My visit yesterday to The Frost Place, and a few thoughts about community and place
Sunny and crisp morning-- the day promises to be a lot more pleasant than yesterday's weather. I sure hope so. And I hope the pool water retained some of the accrued warmth. We'll see. First, though, I have to get groceries and so on. Ah, Saturday.
My journeys yesterday landed me at The Frost Place, and while there are changes up there from my many years of being a docent, much is the same. Some landscaping has occurred, pruning of shrubs and removal (sad) of the rose bush by the porch. I didn't go inside the house; that can wait. I was there to talk to the director who is also serving as a docent (arts budgets are tight all over), and I put five copies of my chapbook up in the Barn for sale. It's neat and tidy, and the video is the same... but clearly, it's not set up for in-person readings or conferences. Those are not on the schedule yet again this year, with the exception of Frost Day, and in September, there's a poet running a workshop on a weekend.
I miss the old days of week-long conferences with readings every night, workshops in the day time, and the buzz of people and creativity humming everywhere. Right now, it sort of reads as "quaint thing we found by accident while driving by"-- which is fine, but it feels like the soul has left. Stacy and I spoke about planning some in-person events to bring in local participation/interest. Maybe we can get the words in the air again up there. But it's really not up to me. I would help, but I'm not involved in any way that would actually influence what is done. The programs are what The Frost Place was-- and now, there's only one, and it's online, and there are a smattering of weekend online workshops. Those are good, but they aren't The Frost Place as was originally intended, and I hope that the current Board sees that this is not a good move.
I was told that they are hoping to replace the foundation to the house; I don't know how they can, unless it's in partnership with the Town. The Town owns the property, not the organization. So, once again, not my lane, and I'd better stay out of it. Assuming they get some grant funding, that will be nice-- but it's not the heart of the organization. It is/was the gathering place, but it's not what creates the magic-- it's not the "foundation" of what was built at all. That takes people and a level of caritas that no building can create. Ah, change. I'm not very good at embracing it.
A lot of us who are FP alums are mourning the loss of our in-person conferences and the vibrant community that those created. We miss it. I miss it. I should be packing up a notebook and heading to the Barn for an early cup of coffee and renewed friendships and hugs tomorrow-- but that is not to be. And it likely won't ever be, now. It's a loss I can't replace.
That all said, the weather is lovely. It'll have to do.
Have a good day,
C
The teaching conference isn't gone; it's just thriving in a different place . . . which has shown me that a place, no matter how dear, is not the definition of a community. The CPT alums who have made the move to Monson Arts have also discovered this. I am the definition of a habituated nostalgic, but I say, without reservation, that the shift in setting has made me a radically better teacher, writer, and collaborator, in large part because I can focus 100% of my attention on the well-being of the program and the participants instead of rushing around trying to put out fires. I hope other CPT alums will find a way to join us.
ReplyDeleteabsolutely true-- the conference has moved, and it thrives. What I (poorly?) was going for is that the FP itself feels...lost. And those of us who miss each other, also miss the location where we met. And I agree; I hope that we can all find our way to Monson!
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