I was bold.
I introduced myself as a poet.
I said my name…twice.
Then he took out his phone to type me in.
A former poet laureate of the state.
He’s offered to come to workshop with my students, even though he’s never taught elementary before. Can I make this happen? Yes, I will.
Last night I was at a dinner party for artists who are visiting our town for The Shadows on the Teche Plein Air Competition. We are hosting an artist in our home. The evening was beautiful, violinist, food, wine, and a sun setting over the bayou. The director of the Shadows is John Warner Smith. He served as state poet laureate from 2019-2021, so he talked about how “Covid hit” and all workshops moved to Zoom. He gave me his card and said, “Get in touch. We can do something.”
My students already have a heightened admiration of me because I often introduce them to poets I’ve met, but wait until they meet Mr. Smith, a living poet laureate. I’ll have to teach them what poet laureate means. I hope he’s as good a teacher as he is a dinner party conversationalist.
I was bold.
I said I am a poet.
Do you tell others that you are a writer?
Reflections on the Teche 