Music, writing, and fun

There was another delightful jam session late last night. Here Mike, Kristi, Luke, Will, and Preston rock out.

That was after a full day of writing and general friendly fun.

For me, every day starts with a 20-minute meditation between the bells at 7:30 and 7:50 a.m.  This place is amazing.

I don't know if I am crazy to think I can write this book, but I feel compelled to try. That's how most people here feel. It is very supportive. Today I think I need to strengthen the ending.

After lunch, Will and I plan to go into Spruce Pine and do some laundry and shopping. Then, tomorrow, another 50 writers and some instructors will arrive for the second, more intense week.

More writing

It's Thursday morning, and I have been making good progress on my memoir during the retreat week. Yesterday I even gave up an invitation to hike to Crabtree Falls because I wanted to stay at my desk in the library and keep writing. I finished reassembling my book, including a new ending, but I am still not satisfied with my beginning. I hope to fix that up today.

Last night I read at the student readings. I wasn't ready to share my current work, so I read my poem "Invasive" from last year, and I think it was well received.

Invasive

 Phragmites australis

reed under siege
damned by naturalists
userper of cattails
wild rice,
wetland orchids
 
dubbed Phragmites vulgaris,
but noted in brackets
[illegitimate name]
Phragmites thickets
make poor homes
for mussels and crabs
 
prolific Phragmites
lovely on roadsides
sturdy tall reeds
with fluffy tan plumage
blowing in gentle
onshore breezes

Phragmites americanus
decried as an alien
no longer welcome
I used to call you “sea wheat”
amber waves of grain, I thought
from sea to shining sea
 

James Kershner, January 2016

Writing Day

After a good writing day at a table in the library, I had a feeling there was a soda in the vending machine with my name on it. And that's exactly what popped out.

After two days of writing, I have reorganized my memoir, but it still starts to slowly and does not flow. Today (Wednesday) I hope to go through it again, tightening up the beginning and making it all flow more smoothly. I also need a new ending.

Everyone here is so supportive. We are all talking about our writing projects. I wanted to share my writing, but it's still not ready for prime time. Maybe if I tighten up the beginning enough, I can read that this evening.

More Music

 After the student readings last night, musicians gathered in the music room last night for a jam session. Preston, Will, Tim, Luke, and Kristi collaborated on folk, blues, pop, and good old rock 'n' roll.

In the morning I worked hard on my memoir, setting up a new structure for the first three chapters. In the afternoon, Will and I went into Spruce Pine, where I did a load of laundry and Will picked up supplies at Walmart.

At Wildacres, the writers are serious. All over campus, folks are working on their laptops or writing in notebooks. It is inspiring.

Despite listening to the jam session until after 11 p.m., I was up for our morning meditation at 7:30 in the same music room. Our little meditation group grew from two of us yesterday to five people this morning.

Wildacres

 

It is wonderful to be back at Wildacres. It is a magical refuge dedicated to "the betterment of human relations." It is Monday morning now, and most people have settled in to writing. It is especially nice to see my Wildacres roommate, Will. In the past four years, we had the luxury of staying in the Guest House, which was a little more luxurious that staying in the dorm, as we are this year. 

Sunday afternoon I arrived around 1 p.m., but Judy said we weren't supposed to check in until 3 p.m. I decided to ride into Little Switzerland for a bite to eat. On the way there, I saw a beautiful grassy hillside along the parkway with a place to park my motorcycle off the pavement. I decided to use my time meditating, relaxing and enjoying a cold Diet Mountain Dew. Then I realized that any motorcyclist riding past might be concerned that my bike had broken down and stop to assist me. So when I heard a motorcycle approaching, I looked up and offered a smile and a wave to indicate that everything was OK. After a few of those passed, I heard a loud roar and saw an organized group of 18 (I counted them) Harley Davidsons cruising down the parkway. I sat on the hillside giving them all  a peace sign and a smile. Every single one of the 18 riders waved back at me. The connection--the comradery--between motorcyclists is heartwarming.

There is a similar connection among writers. About 50 of us have assembled, and all over campus, people are hunched over their laptops writing. It feels good to be among kindred souls.

Retreat!

I am entering a new phase of my Odyssey today. After a week of heading south and exploring the Smokies area, I am going back north on the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Wildacres Retreat Center. It is a magical remote gathering spot on a mountaintop near the village of Little Switzerland, NC.

For the next week, 50 serious writers will do some serious writing during the day and some serious partying at night. In the morning, I'll be leading meditation before breakfast. I'm really looking forward to it all.

After that, there will be a week of workshops with about 100 writers and half a dozen distinguished instructors. Both weeks include student readings in the evenings. It just doesn't get any better than that.

Happiness

Crossed a lot of ridges and valleys today, going east from Knoxville to Asheville. I followed old US 25. Near Knoxville they call it The Asheville Pike. Nowadays most folks take the Interstate instead.

Maybe I'm a happy ocean person looking for wisdom in the mountains.