7.29.2008

7 Days

I'm leaving on Saturday, flying up to Mt. Holyoke College for the Warren Wilson MFA program's annual alumni conference. I've never been able to justify attending before, but I was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship this year, by the sheer good luck of my name being drawn from a hat. So it's just a little gift of poetry from the universe, much needed and much appreciated--seven days to help me remember who I am.

I'd like to share a poem by the woman that scholarship honors, Linda Dyer:

Crawfish, Crawdads, Crayfish

On the wall of the restaurant is a picture made up of nine
small pictures entitled "How to Eat Crawfish," and the
couple I sit with because I came in alone and they didn't
mind if I shared the table talk about how disgusting it is
and I write down what they say because I am lonely and
have spoken to no one all day. The poster says: "Find the
biggest crawfish, pinch the tail bite the meat...." Growing
up in Pennsylvania I would catch them-crayfish we called
them-and fold a few in my white anklet socks to take
home as pets, but from anxiety or just because it's what
they do, they would shit all over my lace-trimmed socks--
bright orange spots-so I would drop them back in the
creek, bury my socks along the way, and try to sneak into
the house unnoticed. I did it more than once, many times
in fact, each time thinking my socks would remain white
and I would have some pets to whisper to at night in the
small room where I wanted to be alone, but wasn't always.


**From her book Fictional Teeth, Ahsahta Press, 2001

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

That sounds fab - you deserve it . . . there was justice in that hat! Don't worry about all your animals, they'll be fine - even the 2-legged ones . . .

Unknown said...

You'll have a great time. I wish I was going this year.

Please say "Hello" for me.

Adam said...

Hi Tania, I'm Adam and I found your blog sometime last week when a google search for Robley Wilson brought me to your old post of "I Wish In The City Of Your Heart." I've bookmarked and blog-rolled you, hope that's kosher.

"I remember how the last few hung on / like burned lace" is wonderful.

Cheers!

Tania Rochelle said...

Thanks, y'all!

Rupert, will you check on them just to make sure?

Greg, I will.

Adam, welcome!

ButtonHole said...

LOVE the poem! Hope you have a great time. "You won't have a blogging hiatus, will you?" she asks, anxiously, who hasn't blogged in a week plus..,...

Collin Kelley said...

Have fun, T.Ro. Hope you get some new poems out of this.

About Me

My photo
Writer, teacher, student, mom.

Fresh Flowers Delivered