Well, day 1 in Monson was a dream. Two dozen Central Maine kids appeared in the studio doorway at 9 o'clock sharp, nervy and smiling, and also deeply unsure about what they'd gotten themselves into. Half of them went off with the painter Alan Bray; the other half stayed with me (and my friend Jaime, who has  kindly volunteered to help out with the program). And so we spent the next few hours getting to know one another, writing some letters, reading some Lucille Clifton, looking at photographs, imagining our own prayers for ourselves and the world. The students were wonderful: eager, curious, concentrated, funny, open. And this was just the first day! What luck!

And now I'm back at the Alcott House, getting ready to waste a perfectly good morning at the dentist.   Ugh.

In other good news: impeachment proceedings. Finally.