the other night rich and i were talking about writing. he's always been my mentor in that sense. as per my entry about interesting writing i've done, he gave me some of his favorite selections. he not only told me which were his favorite, but read them to me aloud. i've never had anyone do that. and even though his phone was static confusion, i heard so powerfully the message behind the words. it reminded me of the night i was first introduced to poetry. rich was talking to me back in '97 about something unrelated and wound up reading me some e.e. cummings. i ran right to the bookstore and read more and cried and bought. hearing my own poems had the same effect and that was bizarre and exciting.

when i told my best friend cossette on the phone today that i was thinking about being married she asked if i was going to give up my dreams. putting aside the insult behind that question, i told her i would never stop writing. it's the first thing in my life that i don't even care if i'm good at. it's the most satisfying art i've ever attempted, and that in itself is enough to keep me hunched over and scribbling for all of my days.

2003-07-22, 8:55 p.m.
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