Wired and Tired

A very generous friend was going to buy me a plane ticket to travel to China in June. Unfortunately, those plans fell through. C’est la vie. I think in the past a disappointment like this would have spiraled me into the abyss but I have to say it definitely doesn’t feel like that to me at all today. Instead, I feel grateful for the offer having been made at all. However, this setback has me focused on getting some much needed vacation time, away from the office, away from the city either at an ashram or to visit some friends in Vermont. I need time to decompress. I’ve been both wired and tired for a long time. So I’ll figure plans out in the coming weeks.

This weekend was about errands and family dinners. We celebrated my sister’s birthday at one of our favorite restaurants. Party of ten please. My little nieces behaved themselves in our two-hour celebration, hoorah! I realized that my oldest niece is turning 15 years old this year. Holy Hell!! REALLY?! In three years she’ll be off to college. I’m not quite ready for that reality but ready or not here it comes. I can’t stave off progress.

So my plans for this week are to finish off the grant application by Wednesday and start writing a few more lines on my second story idea. No writing group this week so I’ll work on my own. Then next week, I’ll take out Indigo and start revising that piece. I am excited and nervous about working on it. All for now…I have to get my day started at work.

Peace,


L~

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2011 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Writing Group Results

So the results are in: my writing group loved one and the other one they didn't know what to make of it.  Hehehe.  I will be fair and say that out of a 27 line poem, they were unanimous in the love-fest for the last five lines.  Interesting.  So now comes the fine balancing act between taking feedback and making decisions on this piece called Circle, Holding Pattern.  Hmmmm.  Not sure yet how I'm going to move forward on it.  I think I need to sit quietly with it and see where it goes.  I am attaching below the first draft of this poem below.  I'm also making a mental note that when I've revised the piece to show what came of it on this blog.

Circle, Holding Pattern

Five points away from each other

thin rain mists stranger faces

We are three walking the dark

travel logs in back pockets

youth with an order of fries

everywhere kissing bodies

collapse upon each others

reminds me of the mess we’re in

fractured lyrics play over again

the bridge, swan dive at dawn,

straight high walker

misses footing, we’re calm

until you pick up a human tooth

slip into a pocket for safekeeping,

remember when you OD’d

you reminded me to breathe,

strum suspension wires, rhythm

promise to throw out the next poem

about rain no matter where we wind up

black ashes and oil, across your forehead

ten lives out of my mind, good fortune

too fancy in copper bowls, metal growls

echo, collect as voicemail messages

all our lives are hidden in pieces

on hand-held devices, our deities sleep

in white shrouds, compacted beneath

our bare feet, seclusion without faith. 

******
Enjoy,

Lily~

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2011 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

When is the caffeine suppose to kick in?

Another rainy day in Noo Yawk Sitty and I am trying to pry my eyes open. I am drinking coffee this morning…things must be dire if I’ve chosen coffee over tea. I’m hoping the caffeine will kick in at any moment. I can’t believe I’ve been in the office for almost two hours. What have I done exactly? I sincerely think I’ve been sleeping with my eyes open (slightly).

Moving on, yesterday I spent the better part of the day writing. I came up with two poems and one blog entry. Five hours, two poems…yes that’s how long those two pieces took me. I’m hoping that I didn’t overwork them. I’ll find out tonight when I present them to my writing group for feedback. Argh, I always get a bit nervous bringing in new work. I know they will be respectful and encouraging…but like most writers I sometimes think my peers will take one read and look at me with disgust and say something like, “what the hell did you just write?” I know that is as far from reality but there is a small part of me that can’t help feel insecure about new work. But I AM excited at what I’m about to present tonight. It feels new and fresh to me and I want to include it in this application packet. We shall see.

Peace,

L~

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2011 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.