Stretching Out There Somewhere

Where have all the flowers gone? That allusion implies how long I’ve been in the classroom

Came here to Hope College in 1971. Thought I’d stay maybe three or four years. Wednesday, April 23, thirty-seven years later, I walked out of my last class

Felt a little like Icarus in that Bruegel painting. Not that I plunged to my death. But I sure plunged. And all around me were students and teachers heading to their classes or meetings or study dates or out to lie in the first sunshine of spring, many of the students chattering away on their cell phones. I looked at the buildings where I got to be with my students and the one where I had my office, then walked to the car and drove home.

The scary thing about having a teaching life close down is that you have so little to measure it by. You hope that you did a lot more good than harm. And yet realizing even one harmful result could ignite a forest fire in your mind burning away any hopes for good memories that were trying to sprout, thrive, and offer some comforting shade.

So, you go home. When you walk in the door, Charlie the dog runs to greet you. A bit later Julie comes home from real work. You sit with her on the couch, turn on ESPN, take her hand, and feel all of what lies ahead stretching out there somewhere.

Summer Seminar and Summer Wine

It was a rich week what with a terrific seminar class (July 30-August 3) at Hope College. The range of ages and experiences enriched everyone and David James’s directorship made everything a delight. Of course my back hurt all the more when one of the members of the class announced that both her son and her grandson had taken courses with me. One student proclaimed herself “the bag lady of emotions”!! It’s downright amazing to see people who don’t know one another become so close in such a short time.

Then that Sunday, I got to read with Jackie Bartley at the Fenn Valley Winery. I love this “gig,” everyone sitting around tables, everyone sipping wine and enjoying one another’s company. And it’s such a great “venue,” picturesque and warm-hearted. And ask Jackie for her new poems. They are stunning! Thanks to one and all at the winery for giving us all such a good time.

Summer Workshop Roundup

Have I ever been lucky this summer, getting to lead poetry workshops at The Far Field Retreat for Writers, at Interlochen’s first annual writers conference and at Ox Bow where I was surrounded by artists.

I highly and whoopingly recommend all three of these opportunities. They are so well run, never a bump in the road, everything moving along as if they are running themselves when one knows that behind the scenes, those in charge– Mary Ann Samyn, Anne Marie Oomen, and Jason Kalajainen–have made sure that we are in a writer’s paradise. What a joy to work with attendees ranging in age from 19-83 each carrying life stories abundant with sorrow and hilarity.

Julie and Charlie dog went along to Interlochen, and Charlie was in heaven each morning as he dashed out the door of our home on Green Lake and headed to the shoreline to roll in a dead fish. Ahhhhhh. Hmmmmm, maybe there’s a metaphor in there about this life in poetry.

Our class visited Mike Delp at his fishing camp, where Charlie tasted the life of a river dog.

Next up: A week long seminar in poetry that I’ll be leading at Hope College, July 30-August 3. Come join the good time. Just contact David James at Hope College — james@hope.edu

Then on August 5 at 2:30, I’ll get to read with Jackie Bartley at the Fenn Valley Winery. Come join us for poems and for tasting, sipping, downright imbibing in wine and one another.

What a thrill

Julie here again, posting for Ridl….

What a thrill:

http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/programs/2007/04/30/index.html

Thanks, all you almanac folks.

And then, today Jack received notice that Broken Symmetry is a co-winner of the Society of Midland Authors Award for poetry for 2007. Jack’s blinking. This award covers work published in 12 states, and the past winners include Ted Kooser, Jim Harrison, Carl Phillips, Alice Fulton, and Richard Jones.

The Writer’s Almanac

Julie here, happily reporting:

Monday, April 30, on Blue Lake Public Radio 9:55 a.m. here, but airing different times on
different public radio stations, Garrison Keillor will be reading one
of Jack’s poems on The Writer’s Almanac:

The Writer’s Almanac with Garrison Keillor
http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/

If it doesn’t air in your area, you can find it at the site above
starting Tuesday, or download the episode from iTunes.

And that’s just a very cool thing for the old bear, don’t you think?

Recent Readings

The reading at Alpena was a gem. Meridith went along. We’d not had a Daddy/Daughter trek in some time.

We got there just fine, Meridith navigating. We missed a turn coming back. Everyone at Alpena was so good to us. They welcomed us in our room with flowers and Dove chocolates, took us out to a great dinner, and the company was so stimulating to talk with, the fellow diners being from NYC, California, Texas and now loving living in Alpena and trying to talk us all into moving there. And the audience had the best questions following the reading. And the library! Talk about a library that cares about people. Great place. Go.

