Thursday, November 6, 2014

Over the weekend October 31-November 2 I attended a poetry retreat in Huntington, VT, sponsored by Sun Dog Poetry.  There were 10 students and 2 leaders.  We read and critiqued each others' work.  It was a rare opportunity to concentrate on nothing but poetry for 3 days, get feedback on your own work and read the interesting and exciting work others are doing.  

I shared "Saying Goodbye" and "Choice" with the group and posted the latter on the blog.  "Saying Goodbye" is still in revision.  I'll put it up later.

One outcome of the retreat is that some of the participants are forming a round robin poetry critique group where you send poems around the  group for assessment and feedback.

Validation of one's work through contests, retreats, meeting with other poets either in person on by round robin email, is important to keep track if one is making any kind of sense or progress.      
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I lingered late to watch the Moon and now
the Sun has found the forest floor. He casts  
a playful shadow of the pasture gate
across the path to gently scold and block                  
my way.  This futile gesture prompts a smile
and makes me wonder what’s the fuss, or need,
to choose between dualities, limit        freedom
and divide us into ever more warring camps?

As I grow old and, can no longer don                          
the youthful disregard of death, the world is fresh
and filled with first time wonder.        I’ve learned to shed
the baggage of long ago as I acquired
further understanding.  I do not regret
the Moon.  The choice is neither yin or yang.         
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