Jackson's Actions

All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reason, passion, and desire. --Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC) <

Just returned from the 14th annual Poetry & Prose Getaway run by poet/entrepreneur Peter Murphy where about 200 poets and prose writers, song writers and the literary stars gathered for four days of fun and creativity in the Grand Hotel, facing the ocean on Cape May, New Jersey.

I took the poetry route and had the wonderful opportunity to do a 20 minute tutorial
with Toni Brown, a sublimely supportive workshop leader and poet, as well as to spend an afternoon workshop (with 8 other students) with Pulitzer prize winner, Stephen Dunn. It was a rewarding experience. We had a very professional parcel of poems offered up for revision, and while most of us would have settled for them "as is," Stephen found myriad ways to explore, improve and revise them for the better. It was disconcerting to see the ease with which he spotted 'holes' and was able to convey fixes clearly and quickly. It was thrilling to watch the process and be part of.

In addition to the workshops and readings, live music, Q & A for poets, there were little contests (for prizes of books), wonderful food (I'm sure I gained 5 lbs.),
a book-trading table, and book sales as well as "literary" tshirts. (I got the Dylan Thomas, with the "do not go gentle" speech on the back. His picture looks like a rock star.) A group of women went out to "The Blue Pig" on Saturday night and we dined in elegance, with soft lights and live jazz in the next room of the old, historical hotel. The food was wonderful, as was the company and the music.

I was the grateful guest of Michelle Cameron, author of "In the Shadow of the Globe" one of Lit Pot Press's favorite books, a fictionalized narrative poem about Shakespeare and the Globe Theater. I hadn't seen Michelle since her Floridian book tour in 2003, so it was great fun to visit and catch up with an old friend. She's deep into a new book (a historical novel) at the moment and it was exciting to see her progress.

Stephen Dunn autographed books for me, and I was able to chat for a few minutes and elicit a recommendation from him for books on craft, since I have just finished the amazing Tony Hoagland essays "Real Sofistikation" which has imspired me to read more craft books immediately. My work took a jump just READING Hoagland. Imagine what might happen if I got educated? Ahem.

Here's what Dunn suggested for starts: (this is an opportunity, poets. Grab it!)

"The Necessary Angel" by Wallace Stevens
"Proofs & Theories" by Louise Gluck
"Nine Gates: Entering the Mind of Poetry" by Jane Hirshfield
"Oblivion" by Donald Justice (an out of print, hard to find one)


Here's some photos of the weekend. Very poor ones, I might add, since I don't
know how to set my camera for bad lighting, but at least it's a taste of what went on Cape May Getaway 2007 It doesn't do justice to the high energy and/or the beauty of the hotel, participants and good work that occurred there.

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