Then this past week I got to read with former student Chris Dombrowski at Michigan State. That makes two readings this year with former students. What a joy! Chris’s mother is our agent. She was instrumental in setting this up. And the people at MSU were incredibly welcoming. Chris and I recorded an interview prior to the reading. The old guy and the new kid on the block blew the roof off the joint. Chris is writing remarkable poems and essays. He read both at the reading and I kept having to push my jaw up. Sue Poppink who was a student of mine in the 70’s was there and brought me water! I’d not seen her since ‘79. She has her doctorate and teaches education. And Chris’s wife, Mary, also a former student was there rooting us on. And another former student, Sara Lamers was there, too. Sara has a new collection out from March Street Press. Its title is A City without Trees.You can access the interview and the reading by going to

http://www.lib.msu.edu/vincent/writers/index.htm

I’m Hoping You Will Be Interested!

Here are some upcoming stops on the Broken Symmetry Tour!~!!!! : )

—–READINGS—–

1. February 20: The New School at Kalamazoo Community College Contact Rob Haight for information.

2. February TBA: Kalamazoo College. Contact Dianne Seuss for information.

3. March 21: With the wonderful Mary Jo Firth Gillett in Ann Arbor at the Work in Progress Reading Series.

Contact Deanne Lundin for information.

4. April 13: With former student, the amazing Christopher Dombrowski, at the Michigan State University Library

5. April 18: With several poets at The Grand Rapids Public Library

—–Conferences/Workshops/Retreats—–

>>>>>I will be leading conference-long workshops at all of these below. How I would love to get to be with you at any of these week long retreats<<<<<

!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sign up and have a great good time at any or all of them. !!!!!!!!!!!

1. May 17-20: The Far Field Retreat for Writers at Oakland, MI.

2. June 12-16: Interlochen Center for the Arts Writers Institute

3. June 24-30: Oxbow School of Art

>>>>> Go to “links” on my website to get connections to each of these. <<<<<

I’d sure love to see those of you I know and also meet new folks at any/all of these!!!!!!!!

Detroit Historical Museum

Julie and I drove over to Ann Arbor on Saturday, December 2, hung out there and felt politically correct, wandered in real bookstores, and ate good. Then on Sunday we headed over to The Detroit Historical Museum for a book signing. After signing a book, we went out to eat with Sarah and Mollica from the Wayne Press, their friend Brooke and former student David Soubly. That was a great time as we celebrated Sarah’s birthday even though it wasn’t her birthday. It was a delight to see David and learn about his survival at Ford, his continuing to write–he’s working to finish his second novel–and his family.

Look for David’s first novel titled SANTA, CEO. You can check out the novel at www.santaceo.com or obtain copies at www.booklocker.com. And while mentioning former students, I recently learned that Jill Thiel who went to Hope College in the 70s was at the reading that Sally Smits and I got to give at IUSB.

What a joy to hear from good good her! Here’s wishing one and all the very best of these holiday times.

Reading with Sally

November 16 brought a wonderful gift. I got to read with my former student Sally Smits at Indiana University at South Bend. Sitting there listening to her, seeing her so luminous, brought back memories of this punk first year student who landed in the flatlands so homesick for her Rocky Mountains. And now here she was, a college professor and a poet you all should read, a poet whose poems are filled with glowing surprises and head/heart coherence. They dazzle but never show off. Amazing, I’d say. Julie was there, knitting away with a soft smile on her face the whole time. Following Sally felt like being the trained seal trying to follow the Queen of the Air. I balanced the bowling pin on my nose quite well, however. And there was a Q & A after, which was another delight as we responded to questions and bantered back and forth with lots of laughs.Everyone at IUSB was warm and welcoming. I loved being with the faculty after the reading and before it at dinner–one classy dinner it was. If you are ever in South Bend, go to the Main Street Cafe. I think that’s the name of it. The faculty at IUSB have such intelligent enthusiasm. They are building a writing program and it’s going to be terrific.

And former student Jill Thiel drove all the way from Chicago to be in the audience. That was so so kind of her. What a great good time this all was. To read with ones student–talk about a joy! In the spring, I get to read at Michigan State with former student Chris Dombrowski. I wanna have a tour with all my students!

Penn State, Altoona

The creative writing faculty at the Altoona campus of Penn State is magical, exceptional. What a gang of talents and intelligences–and they all woop for one another. I had such a great good time there. To be once again surrounded by my Pennsylvania mountains was rejuvenating. Todd Davis’s class was a joy to be with. Todd and Shelly and their boys, Noah and Nathan created a resort out of their home for me. Talk about good sleepin’ and good eatin and good talkin’! I repaid them by trouncing them at Rummy after the reading. Read in a chapel. I think I should set up the “Jack-in-the-Chapel Tour.” How many is that now?

So thanks to Todd and family, to Dinty Moore and Erin Murphy for being such great “instant friends.” Buy their books. They write the real stuff.