All the Trees Lean Away from the Sea

The wind was really something yesterday. Outside it felt heavenly on your face, but inside it whistled and made you feel like potato soup and cornbread. If I weren't working so hard on procrastinating, I would've gone to the shop for some buttermilk. As it is, I spent the entire night working on a short story. The entire night. Gah. There was some watching of Highlander (don't judge me, it wasn't my idea) scattered through there as well, but for the most part, it was a long night. My routine will get more settled and it won't be so haphazard (at least I hope!).

We had poetry class yesterday and I must say, our instructor Eva Bourke is just simply amazing. The entire class felt like a conversation. There are some really great writers in our course and I can't wait to read what they write all semester. I hope some of that magic rubs off on my work! Anyhow, to prove I do write on occasion and don't just spend my days drinking tea and flirting with old men in the city centre, here's one of my poems from class:

Buffalo Bill's Traveling Show

From the second story

he could see her jumping

But not from the third

she broke her foot once like that

So when she stood there

in her teal ankle rainboots

he only nodded

and said he would catch her

The she flew

like off the high dive at the public pool

Screaming Watch me!

he knew he was in trouble then

There was a flash of color

and he made good on his word

but even the grass was holding a grudge

her boots stayed on

In the kitchen

there was hardly a sound

just a thud

like someone stacking wood

Over her shoulder

she remarked

to no one but the air

those are the ones that lived

Today I've got Fiction. I'm going to like this class, but I do not like my offering for this week. I began at least three different versions of this story, rewrote another version last night and still changed up a few things this morning. We'll see how it goes. After class I've got an interview for a tutoring job, cross your fingers. It'd only be two hours a week, which might work out just perfectly. Ireland's gonna work out just fine, especially if I can figure out a way to sneak away the Chester look-alike puppy from my neighbor. Or convince her that the puppy really needs to hang out with an American girl for a little bit each week. At the moment though, I think I'm going to eat some lunch and read for my class tomorrow (Women's Writing, yes!). Hope to hear from you all soon!