Twenty poets gathered in the north Georgia mountains last weekend for an
SCBWI Southern Breeze poetry I coordinated with special guest,
Rebecca Kai Dotlich. That thunderstorm mentioned at the end of last week’s post from Rebecca’s poem visited us more than once at the
Center for New Beginningsin Dahlonega, Georgia. We enjoyed sessions with Rebecca, who said her favorite poems offer a *surprise*, wonderful food and fellowship, individual critiques, and sparks of new poems begging to be written.
For more information and pictures, visit my
POETRY page and also attendee
Jean Matthew Hall’s blog. Doraine Bennett blogged as well at
Dori Reads.
This week I also had the privilege of speaking to some upper elementary and middle school writers at Lakeview Academy’s Writers Camp! What a talented group of creative young people.
But wait – there’s more. It was also Zoofari Camp this week at the
Chestatee Wildlife Preserve, and I popped in over there, too. I love talking about writing and also wolf education, so it was a great experience. I even brought Rio down from his pen to say hello to the campers (from a safe distance!). See pictures on my
WOLVES and
STUDENT GALLERY pages.
Back to the retreat – Rebecca was a terrific good sport out in the woodsy, rustic environment – particularly considering we learned “woodsy” and “rustic” are not really her
thing! I have to say I loved running half-wild through the woods as a kid, and I guess I’ve never outgrown it.
Thinking about that, I dug out this poem written soon after I started volunteering with wolves three years ago. (I know – it’s a little strange! But it still applies.)
"Breath of Fresh Hair"
Sometimes the wolf smell lingers
on my skin or in my hair –
I like catching a whiff on my sleeve
in the grocery store.
I hate to wash it off in the shower.
It’s not a scent for civilized company.
It’s the smell of secrets,
of murky mist –
heady and heavy,
wild and holy.©Robyn Hood Black
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