Join the Tuesday Slice of Life
The Festival of Words began with an awards ceremony on Thursday evening for the winners of the writing contest. I was privileged to have a student winner, so I picked her up after school, and we drove the hour to the Sunset library, just west of Grand Coteau. She commented that she loved the name of the town “Sunset.” At the awards ceremony, I introduced my student to two state poets laureate, Darrell Bourque and Julie Kane.
My student poetry winner meets the current state poet laureate, Julie Kane.
Following the open mic when students read, we enjoyed two performance poets, Bonny McDonald and Chancelier “Xero” Skidmore. Here is a video I took of Bonny’s performance of “To A natural in E flat.”
On Saturday, I ventured back to Grand Coteau and the Festival of Words. I attended a fiction writing workshop with Randall Kenan. The workshop was small and intimate and we wrote and talked and wrote and talked, the best kind of workshop to me. In the afternoon, I attended Julie Kane’s poetry workshop. Again it was a small group. She talked to us about forms and had us try out combining a praise poem with using the same first word in each line. We brainstormed ideas for mundane things to write about. We wrote about fingernail clippers, mosquitoes, and a volume knob. I wrote about grass. I was actually satisfied with the result.
For today I will step lightly
For your tenderness
For the light of sun upon your greenliness
For tickling my belly
For wriggling between my toes
For your fresh sweet scent
For the settled earth you draw strength from
For your canvas of wildflowers
For clover crowns
For hiding rolly-pollies, fleas, and snakes
For grass.
I wish I had stayed for more readings, but the day was growing long, and my mind weary, but I’ll be back next year.
Students from area high schools did drive-by poetry. Here a student reads aloud a poem by Julie Kane to Julie Kane. She delighted in hearing her own poems performed by these talented students.
Reflections on the Teche 
What a great writing retreat. I wish Festival of Words was closer since it sounds like it was quite inspirational!
Thanks for sharing the beautiful poem you wrote too.
I am with Stacey! I wish that we had a Festival of Words in my town as well!
A group of writers formed this nonprofit. They did a Kickstarter campaign this year that was successful in funding it. A great idea. There were other events that I didn’t attend, but I will be going to a poetry master class in a few weeks in which the tuition will help funding.
What a sweet experience to share with students and fellow writers.
Love the poem, too. I like the word “greenliness” and especially the line “For the settled earth you draw strength from.”
It was wonderful to be in the company of writers. I “drew strength” from each of them. I wish for the festival to grow, but I loved the small intimacy of the workshops.
Wow, this sounds like a wonderful retreat, to see, to do, to write-very special. I love your poem, Margaret, the “greenliness” evokes much with just that word! Do you know about the community Poetry Friday? It is similar to these slicers, but we share our own or other writing about poetry. I hope you’ll check it out. Visit my blog or Tara’s on Friday & you’ll see the link.
Linda,
I have been seeing Poetry Friday posts, but I’m not sure how to join in. Is there a host site to link from, like the Two Writing Teachers? I have been pulling poems from the posts as model poems for my colleagues. I send them a poetry lesson each Friday. Would love to hear more about it.