The rain has come.


Our Mammoth Cave NP campsite, Kentucky July 2003

You may have heard me complain (you HAVE heard me complain, if you've talked to me lately) that I had not seen a drop of rain since Kentucky, late July. Because of the long period between then and now, Kentucky has been romanticized in my mind: lush green forest of crick and hollow, dainty deer and wild turkey (both the creature and the booze), and the sweet sound of rain fliltered through a high green canopy tapping on the outside of our tent. Ahhhh. But then came the long dry spell.


"Tinderbox Mountain," just behind our home

It has been until today before it really rained. It is dark, when it should still be light, and the air is cold and wet. This is tea weather: bundle-sock, afghan-over-the-knees, tea weather. It is lovely.

Water is life.

LOVE

Amy

ps: if you support workers' rights to organize, please sign this petition and support the boycott of Borders, Amazon.com, and Walden books!!! Support Borders Workers!



  ¶ 8:33 PM

  The big excitement this week was that I got to meet Thom Gunn. I cannot claim to be president of the Thom Gunn fanclub, but I would pass as a casual member, as a definite admirer of his poems. Well, as the girlfriend of a Stegner fellow, I get to hear about these things, when xyz famous poet pops into town to do a colloquium or somesuch. So I went with Brian down to Stanford, and we enjoyed a colloquium in which Thom rather modestly refrained from talking about himself at all, and spent his time talking up some other poets, especially Edgar Bowers. Afterwards, I had him sign a book for Caliban (perhaps also not prez of the fan club, but more likely to be treasurer... the year that the money disappears), and then waited around with Brian and the other Stegs while they discussed taking Thom to lunch.

I had no idea what the nature of this lunch would be, but I must say, it was something. It was something. Ten Stegners, Thom, and me (what doesn't fit in this picture?) went to the "Stanford Faculty Lounge" which is actually a deluxe fancy restaurant in the middle of Stanford's campus, where the waiters are dressed up, the deserts are full of liqueur, and if you have to ask, you can't afford it. It is gated and wrought-ironed with flowering gardens shielding it from the view of the millionaire students who aren't allowed in. Except for special occasions like this. They gave us a separate room overlooking the courtyard.

Lunch with Thom was fun. He is a really sweet, giggly guy. You can tell he really loves poetry, loves it, even after all these years. You can also tell that he has genuine respect for other people, and that he's not afraid to listen. I swear if the man has an ounce of pretense in him, it doesn't show. It was, compared to other encouters with authors and poets I've had, very different.

Thom told us interesting things about new poets he likes (Daisy Fried), old poets who made good pot brownies (Elizabeth Bishop), about the nonsense involved in judging a book contest (he ended up not even being the one to decide), and how he dislikes all "schools" of poetry equally. (I got the impression he likes to keep it out-of-school.) He also mentioned that he once had Dana Gioia in a class, but doesn't remember him at all. The only reason, he says, that he knows Gioia was a student of his is because he sends him a copy of everything he writes -- oh that Gioia! Anyway, Thom is a very casual kicked-back person, who still dresses in leather jackets and motorcycle boots despite being over 70. He wears it like he couldn't, just coudn't, stand to ever wear anything else.



  ¶ 4:06 AM

  HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN!!!
  ¶ 2:24 AM

 

America. Freedom. Individuality. Blogging.

This is my first post on my first blog, long may it wave! I love the idea of being able to publish my daily thoughts and observations, stories, anecdotes, and tales, interesting links to interesting places, and of course, photos! Come check out my blog whenever you feel like it, whenever you get a minute. I hope to keep it entertaining and fresh. Also watch for some new updates to my website that Joe Cummins, aka YourTek, aka WEB GOD is doing for me, as he recovers from being recently smitten by Hurricane Isabel. His phone lines are still strewn all over his back yard, but other than that, he is getting things back to normal. This first post goes out to Joe. Thanks, Joe! You're the BEST!

  ¶ 8:42 PM