Play on Words

I told my housemate this morning that I am going to a poetry conference over the weekend, and he replied, "Well, since you wrote a 600-page poem, that seems appropriate." Pretty funny.

I am looking forward to this. It's a professional event, but there is a fun aspect to it, too. For one, I'm a word nerd, and it's fun to think about writing all weekend. Also, some of the events sound really cool. Topics of workshops I am signed up for include talking to God through creativity, finding poetic meaning in the "cracks in our lives," and a poetry hike - we walk around the grounds of the lovely old retreat center outside of Santa Barbara and get inspired. I also have a nuts and bolts workshop about rewriting and refining poetic work. The keynote speaker is Philip Levine, a poet who is published by Knopf, and he will be reading some of his recent work on Saturday night.

I am taking the bus to Santa Barbara because it is the best way to relax instead of having to deal with traffic. I have my manuscript of The Flower of Knighthood to read on the way up, and about two hours to enjoy doing so.