first draft club
A week ago, it was my birthday which also means it is the two-year anniversary of my considering that Everything is Interesting. I spent my birthday on the Smith River with my family and my family and my family on the land, on the river, in the river, becoming the land. We imagined ourselves as worms. We tied scraps of our matriarch’s hair to a choke cherry bush and left her in the vortex. We rowed miles through the portal and felt more than we didn’t. We sat in the snake meadow with the rubber boas and other creatures we could see. We swam every day and sang every day. We brought cake and wine and tables, yes even tables, down the narrow canyon because we try to bring full tables everywhere we go. We saw an owl which is to say: we saw exactly who we needed to see. I haven’t been writing, that is to say, physically putting pen to paper etc. I’ve been thinking about what writing actually is. I am evangelical that writing (poems) is mostly looking out the window. Feeling our toes on the good ground. Hands near a lover. Here are the 28 lessons I’ve remembered this past year (life is remembering): It’s not fun but don’t take it seriously Be the tide lift the boats Loosen your grip, stop being precious The opposite of war is not peace, the opposite of war is creativity Lean to the left Be where your feet are!!!! My memories are within other people We deserve art “I am the one who cries out and I am the one who listens” In scary moments, channel whoever in your life would do a really good brave job I can lie to everyone else but I can’t lie to yourself My purpose is not to be liked The body was borrowed The questions you ask yourself about yourself are important “It’s all very interesting, what is happening” Heaven is on earth “Friend, do not enter without desire” Eroticism IS lack Bring Dracula to the bar My heart IS actually a cherry tomato Be tender on main Life is mostly choices and also mostly love They lied to us - live with your friends Some of us like rock n roll and some of us don’t Be unafraid to die When you know? You know You can’t step in the same river twice but you can step in the same river three times Yes: this must be the place (ie: bloom where you’re planted.)
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