I am definitely overdoing it. Besides my two classes, my parents (with all that entails), my son who needs me to drive him places now that he has lost his license for a year, the choir, the Torah group, and my wonderlust, I don't have enough hours in the day or days in the week to get things done. I haven't been to the movies or had time just to sit down and read for way too long, and my house is a worse nightmare of confusion than usual. Add to this various ill people I ought to be visiting and am feeling guilty about!! UGH. I just want to hide for a little while.
But I'm glad I didn't hide from my class last night. We are now about 10 people, but I see progress breaking out all over among these remaining folks. The class seems to love doing the 40 minute assignments I give, for example. Last night we studied some poems with exceptional endings of various kinds, including James Wright's "Lying on a Hammock at Wm. Duffy's Farm," "Ode on a Grecian Urn," "The Snow Man," and a couple poems by Stanley Kunitz. Following this, I wrote several flat statements on the board, such as "What's wrong with eating alone?" and "No one answered" and asked them to choose one or write their own as the ending of a short image-heavy poem along the lines of Wright's poem. There were some interesting responses.
I promised a field trip, and now I am trying to find time in my schedule to fit it in. Clearly, I will have to forego yoga class. There is no reason I cannot practice on my own for one day. But somehow, things always get in the way... sales calls, calls from my parents, the cat shitting in the hall, etc.
But I promised we would go out to eat before class one day, if people were interested. There's no reason not to make it next week. There seemed to be enthusiasm for Whole Foods. While I find it expensive and crowded, I'm willing to go there. It's one way to be sure everyone gets the food s/he wants to eat. We have at least one vegetarian, and I am notoriously fussy myself about what I eat. I know I can find things I like there.
More on how it goes another day. Please excuse me for being lacksidaisical about writing this blog though. I'm struggling.
3 comments:
I'm glad you're seeing the progress people can make in your workshop - that's great!
I hope you're doing some writing alongside them.
I know you have a busy and full life, and I don't think you are haphazard in keeping your blog at all. I hope you find time today to just be in a moment.
Hi Reb. Yes. I'm doing the exercises every week along with them and have written many poems this semester, though most require work. It's a good feeling.
Lou, thanks for the affirmation.
I need it, especially just at this moment.
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