Written for: Poetic Bloomings2 – July 29: In Tribute
“to someone who meant a great deal to your development, personal or poetic.
OR a tribute to someone famous.”
You can do it, he said,
when I was 41 and working
in the circus rings
of Wall Street. Cheaters
to the left of me, racists
to the right. My friend
had read some of my writing,
and urged me to take a class.
Terrified, I signed up for
an evening writing class
at NYU. Elizabeth was an inspiring
teacher. She helped me learn,
and suggested books to read
on writing. Meeting other writers,
listening to each other read–
in quavering voices–marked
a huge change in my life. Now,
cannot imagine not writing.
I am only sad that I could not
share this with my friend. His
life ended on September 11th.
