May has come. Again. Outside, the yard is greening minute by minute. My one surviving Nanking Cherry is starting to bloom.
I’d love to have a Hanami, and invite the many dear friends, family too, who for one reason or another are far from me. Those Kamikaze guys knew a thing or two about appearances, singing of how the cherry blossom falls.
Bloom of light
falling apart.
I’ve spent the past couple of weekends out in the woods, saying goodbye to one dear friend, reconnecting with another, and missing those i think of when i see the wild birds fly.
My partner, father of my child, single-minded fellow, put down his pen and closed his computer, and cheerfully climbed ladders, slung shingles, nailed up replacement wood. Bats had invaded the tower of our friend’s wooden cottage, filliing the walls with leavings. Our friend needed to get the walls cleaned out and repaired before the bats come back for the summer. At seventy-three, she only stayed off the higher ladder because of doctor’s orders. She is a force of nature. I hope i’ll have as much energy, strength and practical know-how at her age.
Between the weekends, i attended a lot of poetry events.
It was great to meet the authors in Dektet, Frontenac House’s stunningly ambitious and successful gamble, launching 10 books of poetry at once.
And i was reminded of my own launch, this time last year, how very special a time that was.
I marvel, all the time, at fortune and luck. Both have favoured me time and again, not least in the example of Frontenac. Right place, right time, i met Rose Scollard, and felt she might like my manuscript.
The other evening, i witnessed the launch of 10 more people, who all evidently find, as i’ve found, that this publisher is really special. Especially in the strange times these are for books and publishing, i am so very thankful that Frontenac is out there. Buy books from them. The new books are a range of really compelling writing. You will find something for you.