so far this year, and “seeing birds in church is a kind of adieu”
Posted by Daniela Elza on Aug 31 2010
This year I keep saying to myself I will take a break, rest, after this month is over. And it seems I might have said that for each month. And here we are at the end of August. And by take a break I mean be with my writing and my reading. Attend to new writing.
This year just seems to be a more intense year on the submissions, manuscripts, and gathering of my work together. It does pile up, all this writing, and eventually you are faced with it and should get it together in some compilation, shape, build it a home. So I have promised myself to put my second manuscript together. Which is always a good way to keep the first one out of mind while it is doing its visits to publishers, or first book contests.
Today the rain is coming down, and the wind is toying with trees. The taste of autumn, dark like winter.
A good day to work on my conversation with Arlene Ang for Daily s-Press. Not that the conversation is dark, this weather will just help me sit still and work on it. Arlene and I will soon begin our fifth poem together. We have been collaborating on writing poems, and it has been an amazing experience. The other three are under consideration. Hope to share them here with you soon.
She also just came out with her new poetry book:
seeing birds in church is a kind of adieu (Cinnamon Press, 2010). I have enjoyed her book immensely. The testimony is: I keep going back to it. I keep sharing the poems, reading them to friends, even over the phone.
It is brave, full of heart, surreal, not at all sentimental for the topic it deals with, and makes us face the question of loss. Any loss. Rises above, redeems, and opens the contemplative space needed for us to rise as well, and let go.