#NewThisDay Writing From My Photo Stream
Morning, Menemsha Hills
If you stand at the edge of the forest
and stare into it
every tree at the edge will blow a little extra
oxygen toward you. . .
Excerpt from “Ancient Language,” by Hannah Stephenson
I listened only to my own thoughts and feelings this morning on my walk with Charlie. I took a different trail through the hills, one I’ve taken before. I met three runners. No one else. There was a lovely breeze blowing away the gnats. I thought a lot about what I’ve been listening to and pondering this week. Seeking a clearing. Stubbed my sore toe three times over the rocks. Still, I made progress. There was the osprey above me. My feet are not wings. I felt glad about my writing: working on the poems from letters book, and the new poem I shared in Monday night poets last night. That needs a tweak. I headed home to run the Ukrainian support group. Which was very moving, as usual. My expressive arts exercise was very powerful. Later, I described the exercise, the prompt, to my daughter who said she wants to steal it. I said, I’ll write it up and we’ll share it! And she offered a smart tweak to it, as well. I went to the beach in the hot, hot afternoon. Frank stayed and worked. It was a red flag/rip tide day at Lucy Vincent so I didn’t swim and didn’t stay long but took a lovely walk in the foam and spray. Before Frank and I went out into town tonight I tried to tweak my new poem. No luck. Felt stuck. Then Frank and I went into Vineyard Haven, and to Oak Bluffs and the beach looking for the Tuesday night drumming. We couldn’t find it. But we had fun looking. A storm stirred the blue up in the sky and the sea and it was quite dramatic. Home in lightning and thunder and a quick splash of rain. Poor Charlie! We left him in and he was alone in the storm. Happy to be reunited with us as the storm passed. And, just as we turned onto the road up the hill past Vineyard Sound to our house the line for my poem came into my head. I think it works. It works for me, tonight. I am satisfied before bed. This is a powerful retreat that I am on, that I am making for myself this week.
