last night was the latest reading for write around portland, for their most recent anthology, [their 25th!] i've been to several of these in the past couple years and i always leave in the same emotional state: reduced and renewed. It is so humbling to hear people's lives written and read back: their devotions and their grace as they move toward or away from second chances or triumphs over adversity, whatever form that may take. it's also frequently breath-taking.
the beautiful thing about write around portland is the disparate nature of the writing groups. [They are so varied that it sometimes feels like too much, like the idea will collapse under the weight of its desire to be inclusionary - but it never ever does]. the connections between these disparate groups are like little glowing stars imprinted in the blackness, little beacons of human-ness blinking in the dark and - all put together, they have a brilliance to them, a resounding affirmation of being alive and what it all means.
this was margaret's second session as a facilitator (the ILR group). getting to hear her students (if that's the right word. facilitees maybe?) read was triumphant. in fact, the title of the anthology comes from a staggering piece that came out of margaret's group.
someone should really make a documentary about write around portland already. lindstrom? you listening?
2 comments:
you should mebbe consider making that doc yrself. you are a good candidate for eet.
ooh! excellent point! You should totally do it!
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