January 29th, 2014

There are 23 different worlds in this room right now and with each
scratch of pen the rules and characters and precincts of each are marked.
They are writing for seven minutes about anything anything they want.
Start with something you heard today or a song lyric I say Chikara begins
to write down everything she hears in the room, as the students have not
yet settled into silence. But it is silent now and she still writes. Somebody
just got a kick message and that is another world entering and abiding here
with us. When I look around at this room I am amazed we don't explode
at the energy contained within each of them. This is it. Now is the future.
They will burst like seed pods into the world and bring with them all the
songs and stories in every pulse of their brain. Keep writing I say to Nick.
I ran out of thoughts he says. No you didn't.  He writes again. Can we curse
in this? Kashla asks. Of course. She smiles and she keeps writing even when
I call time. Everything is in this, the telling of our stories.

                                                    ****

It could happen you know it really could. And it will, won't it, according
to everything they say. I want to see it. I want to wake up in my house
in Hartford with the sea outside my window. I want to wake to it lapping
at my steps and licking my hand. I would not be frightened. I would name
the starfish who pasted themselves to my walls and welcome the dolphins
and sharks who weaved around my feet on morning walks. You wouldn't
seem so far away at the end of the world. Remember how I used to be
frightened of the San Andreas fault line? I miss your arms and I have dreamed
of you three nights in a row. Last night you sent me a letter which contained
only a line from one of my poems, something about a row of white stones.
Tonight I went home for Joshua's 18th birthday. As I stepped out of the car
I looked up to see Orion. I can't see him in the city. I can see the moon only.
Remember half-moon bay? When it ends Orion will be there too. I always
planned on watching the stars fall with you. Follow the stone path back to me.