A few good things-- but it's cold again this morning

Cold temps are back again this morning-- after a day of heavy rain and some minor flooding, now everything is frozen solid. March tries the soul.

Today, I have a pretty "average" day planned: work, then home, then a short webinar tonight with the poet James Crews titled Writing as Refuge. Like so many of us, I have been scattered and upset at the daily negative news onslaught. I'm looking for safe haven, at least emotionally, at this point. Maybe this will give me some good ideas. 

On the positive side of things, I had a poem accepted in Touchstone, which is the print and audio version of the Poetry Society of NH's publication. This comes at a good time; while fleeting, this sort of affirmation helps me stay in my writing lane. I know other people write and write without any need for acknowledgement, but I need a nod here or there. It's probably rooted in my "good student" drive for gold stars. Whatever the cause, it's nice to have a poem finding a home. 

Tomorrow evening, I will be on Zoom with friend and fellow poet-teacher Joann Deiudecibus. We met virtually a few years ago through the Conference on Poetry and Teaching that The Frost Place used to host. I like her energy, and her writing is similarly rooted in personal experience, without becoming too confessional. I admire her use of form, as well. I think it's an interesting bit of serendipity that we both ended up getting a chapbook published--one month apart-- by the same publisher. We've been "book pub process buddies" for over a year, and I'm grateful for her encouragement. If you aren't busy and if you have not already registered for the online launch of our books, send me a note and I'll get you the link. The event starts at 7pm, and should be only an hour. 

That all said, hang in there, folks. It's hard to navigate the outside world, but with each other, we might just weather the wrack.

C



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