Two Actual Dreams I Had Related to Poetry, and Where's NaPoWriMo?

Really I would tend to not share this stuff (I mean, dreams, really. Come on), but I thought this most recent one was shapely enough to be worth telling.  I wonder if there is some message in the progression of these two dreams--from getting advice to being a big Mahoff?

Poetry dream 4/11/2008)

So in my dream Kim Roberts has nominated me to be Poet Laureate of the United States! And, because she is so big deal influential, I am actually chosen to be Poet Laureate of the United States!

Turns out it’s a lot of paperwork.

The office is pretty small and piled up with all kinds of papers and books. I have to review a bunch of stuff.  Luckily my secretary, a spinsterish type, knows the job inside and out. She basically tells me what to do and I do it. I’m reading lists and handwritten manuscripts, and its not that bad, but it is certainly not what I’d envisioned. It’s a nine to five kind of thing but thank god for that spinster secretary, whoever she is.

Poetry Dream circa 2005

I meet, by accident, Gerald Stern. He’s sitting on a park bench and I’m like “Gerald Stern!” And end up pouring out all my doubts, what my poetry is like, what I’m trying to do. It must be pretty annoying but Gerald is totally cool. His advice is pretty straightforward and somehow incredibly relieving. He says something like “Keep doing what you’re doing. It’s sounds fine. Keep going.”

I somehow know from this encounter that I am or will be capable of writing poetry, what I’m doing makes sense, I won’t end in utter humiliation.

Pretty great guy in my dream, that Gerald Stern.

And a big thanks to Kim Roberts for nominating me to be Poet Laureate of the United States in my dream. I can only hope her faith in me is deserved

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So where's today's napowrimo? Just don't have it in me at the moment, and, frankly, I've been phoning it in for a few days now.

So I plan to saddle up again tomorrow, or so.

Until next time, take care of yourself, and each other.

Comments

[Dan Vera]

Could I get a guest reading gig at the LOC of your dreams?