It’s been a long time…as usual. But I do have some fun updates to share.
Mel Edden and Bob Bowie have created something really special at Manor Mill, now a gorgeous art center in Monkton, MD. I highly recommend their 1st Monday of the month poetry events! It’s been a stupendous first year, so they decided to produce a book, the first edition of Poets of Manor Mill. It’s being released on September 2nd, and I’m really happy to have a poem in there! Come celebrate with us, 6:30pm-9 at the Mill. It’s a little bit of a drive, but, I promise, the sense of energy and community make it more than worth it.
Earlier this spring, Sam and I were part of an ekphrastic poetry event there. Participants selected an image from their then-current exhibit, and wrote in response. I chose a painting of a small bird sitting on a branch with leaves showing summer coming to an end. (Fall is my favorite season.) I’ve included it for you below, “Listening for the End.”
AND I have a poem and visual art appearing in a show at Hamilton Gallery, also in September, with the same folks from Artist’s U.
The coming school year will be completely different as I’ll be in a different school and using a new curriculum. (Anticipatory anxiety, yes.) It’s going to require a lot of adjusting. I’m thankful to have these events in September to look forward to.
Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you at there!
Virginia
Listening for the End
I’m a small creature
listening for the end.
How to stay safe
in heat and hurricane,
our world’s decline?
Green over green over green
goes on forever
until leaves begin to yellow,
crumble to brown,
some larger than I.
I’m a small creature
watching the sky.
Wind will blow these leaves,
my small self,
away.
I will disappear in the feast.
My body will feed others.
Not even my skeleton will stay.
I am a small creature
becoming smaller.
Virginia Crawford 