pen walker

Today: Cordial invitations to the principal and another ALC teacher. Special guests at the release party of Pen Walker, an anthology of poems (humbly photocopied and stapled, taking over an hour, me drinking a soda on my prep hour, promising myself I ought to not drink sodas during the school day, shouldn't depend on caffeine to wake me up) written by my students (all thirteen of them, again and again, sometimes two or three in a class period). Cover: title selected and voted on by students, cover art selected and voted on by students, title art commissioned by a specific student in the room. The "launch" consisted of my introducing the students, a poetry reading, an hors d'oeuvre reception (cookies in plastic wrapping) and book signing. And some of these poems in this book: they moved me. I don't know if they know what talent they have, how they are doing things with poetry I could analyze and recognize and maybe it's just instinct for them, or maybe they have more authentic voices, but it went so well, and twice I had to gulp to keep myself from being too ridiculously bleary eyed out of pride. What good, good kids who deserve good, good things. I lucked out with this group, with the Brit Lit kids too.

I wouldn't say I'm head over heels in love with teaching again; there are still so many things I get frustrated with, but I would say I'm back. I'm passionate about my profession again; I don't try to think of excuses to not arrive in this building. I fight through days that would have easily been sick days last year; I come, I am calmed, I am exhausted, but I am content.

And writing. Content and writing.

This weekend: the fall play tonight, an art festival, followed by a concert at the vineyard. A good, quiet, well spent weekend with friends and Husband (who was out of town last night, our two month wedding anniversary--I am glad to see him soon, to curl up against him and breathe).