“Atop the stones of a waterfall, / A bracken has sprouted fiddleheads— / Spring has come.”
--Prince Shiki (668–716, the seventh son of Emperor Tenji),
Lately, I have been swooning over poetry. I am not as interested in dissecting phrases, thesis, and structure as I was in high school English with Mrs. Tuttle. (Yes, she was as conservative in her worldview as her name implies.) While understanding structure is important, in my adolescent mind, after hearing much Charlie Brown intoned, blah, blah, blah, coupled with too many “thees” and “thous,” I saw poetry as academic and dried up.
But I was fortunate that my parents enjoyed poetry and would share Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Langston Hughes, and Maya Angelou with me. There was much of it that I did not understand, but it was the feeling that it gave. Like sitting under a big tree and feeling like the clouds were talking specifically to me. Or touching a garden snake for the first time, curious and a little fearful.
I recently co-facilitated a poetry exploration class where folks had a safe and structured space to renew their relationship with the written word. Some participants were seasoned writers, and others were tentatively stepping into playing with words. It was a magical experience to witness the blooming of rekindled and newly found creativity.
One of the lessons that kept coming up in this four-session weekly workshop was the tendency to undervalue our perspective. Some folks were resistant to sharing because they believed that their topic was too ordinary and not interesting. But over and over again, when participants shared their so-called ordinary experiences, hearts were touched, human experiences were verified, and suddenly, there was a little more magical space in the room.
So, your assignment this month? Go read a poem. Read a poem written by someone who is very different from you. Type into the magic eight ball of Google “poetry of....” or “poetry by…” and be prepared to experience a little more interior space.
Oh, and do continue to be fabulous!
Musical Projects
I am returning to the studio in June, recording more original songs.
This set of songs has an acoustic, folky feel. Don’t worry --there will be more jazz recordings in the future, but I am enjoying writing and musical exploration. I’ll keep you posted.
Speaking of new songs, you can find my latest song, Pegasus on Bandcamp.
A little about the song: My father worked in education for most of his life, and one day, he brought a Pegasus book home from school. It was probably on its way to landfill; the spine was tattered, and the pages were marked. I had never heard of Pegasus — a winged horse completely captured my imagination. The kids having the adventure felt very "other," I remember wondering if I could have as much fun as they were having.
Upcoming Performance Dates
May 16th 7-9pm
Cellar Cat
with Jonas Myers and Osama Afifi
June 2nd 2pm
Swinging Sounds
Call Susan Patrick for reservations and venue address at (360) 888-4283
Tickets: $35 cash or check at the door.
Note: After 12 years, the Swinging Sounds House Concert Series is ending. This wonderful series has featured wonderful jazz musicians of the Northwest in a beautiful, intimate setting. Hosts Kathy Percival and Susan Patrick have nurtured this wonderful resource beautifully.
June 15th, 7pm
Traditions Fair Trade
300 5th Ave SW,
Olympia, WA 98501
July 31, 6-8pm
University Place Music on the Square
3609 Market Place West
University Place WA
Details of all shows on my calendar.