connectivity as conduit
type: affirmation
At the last typewriter poetry event of my Arts Alive Award project, the requests were the most touching and profound ever. I feel deep gratitude for the participants who extended their time and trust to a poet, a complete stranger really, to see what could come from it. This event was a memorial blood drive organized by a family who had lost a child, and to be part of their moment of honoring her life was an honor for me.
Poetry is life-affirming. A poem can open the door to embracing transition, by offering a glimmer of hope and solace. And it comes back to me as a poet, in a divine circle. Yesterday, I heard from someone about a poem I had written for her over a year ago, and she expressed how it continues to be a cherished part of honoring the memory of her father.
This work owes a lot to the support of the Nyack Library staff, especially Kristine Kumpf who has been a guiding angel in helping bring my poetry and art into community.
With all that I’ve learned in this process, and with all the poems I’ve written during this project (46 total), the book manuscript I’m writing about it feels pretty daunting right now. But, in the same way that I surrender and trust to each poem, I will surrender and trust to writing the larger project.
Connectivity = creativity = conductivity. I’m looking forward to where my typewriter will take me next. And of course to sharing more of the poems and process with you in this Substack, so stay tuned!
Here’s one of the poems I wrote, for someone who asked for a poem about springtime:
Perfect for the moment of tomorrow’s spring equinox.
Also, if you are looking for a bit of momentum for your own creative journey this spring, please join my upcoming 6-week creativity circle, Murmurations. I’d love to share inspiration and ideas with you. Please reach out if you’re interested or have questions.
And to wrap up this update, just a bit of beauty—this short film of starling murmurations is gorgeous, calligraphic, and mesmerizing. A vision of the power of connection and inspiration.