities to write poetry.  I'm just not so sure about teaching other people about the process of writing poetry.  I don't know why.  I've taught creative writing workshops before to all different age groups, from kindergartners on up.  I guess it's the whole idea of being the "expert" in  the classroom that gets me nervous.

I am no expert on poetry.  I've simply had more experience than most people.  Maybe that's the way I need to think about it.  I'm there to share the tricks I've learned over the years, not demonstrate how brilliant I am.  That just might take away some of the pressure I'm feeling.  I need to relax.  Have fun.  If I have fun, so will everyone else.

My question for this Web Dip Monday is:

Will I have fun tonight in the poetry workshop?

And the answer from Charlotte is:

"Tell me another story!" begged Wilbur.

Well, there you have it.  Wilbur's having fun listening to Charlotte's stories.  Fun.  The word of the day.


Now, if Saint Marty can just get Wilbur to show up for the poetry workshop this evening.

Time to play!

February 13: Ash Wednesday, Stradlater's Composition, Lenten Worry

Anyway, that's what I wrote Stradlater's composition about.  Old Allie's baseball mitt.  I happened to have it with me, in my suitcase, so I got it out and copied down the poems that were written on it.  All I had to do was change Allie's name so that nobody would know it was my brother and not Stradlater's.  I wasn't too crazy about doing it, but I couldn't think of anything else descriptive.  Besides, I sort of liked writing about it.  It took me about an hour, because I had to use Stradlater's lousy typewriter, and it kept jamming on me.  The reason I didn't use my own was because I'd lent it to a guy down the hall.

Holden is a writer.  Holden's brother is a writer.  Even when he flunks out of Pencey, Prep, Holden still passes his English class.  Out of all the things he does in The Catcher in the Rye, writing this essay is one of the few things that actually brings him pleasure.  Holden loves writing about his brother, Allie.

I have been struggling for a couple weeks trying to decide what I'm going to do for Lent this year.  For those disciples who have been following me for a while, you already know that two years ago, I made the commitment to write a poem a day, Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday.  That was crazy, but I did it.  Last year, I said I was going to write a chapter of memoir every week and post it.  That Lenten commitment didn't go so well.  I got some writing done, but it was a hit and miss kind of affair.  I wasn't very disciplined.  Sort of like giving up chocolate for Lent and then stashing Milky Ways in your sock drawer for midnight snacks.

Every time I've thought and prayed about Lent this year, I kept coming back to that memoir thing.  I don't know if it's a God thing or a guilt thing.  However, I'm going to try again this Lent to write my memoir.  I'm not going to commit to any page count or length per week.  Last time, I said I was going to write a chapter a week, and I started panicking on Sundays when I had exactly two sentences written.  Nope, this time, I will simply write and post whatever I come up with on Sunday, whether it's a word or sentence or paragraph or book.

I'm worried that I'm not going to able to complete this task again.  However, I have to keep Holden and his composition about Allie's mitt in mind.  I have to like what I'm writing.  It has to be fun.  I had fun writing a poem a day two years ago.  It gave me stress sometimes, but I still loved the challenge.  I have to love this challenge, too.

So, Saint Marty is making it official.  This Lent, he will start writing his memoir.  Stayed tuned on Sundays for the fruits of his labors, even they are just raisins.

Challenge accepted