Before walking this morning, I read a poetry newsletter in my inbox, by Diane Lockward, her article, this week, tips on craft - some very specific ways to go through a poem draft with highlighter pens, looking at what is essential, and

I read the article and put it away, and I wasn't thinking of anything in particular, until walking near the river, thoughts about revision popped into my head, and the poem draft I wrote and shared with my poetry pals earlier in the week came into view, and I was thinking about the need to get rid of the whole thing and start over, when I suddenly had a vision for how it is connected to another poem I began drafting, very roughly, this summer in Vanessa Jiminez Gabb's poetry workshop – all having to do with the idea of being, or feeling, really, as if I'm being watched and observed by a ghost-like/God like presence at some pivotal moments. Suddenly, I saw the connection, and the impulse to pick one poem draft up and put it inside the other, and work on them as a whole piece, because the themes are so connected. This is what I saw and felt clearly, and I'm eager to actually develop this idea, but today was a family day, a social day, parties with friends and relatives, and so I will need to wait and get to it in a day or two. But I was so glad to have this vision, and it feels like finding a little present - a complicated by interesting one – I will put aside and open soon enough to see if it fits.

All photos and text ©Kelly DuMar 2018 unless otherwise attributed