I woke up to learn that Vox Populi has published my poem "Soul," dedicated to Otis Redding, so that makes two elegies in a row you're getting from me, if you count yesterday's thoughts about Bob Gibson. And I wrote a poem yesterday too . . . I sat outside in the peaceable air, and wrote a poem about the mailman. Just as I'd hoped, the writing retreat I'm leading is also turning into the writing retreat I'm experiencing. It has been such a deep pleasure to spend time with these poets and their poems.

We'll be working together again this morning, and then, in the afternoon, I'll fade back into my usual life . . . cooking tomato sauce, tearing out the sunflowers that the squirrels are ravaging, watching a little football with my son.

But I'm so grateful for these rich hours with the poets. I'm so grateful to feel like a poet myself.